When Geocaching How Often.....

[+Navarone]

Do you run into other geocachers? Do you introduce yourself by your Internet name or real name? Overall do you enjoy the experience or would you rather be alone?

[Ellylidan]

None that have seen me survived the encounter. They have all died painful and horrifying deaths, and slowly at that.

[+JohnnyVegas]

We always use our geocaching names, Just today I ran into 7 other cachers while trying for a FTF. We all got to post DNFs

[+wolfmaster]

None that have seen me survived the encounter.  They have all died painful and horrifying deaths, and slowly at that. 

I've been caching since March and only in the last couple of weeks have I started to run into people. Since then I have meet seven. I think now that most of the caches have been retrieved in my area, when a new one comes up, more people tend to go to it right away. Then I guess there are *some* you're better off not meeting []

[+reveritt]

In 241 finds (and more than a few DNFs), I have encountered 6-7 other geocachers "on the trails", and quite a few more at a geocaching event.

[+briansnat]

These days I rarely meet other geocachers at a cache. In the earlier days of the sport it was pretty common as there were only a few caches out there. Now there are so many in this area that the chances are slim of running into someone, unless its a brand new cache.

 

I introduce myself using my real name, which is very close to my GC alias anyway.

[ImpalaBob]

When we run into other cachers, we introduce ourselves with our geocaching names first. We enjoy group caching very much as it is a great way to make new friends. ImpalaBob

[+Team Red Oak]

I've met other cachers twice. The first time it was the cache owner doing a maintenance check on her multi and we were glad to meet her since we were new and having trouble finding the first stage. I think it was only our 2nd or 3rd time out caching and we were very excited to meet her. We used our nick names first and then our names.

 

The second time I ran into someone I could see this guy coming a mile away. Walking with his GPSr held out in front of him, and his nephew in tow not even trying to be discreet in a park full of other people fishing and walking. When they walked over the bridge towards me I asked if he was geocaching and he said yes and I asked him his name and he gave his real name and not a nick name so I did the same.

 

Later he told me he isn't registered on GC.com and although he may sign a log book he never does anything online. He said he didn't want to spend the money and register. I took the opportunity to tell him it didn't cost anything to register and log finds online. He also mentioned he found another cache in the park and at the co-ordinates given all he found was a rubber snake and thought that was the cache. I told him if he picked up the snake and looked on the bottom he would find co-ordinates to the next stage since that particular cache was a multi.

 

I think this guy is not as obsessed as the rest of us. I can not understand how he could have escaped the power of the frog.

[+Thot]

In our area, if you want to meet other cacher on a hunt, all you need to do it watch for where a Geo_Opoly Travel bug is dropped and rush there.

 

Cachers will flock to it in minutes. People lurk in areas they expect a drop and have partners call them on their cell phones to tell them which cache it went in.

 

I went for a new cache last week, not realizing it was a Geo_opoly drop cache. I would never have tried for a FTF had I known. The cache was found and logged by 5 cachers within about 2 hours after it was approved.

Edited August 23, 2005 by Thot

[+WhatsRNutts]

so far I have only run across 1 person while caching and that was only because I had to call him to get a little help and he decided to come out to visit. we ended up going to his house and chatting for about an hour.

[+Faith the Aquariaqueen]

I haven't seen anyone in any of my 70+ finds....I always wished I did especially when I couldn't find the blasted thing....wouldn't have minded some help!!

[+mrmnjewel]

We've run into other cachers a few times out there. Met many more at event caches, though.

[+Renegade Knight]

I can count the number I've met on the trail on one hand. That's less than 1% of the caches I've bumped into other geocachers.

[+Nero]

I've run into othe cachers "out on the trail" maybe half a dozen times, and its usually on a newly placed cache.

 

I might have been in the area with other cachers many times without knowing, usually if i see them with a gps in hand i ask them if they are cachers...

 

on my first hide in california when i lived there it was a multi with the final waypoint about 2 miles from the first (hehehe) at transit center (bus and trolleys) and i would always catch cachers trying to be stealthy (i am a bus driver) when i would see people kind of hanging around where it was and trying not to look obvious i would watch them, some would see me and try and wait me out untill i asked them if they were looking for the cache, and others didnt seem to care they would just go in for the grab without even looking around to see if anyone was looking at them. needless to say it was a short lived cache.

 

Chris

Edited August 23, 2005 by KF6JAX

[+Boot Group]

In 292 finds, we've run into others exactly three times. We've met up with a bunch of people at caches, but only when it's the day of an event. So, I'd say it's not that common.

[+Team Perks]

I've run into too many cachers to even begin to count.

[+GSDK-9]

In the two months that we started we have run into fellow cachers twice. We introduce ourselves with our geocaching name first and then usually get around to real names.

[+Derb522002]

I have run into 3 caches. The other night I went with hubby to try to be a FTF. As I went by the cache site I noticed a van driving slowly. We both went running for the cache to be the first to find. I started to laugh and said I will be disappointed if one us is not the FTF. Well someone got to the cache before us. Hillbilly cacher found the cache. We all introduced ourselves and I took a picture of them with their camera and the camera that was in the cache. They took a picture of hubby, me and the dog. I introduced myself with my cache name. It was really funny watching us looking in nooks and crannys for the cache trying to be the first to find

[+bigdog999]

I run into other caches very frequently, especially when hunting for first-to-finds. I'll always introduce myself by name and GC name. I like caching with others although I normally cache alone.

