Interupted Caching

[Wickberts]

I was caching with my 8 year old son one day on a bridge and before,we had only been there for a few minutes looking when a group of teenage boys pulled up behind where I had parked my car. They all4 jumped out with phones and GPS units in hand. They were obviously geocaching and didn't seem to care who was around. I didn't want this experience ruined for my son as it was about to be his first find. So I said to the young men "I'll come back later" and we left on to the next cache to look for. We were unsuccessful in finding the next one so we returned to the previous bridge and did end up finding that one. My question is did I use proper etiquette in this situation?

[+K13]

Certainly, you did. In that situation, I likely wouldn't have spoken to the "group of muggles with phone apps". IMO, they should have waited for the GZ area to clear before making their search.

[+Manville Possum]

I would have introduced myself as a geocacher and joined them.

[+Liga9]

Were they being obnoxious or otherwise bothering you? If not, I would have just kept going and allowed them to join in if in fact they were caching.

 

That said, you handled it the way you felt you needed and as long as you weren't nasty about it, it was fine.

[knowschad]

Were they being obnoxious or otherwise bothering you? If not, I would have just kept going and allowed them to join in if in fact they were caching.

 

That said, you handled it the way you felt you needed and as long as you weren't nasty about it, it was fine.

 

Sounds to me like they just got tired of Angry Birds and went looking for a new game app to play. They found one called "Geocaching". Cool thing is, it didn't even require an email verification to play! Don't worry... tomorrow it will be some other game.

[+captnemo]

Certainly, you did. In that situation, I likely wouldn't have spoken to the "group of muggles with phone apps". IMO, they should have waited for the GZ area to clear before making their search.

+1

[+WarNinjas]

Depending on if the kids were acting a bit crazy I would have gone and looked for it with them with my daughter. It helps my daughter to see other younger people are into the game and find it fun. At events and stuff it is usually older people playing and she gets happy when she sees younger people playing.

That being said if they seemed like punk kids I would have done the same as you. I have came across some teenage kids looking for a cache when I was caching. I usually get out of the car looking concerned and then ask if they are looking for something? Then say "I'm kidding! Did you find it" They have always been really cool and excited to have a cacher there to help them look while reading me the clues and all.

[+AustinMN]

Were they being obnoxious or otherwise bothering you? If not, I would have just kept going and allowed them to join in if in fact they were caching.

 

That said, you handled it the way you felt you needed and as long as you weren't nasty about it, it was fine.

 

Sounds to me like they just got tired of Angry Birds and went looking for a new game app to play. They found one called "Geocaching". Cool thing is, it didn't even require an email verification to play! Don't worry... tomorrow it will be some other game.

 

Some of them had GPS units. That leads me to believe they were not all what you describe.

[+Bohemian1966]

I have two teenagers and, while they are good kids, they and their friends can often be oblivious to the world outside their small sphere.

We do our best as parents but... the are teenagers. The social graces are still being refined and polished.

 

I think you did fine by being patient and saving your father son moment for a more hospitable find.

I think it would have been a rare thing indeed had the Teenagers said.. "Oh, hey Dad, bring your 8 year old caching with us and we will have a swell time!" It's what most parents dream their kids would do.

In reality we just hope they are not having sex, smoking or raiding our liquor cabinet...

[+Sagefox]

They were obviously geocaching and didn't seem to care who was around. So I said to the young men "I'll come back later"...

 

We have always welcomed geocachers that we run into out in the field. Usually there are some short, nice conversations and a group hunt. It doesn't happen all that often and it has never been an imposition to us.

 

I didn't want this experience ruined for my son as it was about to be his first find.

 

I don't see why it would ruin your son's first find. He would simply have seen a demonstration of how the game was played and possibly even made the find himself.

 

It sounds like his first would have happened later that day in any event. I've taken our three young grandkids caching and have been with many other kids at cache sites. Kids love the thrill of the find each time and I suspect his first would be memorable no matter when or where it happened.

[+Mudfrog]

They were obviously geocaching and didn't seem to care who was around. So I said to the young men "I'll come back later"...

 

We have always welcomed geocachers that we run into out in the field. Usually there are some short, nice conversations and a group hunt. It doesn't happen all that often and it has never been an imposition to us.

 

I didn't want this experience ruined for my son as it was about to be his first find.

 

I don't see why it would ruin your son's first find. He would simply have seen a demonstration of how the game was played and possibly even made the find himself.

 

It sounds like his first would have happened later that day in any event. I've taken our three young grandkids caching and have been with many other kids at cache sites. Kids love the thrill of the find each time and I suspect his first would be memorable no matter when or where it happened.

 

Yep! I know everyone is different but i'm always surprised when i see the "In that situation, I likely wouldn't have spoken to the "group of muggles with phone apps". IMO, they should have waited for the GZ area to clear before making their search" type responses. For the longest, i never even thought to ask if it was alright to join someone who was already searching. But i'll go ahead and say, only because of some of these comments in the forums, that i now make it a point to ask before just moving in. Responses have always been positive with no one ever asking us to leave.