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Calling all Neanderthals...


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Even though inside I'm a big old softy who'd bring no harm to anyone who's not intending me harm I am a fairly big guy. 6'@230lbs. Some folks tell me that I am imposing-looking because of my size and facial expression. I've often heard, through friend channels, that folks who first meet me think I'm mad or something. This amazes me because I'm rarely ever mad. Stern face, happy innards.....:wub:

 

An example happened tonight while attempting some caching after visiting my Dad....

 

The scene: A local city park that I know has caches hidden about. I decide to hit the farthest one first.....I had scoped this site previously with my GPS and it told me that two of the caches are along a walking track. I've avoided this part of the site before because #1- It's usually loaded with folks, #2-those folks on the track are usually ladies (solo and in pairs) out for walking exercise I know how I look, so I think that a big, stern looking single male doing drunk bumble dances with a questionable object in his hand in a remote, wooded area where young exercising ladies frequent might not go over too well . :wub:

 

Today the high heat had the park almost deserted, so I head for the wooded track area. Not a soul in sight...figured get it while the getting is good.....Gps gets me close to the first cache. I'm bumble-beeing about 20' off the walking track and at the exact moment I can see the cache under a log I hear women talking. As soon as I spotted them, they saw me. They must've thought me a potential perv or whatever because just as quickly they stop talking, walking and one snaps a phone to her ear. I had a deer-in-the-headlights moment. They reverse direction and I go the other way. I'm thinking that she's on the phone to the police, maybe, so I vamoose back to the car. Just in case...

 

About the time I get near the exit of the place a local patrol car is pulling in. He did give me and my car a good long rubber-neck look as I drove by, but he didn't stop me. Could've been a coinkydink.

 

Most of the time, when I can get the time to to cache, I am solo. Work takes most of my week, so caching for me is usually just one or two every now and then. I do take my teenage daughter when the chance arrives. Not for cover, but because she likes to do it too. It is strange that when we get to hunt together folks seldom ever pay us attention.....not so when I'm out alone. When she's with me I'm a good dad out and about with his daughter. When solo folks tend to shoot odd glances my way.

 

Thought of going totally stealthy to avoid these kind of situations, but I can just see the cops dragging me out of the bushes after catching me in one of those shaggy Ghillie suits. That'd be a real winner!

 

Any suggestions for a "Solo-most-of-the-time-Neanderthal-looking-but-happy-inside" cacher? Clown suit? Cop suit? Cache in drag? Any pointers would be welcome.

 

-Woodstramp

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The best advice I can give you as a 50+ male is to just go about your business and ignor the muggles. If you are out in the bushes tromping around like you belong there they will notice you but they probably won't think much about it. If you are out in the bushes and looking like you are trying to keep from being noticed then you will draw attention and have opportunities to meet the local law enforcement folks. From my experience over the past few years, the best way to be ignored is to ignore everyone else. Within reason of course. Good luck and have fun.

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When I feel out of place like that, I remind myself that I'm not doing anything illegal. Just have confidence and know when to stay and when to leave/take a break if you're upsetting people.

 

Of course, I'm a 5'7 youngish female, so I don't have very much trouble. After a few years of fighting it, I've gone to the cell phone cover-up. I pretend like I'm on my phone, and no one seems to notice. It's amazing, like an instant cloak of invisibility! My husband is 6'5", but he doesn't cache alone very often, so I don't think he's had any of those experiences.

 

Perhaps the best thing for you would be to do the official looking vest and/or clipboard thingy. With your expression, it would look like your concentrating on your "job". I found a t-shirt at goodwill with a parks department name and logo on the upper left shoulder. Perhaps I should wear that while caching (except my daughter has been stealing it). :wub:

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The young lady's cell-phone-to-the-ear demonstration could easily have been her version of pretending that your GPS is a cell phone. You might do that to look less out of place, she just letting you know that she sees you and showing you that she wouldn't go unmissed if something were to happen to her. If the officer had been concerned he would likely have introduced himself to to you.

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I think your actions made you look guilty even though you were entirely innocent! :wub:

 

I'm female, 42, somewhat cautious but not paranoid.

