Running into others.

[run.like.pre]

Has anyone ever run into another cacher while looking for the same cache? I am new to this hobby so it has not happened to me, but I am sure it must happen to some.

 

Depending on the area, I would think that you would both be suspicious of each other as muggles... what gave it away that you were both looking for the same cache and what was your reaction?

[+bittsen]

Has anyone ever run into another cacher while looking for the same cache? I am new to this hobby so it has not happened to me, but I am sure it must happen to some.

 

Depending on the area, I would think that you would both be suspicious of each other as muggles... what gave it away that you were both looking for the same cache and what was your reaction?

 

Only on FTF attempts and then its uaually no big deal.

I will say that some you run into on a FTF attempt will be fun people and others will be WAY too serious and actually appear annoyed by your presence and more so if you were the FTF.

[+Casting Crowns]

LEt's hope they don't have that experience, bittsen. I WANTED to meet other cachers on the trail but, as bittsen said, it usually doesn't happen that often once a cache has posted for a day of two. I've hidden caches and noticed that after the first week of being published, they MIGHT get a find/DNF log once a month......the harder one's are even less than that.

 

Your BEST chance is going for an FTF (First To Find) when it first publishes. I'm an FTF hound and will arrive at GZ in less than 30 minutes of posting. You gotta be quick! And, if you're the FTF you can usually hang around for 30 minutes and someone will show up.

 

Another way to "meet people at a cache" is to go to an EVENT CACHE in your area. It's where a group of people will come together for an event such as a birthday party for an area cacher or a celebration of some sort. I go to one once a month where I live with an average of 30 people at each one. I've been able to meet a lot of cachers who are just as passionate about caching as I am. It just helps you feel a LITTLE more sane.....LOL! Good luck!

[+Zolgar]

Outside of FTF hounds it DOES happen, but extremely rarely. Out of over a little over 100 finds, it's happened to me once.

[+Von-Horst]

what gave it away that you were both looking for the same cache?

 

The wandering aimleesly back and forth in little circles looking intently at a handheld electronic widget!

 

what was your reaction?

 

Normally the reaction is one of surprised shyness followed by a shake of the hands and a swap of (instantly forgotten) caching names and possibly the odd trackable...

[+tfagler]

what gave it away that you were both looking for the same cache?

 

The wandering aimleesly back and forth in little circles looking intently at a handheld electronic widget!

 

what was your reaction?

 

Normally the reaction is one of surprised shyness followed by a shake of the hands and a swap of (instantly forgotten) caching names and possibly the odd trackable...

 

I have had two occasions one was a high traffic cache which was so evident you can see the trail. we thought it was a hiking trail but it was a direct trail to the cache in Custer State park. on the way back down the trail, so two seperate groups. Yes TWO it was my first time running into two cachers on same cache but it was a busy weekend.

[+Arrow42]

Meet two people so far out in the field. Both times they approached us. They had found the cache already and wanted to see how we were doings.

[+Cherokee Bill]

Been into the sport for almost 1-year, with about 335-finds. I do not remember bumping into another cacher after the same cache. However, I have met 2 cache-owners, as the cache was planted near their homes. Wounderful folks!!!!!!!!!

[aniyn]

I'e met quite a few cachers, but only ever at my own caches. Well, that and events. I usually chat it up for a while.

[+Buggheart]

Happens to me all the time. Usually I just flash my GPS and they realize it's a fellow cacher immediately.

[+OKH]

I met a CO checking on a multi once, but didn't realize it until the next day after I contacted him with a question.

[+Rainbow Spirit]

I cache in the Sydney area, Australia, and have 427 finds, and have crossed paths with nine other cachers will on a cache hunt.

While looking for a sneaky micro two days ago, two likely cachers showed up, sans GPSr, which threw me for a while. Seems they had been there before for a DNF, and didn't need a GPSr, and yes we found the cache together.

Edited July 19, 2009 by Rainbow Spirit

[+Harry Dolphin]

I'd guess that I've met thrty or forty other geocachers whilst hunting caches. Far more common if you're caching in a place like Central Park, NYC. (Met a couple from Pennsylvania there. We were befuddled how to get the cache without attracting attention. They pointed at the lake, and yelled: Look at that! ) But, I also meet thim in the wilds of northwest Jersey.

What is disconcerting is when you're a long way from home (Okay. Prospect Park, Brooklyn is only fifty miles away, with $15 in tolls...) And someone from the Bronx comes walking down the trail, and says: It's Harry Dolphin!

[+StarBrand]

I think I have run across fellow cachers only 12 to 15 times in 900 finds. It is rare but not unheard of.

 

Just make sure you observe the following ritual once suggested by Briansnat:

I believe the standard we agreed on was when meeting another geocacher, one was to yell "Ho, are ye a geocacher?" and the correct response is "Yay I am".

