here comes a muggle. you're busted. what do you do?

[+Bad_CRC]

so I know Groundspeak posted they are making a brochure about geocaching, but I don't think they are done with it?

 

I know many people lie or run away if muggles come up to them. I don't really see a problem with that, and I'd think it depends on the specific situation. But, for those cases when you are going to talk to the muggles about what geocaching is, etc. What do you do?

 

Does anyone carry cards or information about geocaching.com with them? Seems like it would be a good thing to have. I'm thinking maybe make some laminated cards with the URL and some basic information to throw in my wallet in case I meet a persistant muggle, or more likely to give to friends when the topic comes up.

[+welch]

Well, you could try the brochure from Geocacher-U.

Or just pick up the cache and leave going the other way to avoid the muggles, then return later and replace the cache.

[+Bad_CRC]

that folding card thing they have seems just about perfect. :up:

[+Kabuthunk]

When someone asks me what I'm doing, I go with the following:

 

Me: You ever heard of 'geocaching'?

Person: (so far answre is always no. I've never had anyone yet say 'yes', so I've never actually met another geocacher in the wild, ever. Once I had someone say they think they've heard about it though)

Me: It's like a giant scavenger hunt, and I'm looking for one of the parts.

Person: Oh, ok *wanders on their way*

 

So far, it's always worked for me, for the ridiculously few times it's been needed

[+VeryLost]

for those cases when you are going to talk to the muggles about what geocaching is, etc. What do you do?

 

Interpretive mime dance.

[+jeff-trex]

I usually just explain geocaching 21st century orienteering using GPS. then I will show them my gpsr and tell them the website so they can see for themselves. Some people just don't get it and others think it is really cool.

 

I also explain that it is a hobby/game that is worldwide.

[+Snoogans]

Muttering to myself and affecting a tick tends to keep the muggles away from me while I'm cachin'. I guess it also helps that I usually dress like a homeless person to go cachin'.

[+Renegade Knight]

1) Don't get caught.

2) Look like you don't want to get too close (this actually works sometimes. Amazing).

3) Leave if I'm going to get caught.

4) Tell em the truth if I'm busted. It works out well all around.

 

When having to explain to John and Jane Citizen...turn on the charm.

When explaining to someone in an official capacity a printed hand out helps. I swear that having something in print in a tri fold format moves whatever is printed up the ladder of "legitamate" activity more than all my explaining ever could.

When it's trouble in some form, I just solve the problem.

Edited November 16, 2006 by Renegade Knight

[+NorthWes]

1) Don't get caught.

2) Look like you don't want to get too close (this actually works sometimes. Amazing).

3) Leave if I'm going to get caught.

4) Tell em the truth if I'm busted. It works out well all around.

 

When having to explain to John and Jane Citizen...turn on the charm.

When explaining to someone in an official capacity a printed hand out helps. I swear that having something in print in a tri fold format moves whatever is printed up the ladder of "legitamate" activity more than all my explaining ever could.

When it's trouble in some form, I just solve the problem.

 

"When it's trouble in some form, I just solve the problem." That's the part my wife's worried about - I do the 'large person who isn't intimidated' body language thing (the byproduct of being physically assaulted once and now making sure it never ever happens again - without changing my pursuit of outdoor activities or making me so paranoid I'm insane - and making sure it especially doesn't happen when the girls are with me...). Most folks don't make eye contact and keep moving. My wife swears what I call a smile (I smile at everyone) is better described as a wolf-snarl.... I'm a nice guy (really!) - but I'd rather not talk to strangers.

 

When I do get engaged in conversation, I briefly explain the 'game' and ask if they'd like more info... most don't (but two have joined the obsession!). RK is right on about the value of that color-printed official flyer; I go further and have my work business card, drivers license (copy) and geobrochure ready to hand over. People up to no good don't give away their IDs or an explanation of what they're doing. If it's a high muggle zone I wear a hard hat, orange vest, and a work clipboard or garbage bag - instant authentic camo.