 

I think a polite smile and a casual "hi/hello" while you continued with what you were doing might have been a bit more comforting instead of you making your graceful exit :wub:.

 

Good luck and enjoy!

 

Naomi :)

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Play "artist". Carry a camera & start snapping pictures. Or carry a sketchbook & start sketching flowers along the path. Artists are always viewed as a bit odd anyways, so a big, stern looking guy sketching in a book or snapping pictures will be viewed by most as normal. Don't have a camera? The GPS can double duty it as a camera as well as a cell phone.

 

Or get a dog.

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You are not doing anything wrong nor illegal, so don't feel like you are and don't act like it. It really is that simple. I'm not sure that size matters as much as demeanor. Da meaner you look, the more they will worry about you. B)

 

I've probably explained geocaching to police, security, park rangers, and muggles over 100 times. Sometimes they are interested, most times their eyes just start to roll back as I blahblahblah on and they excuse themselves from the conversation and leave me alone to seek the cache.

Edited by wimseyguy
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When I'm going to be caching in a park I usually bring my human along. He's pretty good at looking clueless as we meander about looking for the cache.

 

He sucks at attracting the ladies but I'm always happy to help him out there.

 

He's sooo pathetic sometimes.

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Play "artist". Carry a camera & start snapping pictures. Or carry a sketchbook & start sketching flowers along the path. Artists are always viewed as a bit odd anyways, so a big, stern looking guy sketching in a book or snapping pictures will be viewed by most as normal. Don't have a camera? The GPS can double duty it as a camera as well as a cell phone.

 

Or get a dog.

 

I like the camera/artist idea. I just started carrying a small digital in the GPS bag just in case a cache's in a cool location. It's not really "photographer" looking enough. My wife has an old 35mm with big macro lenses and stuff that could work.

 

As far as "feeling/looking" guilty even though what I'm doing is not illegal.....sorry....guess I'll never make a good actor. Before I posted this thread I talked to my wife about the situation in the park. She told me that if she were in the park (and didn't know me) and were in those ladies shoes she said she would've called the cops and went the other way. ;)

 

Borrowing a 'cover' kid or a dog is out of the question because most of my caching opportunities are when I'm traveling to/from work or whatever. A kid or dog kept in the trunk would go over real well with the police. B)

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Hmmmm...seems I may have a unique perspective on this one.

I'm about 6'3" and probably 225.

Although I most often get, "Jim from Taxi" or a back to the future reference...I've more than a few times been told I resemble charlie manson. ;)

I had a friend my last couple of years in college that told me she remembered seeing me in the ceramics studio one night a year or two before we started hanging out...I walked in at probably 2 or 3 in the morning to get some work done uninterrupted...she'd been there working and said that when she saw me walk in she didn't even bother cleaning up just grabbed her stuff and left. :)

 

It's been my experience that the best way to get people to leave me alone is to smile, wave or say hi.

I've had my ID run a few times...also not a big deal especially for the nice on the inside people. Park Rangers tend do shout, "Geocaching?" from a distance...a quick laugh and a, "Yup." always send them on their way (unless I ask for a hint). ;)

 

One idea might just be an orange safety vest (the mesh kind). Announcing your presence in that way removes most paranoia on the part of onlookers.

sortof like those "Official Light Post Inspector" t-shirts B)

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As far as "feeling/looking" guilty even though what I'm doing is not illegal.....sorry....guess I'll never make a good actor. Before I posted this thread I talked to my wife about the situation in the park. She told me that if she were in the park (and didn't know me) and were in those ladies shoes she said she would've called the cops and went the other way. ;)

Yeesh... where do you live so I can avoid it? The local women apear to be extra paranoid... is there a serial rapist on the loose or something?

 

But as an overweight middle-aged white male, I feel your pain (although at 5'-10" I'm hardly "imposing"). I avoid caches near playgrounds unless I can bring my 3-year-old along. But other than that, except for general muggle-avoidance, I don't worry about it. The one you mentioned sounds like a hard one for anyone simply because of the number of people around, not just because of your gender and general scariness. If I were in your shoes and had just spotted the cache when the walkers came around the corner, I would have kept "looking" as if I'd never found it until they went away. Maybe nod politely and say "g' morning" as then walk past. Act like you belong there and know what you're doing, and people will assume that you belong there and know what you're doing. B) If you run away when spotted, they'll assume you were doing something bad in the bushes and call the cops.

