Best Excuse For The Question: "what Are You Doing?"

March 24, 2006

Whenever you are out geocaching and you run into another person(s), what do you say when they ask you what your looking for or what you're doing? Anyone know some good answers?

1.1k · March 24, 2006

"Looking for my contact"

22k · March 24, 2006

What year is this?! What year is this?!

(If they tell you say)

Thank God, then we still have time! I need your help I'm looking for a container, a box, that was hidden in this time period.

etc, etc.

March 24, 2006

Just tell them that you are unable to divulge that information at that time and then add that it would be in their best interest to move away from the area.

Edited March 24, 2006 by BadAndy32

1.1k · March 24, 2006

A geocache.

March 24, 2006

Just stare at them with an extremely puzzled look on your face, they'll leave you alone.

Edited to add: Actually it usually best to tell them the truth and explain Geocacheing to them. They will Just stare at you with an extremely puzzled look on their face, and they'll leave you alone.

Edited March 24, 2006 by rynd

March 24, 2006

I remember another posts asking the same thing.

Me, I would just smile and nod at the backpack I carry with me, while pointing my cane towards the forest/brush, and simply whisper, "I'm hunting Snipe's. Care to join me?"

I've yet had anyone help me find those elusive creatures. *g* But I do get a number of funny looks. Someday someone's going to say yes, and I'll have to think of something else to say.

Work's great on a far greater scale that one would truely imagine.

1.4k · March 24, 2006

It depends on where you are, if others are with you, how the question is asked and who is asking the question. I will think for about 1/2 a second on my reply and that is based on my impression of the individual asking the question and how comfortable I feel at that moment.

2.4k · March 24, 2006

Probably I would just panic, having no good story ready.

I had one once: I was heading for a "kids' cache" with a very big container, so I brought a frisbee as a trade item. Before I got to that cache, I stopped at another nearby one first. The cache was in the woods about 50 ft off the trail. While I was at the cache, I had a sudden allergy attack, and sneezed very loudly. And from the trail, I heard a nearby voice saying "Gesundheit!" I was wondering if the person would ask "What were you doing in there?" when I emerged from the woods a minute later, when I realized I had the perfect excuse right in my hand. "Looking for my frisbee!" I was all set to say, while holding the disc up triumphantly. But he was gone when I got to the path, unfortunately.

March 24, 2006

look at them and say "Whatever I feel like doin!" gooossshh . watch Napolean Dynamite you get it. also use this at your own risk. not to funny if the person asking is a cop or has not seen the movie.

March 24, 2006

"I'm using billion dollar sattelites to hunt tupperware."

Straight off the T-shirt, and normally people will lkeave you alone after saying it.

March 24, 2006

I usually just tell them what I'm (we're) doing and briefly explain the game. If the cache is in hand I show them the log book (or the whole thing if it's a traditional) and explain a little more. When it's time to re-hide it, I explain that I'm about to re-hide it and if they'd turn around or walk away a short distance so I can do so and not spoil their fun if they decide to take up the game. I've never had the least bit of trouble doing this, as long as strange looks don't count. I think there may have been several "conversions" using this method :huh:

Edited March 24, 2006 by ranger-rob

3.9k · March 25, 2006

Usually, I just tell them that I am a geocacher on a geocache search and retrieval mission, and hand them a flyer explaining geocaching.

However. . .

At the times when the voices in my head command me me to, I do not do the above, but instead start stammering and blurt out in a loud, frenzied and demented way that:

"...I hid the body of one of my last victims here in this area a few weeeks ago, and now I am darned if I can't find it! Will you help me look for it? Please?"

I find that the use of that ploy usually wins me friends fast!

At least, I think so. . .

March 25, 2006

Today I went back to a little park to locate a cache I DNF'd a while back, as a cover since there were a lot of houses nearby I brought my metal detector which I had just had repaired. Works like a charm, anyone who saw me didn't suspect a thing. I'm gonna remember to bring it with me to similar sites in the future. Plus at one cache I was at today I found a ring with it, so it was a nice bonus to the cache!

March 26, 2006

"I'm using billion dollar sattelites to hunt tupperware."

Straight off the T-shirt, and normally people will lkeave you alone after saying it.

Oh that's great, I'll have to use that one..

March 26, 2006

I'm looking for my hub cap...that works!

March 27, 2006

Looking for a contact or the post on using billion dollar sattelites to find tupperware. Those are awesome and will save me time trying to explain and the person I'm trying to explain it too dumb looks.

Tks,

March 27, 2006

look at them and say "Whatever I feel like doin!" gooossshh . watch Napolean Dynamite you get it. also use this at your own risk. not to funny if the person asking is a cop or has not seen the movie.

This would work best if you had a bushy hairdew and glasses to match napolean....maybe plaid pants to complete the package....... Lug around a clip board, tell them your looking for a survey marker.....