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

This is an interesting topic -- I started a similar topic thread a couple of months ago on the Maryland Geocaching Society forum, because my wife and I (we have a team account) had suddenly realized that in our first 67 finds in our first 3 months of geocaching -- organized events aside -- we had met 6 geocachers while out in the field. That is a pretty good "meet" rate. We always use our real names, which are pretty much identical to our team name, anyway, and we have found that other cachers seem split 50/50 on whether they give their real name or screen/account name.

We are now up to about 167 finds, and we have noticed that our "meeting" rate has dropped off a bit. My wife had a funny "meeting" experience recently: she was searching for a cache in the dense branches beneath a bushy tree, and was well-immersed in the branches. Suddenly, a couple of cachers from anothr part of the state arrived and one of them parted the branches, only to find Sue there, entwined in the branches, and was rather shocked.

However, all the cachers whom we have met have been wonderful people with whom we had a lot of fun talking, including those in the tale below:

 

My next story is not exactly about meeting a cacher in the field, but close, and a good tale: I spent the past 3 weeks in Chennai, in southern India. I found one of the two caches in the city on a hot Saturday afternoon (the other cache, sadly, is missing in action) and logged my find that nite at the cache listing page. The cache owner, who happens to be an American from Minnesota who lives in India for much of the year, wrote me a private note, suggesting that we might wish to meet if I were going to be in the area much longer, and he gave me his cell fone number. I immediately wrote back that I would be around for 8 more days, and gave him my cell fone number as well. After coordinating via cell fone, we finally met two days later, at a brand new American-style diner which had just been opened in the downtown area of the city by his friend. It turned out that a waiter in the diner, a young man from Hawaii, was also a geocacher, and we got to meet as well. So, here I was, 8,600 miles from home, and I met two other geocachers from the States. And, I ended up having a late dinner of spaghetti and meatballs from the diner! It is truly a strange and fun world!

Edited August 23, 2005 by Vinny & Sue Team

[+Medic005]

Out of 116 finds, I've only meet two other cachers while I was caching. It was kind of obvious they were cachers, since they had GPS in hand. So, I approached and asked if they were and they said yes. Of course, we all asked our online names.

[+snouts]

We've been caching since May 2005, 46 finds and have run into other cachers (that we knew about) three times - all within the last two weeks - strange !

 

I know a few cachers so I knew that we weren't the only ones in the world -you know, the whole thing was something we make up together in our own brains and we pretend there are others so we don't fell alone ... but I was starting to wonder..

 

Anyway - the folks we've met thus far have been a lot of fun, very enthusiastic and what I would call 'good representatives' for the sport.

[+edscott]

I have seldom seen other geocachers in the woods but when I do meet them I always use my geocaching name

[+Kai Team]

We've run into other cachers on the trail a half dozen times, or at about 2% of our finds. We introduce ourselves by our gc.com team name first, and then by our individual first names.

 

People are always friendly and it's always a nice chat. About half the time we've gone on to find other caches with the people we ran into, about half the time we went our separate ways (this depends mostly on whether you're going to be looking for the same caches vs. if one of you has already found the caches the other is going to look for, or how to close to "calling it a day" folks are). Caching with others is always fun.

[+Jester2112]

I've met a few fellow cachers out and about. I'm curious as to why you would be shy about sharing your real name? Would you do the same if you met someone in the grocery store? "Hi, I'm GroceryGetter296, what's your handle?" I always introduce myself as who I am and then trade user names with the person. In my experience, I've yet to meet anyone in the geocaching community, whether in person or online, that scared me. I figure if I walk up to somebody in the woods who has a GPS in their hand, and not a bloody axe, then it's OK to be me. Of course my wife will tell you that I'm the type of person who's never met a stranger.

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

I've met a few fellow cachers out and about. I'm curious as to why you would be shy about sharing your real name? Would you do the same if you met someone in the grocery store? "Hi, I'm GroceryGetter296, what's your handle?" I always introduce myself as who I am and then trade user names with the person. In my experience, I've yet to meet anyone in the geocaching community, whether in person or online, that scared me. I figure if I walk up to somebody in the woods who has a GPS in their hand, and not a bloody axe, then it's OK to be me. Of course my wife will tell you that I'm the type of person who's never met a stranger.

 

Thanks for wording your statements above so well! I much agree with you!

[nobby.nobbs]

met a few at cahes and loads more at bashes. always introduce myself by avatar first then by real name. unless they look really odd not that any of us look odd!

 

it's when they say "ofcourse we recognise you from your avatar!" it's not a photo honest.

[+Navarone]

We both went running for the cache

You and I have never met but for some reason I would love to see footage of this.

[+Navarone]

you would be shy about sharing your real name?

hmm I can't seem to find who said they were shy about it.

