How to identify a geocacher?

[+malcesine]

Just a fun topic, but was reading a post just now about someone meeting lots of fellow cachers on their travels and I thought to myself, (wait for it......) How do you recognise a fellow cacher ? Is it GPS in hand with walking pole for rumaging around the undergrowth? Is it that wondering look you sometimes get when passing someone going in the opposite direction?. Perhaps we could develop some kind of ritual so that we could identify each other, but not carrying a copy of the Times or a Daffodil. Any ideas ??? or am I going to regret starting this topic?

[+J the Goat]

Just a fun topic, but was reading a post just now about someone meeting lots of fellow cachers on their travels and I thought to myself, (wait for it......) How do you recognise a fellow cacher ? Is it GPS in hand with walking pole for rumaging around the undergrowth? Is it that wondering look you sometimes get when passing someone going in the opposite direction?. Perhaps we could develop some kind of ritual so that we could identify each other, but not carrying a copy of the Times or a Daffodil. Any ideas ??? or am I going to regret starting this topic?

 

OOO OOO, like a secret trail dance? Ya, I like it. Okay, okay, okay, when I am coming down the trail, I'll flap my arms like a bird and repeat "giggity giggity" like quagmire.

 

Sorry, that might have been rude. Couldn't resist though. It's pretty much the GPS and the searching in the area you are about to/just did.

 

Or we could all wear court jester hats...

[+Snoogans]

When someone calls me a lesbian in American Sign Language (ASL), I just assume they are a cacher.

 

[+geodarts]

Last Saturday I was standing next to a cache location and somebody was a few feet away staring at a Garmin 60csx. It turned out that they were just trying to figure out if it was worthwhile to loop back to where they started, taking a different trail. So much for assumptions.

[+Kry102001]

So far I have met two fellow geocachers, first one was easy to work out considering that they was stood at a bridge sliding their hand all over the underside, obviously looking for something.

Second one was someone stood up a hill holding an iphone with a decidedly puzzled expression on their face.

 

It's very easy to spot me as a geocacher as I have both the geocaching logo patch on my coat arm, a geocaching.com lanyard and a badge on my backpack.

 

I don't mind advertising the fact that I am a geocacher, I am proud to be one, plus, I feel having such items on my person helps other geocachers recognise the fact that I am a geocacher and it's always nice to chat to fellow geocachers in the field (think I said geocachers too much there, will abbreviate it to GC from now on).

[+Viridios]

I just look for people walking around in circles, muttering under their breath, possibly with the occasional choice words or expletives escaping their lips from time to time...

 

Perhaps with a fellow cachers name involved...

 

"Gosh darn (insert cacher name here) and his stupid (insert loathed cache type here)!!"

[+Eshel]

I always look for who is looking up and down trees while spinning wildly with thier gpsr trying to get a signal in the forest. Unless I am the only one that spins wildly...

[+wimseyguy]

Just a fun topic, but was reading a post just now about someone meeting lots of fellow cachers on their travels and I thought to myself, (wait for it......) How do you recognise a fellow cacher ? Is it GPS in hand with walking pole for rumaging around the undergrowth? Is it that wondering look you sometimes get when passing someone going in the opposite direction?. Perhaps we could develop some kind of ritual so that we could identify each other, but not carrying a copy of the Times or a Daffodil. Any ideas ??? or am I going to regret starting this topic?

 

OOO OOO, like a secret trail dance? Ya, I like it. Okay, okay, okay, when I am coming down the trail, I'll flap my arms like a bird and repeat "giggity giggity" like quagmire.

 

Sorry, that might have been rude. Couldn't resist though. It's pretty much the GPS and the searching in the area you are about to/just did.

 

Or we could all wear court jester hats...

 

You are very close to the definitive answer supplied by briansnat back in the spring of '04.

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.

 

The drunken bee dance is often a giveaway, as are brier scratched shins and muddy knees. But do be careful with assumptions, as those are also symptotmatic of other obsessions.

Edited March 22, 2010 by wimseyguy

[+DragonsWest]

At 50 years of age I'm still climbing on rocks, crawling around under bushes and scaling trees.

 

I hope I merely look eccentric, rather than like a drunken bee.

[+Chrysalides]

I track geocachers with them government satellites

 

Seriously, I've only spotted geocachers in the wild twice. Once when a family jumped out of a car with one of the kids holding a GPSr, and another time with someone standing near a tree facing away where I was about to search.