 

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!". At least that's the way we do it in New Jersey.

[+bittsen]

I think I have run across fellow cachers only 12 to 15 times in 900 finds. It is rare but not unheard of.

 

Just make sure you observe the following ritual once suggested by Briansnat:

I believe the standard we agreed on was when meeting another geocacher, one was to yell "Ho, are ye a geocacher?" and the correct response is "Yay I am".

 

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!". At least that's the way we do it in New Jersey.

 

I saw a female that I thought was geocaching and yelled that. Next thing I know she's hitting me upside the head.

Just kidding

 

[GreenLantern5000]

Usually the other person is carrying a GPS device and that gives it away to me.

[+Chrysalides]

The one and only time I ran into other cachers looking for the same cache, there were about 50 of them. It's an event

 

Another time I was playing tour guide for my kids (I've found the cache before) when someone cycling past waved and called out "found it yet?"

 

Other than that, I've missed some cachers by a couple of hours. Never attempted a "grab the GPSr and run out the door" FTF attempt, so haven't met any that way yet.

[+simpler1773]

I met one cache owner who was hanging around to see how many people showed up shortly after the cache was posted. He saw us with the GPS and said, hmmmm sure is getting busy all of the sudden. We laughed and chatted a bit, that was nice.

 

Today we were walking down a trail looking at the GPS with a piece of paper in my hand and a guy walking past us said, "let me guess....geocaching". He kept walking so I don't think he wanted to chat but we laughed and said, "yep".

 

I imagine the more you cache and especially the busier caches you will run into people. I signed a log the other day where I was the 4th person to sign it that day!

[+ngrrfan]

Over Memorial Day weekend 3 of us seemed to be following another cacher, and trailing her by about 10 minutes. She was going down one side of a hill as we were coming up the other. We never met up with her, but later in the logs she mentioned seeing 3 cachers and we had mentioned seeing one, so putting two and two together she figured out it was us.

[+OKH]

 

I believe the standard we agreed on was when meeting another geocacher, one was to yell "Ho, are ye a geocacher?" and the correct response is "Yay I am".

 

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!". At least that's the way we do it in New Jersey.

 

I can't stop laughing at this

[+bittsen]

Tonight I ran into a coule of cachers when going for a FTF. I had my son and his GF with me so there were 5 cachers on site when we were there and we had just missed a ton more.

 

In the end I think I signed 12th on the log 20 minutes after the cache was published.

[+power69]

Met others only 3 times other than at an event i went to.

[K-9Patrol]

I met a fellow cacher on only my 18th find. It was at a local park/lake and I spent an hour in the woods looking for a low difficulty cache that the coordinates were off. I didn't even know that he was patiently waiting for me to finish while chatting with my girlfriend just outside the woods. I had finally given up, was making my way out when I spotted the cache. We talked for several minutes, I got to discover several TBs that he was carrying, we both signed the log, and helped me replace the cache. I've kept in contact through email, with him, ever since. We've talked about getting together for a caching trip but due to our schedules, me being an LEO and him full time National Guard, it's not worked out yet. But it was a great experience meeting a fellow cacher during a hunt, especially since I was just getting started.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

I've met other cachers while searching quite a few times. The first time it happened there were three people near the cache location, and one of them was holding a small tupperware container.

 

I have also met cachers while driving by a spot where I had previously found a cache and have seen others looking for it.

 

I especially enjoy meeting other cachers when I'm traveling. I've met other geocachers while searching for caches in California, North Carolina, and in Rome (Italy, not New York).

[+Unkle Fester]

Only run into 6 or 8 on the trail, I was out in the boondocks (more than 50 miles from anything) when I ran into 2 sets of cachers on 2 seprerate caches.

 

Ran into one on a challenge cache run

 

I see them all the time on my cache hides on the way home. (thats the fun part, being able to tell them about their search)

[+jhauser42]

Fairly new to this with just 25 finds but ran into a family of 3 the other day while looking for one. Talked to the mom while the dad and daughter were looking for the cache. After they found it they left to go to one I had already found and I went and found the one we were at. About 20 minutes later I biked up to another one I was looking for and ran into the same family of 3. We looked for abuot 30-45 minutes but never did find that one.

 

Joe

[+dakboy]

FTF hounds, especially in urban areas, can turn a spot into Happy Hour pretty quickly.

 

GC1T0GB was released at 4 PM on a Friday. By 4:30 there were a half-dozen of us standing around, chatting. Everyone ran out of work a few minutes early and made a beeline for it.

[+mdplayers]

I have on several occasions met other 'cachers on the trails.

 

Once was when we pulled into a parking lot of a small city park. The occupants of the only other car there were shuffling papers around and when we got out of the truck with GPSr's, hiking poles, and our paper, they rolled down the window and told us the log was wet but otherwise it was a good cache.

