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What Is Your Greatest Fear While Geocaching?

clearpath

By clearpath
in General geocaching topics

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wandat24

wandat24

Posted
Posted

I grew up in the woods, in Missouri. I lived in a hilltop valley not far from Mark Twain Forrest, I can't remember at this time how many acres where around us exactly (It's on HWY 248, just past Jenkins's Quick Stop <or is it Jenks...> for those who know the area, it's called The Oaks... I think my dad said it was Mark Twain's Forrest that wasn't real far as the crow flies...), but it was ALOT.... Anywho, I spent my summers going down to the bottom of the Valley every day... NEVER seen anything, NO snakes, No bears, No lions, No wolfs etc etc; and yet there was proof (and sightings) to show they was out there. I was a BIG tomboy. I climbed on everything that didn't move, Loved trying to make it across that shiny rock in the bottom of the river (can't remember, but think it's lime stone??).

I have to say the only thing I'm scared of while caching is a muggle seeing me and taking the cache. I can honestly say that the only thing I am scared of are BIG spiders. I live for the day I find a cache that I can actually go off into the woods to look for. Now granted I've been a little ways into the woods a couple times, but I don't call them this, cause it's all flat lands and very little actually coverage by trees.

JohnTee

+JohnTee

Posted
Posted

 

We returned on several occasions with more experienced divers and with a huuuge drag magnet in an effort to retrieve my tank and regulator from the depths of The Weed. Never did. I actually made several dives into The Weed during the searches, and it's about as horrible as you can imagine.

 

 

We did our first open water dives in an area called Mine La Mont Offsets, near Fredricktown, MO. Always got a HEAVY algae bloom during the summer at around 12 - 15 feet down. Several of my buddies and I would dive the offsets in the winter (broke ice around the edge of the quarry one time). I'm here to tell you that you REALLY need a dry-suit instead of a wet-suit in the winter! Anyway, we often found gear that had been dropped by divers and lost on the bottom 40 feet down, below the algae bloom. We did recovery on several stolen cars dumped in that quarry nothing like feeling around in the dark on the bottom.

 

JohnTee

Renegade Knight

+Renegade Knight

Posted
Posted

Over the last couple of years, many have expressed their concerns regarding various factors associated with geocaching. Some geocachers encounter snakes others are concerned with landscape and environmental factors. What is it you fear the most while geocaching. Those of you that aren't afraid of anything, well, we don't believe you. Everyone is afraid of something ... what is it?

 

That would be the ghost cacher who also lurks in the forums and has taken my comments about them being a parasite to heart and has decided to stalk my butt and teach me a few lessons about life and why their way is the best way. The final straw would be when they start monologging so that I can appreciate their 'winning' and I comment that they just stopped being a ghost by revealing themselves to me just so they can gloat.

 

About then I figure the end would be near because now they aren't a ghost unless they kill the witness.

Renegade Knight

+Renegade Knight

Posted
Posted (edited)

So there you have it. Rabid geocachers. That and Bears. If every bear chocked on berries or went to hibernate and never woke up, and the species dissapeared I'd not lose any sleep.

Edited by Renegade Knight
CheshireFrog

+CheshireFrog

Posted
Posted

The only thing I used to be afraid of was overestimating my own abilities and getting into something I couldn't get out of, like halfway up a rock face. After reading this, though, I'm scared of how many people out in the woods with me are packing heat. The day I need a weapon to feel safe caching is the day I quit.

Renegade Knight

+Renegade Knight

Posted
Posted

The only thing I used to be afraid of was overestimating my own abilities and getting into something I couldn't get out of, like halfway up a rock face. After reading this, though, I'm scared of how many people out in the woods with me are packing heat. The day I need a weapon to feel safe caching is the day I quit.

 

It's always interesting how many people say that. Before you knew, you were happy, after you knew something changed in your mind, when nothing really did in the world. Someone packing doesn't bother me. Someone who isn't quite right and is setting off my 6th sence making the hair on the back of my neck stand on end does bother me.

 

Don't worry, when you meet someone like that packing heat won't make you feel safe, so you can keep caching. :D

nfa

+nfa

Posted
Posted

zombies, especially muggle zombies

(Are there any geocaching zombies out there? :D )

 

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....brains...................................................

magellan315

magellan315

Posted
Posted

I'm concerned about getting hurt and not being able to make it back to the car, especially as I like caches that are a hike. Trying to get better about making sure that someone knows where I am.

 

I had an encounter with a very aggressive off leash dog and an owner that would not put it on a leash, even after it charged me three times. Wasn't until I raised my hiking stick and told the owner to call off their dog before they took the hint.