[+wdfod]

Do you run into other geocachers? Do you introduce yourself by your Internet name or real name? Overall do you enjoy the experience or would you rather be alone?

We meet other cachers pretty frequently and give them both our geocaching name (Wdfod) with a correct pronunciation (say each letter, don't make it into a word) and where it came from (short story: we don't know what it means). We also tell them our real names (Joe and Margo). Meeting other cachers is one of the best parts of the game in my opinion. I'm fortunate enough to live in an area where we have monthly events. We have also invited cachers to our home and been invited to others.

 

The first cacher I ever met was Renegade Knight. I was at my fourth cache or so. I was glad to have someone to search with as there was a dead cow, a dead dog, lots of garbage, stinging nettle, and wasps. If I hadn't met him, I may very well have given up on the sport since that cache was not my idea of fun. He advised me to log my DNF and while he managed to find it the next day, I learned early on to pick and choose my caches to suit my tastes.

 

Recently we ran into a cacher that we had met briefly at an event, but hadn't really talked to. We were just on our way to dinner and invited her along. We went to dinner, then went back to our house for margaritas and a discussion of SkinGuy's puzzle caches. I daresay I've made a new friend.

 

Margo

[+Jester2112]

you would be shy about sharing your real name?

hmm I can't seem to find who said they were shy about it.

sorry, didn't mean you...should have worded it as: Not sure why some folks are shy about it. To share your real identity is always your decision. I guess my point should have been, in my opinion, the geocaching community is a safe one as far as I'm concerned.

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

As far as the question of sharing real identity: at the Maryland Geocaching Society forum, of which I am a member, there is a "hidden" section of the forum where cachers can freely share their real names, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, etc., to facilitate contacts by/with other cachers. One can access this section only by divulging the same information for oneself. We have long had our real contact information listed on that thread, and have had -- as a result -- some very funny fone calls at odd hours from cachers stuck out in the field looking for a cache! All were really friendly people, and very appreciative of the help we were able to give. It feels like one big family.

[+Colorado Cacher]

Do you run into other geocachers? Do you introduce yourself by your Internet name or real name? Overall do you enjoy the experience or would you rather be alone?

Yes

[+2_UP_Geologists]

We've had some great experiences with other geocachers but I've run into some rude ones as well. By rude, I mean geocachers who come upon you when you are searching for a cache, do not introduce themselves, and proceed to wait for you to leave about 20 feet away! I don't appreciate that in another geocacher.

 

However, we recently had a really fun experience with other geocachers and a "find" of a different kind. We ran into a couple geocachers coming out on the path we were going in. We introduced ourselves with our geocaching names and talked for a minute or two. It turned out we were on the wrong trail for the cache we were seeking and ended up walking up the road a little way to another trail. It turned out to be a very disappointing DNF.

 

Rob had been doing CITO the whole way and as we were walking back to our car along the road and shortly after finding the broken 2 Pac Mix CD, our frequent caching partner, Ostracon, spotted a cell phone in the ditch. It had a full battery. As we proceeded to look for a "home" number (no signal anyway) we neared the parking area. The geocachers we met earlier pulled back into the parking lot and started walking up the road looking into the ditch. What could they possibly be looking for? Yup, it was their cell phone.

 

We had just been to a caching event the previous day where we'd barely traded names and home locations with other cachers. We spent more time talking caching with these folks than we had the entire previous day.

 

It was a great experience and helped make up for the DNF.

 

To answer the question though, we've run into very few other cachers on the trail and we always use our caching name. Caching together or talking caching is always fun. We don't mind meeting others on the hunt.

 

Lori

[+Harry Dolphin]

Eight or ten fellow cachers, whilst out seeking caches. Skully & Mulder five or six tiimes. Trail Hound twice. Capucchino Monkey, Walking' Ed, Added Value, accbd, kber, Jerseytrex (but we'd met them already) ...

That's out of over five hundred finds.

Spot someone with a GPS... "Find the cache yet? I'm Harry Dolphin." Some will give the GC names. Some real names. Pretty sure that was Bayonets4U at Itty Bitty. Newer cachers give real names. Okay, some people think that Harry Doolphin is my real name... It almost sounds believable!

[TookDadAlong]

Dunno what I'd do. On our first 34 caches, we've only met one other cacher, and I wasn't there.

He was very helpful and provided a clue, which I think the others would have appreciated.

I emailed him to thank him and signed as Dad, but my email account reviels most or my real name!

[+trail hound]

I always introduce myself with my 'Caching Name'...Most encounters have been pleasant...I usually enjoy meeting other cachers on the trail.

[Twister65]

We've had some great experiences with other geocachers but I've run into some rude ones as well.  By rude, I mean geocachers who come upon you when you are searching for a cache, do not introduce themselves, and proceed to wait for you to leave about 20 feet away!  I don't appreciate that in another geocacher.

Perhaps they're shy? Or maybe they thought you might not want to be disturbed during your search? I don't see it as being rude, although 20 feet is a little close to not say anything if it was obvious what you were doing.

 

Scott

[+Anonymous']

I very rarely run into other geocachers, I didn't run into my first one until I was about 250 finds in.