 

Another time we were doing a special series in DE and as we walked towards one of the caches we spotted someone kneeling down where we suspected the cache to be. She turned around and I discovered it was someone I am acquainted with from Girl Scouts. We had a quick chat about how strange it is to run into each other like that and went our separate ways.

 

Sometimes it's cool to run into another 'cacher.

[vagabond]

This was My first cache find, check the date

 

February 17, 2001 by vagabond (3612 found)

Started out from black mtn parking lot, hoped the cache was still there after all the rain, crossed the creek at a real nice and slippery spot and found out the creek was about knee deep in that spot, luckly it wasn't very wide just 1 leg in.

Found the site fairly easy it was right where my gps said it was( beginners luck )

while I was going through the cache I heard a commotion accross the creek and saw 5 people coming accross, I just sat back and watched fo awhile as they tramped all around the cache site, I hollered to them that if they were looking for the cache I had it I went over to them and showed them where it was and they said they would put it back, so I headed out for the toy

[Dj Storm]

 

I especially enjoy meeting other cachers when I'm traveling. I've met other geocachers while searching for caches in California, North Carolina, and in Rome (Italy, not New York).

 

On my 48th find on a cache nearly 2000 km from my home, I met another geocacher searching for his 11th find 8000+ km from his home. Beat that!

How we met: I passed him near GZ, and saw a Garmin-like device in his hand. Went away a little, and watched him being busy near GZ, then approached saying hello and showing my GPSr. We found that cache and the next one together.

 

Another funny story: I went for a FTF on a cache, 8 days after publishing. Found the cache, signed the log, traded and rehid it. The cache was about 25m from a monument, but invisible because of terrain.

While leaving the cache area, I heard a girl behind me shouting "I found it! I found it!". My first reaction was "I beat someone on the FTF by 5 minutes, 8 days after placement - what are the odds?", and looked back to see/greet those cachers. The girl wasn't after the cache, she just found her backpack that she left near the monument.

[+wimseyguy]

I've had it happen enough times that I'm no longer surprised when it happens. Often it's on the date of an event, so lots of extra cachers are cruising the area looking for new hides.

 

But yesterday I thought someone was another cacher, and turned out not to be one. I was on a service road just off the highway looking for a cache in some trees. A mini van pulled up and stopped about 15' behind my car, and I thought I was about to get some help finding this one. Dad hopped to rummage around in the back. Then whoever was in the passenger seat started honking the horn in rhythm.

After the 3rd-4th cycle, I poked my head out of the trees and snapped-'why are you making so much noise out here? '

 

Dad sheepishly said 'he's just fooling around-sorry didn't mean to bother you', hopped back in the van and uturned out of there.

Edited July 20, 2009 by wimseyguy

[Skippermark]

Has anyone ever run into another cacher while looking for the same cache?

No, but they have stepped on my toes before.

 

Oh wait, you didn't mean "run into like hitting them?" Yes, we've been at caches and have come upon other cachers while out and about. It seems to happen at touristy areas or very popular caches but not so frequently locally, especially as a cache gets older and older.

[+GClouse]

I've met 3 other caches at two locations since I started. The first time I was with my son and we got to the coordinates in a large parking lot, only to notice a guy parked nearby who appeared to be talking on a cell phone. Then I noticed the "Phone" was actually a gps.

I called out to the guy, "I think we're looking for the same thing!" and after introductions, a little collaboration located the cache.

 

The second time I wasn't actually caching, but had gone to an area where some businesses occasionally illegally dumped old computer gear, to see if I could salvage any parts. There were a couple of cachers looking for an offset cache that I had not attempted while intorducing myself I spotted the container .

[+Chewy_06]

It's become a regular thing for me. I've met about a dozen or so of our local cachers.

 

A few of the meetings have been memorable:

 

-one occurrence was a cacher coming up a muddy embankment from a GZ a little icky & disheveled. It turned out she's slipped & lost her car keys in the process. Luckily I was able to make the find on the keys quickly for her & am now "her key guy"

-Another was on a relatively remote trail. A woman & her dogs headed towards me with the GZ right in between us. I passed the her & the GZ thinking she was a muggle & when she was around the corner, i'd go back. She was doing exactly the same. When I checked to see where she was - to find her poking around at the tree i needed to search it became clear. I walked back to the tree, introduced myself & suggested maybe we were looking for the same thing.

-the dog and I just about walked into another cacher on a heavily wooded park trail - he was trucking uphill towards us, head down looking at the GPSr...

 

And then there are the FTF geoconventions - which have actually become an interesting way to put faces to some of the names including a few that keep repeating (including beating me to the FTF!!)

 

The GPSr is a giveaway, although I tend to try to keep it hidden from sight until I can tell whether a person is caching or a muggle.

 

My better half caches a lot with her sister & hasnt run into anywhere near the same number of other people.

