How do you feel about meeting other cachers near gz?

[+redsox_mark]

 

Now we'll just walk right up and say "Looks like your looking for the same thing we are!" and dive right into the search with them.

 

That is more or less what I say/do. It has happened to me 4 times (in slightly less than 1 year of caching, and 341 finds). Each time they were looking for the same thing. I enjoy meeting cachers, and am generally pleased to find they are cachers and not muggles. Has not happened to me as part of a FTF yet (though I only got my first FTF yesterday!).

 

I know a local cacher who records on his profile each cacher he has met while looking for a find (he doesn't include those met at events etc). He shows meeting 15 different cachers in around 1000 finds. I think that is a cool idea and was thinking to do the same.

 

Mark

[+team_goobie]

This happens so often on FTFs we end up getting a quorum for the local caching club (GBESGeo), and after getting the cache in hand (it is assumed that more eyes are welcomed) we put the meeting in order and discuss club business for as long as our schedules permit. Sometimes the meeting even spills into breakfast and coffee!

[+Vulcan64]

HI,

I've encountered cachers at GZ a few times. I will assess the situation first before approaching. I usually ask if they are geocaching and if they would mind some help. Most like the help. If its a FTF situation and I arrive to see someone else making the attept I will leave the area for a short while to give them time to search. Usually there are more caches nearby to go find anyways. Its always nice to chat later about our sport with others. Cache on.

[daveindeal]

i have seen other cachers looking at GZ befor and just drive by to give them space.

 

i have often thought of stopping and asking what on earth are they doing rumiging in the bush's to see there face and the bu..bu..but expresion........ and then say its ok im the CO or that i found it yesterday etc.

[+Desert_Trailblazers]

So let me see if I have this right...

 

If you are looking for a FTF, and are already there, it's considered cool for others to just start looking in the same place as you are, at the same time, even though you were there first?

 

Alternatively, if you are looking for a FTF, and when you get to GZ there is someone already there, it's cool to intrude on their search, and it becomes best man/woman for himself/herself?

[+The red-haired witch]

So let me see if I have this right...

 

If you are looking for a FTF, and are already there, it's considered cool for others to just start looking in the same place as you are, at the same time, even though you were there first?

 

Alternatively, if you are looking for a FTF, and when you get to GZ there is someone already there, it's cool to intrude on their search, and it becomes best man/woman for himself/herself?

 

Yes, though I certainly wouldn't call that "intruding"... you don't own the area just because you are currently searching there. When there is a large event in an area, you can expect to meet people often. Cachers won't line up away from the cache area and wait for their turn to search, that would be ridiculously boring

 

In over five years of caching, I've met with other cachers at GZ several dozen times. Sometimes I was there first, sometimes they were. Of all those times, I've only ever seen one person leave rather than accept to search together. The great majority of people are happy to team up for the search.

 

And if it's a FTF, most people decide at that point that it will be a shared FTF, though I've heard of a very few prefer to keep the search competitive and that only the first to spot the container or the first to touch it will claim the FTF.

 

(Of course, I'm in Canada, land known for its excessively polite people, so things might be different elsewhere )

[Dangerjackson]

Not really a big fan of running into other people at caches to be honest. I usually just introduce myself, and make small talk. We find it and then go on our marry way.

[+California66er]

I actually live right next to the location where one cache description tells people to park. (Oddly, I haven't gone for that cache yet, but I will.)

 

Often, I'll see someone park outside of my house, clearly getting ready for some caching (walking sticks, GPS, etc.) I've never actually said anything - I'm not terribly social, and would be highly embarrassed if it turned out they WEREN'T cachers!) - but I think it's pretty cool to check the logs and see the Found Its posted on the same day. This particular cache also has a camera in it, and people are encouraged to take their photos with it. It's cool to wait a few weeks and see the CO post the pictures of the people who I'd just seen.

[+SteveSquirrel]

One time I was caching with my girlfriend and we ran across another couple who was quite obvoiusly Geocaching. We introduced ourselves and found the cache together. Then the 4 of us teamed up and cached together for over 3 hours. It was a lot of fun and we still email them back and forth

[+infiniteMPG]

I've never encountered other cachers on my way, or at, gz. I know I will some day. How do you deal with the situation? Do you ask to join in on the hunt with them? Do you invite them to join you in the search? Do you back off and wait until they are finished? Is it disappointing to meet someone looking for the same GC? I would appreciate your wise counsel. Thanks.

Usually we introduce ourselves and then they smirk and look at me and say "So you're the one that hid <fill in name of some cache that frustrated them here>...."

[+Odie442]

Since I now know most of the cachers in the area where I look it is always nice to run into someone. I've had people approach me in parking lots when I wasn't even caching because of the "Official Geocaching Survey Vehicle" tags (see below), and also had people honk and wave their GPSr's at me while driving too. As for bumping into on the trail or at GZ, yeah it happens and it is always nice to meet up with others and share stories.

 

Best one I had was actually while I was at work and had a resident (I work in a hospital) look at my computer and coment about my background picture. She stated "Okay, I need to ask, did you find the container?" There was no picture of me or the cache anywhere in it, I just had the picture because of the scenery. I turned and asked "And what container would you be talking about?" (with a devilish smile) She in turn said "Yeah, I've been there 4 times and still have not yet found it." We then got started talking about caching, and had to give her a hint as to where it was.

 

Odie

 

"Official Geocaching Survey Vehicle" tags on "The Beast" (have one on rear and one on each side door)

Edited March 12, 2010 by Odie442

[james__12345]

Had my first ever run in with a cacher at GZ a little while back. It was a FTF. I had started at one end of the trail, he had started at the other. I had found. There were four on the trail that were all part of the boyscout series. I had found one, he had found two, and we met in the middle and worked together on the last one. The coords were a little off, so it took us a while. He finally found it, in a spot we had both looked SEVERAL times. The ftf prizes in the series were a boyscout geocaching "get in the game" badge. I had one from an earlier ftf in the series, and one from the ftf earlier that day, and he also had one from his ftf earlier that day, so we both agreed to leave it for the next finders. I was very pleased to find out after reading the logs later, to find out it was actually a boyscout team that found the cache after us. It was a guy with two kids with him. They got the badge from the cache me and the other cacher found together, and the badge from his second find ont he trail. I thought it was cool how it worked out that both kids on the trip got a badge from the trip. Turns out the cacher I ran into was the hider for another cache I found in the same park, and a couple others I have found since. Its nice to put a face with a name that you've seen on a lot of hides, and a lot of logs.

[+BulldogBlitz]

i've met two at GZ. since i'm new, i had no clue i would ever meet anyone else - all those logs are just ghosts or something. the first time i met someone, he was leaving GZ... and i think it was very close to private property... so when his vehicle stopped, i thought for sure i was busted. good meet though.

 

the second, was an alright meet, but creepy. my son and i were out after a kid friendly gc and there was an older gentleman just putting the cache back when we happened upon him.