New to Geocaching - caching alone

[Tanyah97]

Hi All,

 

Just started geocaching, have found 2 already (with husbands help), however I want to start doing some more during the week with my young son or at other times on my own. Unfortunately for the caches which are not located in the 'bush' I can't shake the feeling that I'm looking very suspicious and everyone must be wondering what on earth I'm doing!

 

Does anyone have an advice for how to shake the feeling that I'm doing something I shouldn't be (and hence looking like I am!?)

 

Thanks

[+ngrrfan]

Does anyone have an advice for how to shake the feeling that I'm doing something I shouldn't be (and hence looking like I am!?)

Yeah.... just hunt for the cache and forget about what others may think.

[+Crafty Turtle]

Chances are the dude who sees you skulking in the trees shouldn't be there himself. If he thinks YOU look suspicious, ask him what HE is up to.

 

Also - you could try looking like you belong....

 

- cache with a dog - dogs can be walked anywhere

- wear coveralls, hard-hat or hi-vis vest or some attire that makes you look like a maintenance worker or municipal official, etc (yes, it works for chicks too)

- sling a camera over your shoulder and take "artistic" photos of architecture, rubbish, graffiti, plants, anything. Of course that meand you may have to climb on a wall to get a good angle (and look for the cache while you are there)

- park your car as close to the cache as you can. A car works as a great shield.

- act unapproachable - appearing dirty/homeless, or mentally ill. (will all due respect to the homeless or sufferers of mental illness)

- cache at a time when less people are around - weekends, early morning, night (personal safety allowing)

 

Depends where you are, you might find a cacher living near you. (You said "bush" so I'm guessing Australia or South Africa?) Is there a local group you can join?

[+Wild Thing 73]

Just go it (GFI)....stay safe

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

"Wear" your GPSr at your ear. Then others will think you are talking on the cell phone and just wandering about!!!

 

EDIT: That way too, they think you are already in contact with someone, and less likely to bother you.

Edited October 11, 2009 by Gitchee-Gummee

[+briansnat]

If you are doing nothing illegal there is nothing to worry about.

 

If you are trespassing (unfortunately too often caches encourage that) then you may wind up getting a bit of nastiness from a security guard or land owner.

[+ChannelFadge]

I always cache alone and sometimes get funny looks. My advice is to always carry a camera and if someone comes, start taking pictures... they wont question it.

If I dont have my camera I sometimes pull out my GPSr and start tapping at it in a knowing manner, which makes me look like im supposed to be there and Im doing something important.

 

Otherwise, just try not to look susipicious, just go in there and search in a manner that shows that your meant to be there and know what your doing...most people wont bother you anyway and after all, your not doing anything wrong.

Im on 45 finds and my first 10 or so I felt a lot more suspicious-looking that i do now. today I was scrambling around on a sculpture looking for a cache and some people came and started taking pictures of the sculpture...i just carried on, trying to look purposeful and they left me alone.

[+TheMayfieldFamily]

my 7 year old and I cache together during the week as well and are always out and about in the woods. People have seen us out there and kinda look but no one has ever said anything. I think it looks like we out just walking around in the woods for a nature hike... kids can be great excuses while caching lol

[+Team Cotati]

Could you describe the locations where you have this feeling?

[jholly]

Hi All,

 

Just started geocaching, have found 2 already (with husbands help), however I want to start doing some more during the week with my young son or at other times on my own. Unfortunately for the caches which are not located in the 'bush' I can't shake the feeling that I'm looking very suspicious and everyone must be wondering what on earth I'm doing!

 

Does anyone have an advice for how to shake the feeling that I'm doing something I shouldn't be (and hence looking like I am!?)

 

Thanks

 

I simply pretend I'm out in the woods with the bears and coyotes and go about my business. I've noticed that mostly others ignore you. Either they don't see you or figure you should be wearing one of those white sleeveless jackets and want nothing to do with you. And when the description says high muggle area and use stealth, I just go and find it. If I'm seen and someone gets curious, well, that wasn't a good spot for a cache, now was it?

 

Jim

[+murphyz]

I did my first caches last night and also got this feeling. Mine were all micro ones in central London, pretty much between my work and my home but it's certainly a shifty feeling as you stand in the street trying to investigate street lamps and drainpipes; I gave up on one busy road section where I was investigating a police box.