Edited March 22, 2010 by Chrysalides

[+StarBrand]

Carrying a GPS, notebook, bag of mctoys and mumbling are good clues --- but not always dead giveaways. I once asked a guy with the above description if he had "found it" - he looked at me odd and asked what I was talking about - he had never heard of Geocaching and assured me that hiding things in the woods was illegal and a violation of hiking ethics. - we moved on quickly.

[GPS-Hermit]

See if there is a Geo-Caching sticker on the car or hat or t-shirt - CITO shirt is a giveaway! Anyone in a group yelling "I found it"

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

From Briansnat 2008 - http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php...t&p=3523726

 

Yes, there is one that I invented. It started in NJ and has been used for some time here, but now it's taking the nation by storm.

 

It goes like this;

 

When you see someone you think might be a geocacher you yell (very loudly) "Ho! Are ye a geocacher?"

 

If the person is indeed a geocacher, his response will be "Yay, a geocacher am I". Llisten very carefully to the response because there are some phony geocachers out there who will respond "Yay, a geocacher I am" If you hear that, RUN! because he is a fraud and might be an evil doer.

 

Once you've established that you are both geocachers you approach each other until you are facing each other at arms length. You each then put your right arm on the other's left shoulder and start dancing and skipping in a circle while repeatedly singing (very loudly) "Geocachers are we! Runy muny mee! Yaba daba baba. He, he, he!". This should continue for no less than 3 minutes.

[+briansnat]

From Briansnat 2008 - http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php...t&p=3523726

 

Yes, there is one that I invented. It started in NJ and has been used for some time here, but now it's taking the nation by storm.

 

It goes like this;

 

When you see someone you think might be a geocacher you yell (very loudly) "Ho! Are ye a geocacher?"

 

If the person is indeed a geocacher, his response will be "Yay, a geocacher am I". Llisten very carefully to the response because there are some phony geocachers out there who will respond "Yay, a geocacher I am" If you hear that, RUN! because he is a fraud and might be an evil doer.

 

Once you've established that you are both geocachers you approach each other until you are facing each other at arms length. You each then put your right arm on the other's left shoulder and start dancing and skipping in a circle while repeatedly singing (very loudly) "Geocachers are we! Runy muny mee! Yaba daba baba. He, he, he!". This should continue for no less than 3 minutes.

 

We're still doing it this way though some female geocachers protested the original greeting so we've changed the "He he he" part to "he or she, he or she, he or she".

[+The Cache Checkers]

I've met two other cachers, one twice, while out hunting. The first time I saw a guy in a cemeter, wandering around with a GPS in his hand. Together we found the cache. The other was at a park. I was with my boys and noticed a couple not too far behind us. I didn't want to turn into the woods so we stopped and I started playing with my youngest one, waiting for them to pass. Then they paused and started waiting for us to move on. We both realized what both of us were up to, and together were the FTF. Then we saw them again in a cemetery cache a few weeks later.

 

I almost always have my Got Geocaching t-shirt on in hopes of being approached, but no one has since the people I mentioned above.

 

I've met two ladies from geocaching forums. One I've gone out with a few times, the other not yet, but we soon hope to meet up.

[Shrekito]

I haven't met anyone yet while Geocaching. But about a week ago I did see an elderly couple with a license plate that read "wecache". Okay this is kind of off topic but how old is everyone. It seems like every profile picture I look at everyone is 40+ Am I the only 24 year old or what?

[+bittsen]

~snip~

Am I the only 24 year old or what?

 

Yup.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just kidding. I know of a few younger people who cache. Younger than 24 even.

[+modnar24]

Recently, I attempted to be FTF at a cache about a mile from my house. This was my first lamppost actually in a walmart parking lot. I met a few geocachers there. This was at a busy place and I think one of the other cachers described the meeting best. From their log:

 

I pulled up to GZ to find 3 people hanging out there. Knowing they HAD to be geocachers (who else hangs out at lamp posts?), I hopped out and chatted for a few minutes with modnar and bigbear. At 7:00 at night, this place was hoppin', so I helped to provide some cover...

[DannyCaffeine]

From my observation geocachers-

 

Carry GPSrs

Look suspicious

Wear boots instead of regular shoes

[+t4e]

crouch, extended your arm out palm facing up and ask "can you spare some satellite signal?"

 

[+wimseyguy]

From Briansnat 2008 - http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php...t&p=3523726

 

Yes, there is one that I invented. It started in NJ and has been used for some time here, but now it's taking the nation by storm.

 

It goes like this;

 

When you see someone you think might be a geocacher you yell (very loudly) "Ho! Are ye a geocacher?"