March 28, 2006

1. Oh, your back.

2. Minding my own business.

2.1k · March 28, 2006

Normally I tell them what I'm doing. Normally though they don't ask, as I cache with my muggle distractor http://www.geocaching.com/profile/?u=quantumleaper . They normally just assume I'm 'picking up', unless they actually catch me with cache in hand...

March 29, 2006

I just tell them that I'm on a scavanger hunt. Everybody knows what a scavanger hunt is so then I don't have to go through the whole explanation bit.

March 29, 2006

If you take the dog for a leek the question answers itself, or you can just state the obvious. If your dog is sniffing and snooping and you happen to be staring ithe other way into a shrub or under something no one seems to notice. After all, you have to give the guy some privacy.

Also, in a pinch you can make your GPS look like a cell phone or camera. "Oh, I'm just playing with my camera". I have never been called on this trick... yet. Might be a good way for an cacher unknown to myself to make me sweat for a few minutes though.

Edited March 29, 2006 by Wallace River

March 29, 2006

We're part of a search team looking for a body.

That's not what we really say. Usually we'll try to explain geocaching to them. But very recently something has happened and I think a cache was destroyed because I told the truth so the body explaination may come in handy next time someone asks.

March 29, 2006

"My wife says I've lost my marbles, So I'm looking for them".......

April 2, 2006

Looking for a place to bury the body............... :laughing:

April 2, 2006

I usually just tell the truth but sometimes I have fun with it. Once some city workers inquired as to why we were poking around some bushes in a park area. We told them we were from the local college herpetology department and were catching snakes and had just found one hiding there...they actually ran!! ha ha

April 2, 2006

Just go "Gawd dangit" I can't find that dead body I stashed over here about a day or two ago.

-I'm sure they will ask no more questions. Although you might have to deal with the cops! :laughing:

1.9k · April 4, 2006

Normally I tell them what I'm doing. Normally though they don't ask, as I cache with my muggle distractor http://www.geocaching.com/profile/?u=quantumleaper . They normally just assume I'm 'picking up', unless they actually catch me with cache in hand...

The Force would be useful for distracting muggles. You could say " You don't want to know what I am doing" They would say " I don't want to know what you are doing" and leave.

Edited April 4, 2006 by Dwoodford

April 4, 2006

Dan says his ultimate suggestion would be to first learn about the plant life in the area your going, then if you get called on it, you can tell them that your out studying the plant and insect life in this particular area.

I like the snake idea... giggles

April 4, 2006

Looking for a place to bury the body...............

That would be TWO bodies to be exact my friend.

1k · April 6, 2006

Strange enough for me, more often than not I get the question, "So, did you find it yet?"

April 6, 2006

the truth.....

but if muggles are nearby I will typically look at the surroundings and pretend to take notes, Take a fake call on the phone or even make a real call if I can think of someone I needed to call. Most of the time if you are busy looking like you don't care if anyone is watching no one will ask you.

We have asked people if we could search the bench they were sitting on. They have also been reception and interesting to hear about what we were doing.

We have joke about getting some orange traffic vests and maybe some survey tools for high muggle areas. Maybe even though out a few traffic coins if we are by the road.

April 7, 2006

"I'm looking for snakes. I've found this to be a pretty good spot in the past." <_< ImpalaBob

1.9k · April 9, 2006

"I'm looking for snakes. I've found this to be a pretty good spot in the past." ImpalaBob

Yeah, I think they would get out of there quick! :rolleyes:

2.4k · April 10, 2006

One occurred to me recently, mostly because I was doing this in addition to looking for a cache: taking pictures of moss. I had a TB that I wanted to have a picture taken of on bright green moss, but most of the most here is still a dullish brown. There was a great patch of green right where the cache was, though, so I took a few shots, and then realized that the lighting wasn't ideal. I needed to wait about half an hour for the sun & shadow to be about right. So as I poked around looking for a micro in the woods (which I never did find), I had that excuse in the back of my mind for anyone who happened by and wondered why I was hanging around the same area for so long, walking around in circles... "I'm waiting for the sunlight to hit that little patch of moss in exactly the right way."

1.9k · April 10, 2006

I like that one. Are you a photographer?

April 10, 2006

Don't you hear the ticking? I swear its getting louder.... We should be very close now. Say, do you smell sulphur?

2.4k · April 11, 2006

I like that one. Are you a photographer?

Nope <_<

But I did have a camera, so I could fake it.

April 12, 2006

i don't have to worry about comming up with an excuse, last year iwas at a savers discount store and i found a t-shirt that was from the local marshals office that fit. so when i'm out geo-caching i wear it and now body bothers me, works great,(but if they ever do i just tell them i'm looking for evedence and they're on a crime scene..so bye bye).