 

And if the police show up and start questioning, I would explain what I was doing in the bushes (using one of those helpful handouts downloaded from Geocacher-U I keep in my bag) and offer to show him/her the actual cache.

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For most situations I find the "fake phone call on my GPSr" technique works really well. It seems to give you a license to loiter endlessly at the same place while you casually search. For those slightly-off-trail caches you'll probably find it much easier if you have someone else with you as two people searching for something seems a lot less weird than a solo guy in the bushes. The photography approach might work too.

 

Just remember, since you're not doing anything illegal the worst thing that can happen is that you might be questioned by authorities. If you are, dont lie. Tell them you're geocaching and everything will be fine.

 

Ultimately, if certain types of caches make you feel uncomfortable, skip them or try again another time.

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The bright orange reflective vest idea works for me. I also have an old hard hat in my truck. I work construction so I keep them behind the seat.

 

Or try using the GPS as a cell phone and saying "What do you mean he threw your keys in the bushes!?!?" Kids will be kids lol.

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I feel for ya, OP. In another thread that encouraged people to post photos of themselves, somebody told me I looked like Ron Perlman! No, seriously. Good thing I'm not easily offended. I also get accused of looking angry because of my heavy brow.

 

Just act like you belong there and if that doesn't work, invite them over to help you identify that huge spider you just found. :o

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I'm surprised no-one has said it yet. CITO. There's your answer. Carry a bag and pick up trash around the area. If you are off in the bushes and some ladies are walking by, pick up a can, throw it in your bag and say "hello ladies, nice day, huh?" They'll say "yes it is" and move on without even a second thought. If there's no trash in the area, drop something so you will have something to pick up if the need arises.

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CITO is a good idea, but don't use cans or bottles. People may think you are homeless and collecting those to recycle. People tend to be afraid of the homeless. Just have a nice bag with some old wrappers and newspaper.

 

I also like the dog idea. If you can't work with a real one, there are some very convincing fakes. Get a nice small one that you can cradle in your arms.

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The trash bag sounds simple/doable. Good idea.

 

As to the whole "If you get muggled (like a cop or whatever) just tell the truth and explain what you're doing" ....Well, that's an option, but I've had to do this twice in my short caching career. It's kind of a pain and even when you do tell them about caching they still don't quite get it.

 

Besides, one of the strangely appealing things about caching is (even though it's not illegal) is the stealthiness you have to use around muggle-folk. There's an old country saying: "There's no watermelon like a stolen watermelon." My problem is I'm not an experienced watermelon swiper. :o

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I feel for ya, OP. In another thread that encouraged people to post photos of themselves, somebody told me I looked like Ron Perlman! No, seriously. Good thing I'm not easily offended. I also get accused of looking angry because of my heavy brow.

When I hear of Ron Perlman I always remember him in the role of Vincent in the TV series Beauty and the Beast. That was a cool show!
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Being female, I don't have the problem of appearing as a threat. I do explore off trail frequently, because I like to see what is there.

 

A suggestion... start looking intently at the trees, flowers, or whatever... I like the idea of offering to show them the neat spider/snake/lizard you just found! Or... how about binoculars, and start peering up in a tree? Lots of people are birders.. they will likely just walk right past you. Even if someone official did stop you, if you had a bird book and binoculars (and know something about the local birds) that is a good cover story. (I know... just tell the officials that you are geocaching.. but sometimes that takes long as they run your id..)

 

I was out hiking yesterday and saw a HUGE mass of daddy long-legs on a cliff wall... I showed them to a couple passing by, and also told another group about them so they could stop and see it as they went by. I'm frequently exploring off trail (not looking for geocaches) so I don't worry about what I look like to them.

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...Any suggestions for a "Solo-most-of-the-time-Neanderthal-looking-but-happy-inside" cacher? ...

 

There is your problem. If you were laughing it up with your caching buddy you would be sending out a positive vibe that folks could pick up on. I'm bigger than you (though maybe not so neanderthally) and since I generally cache with my family or friends and we are having a good time I really don't bump into this issue.