 

If the person is indeed a geocacher, his response will be "Yay, a geocacher am I". Llisten very carefully to the response because there are some phony geocachers out there who will respond "Yay, a geocacher I am" If you hear that, RUN! because he is a fraud and might be an evil doer.

 

Once you've established that you are both geocachers you approach each other until you are facing each other at arms length. You each then put your right arm on the other's left shoulder and start dancing and skipping in a circle while repeatedly singing (very loudly) "Geocachers are we! Runy muny mee! Yaba daba baba. He, he, he!". This should continue for no less than 3 minutes.

 

Sorry TAR, but you didn't set your wayback machine properly. The first known post of this tradition on the forums was Spring 2004. And the first time I got to actually do this with Brian was January 2009. But it was a crowded bar and he was on crutches, so it wasn't all that satisfying.

[+Viridios]

I haven't met anyone yet while Geocaching. But about a week ago I did see an elderly couple with a license plate that read "wecache". Okay this is kind of off topic but how old is everyone. It seems like every profile picture I look at everyone is 40+ Am I the only 24 year old or what?

 

I'm 27, so not too far ahead of you.

[+Pat in Louisiana]

I find each year I meet more and more.

This year I meet at least one a month it seem like.

I met some yesterday, Two ladies in a minivan with the kids in the back.

Print outs in hand and GPSRs around their necks.

Of course it didn't hurt to know they were looking for one of my caches I was checking on.

They recognized me as a cached by my hat's logo!

[+t4e]

I haven't met anyone yet while Geocaching. But about a week ago I did see an elderly couple with a license plate that read "wecache". Okay this is kind of off topic but how old is everyone. It seems like every profile picture I look at everyone is 40+ Am I the only 24 year old or what?

 

age is just a number

[Opal&Ruby]

I haven't met anyone yet while Geocaching. But about a week ago I did see an elderly couple with a license plate that read "wecache". Okay this is kind of off topic but how old is everyone. It seems like every profile picture I look at everyone is 40+ Am I the only 24 year old or what?

 

age is just a number

 

 

I am 25, and my cache partners will be my brother (23), sister in law (23), and my niece (3.5), the 1.5 yo niece is still a bit young.

[+t4e]

I haven't met anyone yet while Geocaching. But about a week ago I did see an elderly couple with a license plate that read "wecache". Okay this is kind of off topic but how old is everyone. It seems like every profile picture I look at everyone is 40+ Am I the only 24 year old or what?

 

age is just a number

 

 

I am 25, and my cache partners will be my brother (23), sister in law (23), and my niece (3.5), the 1.5 yo niece is still a bit young.

 

one of the great aspects of this game is that anyone can do it

 

and you will certainly meet a variety of people anywhere from 3 to 80

there was actually a geocaching octogenarian in the news recently

[+brslk]

I was out caching today when I saw a young guy taking pictures. He was taking pictures from scenic view points along the way... it seemed everywhere I was he would follow.

After coming out from the bush from a steep hill I could not climb down, he asked "how is it down there?"

I said slippery.... he said "I thought it might be"

 

I had thought he was a fellow cacher but he was a photographer...

 

or he thought I looked nice in my new jeans and was trying to pick me up...

 

Not gay but I am not opposed to flattery...

 

meh...

[+DENelson83]

I hardly ever run into other geocachers on my hunts. Heck, I can't even persuade any of them to share their resources with me by taking me with them on hunts.

 

As for how to identify them in the wild, I have no clue other than what I have read here.

[+The Jester]

Just a fun topic, but was reading a post just now about someone meeting lots of fellow cachers on their travels and I thought to myself, (wait for it......) How do you recognise a fellow cacher ? Is it GPS in hand with walking pole for rumaging around the undergrowth? Is it that wondering look you sometimes get when passing someone going in the opposite direction?. Perhaps we could develop some kind of ritual so that we could identify each other, but not carrying a copy of the Times or a Daffodil. Any ideas ??? or am I going to regret starting this topic?

 

OOO OOO, like a secret trail dance? Ya, I like it. Okay, okay, okay, when I am coming down the trail, I'll flap my arms like a bird and repeat "giggity giggity" like quagmire.

 

Sorry, that might have been rude. Couldn't resist though. It's pretty much the GPS and the searching in the area you are about to/just did.

 

Or we could all wear court jester hats...

Hey, now! Don't horn in on my thing!