DocDiTTo

+DocDiTTo

Posted
Posted

I don't really like sticking my hands in holes where I can't see... always afraid I'm going to find something furry with lots of teeth... or worse yet, something smooth and scaly with 2 fangs... or something paper-like with 160 wings and 80 stingers.

 

Not that those concerns actually *stop* me from sticking my hands in those places.... I just don't like doing it.

FlatEarthSociety

+FlatEarthSociety

Posted
Posted

I don't really like sticking my hands in holes where I can't see... always afraid I'm going to find something furry with lots of teeth... or worse yet, something smooth and scaly with 2 fangs... or something paper-like with 160 wings and 80 stingers.

 

Not that those concerns actually *stop* me from sticking my hands in those places.... I just don't like doing it.

 

I have already had 3 DNF micro caches. My fear is going 2 for 4 next time out again.

S B T

+S B T

Posted
Posted

1) Sticking my hands into crevices that look like potential hidey holes for snakes or bobcats (a lot of that happened this past Sunday morning)

 

2) Breaking ankle/leg while deep in the woods (almost happened on Sunday; trying to find the final of a multicache in a rockfield, and I stepped on leaves that were covering a sinkhole. Leg went in up to my knee)

 

3) Hiking out to a cache for more than 3 hours (out and back) and not finding it (also Sunday)

gof1

+gof1

Posted
Posted

That my wife will ralize that it dosn't take three hours to run to the store for bread & milk.

Bears just don't worry me that much.

Red Iguana

+Red Iguana

Posted
Posted

My biggest fear is other people. Sometimes my wife can't follow me through the woods so she sits on the trail while I wander through the woods. What if someone starts to bother her when I'm not there? We're studying for our concealed handgun license and plan to pack heat while we cache. Also there have been a lot of shootings in the Houston area lately. Just another good reason to carry protection. How many of you do the same?

 

My worst fear is to run into someone who is packing heat in fear!

piscatore

+piscatore

Posted
Posted

I'd like to say that I'm not afraid of anything, but can only say that I'm not afraid of anything in the woods.

 

I do have the kind of claustrophobia that makes me panic in a crowd of people, so all those urban micros are out of bounds for me. Shopping in the mall is totally out of the question and shopping anywhere around the Xmas rush is unthinkable. I wouldn't call this an irrational fear as I believe shopping is an irrational behavior.

MB Country Girl

MB Country Girl

Posted
Posted

1. Having my car stolen while I'm at the cache location. (I have an immobilizer now to prevent that :) )

2. Getting lost in the bush.

3. Not finding the cache

 

Being in Canada, we don't have the same threat of poisonous snakes, and I dont live or cache far enough in the country to worry about bears. No one mentionned this, but my favourite part of geocaching (aside from finding the caches) is telling inquisitive muggles all sorts of stories and watching them totally eat it up. :) Poor poor gullable muggles!! HAHAHA...lol.

One of the Texas Vikings

+One of the Texas Vikings

Posted
Posted

Well, In the Houston area, we dont have;

Snakes, wolves, cougars, bears, lynx, or anything else, that has been mentioned, because......

 

The Gators eat them all.... :):):)

 

Actually, I have run into gator slides quite often, but not the owner of the slide..

 

I Hate the spiders, tho.. I walk into the webs all the time, makes me nuts..

I am concerned about running into a Meth lab or some Psycho in the woods.

 

So make it Spiders and Psychos..

rowdy_dude

+rowdy_dude

Posted
Posted

he he.... hopefully i didnt offend anyone, but its just funny reading all the replies from you guys about what scars you over there in the states and Canada (eg bears, rattle snakes, wolves etc)

 

Here in australia iam scared of basically what most of you have listed...

- breaking a bone in the bush in an isolated area ( i mostly cache by myself)

- snakes

- stumbling on something i should not have seen (eg drugs lab, deal etc)

- needlestick

 

everything else you can sort of get out of.

 

Catch ya

Tic 43

+Tic 43

Posted
Posted

I usually pick up a stick while out, I can dig in those holes or wack it around before something gets to me.

SPIDERS ARE MY WORST NIGHTMARE!! :)

TheCarterFamily

+TheCarterFamily

Posted
Posted

We've only been geocaching for two weeks. The only thing that I fear at the moment is people. I was at one cache and a guy was watching me and my daughter like a hawk. He was probably just curious at what we were doing and looking for. But still you "feel" his stare going through you. Not to mention you can't actually go get the cache till he leaves.

TheCarterFamily

+TheCarterFamily

Posted
Posted
1. Having my car stolen while I'm at the cache location. (I have an immobilizer now to prevent that :) )

2. Getting lost in the bush.

3. Not finding the cache

 

Being in Canada, we don't have the same threat of poisonous snakes, and I dont live or cache far enough in the country to worry about bears. No one mentionned this, but my favourite part of geocaching (aside from finding the caches) is telling inquisitive muggles all sorts of stories and watching them totally eat it up. :) Poor poor gullable muggles!! HAHAHA...lol.