[+Inmountains]

The last two summers I ran into another cacher at an older cache. I have also run into cachers at first to find caches. I guess it has to do with the types of caches and the type of area we are in, high in the Rocky Mountains. Many cachers here are on vacation, and they are searching the same caches us locals are searching. And with winter closing down caching here, our time window is narrowed. It is great meeting folks out in the field!

[+NYPaddleCacher]

 

I especially enjoy meeting other cachers when I'm traveling. I've met other geocachers while searching for caches in California, North Carolina, and in Rome (Italy, not New York).

 

On my 48th find on a cache nearly 2000 km from my home, I met another geocacher searching for his 11th find 8000+ km from his home. Beat that!

How we met: I passed him near GZ, and saw a Garmin-like device in his hand. Went away a little, and watched him being busy near GZ, then approached saying hello and showing my GPSr. We found that cache and the next one together.

 

 

I guess it doesn't quite beat it, but...

 

The cache in Rome is just under 7000km from where I live and the other cacher I met there lives 1300km away (Hamburg, Germany).

 

The cache is located on an island in the middle of the Tiber river. After crossing the bridge to the island I was walking up to a fence to look at where the cache was hidden (about 40' below) when a guy turned around. The first thing I saw was a GPS about 1 foot from my face. There are two ways to access the cache. One of them involved climbing down some stair then walking around the island. Unfortunately there was some construction on the island which prevented accessing the cache via that route. We search around for an alternative way down. As far as we could tell the only other way would be to swim across the river. In fact, there was a log a few before mine from someone that did just that. After giving up on the search we chatted a bit (fortunately he spoke English as I don't know German), discovered some coins each of us was carrying, and went on our ways.

 

The furthest found cache for me was one in Johannesburg, South Africa (13098km). While I didn't meet another cache there I had exchanged email with a local Joburg cacher for awhile prior to my trip about a puzzle cache of his. We started to make plans to meet for a beer but he had to go out of town the one day I was there.

 

I'm just starting to work on travel options for a meeting in Iquitos, Peru in January. There are only two caches *in* Iquitos (and another 40 miles away in the jungle that has yet to be found). One of them is a virtual located at, what looks like a pretty good hotel for my stay there. It's not as far as Rome but it's a lot more remote (Iquitos is s generally considered the most populous city in the world that cannot be reached by road.) Meeting another cacher there is unlikely as it hasn't been found in a year and a half.

[gojkgo]

We've only got around 60 finds to our name, but we've already had this happen six times.

 

Four times we had contact, two times we just saw cachers from a distance and knew what they were doing. Only one was a FTF. Everyone's been friendly.

[+EvanMinn]

It must depend on where you cache because I have only been doing it for a couple months and have run into other cachers 7 times.

 

Three of those were FTF attempts but the other four were just random encounters.

 

And it happened twice in the last week.

 

I am working on a photo project for my non-geocaching friends showing some of the more interesting caches I found. I wanted an example of a fake rock cache so stopped by a park where I had found one.

 

As I was walking to it, there was a guy looking at a full-sized notebook computer on the trail. Turns out it was a guy and his young son trying for their very first find.

 

They were way off base on where it was and even when I showed them the general area of the cache, a fake rock turned out to be too much for first time cachers.

 

I showed them the cache and gave them some advice about starting out trying for ones with lower difficulty ratings and talked a little about some common hiding places and camo and some other miscellaneous advice.

 

And then just a few days ago, I was picking up some caches on my way home from a Sunday brunch. As I was walking down the trail a family of five was coming in the opposite direction and the mom and dad were staring at their iphones.

 

I cut over to where I showed the cache being and, sure enough, here they come.

 

Turns out they are fairly new too but their three young girls (probably ages 4 to 9) seemed to be having fun.

 

So, at least for me, running into other cachers has not been all that uncommon (I even think I am forgetting a couple).

[+mchaos]

I have come close. I have found at least 1 cache where I was less then an hour behind some one else finding that cache that day.

[+PJ-FredX-Tuck]

Has anyone ever run into another cacher while looking for the same cache? I am new to this hobby so it has not happened to me, but I am sure it must happen to some.

 

Depending on the area, I would think that you would both be suspicious of each other as muggles... what gave it away that you were both looking for the same cache and what was your reaction?

 

Not counting the Northeast Geobash, it's happened twice to us (we only have found 125 caches total, and this happened when we had much less finds). Once in Salem, NH we met a man caching and the 2nd time was at Bear Brook State Park that time we joined forces with this husband and wife team (along with their dogs). One of the caches we found was a members only cache that we couldn't claim until we became full members ourselves.

 

We did see someone parked at our cache last week (the had a vanity license plate) and I noticed the same plate in town later in the week but didn't have the opportunity to speak with them.

 

PJ