[wolfbait]

Hey northwes your avie looks alot like mine

[+Vegas Gamblers]

When me and the misses are in the woods just off of the trail looking for the cache and a muggle approaches and looks in our direction we just start making out and they walk away. Now thats two reasons to go into the woods to look for tupperware.

[+mgbmusic]

Garbage bag...nice touch!

 

--MGB

[Beermaker]

Drop the cache on the ground, then yell "ALLAH AKBAR!" and run away as fast as you can.

[The Great Mizuti]

I bring the brochures sometimes, but I don't really know if I'd use them if needed.

 

Person: How was your walk, honey?

Other Person: Met some nut handing out brochures.

P: Oh? Really?

OP: In the middle of the woods.

Edited November 17, 2006 by The Great Mizuti

[+wsgaskins]

One day I popped up out of a sewer drain into a guy's side yard where he was blowing leaves (down in to the drain pipe!). He said 'sorry' and then 'what are you doing?'. I said - big scavenger hunt today.... right then one of my caching partners popped out behind me. :-)

 

I think he just thought we were strange, crawling through pipes under the road like that.... but we did find what we were looking for!

[+DavidMac]

Me: You ever heard of 'geocaching'?

Person: (so far answre is always no. I've never had anyone yet say 'yes', so I've never actually met another geocacher in the wild, ever. Once I had someone say they think they've heard about it though)

Me: It's like a giant scavenger hunt, and I'm looking for one of the parts.

Person: Oh, ok *wanders on their way*

 

This is my favorite strategy, and so far has worked every time. About 90% of all people could care less as long as they don't think you're up to no good, or maybe they think it's silly to see a bunch of adults running around on a "scavenger hunt". I've run into a handful of people who wanted to know more, and even one person who was considering buying a GPS and had heard of caching, but didn't know it was so widespread ("wow, you mean there's even one in this park?"). Who knows, they could be a new cacher.

 

The worst strategy I've seen is to act secretive, scramble to hide the cache from the view of a passerby, the whole time screaming "muggle, muggle!" to your caching partners. It just draws undue attention to yourself and to the cache site, and let's face it, it just makes us look childish and silly.

[+DresselDragons]

We've been questioned a few times (kids make for great cover while caching, so we don't get questioned often). I've told folks that we are doing a scavenger hunt and that seems to satisfy them. Once the person seemed more interested, so my oldest daughter explained geocaching to them.

[+wimseyguy]

I think shooting the hostage would have been a very bad idea on this find when a sheriff's deputy helped us nab the cache.

I do carry some of the geocacher-u brochures with me, but have yet to pass one out. Depending on the situation, I will tell them I'm geocaching and watch thier eyes glaze over as I blahblahlbah about it until they leave. Other times I will simply say I'm looking for something.

[+flask]

telling the truth has always worked for me.

 

most people don't care once you get to the scavenger hunt part.

[Not So Lost Puppies]

Also as has been posted in some other threads, if you don't tell the truth at the start and they alert someone else (such as police) you have even more explaining to do.

 

I think scavenger hunt is appropriate, and is a good low-tech way to explain it, so shouldn't cause any issue explaining to authorities.

[+sbell111]

My standard reply:

 

'Have you ever heard of geocaching? <They will ALWAYS say no>

'Its kind of like an internet scavenger hunt.' <They will always lose interest at this point>

[+flask]

once or twice the people have thought it sounded very interesting and joined the search

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

What sbell said, with elaboration and giving them the website address on the rare occasion they do seem interested.

 

A few have even wanted to watch the hunt (including on two occasions cops who insisted on seeing the cache (one was a DNF and he obviously didn't believe there was anything there!)).

 

Ed

[+Jhwk]

1. Don't get caught - If you get spotted, then you have failed in in one of the basics of caching.

2. They are called Marvins.

3. See rule one.

 

If you are actively seeking a cache, show the marvin how it is done.

[+ReadyOrNot]

Drop the cache on the ground, then yell "ALLAH AKBAR!" and run away as fast as you can.

 

Thanks! Been a stressful week and needed a good chuckle!!!

