+MadBilly Posted November 15, 2006 Share Posted November 15, 2006 Is there or has there ever been some kind of secret sign or phrase to determine whether another person is a cacher or a muggle? Quote Link to comment
+jcar Posted November 15, 2006 Share Posted November 15, 2006 What usually works is to hold your gps in such a way that the person or group you are passing cannot miss it. If they ask about it, they are almost for sure geocachers. I've heard some refer to it as the gps flash. If you see someone with what looks like a gps, just ask them if it is. If I'm near a cache and see someone with a gps around the neck or in the hand I will first ask if it is a gps. I have never started a conversation with someone with a gps who was not geocaching, but I'm sure someday I will. Quote Link to comment
+Ambrosia Posted November 15, 2006 Share Posted November 15, 2006 Just be careful with the secret sign, or someone might think that you're saying that they're a lesbian. Quote Link to comment
+StarBrand Posted November 15, 2006 Share Posted November 15, 2006 (edited) (credit to Briansnat) This started in NJ, but has taken the nation by storm. I've encountered cachers throughtout the US doing it. It goes like this: When meeting somone you think might be a geocacher you yell "Ho, are ye a geocacher?" and the correct response is "Yay I a geocacher am I". Upon the confirmation, the two then approach each other, put their left hand on the other person's right shoulder, standing arm's length and dance around in a circle while skipping and singing (very loudly) "Geocachers are we! Runy muny mee! Yaba daba baba. He, he, he!". This should continue for no less than 3 minutes. Edited November 15, 2006 by StarBrand Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted November 15, 2006 Share Posted November 15, 2006 (credit to Briansnat) This started in NJ, but has taken the nation by storm. I've encountered cachers throughtout the US doing it. It goes like this: When meeting somone you think might be a geocacher you yell "Ho, are ye a geocacher?" and the correct response is "Yay I a geocacher am I". Upon the confirmation, the two then approach each other, put their left hand on the other person's right shoulder, standing arm's length and dance around in a circle while skipping and singing (very loudly) "Geocachers are we! Runy muny mee! Yaba daba baba. He, he, he!". This should continue for no less than 3 minutes. Yes, I find this is the best method, but you have to be careful. I approached someone at a cache site and cried out with the traditional "Ho, are ye a geocacher". It was pretty windy and hard to hear, but I thought he gave the correct response and when I approached him and put my hand on his shoulder he slapped me me. Turns out he was a Haberdasher. Quote Link to comment
+Harry Dolphin Posted November 15, 2006 Share Posted November 15, 2006 If you see someone with what looks like a gps, just ask them if it is. If I'm near a cache and see someone with a gps around the neck or in the hand I will first ask if it is a gps. I have never started a conversation with someone with a gps who was not geocaching, but I'm sure someday I will. I find that 'Find it?" seems to work well. Though I had a very nice conversation with someone with the National Map Corps once. He was mapping out the trail, and the power lines, and had no interest in the nearby cache. Oh, well. Each to his own. Quote Link to comment
+NatureGuy360 Posted November 15, 2006 Share Posted November 15, 2006 (edited) Actually I think that Geocachers already stand out like a sore thumb to other Geocachers. In fact just this past weekend I encountered three Geocachers on two separate occasions. All three approached me because they saw me walking around in circles with a GPS in my hand. However a secret sign, phrase or password could still definitely be beneficial. Edited November 15, 2006 by heyjonathan101 Quote Link to comment
+Bad_CRC Posted November 15, 2006 Share Posted November 15, 2006 "Ho, are ye a geocacher?" I tried that, and she punched me right in the face. perhaps changing the first word would be a good idea. Quote Link to comment
+TrailGators Posted November 15, 2006 Share Posted November 15, 2006 "Ho, are ye a geocacher?" I tried that, and she punched me right in the face. perhaps changing the first word would be a good idea. Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 If you see someone with what looks like a gps, just ask them if it is. If I'm near a cache and see someone with a gps around the neck or in the hand I will first ask if it is a gps. I have never started a conversation with someone with a gps who was not geocaching, but I'm sure someday I will. I find that 'Find it?" seems to work well. Though I had a very nice conversation with someone with the National Map Corps once. He was mapping out the trail, and the power lines, and had no interest in the nearby cache. Oh, well. Each to his own. I've said "Are you looking for what I'm looking for?". But in some parks that's not advisable to say that to men you meet in the bushes. Quote Link to comment
+TrailGators Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 (edited) If you see someone with what looks like a gps, just ask them if it is. If I'm near a cache and see someone with a gps around the neck or in the hand I will first ask if it is a gps. I have never started a conversation with someone with a gps who was not geocaching, but I'm sure someday I will. I find that 'Find it?" seems to work well. Though I had a very nice conversation with someone with the National Map Corps once. He was mapping out the trail, and the power lines, and had no interest in the nearby cache. Oh, well. Each to his own. I've said "Are you looking for what I'm looking for?". But in some parks that's not advisable to say that to men you meet in the bushes. That reminds me of one time that I came out of the bushes with a caching buddy of mine after finding a cache. A bunch of muggles saw us come out of the bushes and gave us the strangest looks. We were both a little embarrassed. P.S. Never back into your parking place at one of "those" parks! Edited November 16, 2006 by TrailGators Quote Link to comment
+BlueDeuce Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 If you see someone with what looks like a gps, just ask them if it is. If I'm near a cache and see someone with a gps around the neck or in the hand I will first ask if it is a gps. I have never started a conversation with someone with a gps who was not geocaching, but I'm sure someday I will. Early in my career, when I had just finished a geocache hunt, I saw a guy step out of his car and start messing with a gps. I asked him if he was heading out to geocache. He said 'No' and walked away. Which is what I would have done if some guy asked me a strange question in a remote parking lot. I agree, stick with the, 'is that a gps' question. Quote Link to comment
+Bad_CRC Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 P.S. Never back into your parking place at one of "those" parks! does that mean something? I'm curious, someone has placed a cache in "one of those parks" near here, and I went to get a FTF after dark there, and was met with the realization of what was going on. I left in a hurry before finding the cache, but I did convince the hider that it would be a good idea to mark the cache as not to be found after dark. Quote Link to comment
+Kabuthunk Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 And in the meantime... I have never once come across another geocacher in my travels. Then again, I've only been caching three months (and generally don't bother going for FTF's), so that might be why. Quote Link to comment
+TrailGators Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 P.S. Never back into your parking place at one of "those" parks! does that mean something? I'm curious, someone has placed a cache in "one of those parks" near here, and I went to get a FTF after dark there, and was met with the realization of what was going on. I left in a hurry before finding the cache, but I did convince the hider that it would be a good idea to mark the cache as not to be found after dark. Yes, it means that you are looking for something besides a cache..... Quote Link to comment
+Dowbiggin Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 But how do you know it's "one of those parks" if you're not a regular visitor for "those" purposes? Is there a list somewhere, so we know where to avoid? Quote Link to comment
+Jhwk Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 But how do you know it's "one of those parks" if you're not a regular visitor for "those" purposes? Is there a list somewhere, so we know where to avoid? you mean like gayparks.com? No, I don't think so. Quote Link to comment
+VeryLost Posted November 16, 2006 Share Posted November 16, 2006 And in the meantime... I have never once come across another geocacher in my travels. Then again, I've only been caching three months (and generally don't bother going for FTF's), so that might be why. I must be in a 'higher density' area than you. I've been doing this for just four months, and have 85 finds. On seven separate occasions - not counting events - I've run into other geocachers on the trail. And as someone else mentioned, we are indeed very obvious to other geocachers. Quote Link to comment
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