[+The Jester]

I haven't met anyone yet while Geocaching. But about a week ago I did see an elderly couple with a license plate that read "wecache". Okay this is kind of off topic but how old is everyone. It seems like every profile picture I look at everyone is 40+ Am I the only 24 year old or what?

 

age is just a number

Hmm... I don't know about that. My mind keeps saying "I'm 18", but my body keeps going "Oh, no you're not!"

[+t4e]

I haven't met anyone yet while Geocaching. But about a week ago I did see an elderly couple with a license plate that read "wecache". Okay this is kind of off topic but how old is everyone. It seems like every profile picture I look at everyone is 40+ Am I the only 24 year old or what?

 

age is just a number

Hmm... I don't know about that. My mind keeps saying "I'm 18", but my body keeps going "Oh, no you're not!"

 

 

 

i hear that voice some days too, but i learned to ignore it

[DannyCaffeine]

I haven't met anyone yet while Geocaching. But about a week ago I did see an elderly couple with a license plate that read "wecache". Okay this is kind of off topic but how old is everyone. It seems like every profile picture I look at everyone is 40+ Am I the only 24 year old or what?

I am 20 so close enough I suppose. I look like I am 16 though XP

[+starfishsaving]

Well, you'll know it's me when I trip over something because I was staring at my GPSr too much. I have sprained my ankle twice on cache trips this year- though to be fair, once was as I was walking to my car to START caching...

 

You'll also hear me muttering ".1 to go" or "7 minutes away if we keep up this pace" and things of that sort.

 

I am suspicious of *everyone* I see on the trails where I know local caches are. Every time I see someone holding out a phone in their hand becomes a potential cacher in my mind, and I'll look at those logs later to figure out if I was right.

[+J the Goat]

crouch, extended your arm out palm facing up and ask "can you spare some satellite signal?"

 

 

I swear, I'm gonna do this one day.

[+WhoDis]

I haven't met anyone yet while Geocaching. But about a week ago I did see an elderly couple with a license plate that read "wecache". Okay this is kind of off topic but how old is everyone. It seems like every profile picture I look at everyone is 40+ Am I the only 24 year old or what?

 

age is just a number

 

Ever notice, it's usually us older folks that say that?

[+DENelson83]

Tap out the letter "G" in Morse Code on your car horn to identify yourself as a geocacher, and see if someone echoes it to you.

[+kime1809]

I wondered if I found a fellow cacher once. Lamp post hide I parked right next to when another vehicle pulled up. I waited for it to pass, but the driver turned the car and parked facing me, across several spaces. I was sure she was going to either get out and check the skirt. When she instead began talking on her cell phone and and yes... picking her nose, I made the grab and got gone. hahaha

 

The only other time, the cacher walked up to my car and rapped on my window. I guess I was being pretty obvious. =)

[+popokiiti]

Met a little guy in a red T-shirt a few times - not only are he and his parents geocachers, but he is one proud travel bug. That T-shirt has a bug and tracking # on it. First time I met him, he was waving at all the cachers arriving for an event picnic....he is now the unofficial greeter at such events.

[namiboy]

say "are you a fellow traveler?"

only a true geocacher will resposnd with "i've bumped my head a few times"

[+happypete]

I've only run into fellow cachers once, but some sort of hat-type uniform would be awesome. I guess anyone wandering in circles with a GPS is a pretty good indicator.

[+beamscout]

I haven't met anyone yet while Geocaching. But about a week ago I did see an elderly couple with a license plate that read "wecache". Okay this is kind of off topic but how old is everyone. It seems like every profile picture I look at everyone is 40+ Am I the only 24 year old or what?

 

Nah. I'm 22 and absolutely hooked. My fiancee is 21 and we love to go caching together.

[+JL_HSTRE]

I got a shirt from the Groundspeak store to wear when I got geocaching so other cachers can spot me clearly.

[+Leleboo_05]

I haven't met anyone yet while Geocaching. But about a week ago I did see an elderly couple with a license plate that read "wecache". Okay this is kind of off topic but how old is everyone. It seems like every profile picture I look at everyone is 40+ Am I the only 24 year old or what?

 

Nah, I'm 22! most cachers in my area are couples old enough to be my parents/grandparents though!

[+cachensfun]

I haven't met anyone yet while Geocaching. But about a week ago I did see an elderly couple with a license plate that read "wecache". Okay this is kind of off topic but how old is everyone. It seems like every profile picture I look at everyone is 40+ Am I the only 24 year old or what?

 

Nah, I'm 22! most cachers in my area are couples old enough to be my parents/grandparents though!

 

My brothers and I are 13, 15 and 17