Urban cacheing can be frustrating.

[TiltedKilts]

Without looking at my stats I think I'm at 11 found and 6 dnf. Cool. Sweet.

It's those 8 bloody caches that I was within 5 feet of, was sure I knew EXACTLY where the hide was, but was completely surrounded by muggles, mini muggles, and/ or worker muggles. There's the 1 under the newspaper thing with the 2 little girls chatting and eating frozen yogurt. There's the 1 at the wrought iron entry gate to a busy resturaunt, did I mention that I usually only get a chance to look during mid day? My personal favorite is the 1 behind the sign and not a single parking space for a mile in any direction, yes I could have taken a nice long walk but I was on a schedule.

I even had a problem not getting but returning. (if you're curious, it's del Rey cache in Los Angeles).

 

Any other urban cachers have these problems or is it just me?

[+StarBrand]

Without looking at my stats I think I'm at 11 found and 6 dnf. Cool. Sweet.

It's those 8 bloody caches that I was within 5 feet of, was sure I knew EXACTLY where the hide was, but was completely surrounded by muggles, mini muggles, and/ or worker muggles. There's the 1 under the newspaper thing with the 2 little girls chatting and eating frozen yogurt. There's the 1 at the wrought iron entry gate to a busy resturaunt, did I mention that I usually only get a chance to look during mid day? My personal favorite is the 1 behind the sign and not a single parking space for a mile in any direction, yes I could have taken a nice long walk but I was on a schedule.

I even had a problem not getting but returning. (if you're curious, it's del Rey cache in Los Angeles).

 

Any other urban cachers have these problems or is it just me?

I tend to ignore such caches with so many muggles.

 

The only other choice is to be bold and just go get it/sign it and put it back. Be confident and act as though it was your job to locate that box - a job you are proud to do. Such people often fade into the background. Carry a clipboard and you even look official while doing it.

[+ALAUNOS]

What I like to do when I'm in that situation is act like my gps is my phone and I'm pretending to talk away. As I walk around I may feel around or kneel down to look around all the while acting casual. And if necessary I might accidentally drop something to give me another reason to search around. But one way or another I will log the cache lol. You just have to be patient and take your time all while being creative.

[jerosk]

Be confident and don't look suspicious. If you think a cache is there, just go for it... Most people wouldnt even notice you

[+St.Matthew]

I own a hardhat and a clipboard, and if I'm going somewhere with several muggles, I'll wear the hardhat and carry my clipboard to look non-suspicious.

 

But I tend to prefer geocaches not in the middle of a busy parking lot while the lamp post skirt is making more noise than a jet plane.

[NordicMan]

The best thing you can do to avoid muggles figuring out what you are doing is to walk confidently up to the cache, grab it, and take it away some distance away from it's hiding place. Do your opening/logging AWAY from ground zero. Don't stand right at the hiding spot to pull log & replace, cause if you do you're spending too much time at the same spot. Once you've done your *thing*, then walk back to the hiding spot & stuff that cache back where it came from then walk away!

[+Chuy!]

I'll offer two options that haven't been mentioned.

 

1. Visit under cover of darkness, whether am or pm;

2. Visit with another person - you won't feel as obvious when two or more cachers are together. Even though you may actually bring more attention to yourself, there is more confidence and boldness with numbers. Same thing when you have your kids or a dog on a leash.

[TiltedKilts]

There is nothing in this world that will make ME look not suspicious, just a fact of my life

 

@chuy my wife won't let me keep the kids on a leash.

[NordicMan]

There is nothing in this world that will make ME look not suspicious, just a fact of my life

..as long as you're not geocaching like this guy I'm sure you'll blend right in

 

[erbalsqueen]

Today is my first day of trying to urban geocaching and it is frustrating! I felt like i looked like an escaped mental patient or something. lol. I only went to one location near me (in va) and it was a dnf...oh well

[desolatefox]

I'm having this problem as well. I can't help it, I'm not a social person. When muggles are near, or driving/walking by fairly close, I end up writing off the cache and looking for another in a more remote (yet still urban) location. Also, the non-human muggles have scared me off more than once. I was a few feet away from a cache when I noticed there were either bees or wasps (didn't look that close). No way. Nope. Not happening. XD Dang wasp phobia..

[XeenaWP]

I own a hardhat and a clipboard, and if I'm going somewhere with several muggles, I'll wear the hardhat and carry my clipboard to look non-suspicious.

 

 

I like it! Might have to steal your disguise.

 

To OP, I wouldn't record a DNF if you couldn't properly search because of Muggles.

[+Bear and Ragged]

I own a hardhat and a clipboard, and if I'm going somewhere with several muggles, I'll wear the hardhat and carry my clipboard to look non-suspicious.

 

 

I like it! Might have to steal your disguise.

 

To OP, I wouldn't record a DNF if you couldn't properly search because of Muggles.

? Didn't find it, you can still post a DNF log...

Or post a note saying "Didn't look due to muggles nearby..." That at least is a reminder to you why you didn't find and log the cache.

[+TeamDadcubed]

 

I want one of those!!! I can surely make it work in downtown San Fran... hehe

 

Add a white hardhat and poof!!! better than an invisability cloak lol

Edited April 9, 2011 by TeamDadcubed

[+popokiiti]

Never checked those boxes on signs - traps for rare bugs/insects reported in the area? Similar function to those things hanging in trees? That was one excuse we used to a muggle, who believed us.