 

The problem is your being by yourself more than anything else. When you are spotted you have all of about 3 seconds to use your body language to give off the "friendly giant" vibe before it's too late. Once they have made up their mind based on what they see...it's too late.

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Or get a dog.

 

WE THINK THE DOG IDEA IS THE BEST. GET A LITTLE CHICK MAGNET LIKE ME. A BIG GUY WITH A LITTLE DOG (A TOY POODLE WOULD BE GOOD FOR YOU) WILL BE DISARMING TO EVERYONE.

 

AND IF YOU COULD PUT A BINKY IN YOUR MOUTH, EVEN BETTER!

 

 

 

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:D

 

Actually this works. Walking a cute dog, or a baby in a stroller and all of the sudden women just KNOW you are ok and come up and talk about the baby or the dog. It's amazing how that works. It works better than the produce department.

 

Key point for the OP. Don't be walking non cute dogs. Bit nasty neanderthal looking dogs won't do the job.

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I do the cell phone thing. My cell phone IS my GPS so that makes it even easier. :D

 

I worry sometimes that I may act too guilty or suspicious...I think it's an instinct that comes from cutting class and such in high school...my friends and I would sometimes go to the park or the mall, but we had a daytime curfew so we knew we could get caught anytime, so we were always on alert for police like a wild animal that senses a predator. I feel like that now sometimes, a little too jumpy about the muggles. In a way it's kind of fun and thrilling. :D But mustn't take it too far. I'll be careful to act normal, not like some weird shady figure pawing through bushes and ducking and hiding. And the phone does help.

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Print out your cache hints and put them on a clipboard and you'll be invisible to 99% of the population, guaranteed. Nobody ever questions a man carrying a clipboard, especially if they're also wearing a hat of some sort. Hat + clipboard = invisible.

Don't forget the safety vest.

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I’m not very good at lying either, which is why I always go for the honest approach. First impressions are critical. In your situation I would have probably just waved a friendly wave and said "Hi!" – confidently and friendly enough to invite conversation – as soon as one of them made eye contact.

 

Not only does doing so eliminate any appearance you’re trying to hide anything (proper geocaching is neither illegal nor immoral); it also makes them feel more comfortable about asking what you’re up to – if they happen to care, that is.

 

Try it next time. In most cases such folks will simply return your hello and continue along their way, but: if they DO ask your reason for being there, you could always respond with a vague yet truthful answer: "I’m playing a treasure hunt game that involves the use of GPS." Show them your GPS. They’ll either lose interest immediately and go away, or they’ll become even more interested ... and by asking more questions, possibly even take that fateful step that will lead them to transform from Muggle to Geek Geocacher.

 

Whatever you do, by all means NEVER act as if you shouldn’t be there, or like you feel you’re doing something wrong. When I’m in those situations it helps me to remind myself that I’m NOT doing anything wrong. It’s amazing what one can get away with when one simply behaves with confidence, as if one belongs there and it’s all part of some bland routine.

 

If you’d rather not speak to the muggle, then maybe you could instead pretend you’re so engrossed in your business that you don’t notice them. Completely ignoring a muggle might not be the best tactic, but even ignoring them would be WAY better than acting like you’ve been caught at something dishonest.

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I feel for ya, OP. In another thread that encouraged people to post photos of themselves, somebody told me I looked like Ron Perlman! No, seriously. Good thing I'm not easily offended. I also get accused of looking angry because of my heavy brow.

 

 

LaLonde, found this pic of Perlman. Hope you're not looking like him in Quest For Fire. :blink:

 

quest17.jpg

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I feel for ya, OP. In another thread that encouraged people to post photos of themselves, somebody told me I looked like Ron Perlman! No, seriously. Good thing I'm not easily offended. I also get accused of looking angry because of my heavy brow.

 

 

LaLonde, found this pic of Perlman. Hope you're not looking like him in Quest For Fire. :rolleyes:

 

quest17.jpg

 

Ummm, yeah, kinda. . .but my hair is shorter.

 

2f9f2a59-4e7a-4d22-a6c1-6bc5bb5b426a.jpg

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