Planning For A “Crush” Event – Part 0

Part 0: Full disclosure

So you’ve been caching for a while and you think you are just insane enough to try for “100 caches in 24 hours!”, “As many as we can get before we pass out” or “300 finds or abandoning my car mates in a ditch, whichever comes first”. Caching can be stressful. So can a crush event, where you and your (optional) team race to collect as many smilies as possible.

I dub them “Crush” events but they might as well be cram, pack, jam, rush, push or sprint events because to join a massive, day-long caching adventure is to do all of the above. Because of that fact there are some caveats of which you should be aware, before we start into the planning:

1.) This is NOT traditional Geocaching.

It really doesn’t matter whether you’re an urban cacher, distance hiker, 4×4 enthusiast or puzzle solver. Crush events are not about anything more than signing the log, a lot. If you enjoy your favorite aspect of the game during a crush just consider it a nice bonus. 😉

2.) Corollary to Caveat #1: Newbies Stay Home

I would never advise nor invite a relatively new cacher to a crush event. Your definition of “new” may vary, but various people play the game for different reasons. I wouldn’t want to taint a new player into thinking a crush outing was the only way to play, or enjoy, the game. Newer players are unlikely to be helpful during a sprint anyway.

3.) Ask yourself: “Am I physically prepared for this?”

A common event is the urban cache and dash series, where much of the time between caches is spent in an automobile and all inside a 5-10 mile radius. I have seen an off-road series or two and even a mix of urban and trail caches attempted. Regardless, you should size up the physical effort required ahead of time and be honest with yourself. 12+ hours of any activity is tiring. Please, don’t kill yourself. (unless you’re dougandsuzy; I can use a few more FTFs) 😉

4.) Consider the Company You’ll Keep

You will be with your cache mates all day. Will you be stuck in a vehicle with your nemesis? Can you work it out? This one you’ll want to think about some. If you don’t already have a longstanding relationship with your team, a crush event is not the time to get to know them.