[Mushtang]

Say nothing to the muggles except, "Darmok at Tenegra. Shaka, when the walls fell."

[+jellis]

Depending on the situation, I either just act natural or walk away with the cache and return it once they are gone or not watching. If they ask what I am doing it depends on if you trust the person not to go back and trash the cache, I either tell them the truth or tell them I work freelance mapping the area.

Edited November 17, 2006 by jellis50

[keansor]

Say nothing to the muggles except, "Darmok at Tenegra. Shaka, when the walls fell."

 

Thanks for the laugh, Mushtang. I always suspected that this game attracted people who are as geeky as I am!

(Not that there's anything wrong with that!)

[+Let's Look Over Thayer]

Say nothing to the muggles except, "Darmok at Tenegra. Shaka, when the walls fell."

Excellent!

 

I'm going to print up a few brochures, though. On my rare encounters with The Law having a brochure would have saved a whole lot of time. I don't why it is, but the only people I've talked to that have confused the word "cache" with the word "cash" have been police officers.

[+forthferalz]

once or twice the people have thought it sounded very interesting and joined the search

a card - what a great idea! or the brochure - (one of our photos is in the shortlist. )

 

I was so busted by the boys in blue once! They wound up coming to get us after we called them to get towed out of a bog. I left hubby in charge to wait for them hiked off to get the cache but took the keys It was a photo cache - they wanted to go back and check it out -dying to know if theres a picture of them in it!

[Zoptrop]

Not all muggles are muggles. I smile everytime I pass someone on the trail with a GPS up to his/her ear *pretending* to be talking on a cell phone. I just pass by and pretend to be clueless... it really make their day.

 

Me: Walking down trail muttering, staring at GPS having just realized I was walking in the WRONG direction.

Family with Kids passing by: (little boy) It's in the hole!

 

I turn and smile, Dad slaps son upside of head (gently) and both parents exclaim "Michael!"

 

... and here I thought they were just out for a walk.

[+DresselDragons]

Say nothing to the muggles except, "Darmok at Tenegra. Shaka, when the walls fell."

 

Thanks for the laugh, Mushtang. I always suspected that this game attracted people who are as geeky as I am!

(Not that there's anything wrong with that!)

LOL! Another "geeky" person here! Suddenly, I'm in the mood to watch TNG.

[+HaLiJuSaPa]

The one time we were "muggled" was actually our most bizarre caching experience yet.

 

A man and a young (10 year old-ish) girl came up to us. They asked us if we "spoiled the hide". I said "no the cache is put back well hidden and intact". They asked what a "cache" was.

 

This was a Sunday morning in a large coastal park at about 9am. Turned out they got special permission from the county to use the park for their son/brother's 8th birthday party. Everyone dressed as pirates and they hid what looked like "micro containers" all over the park for the youngin's to find using a "treasure map" and clues. They were putting a temporary hide for the party about 100 ft. from where we were and thought we found it by accident because they knew we weren't party guests (in fact as it turned out, because of the event, we weren't even supposed to be allowed in the park but the guard thought we were "guests" because we had 2 small kids with us).

 

I told them all about geocaching and they were astonished they never heard of it and asked my opinion of good GPS brands, etc. A converted muggle perhaps?

[+Shawn&Holly]

If busted busted, I usually just tell the truth, give the website address and waypoint of that cache if they seem interested, should print out some brochures. If not caught with the cache, I leave and return another day to find the cache or take the cache with me to not give it away. Only had to take the cache once, a couple of weekends ago, some teens walked past and sat about 20m from the cache site while we were signing the logbook, ironically the cache is called "Thieves don't steal me now!". At the vehicles while we were planning our next cache, they left and I ran back in and rehid the cache. It all depends on what scale of busted and who did the busting, I seem to lose my keys often.

[+Snoogans]

Say nothing to the muggles except, "Darmok at Tenegra. Shaka, when the walls fell."

 

Thanks for the laugh, Mushtang. I always suspected that this game attracted people who are as geeky as I am!

(Not that there's anything wrong with that!)

 

OKAYYYYY, but it's "Darmok and Jilead at Tanagra."