April 12, 2006

Whenever you are out geocaching and you run into another person(s), what do you say when they ask you what your looking for or what you're doing? Anyone know some good answers?

I'm fixing to get one of the shirts to wear while out caching...... I haven't really been asked before. I was coming out (or going in, can't remember) from one spot a cache was at. I carry the gps down to my side at most times. i seen a man and smiled at him. He seen I was holding something and asked "You taking pictures of birds too?" I just smiled again and said yeah. I still wonder to this day if he was a cacher as well, but didn't stick around to ask lol.

April 12, 2006

Just stare at them with an extremely puzzled look on your face, they'll leave you alone.

Edited to add: Actually it usually best to tell them the truth and explain Geocacheing to them. They will Just stare at you with an extremely puzzled look on their face, and they'll leave you alone.

lol SNIPE hunt I havent heard of that since I was an evil boy scout!

April 12, 2006

i just speak to them in arabic and they seem to run away; especially if Im carrying a rucksack!

April 12, 2006

Quickly turn your head to the right as if you were tell an invisible person something and say " I told you they were watching!... no not again we cant do it again... I don’t care what mother says... please don’t make me do it again." then begin to laugh uncontrollably

On the other hand what better way to get someone interested in the sport than hand them the brochure and explain geocaching.

Edited April 12, 2006 by grueinthedark

April 13, 2006

I was hunting a cache this morning, and saw a cop drive by the site on the other side of the canal. About 5 min later, here comes said cop. He immeadatley asked for my drivers license, and my registration for my motorcycle. I handed this info to him, and he asked me what I was doing in the woods...

My first thought was to tell him I have a stash of illegal immigrants and I was coming to make sure they haven't escaped their cages. I quickly dismissed that idea....

I told him what I was doing and about Geocaching. He sounded interested and asked me for the website.

Maybe he's checkin up on me, maybe he will join...

April 14, 2006

I was hunting a cache this morning, and saw a cop drive by the site on the other side of the canal. About 5 min later, here comes said cop. He immeadatley asked for my drivers license, and my registration for my motorcycle. I handed this info to him, and he asked me what I was doing in the woods...

My first thought was to tell him I have a stash of illegal immigrants and I was coming to make sure they haven't escaped their cages. I quickly dismissed that idea....

I told him what I was doing and about Geocaching. He sounded interested and asked me for the website.

Maybe he's checkin up on me, maybe he will join...

First thought that popped into my mind was looking for my contact but how about

"shh Be very Very Quiet. I'm hunting wabbits"

April 14, 2006

<_< LOOKIN' FOR JIMMY HOFFA!!

:huh: Dress in black suit like M.I.B. "Lookin for illegal ALIENS"

<_< Start playing "Peek-A-Boo"

Have you seen my Mommy?

I lost my mind and can't find it anywhere!

If dressed like a NINJA, noone will dare accost you.

1.9k · April 15, 2006

I have geocaching business cards that I have for just such a situation, although I primarly use them for ambassador purposes to give people that I have told about geocaching. I also have them to give to cops in case I am ever bothered by one.

April 15, 2006

I always carry a camera with me and when asked I say I'm taking pictures....for some reason....no one ever asks me of what lol.

When i saw this thread i had to share this story with you.

Yesterday afternoon I decided to go out for 2 more local caches. My co-ordinates brought me to a baseball diamond/park luckily it was early morning and not much action. As I followed my directions I saw a rather attractive gentleman on his bicycle waiting outside a public bathroom waiting for his kids. He watched carefully as I began taking photo's (always carry a camera to divert attention from my real goal). It was clear that he and his children were going to out wait me as they rested so I decided to move to my next cache across town.

The next cache brought me to a bike path that ran through town. I got right to work...this was a difficult cache...it was discuised to look like something other than a container. I read and re-read clues and previous posts..searched and thought...watched and examined then suddenly I hear "HEY!! Didn't I just see you at the park over there?!" OMG it was that guy and his kids!! Yeeeeesh! As he's riding towards me he says..."Do you work for the newspaper?" (as he glances at my camera) I said, "No I don't". He said, "Do you work for the city?" I said nope (by now he's riding past me and still trying to guess what I am doing. "Do you work for the county?" I said, "nope". He stopped abruptly and put his foot down, he turned to me and said....."Is my wife paying you to watch me?!" The two of us both laughed and he continued riding on.

April 16, 2006

i don't have to worry about comming up with an excuse, last year iwas at a savers discount store and i found a t-shirt that was from the local marshals office that fit. so when i'm out geo-caching i wear it and now body bothers me, works great,(but if they ever do i just tell them i'm looking for evedence and they're on a crime scene..so bye bye).

Impersonating a police officer. Let us know how that goes for you. When you get out of jail...

April 18, 2006

Officer, I am trying to find a place to bury this shovel.

Best Excuse For The Question: "what Are You Doing?"

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