 

We do have the Mississauga Rattler (poisonous snakes). I'm only 45 minutes north of Toronto. :)

StarBrand

+StarBrand

Posted
Posted

Not finding the cache is my biggest fear.

 

Personal safety another - seems like the older I get, the more careful I have become. I skipped a cache last weekend when I got within 110 feet and had to cross a 4 foot wide fast flowing stream (about 2 foot deep). I nearly jumped across but having my 3 year old along made some primal fear of getting hurt and leaving him out there kick in. Nice scenery - enjoyed the walk. That was enough.

Mudfrog

+Mudfrog

Posted
Posted

after reading up on chiggers, i hope i never encounter them. none where i live, but i've seen the scars on other cachers.

 

Don't come down here to cache! :P Actually, im itching right now but they have never left me (or anyone else i know) with scarring.

 

Ticks can be bad depending on where you go. Big banana spiders are starting to come out now (their webs are about as stong as kevlar :) ), and of course you have the usual critters likes snakes to watch out for. Just depends on what you're used to,, these are more of an annoyance at times but they aren't anything scary.

 

Just did a cache the other day and this guy was coiled up right underneath it. I just stood about two foot off to the side, reached over and grabbed the cache, signed the log, then rehid while he laid there unconcerned with what i was doing. :)

 

8fdca809-5a81-4fdf-9c92-5afaa8ed1159.jpg

nikcap

+nikcap

Posted
Posted (edited)

... lightning. I've long had an irrational fear (is it actually irrational?) of lightning. If I'm in an exposed area I freak out if I'm caught in a thunderstorm.

 

Actually Brian, I don't think that's "that" irrational. I've been in a camp where someones tent nearby was hit by a bolt of lightning. Very scary. It was a long time until I camped out again.

 

As for fears. Three have been mentioned.

1. Wackos in the woods with bad intent.

2. Getting arrested or trying to explain to the police, FBI, or CIA what it is I'm up to playing with ammo boxes in the woods or looking under lamp post skirts in the Wal Mart parking lot.

3. Having my vehicle stolen or vandalized or rendered inoperable will I'm out in the wood.

 

Unfortunately, I had all three happen to me.

 

On my way to St. Ives, I've meet up with snakes, skunks, rabid raccoons, ticked off dogs, and have been attacked by wasps and hornets and even a vulture :P . Haven't meet up with a bear or big cat yet. I've had a couple leg/knee/ankle injuries along the way too. However, I would welcome mother nature getting me over the three above any day.

 

Added: Looking at this post. Why exactly do I go out? It's scary out there! :)

Edited by ekitt10
Harry Dolphin

+Harry Dolphin

Posted
Posted

I suffer from acrophobia, and claustrophobia. Though that didn't stop me from finding some benchmarks on the edge of the Palisades. Having contracted Lyme once, I am now concerned with ticks. Bear scare the **** out of me, but they run faster than I do, and I rather like bears' tails! NOr afraid of snakes or spiders.

Jones_Crew

+Jones_Crew

Posted
Posted

I am from Missouri too so I have to say that running across a Meth lab scares the crap outa me! I work at a mental hospital and I KNOW that people ya really have to worry about are the ones NOT locked up. My biggest fear is SNAKES! It freaks me out soooo bad to even think about seeing one...let alone reaching into a log to grab a cache...and ewwwwww! Loved hunting in the wonter while they were sleeping...wish it was 20 degrees again!

Renegade Knight

+Renegade Knight

Posted
Posted

The Department of Homeland Security is moving up my personal list fairly quickly.

 

Look what happened to FEMA after they got ahold of them. Now they are behind the Medical Reserve Corps. Come to think of it Immigration has taken a beating under their watch as well.

jlfnjlf

+jlfnjlf

Posted
Posted

Rabid Squirrels...

 

OK just kidding I would truly have to say #1 is spiders, and #1 is seeing someone I love get hurt. If I get hurt then it is just "Cache On", but if it is one of my kids or my wife now that is another story.

Spot check

+Spot check

Posted
Posted (edited)

Ever see "Deliverance"?

 

Seriously, most big animals know you're coming a mile away and leave.

You can warn most little ones by tapping a walking stick in front of you.

Terrain is usually not dangerous to anyone with common sense.

Humans on the other hand can be far more aggressive and unreasonable.

Edited by Team Cyberlove
Jhwk

+Jhwk

Posted
Posted

1. Ticks

2. Chiggers (bad case last year from a 1/4 mile hike and no DEET)

3. Spiderwebs across my trail.

 

Ahh, for the love of Fall and Winter caching.

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