 

It's ONLY "Shaka when the walls fell," if you CAN'T find the cache.

[+DresselDragons]

Say nothing to the muggles except, "Darmok at Tenegra. Shaka, when the walls fell."

 

Thanks for the laugh, Mushtang. I always suspected that this game attracted people who are as geeky as I am!

(Not that there's anything wrong with that!)

 

OKAYYYYY, but it's "Darmok and Jilead at Tanagra."

 

It's ONLY "Shaka when the walls fell," if you CAN'T find the cache.

And it's "Sokath, his eyes uncovered" when a muggle is finally converted to a cacher

[+Sioneva]

Say nothing to the muggles except, "Darmok at Tenegra. Shaka, when the walls fell."

 

I'm scared now. I actually recognized the quote - I need help! Is there a twelve step program for de-Trekking?

[+Sagefox]

1. Don't get caught - If you get spotted, then you have failed in one of the basics of caching.

 

I might agree with this but for the exception of the thousands of caches: hidden in view of store windows, apartment windows, quiet neighborhood windows where your car and activity register as suspicious behavior, busy parks, busy commercial streets, busy parking lots and ever so many more dare-you-to-not-get-caught or lazy hides. These are hides where you have no control whatsoever of whether you are seen or not seen.

 

I don't worry too much anymore about this "basic" of geocaching. If the owner hides it where I have no control over being seen then I'm going to do my best to keep it safe but I'm not going to walk away unless the muggles are right next to the container. This sounds harsher than what I actually practice but I do reserve the right to attempt the cache when there is some risk that I will be seen.

 

2. They are called Marvins.

 

Must be a regional thing. I've never heard this actually be used by anyone. No one I know would know what I was talking about.

 

- - -

 

When asked by a muggle what I'm up to I tell them what I'm up to and most show a tiny bit of interest and go about their business.

[+ivylibra224]

I simply tell them I'm studying insects in the area and a certain type had been spotted in the area recently. My funniest encounter was when I was climbing some rocks and a father and son stopped to watch as the father used me as an example of how to climb; ie, how carefully I was looking at where I was putting my hands and planning where to step, etc. Of course I was looking for where to put my hands...I KNEW it was in there somewhere!!!

[+emurock]

What do you do?

Stop,drop,roll.

[+Cpt.Blackbeard]

What do you do?

Stop,drop,roll.

You forgot "scream like a little girl".

[+chuckwagon101]

The few times I have had muggles come close in an inquisitive manner I do the following:

 

Looking right at them, I say....."George is gonna let me tend the rabbits! Cause we gonna have us a

little place with a pig an' chickens.....and down the flat we'll have a little piece alfalfa.........FOR THE RABBITS!"

 

"And I get to tend the rabbits! And me and George gonna live on the fatta the lan'.!"

 

This has worked for me on all age groups.

[+mgbmusic]

Say nothing to the muggles except, "Darmok at Tenegra. Shaka, when the walls fell."

 

Thanks for the laugh, Mushtang. I always suspected that this game attracted people who are as geeky as I am!

(Not that there's anything wrong with that!)

 

That's awesome! And I like the complete lack of explanation....anyone who doesn't get it, just walk away...

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

so I know Groundspeak posted they are making a brochure about geocaching, but I don't think they are done with it?

 

I know many people lie or run away if muggles come up to them. I don't really see a problem with that, and I'd think it depends on the specific situation. But, for those cases when you are going to talk to the muggles about what geocaching is, etc. What do you do?

 

Does anyone carry cards or information about geocaching.com with them? Seems like it would be a good thing to have. I'm thinking maybe make some laminated cards with the URL and some basic information to throw in my wallet in case I meet a persistant muggle, or more likely to give to friends when the topic comes up.