 

I think with time I'll get used to it and will ignore the passers by who look at me strangely - they probably walk past thinking 'London - full of colourful characters'. If only I was 6 and could run a toy car over the nearby wall proclaiming 'vroom vroom' with one hand whilst the other scoots around the crevices - it looks a bit odd doing that at 30.

[+releasethedogs]

my experience is muggles don't care about you. If you see some one just say hello, people up to no good are not usually friendly.

[+sledgehampster]

Just use common sense. If a place gives you the creeps or you are uncomfortable there don't stick around. Wait and go back when you have someone to go with you (or you can pack heat! JUST KIDDING!!!!)

[PhD_Greg]

I recommend wearing a full hazard suit and strapping your GPS unit to a Geiger counter.

 

Not only will muggles not come near you, they'll probably leave the area entirely.

 

 

Or you could follow some of the less interesting but more practical suggestions...

[+coffee/wired]

I worked for the U.S. Census Bureau a while back, which involved driving all over the place, in town and in the boonies, and doing a lot of work on a handheld computer (which is not much smaller than my GPS.) In the two months I was driving and walking about, even on private property, only once did someone ask if I needed help. I was out in the oilfields that day, and the guy probably thought I was lost.

 

That experience taught me that you are not near as conspicuous as you think you are, even when you are doing something that looks suspicious. I drive a big Chevy Silverado, it's not easy to miss, yet no one seems to notice the big truck parked on the side of the road (maybe they figure I'm just some farmer checking his barbed wire fence..... for a cache....lol)

 

I also keep my Nikon D40 in my truck and if I'm feeling odd about looking for a cache, I just take the big camera with me. Then there's no question of what I'm doing.

[+Renegade Knight]

...

Does anyone have an advice for how to shake the feeling that I'm doing something I shouldn't be (and hence looking like I am!?)

...

 

I don't like caching in highly visable locations. I'd much rather cache where there are no people about. I feel much less 'exposed' that way.

[+all4familycaching]

We have 352 finds under our belts and sometimes we still seem like people are watching us. But I love taking the kids out with me. No one questions as to why kids are climbing,underneath things and looking in trees. Perfect caching tool, but still working on the "FOUND IT" announcement from them when they find one. KIDS!! Just try not to look suspicious and you wont.

[+dexter-cacher]

Wear camoflage an sneak around so that no one sees you..!!! Kidding of course..Just get out there and cache..!! Once the addiction takes hold you really won't care what others think..!!

[+Fuzzywhip]

It's actually surprising that most muggles do not notice or do not care what you are doing.

 

Most muggles are so wrapped-up in their own small petty little lives that anyone else around them is invisible. For the muggles that actually look at you, it is usually a passing notice and not concentrated staring.

 

If you do get a muggle that stares at you, or starts to come over, most of the above advise works. Pretending to take pictures with your GPSr, pretending to talk on your GPSr like a cellphone, or studying the local foilage has worked for me many time (I have almost 1K finds, and most have been solo.)

 

Enjoy caching, use stealth, and be happy!

 

Edited October 17, 2009 by Fuzzywhip

[+JIMIP]

Just go for it I have logged 86 since May and I have never been with anyone. I think if you have a suspicious feeling are you doing something wrong. You know you are not so just do your thing and use discretion when taking out the cache to avoid muggles finding it.

[+The Cache Checkers]

I started off with my oldest son, but he has lost interest and I don't want to push him. He's all for the find, but doesn't like the drive or the walk.

 

My other boys are too young to do anything lengthy and my hubby has no interest. Too bad you don't live in NE Ohio, we could go together! LOL

 

So instead, I cache with my rat terrier, Kit and a garbage bag. If I'm noticed, it's in a good way.

[+skeezicks]

Sometimes,no matter what a person tries,it is almost impossible not to feel a little suspicious in this day and age.People are already suspicious of others now more then ever.Just try to keep in mind that you aren't doing anything wrong or illegal in looking for a cache.If someone does stop you and ask what you are doing ( I've had it happen several times,including once by a FWP officer ) just tell them about geocaching and you will be surprised at how nice most people will be about it.