Well, the first and most important thing I have to say on this topic is simply this: Although I was - like many other cachers -- at one time an advocate of involuntary euthanasia for all muggles who get in the way, I had a bit of an inner spiritual/religious experience last month, and ever since then, I seem to have a more tolerant attitude toward muggles. Now, I know that may sound extreme to some of you who would argue that muggles are clearly sub-human and an inferior species and clearly do not have any human rights, but I have indeed mellowed, and I now advocate using muggle repellent spray or chasing them with a large stick or a 12 gauge shotgun before EVER resorting to killing them. I now advocate extreme sanctions for muggles only as a last resort and only to be used if they will not leave the area when chased, or if they try to resist being chased away. I hope I do not sound too soppy or goofy here, but I believe that God created even muggles, and that we should not exterminate them unless it becomes absolutely necessary.

[+emurock]

so I know Groundspeak posted they are making a brochure about geocaching, but I don't think they are done with it?

 

I know many people lie or run away if muggles come up to them. I don't really see a problem with that, and I'd think it depends on the specific situation. But, for those cases when you are going to talk to the muggles about what geocaching is, etc. What do you do?

 

Does anyone carry cards or information about geocaching.com with them? Seems like it would be a good thing to have. I'm thinking maybe make some laminated cards with the URL and some basic information to throw in my wallet in case I meet a persistant muggle, or more likely to give to friends when the topic comes up.

Well, the first and most important thing I have to say on this topic is simply this: Although I was - like many other cachers -- at one time an advocate of involuntary euthanasia for all muggles who get in the way, I had a bit of an inner spiritual/religious experience last month, and ever since then, I seem to have a more tolerant attitude toward muggles. Now, I know that may sound extreme to some of you who would argue that muggles are clearly sub-human and an inferior species and clearly do not have any human rights, but I have indeed mellowed, and I now advocate using muggle repellent spray or chasing them with a large stick or a 12 gauge shotgun before EVER resorting to killing them. I now advocate extreme sanctions for muggles only as a last resort and only to be used if they will not leave the area when chased, or if they try to resist being chased away. I hope I do not sound too soppy or goofy here, but I believe that God created even muggles, and that we should not exterminate them unless it becomes absolutely necessary.

[+Bill & Tammy]

Apart from encountering property owners or the authorities what the heck business of anyone else's is it what I am doing? I have the privilege of wandering around public lands enjoying the flora and fauna, aimlessly if I wish and in some places even nude if I wish. What does it matter to anyone else? I also probably wouldn't hand out a brochure on the topic of geocaching unless that information was requested.

 

Why do we think we are any different than anyone else in public and must offer an explanation of our presence?

[me_chris]

I feel extra nerdy now - thanks for bringing up TNG and reminding me how sad it is that I know what all the Darmok means...

 

Anyway, I got caught while hunting only my second ever cache, and the muggle actually answered his own question... it went like this:

 

Muggle: Hi!

Me: Hi...

Muggle: What are you doing out here?

Me: Uh...

Muggle: Bird watching?

Me: Yup, that's it... Gotta catch 'em before they go south

Muggle: I know it... Good luck!

 

Though, this guy may have been another geocacher who knew what I was up to the minute he saw me making circles in the far-too-dense underbrush while mumbling at my GPSr and telling my girlfriend who I dragged out caching with me "according to this, you are standing on top of it..."

 

Good times. :-)

[+Sherman T. Potter]

Apart from encountering property owners or the authorities what the heck business of anyone else's is it what I am doing? I have the privilege of wandering around public lands enjoying the flora and fauna, aimlessly if I wish and in some places even nude if I wish. What does it matter to anyone else? I also probably wouldn't hand out a brochure on the topic of geocaching unless that information was requested.

 

Why do we think we are any different than anyone else in public and must offer an explanation of our presence?

First....I hope that was Tammy posting (better visual for me...sorry Bill!) and second, are you really nude if your wearing a GPSr?

 

STP

[+Team Merlin]

When approached by one of "The Others" I tend to tell them I am on a variation of a scavenger hunt with no time limit, using a GPS. If they seem interested, I explain caching. If they don't seem interested, I follow them saying "Join Us! Join Us! Join Us!" sometimes all the way back to their car.

[Suscrofa]

Personaly, when I am muggling, if I come across someone asking what am I doing, I simpy tell I am geocaching !