What Would You Do.......

[+porterhill gang]

What would you do if you climbed up in the middle of some bushes, trying to find a cache, and someone walked by, noticing you? Would you stay hid in the bushes or give the person some bogus explanation?

Edited April 4, 2004 by porterhill gang

[Tahosa and Sons]

I would tell them I'm from the local zoo and we have a large python on the loose. And ask them if they saw it.

[kingcach]

I was actually doing a cache that had some bushes around it. I was getting involved in my search, crawling around on all fours, digging through weeds, bushes, and dirt. A nice, dignified man came along and sat close to me on a park bench. He asked me what I was doing? I chose to be rather inventive with my reply and said, "I am with the local county extension agency. I am conducting some tests on the city's quality of fertilizers they are using in this flowerbed." The man smiled and got up and left.

Edited April 4, 2004 by kingcach

[+Team Lyons]

I'd just bust out my cell phone and say "Can you hear me now" and move along.

[+pater47]

Happened to me while logging a find. Looked up and spotted an elderly man looking straight at me. Certain that there was no way he was going to grasp the concept, I went ahead and explained geocaching as best as I could. When I paused, he replied in a British accent "Ah! Much like letterboxing, I would say." Uh, yeah.

[schon]

I'd make a show of holding a bag of what could be doggy doo, point sheepishly to my dog, and ask if they know where the nearest trash bin is.

 

Works every time.

[+wray_clan]

You could name yourself scarymaninbushes.

 

edit: This may belong in the "The Hunt/The Unusual" forum.

Edited April 4, 2004 by wray_clan

[+Mericalis]

Hmm, I thought about this for a couple of seconds and I have to say that I would stay in the bushes...When the lady or man walked up, I would simply say, "You know, I thought I had some toilet paper when I came over here, you wouldn't happen to have some I could borrow, would you???"

[nobby.nobbs]

just brazen it out. anything you say will probably confirm to them you're nuts. so don't say anything, just look at them like they're the odd ones and carry on. that or try saying bonjour and a few other french words....you're then a foreigner and everyone knows people from other countries act oddly!

[+Lone Duck]

I wait for them to ask me "what's up?" <shrug> That never happens and they always move on anyway. I'm used to being stared at in wonderment by those who have nothing better to do.

[+idratherbehiking]

So far everyone has just looked at me like I'm nuts and not said anything. I guess I don't really know what I would say until the time comes. But I would probably just tell them the truth and who knows I may convert a muggle to a geocacher. The more the merrier.

[+ssmt]

I think I prefer the rural caches just because there is little chance of anyone coming across you. Except for that darned guy with the hockey mask and chainsaw that's been tailing me lately...

 

John

[+Natureboy44]

Ask them to hand you the TP.

[+Team Lyons]

just brazen it out. anything you say will probably confirm to them you're nuts. so don't say anything, just look at them like they're the odd ones and carry on. that or try saying bonjour and a few other french words....you're then a foreigner and everyone knows people from other countries act oddly!

Do that and the muggle will probly call in and report a terrorist is planting a tree bomb in the local park.

[+RJFerret]

Don't make eye contact or look at them and they probably won't talk at you.

 

Most people need the "opening" of your acknowledging them with a look before they'll address you--otherwise they're probably drunk..

 

There are regional differences, in the South I've noticed strangers are more likely to greet each other in passing than here.

 

Enjoy,

 

Randy

[+Imajika]

People saw me wandering around a pine tree grove on Friday looking for part of a multi. Some just kept on walking. Some slowed down and looked at me. None of them said a word to me so I didn't say anything to them. I just smiled at them and then they took off.

 

I said hi to one man and he walked right past me and didn't say a word.

 

Fine by me. Less people bothering me means more time spent looking for a cache.

[Warbones]

Well with my luck my wife would be with me. I could ony imagine what that would look like with the two of us rummaging around in the bushes...nuff said!

[+TeamK-9]

I'm non confrontational, so unless someone comes right out and asks me what the heck I'm doing, I'll just keep looking, occasionally, I do duck down if I'm wearing something that I don't look official in, but if I'm wearing my ski parka (bright orange) or something else important I'll just keep going...

[mufasa1023]

I tend to use a classical approach....when i notice someone taking interest in what im doing I immediately start looking up at either the sky or the trees. Of course humans are curious animals and the other person generally will look up to see what I am looking at. There is usually a squierrel or something around to look at, if not keep looking anyways people will just assume theres something really small or out of their view that you ARE looking at....then with a little luck they leave you alone. Note that this wont work at all caches, but you might gather a funny looking crowd at an urban micro.

[+Leapin' Lizards]

Geocaching dogs come in SO handy... if you don't happen to have a plastic bag of anything that looks remotely like doggy doo (as suggested above), just start loudly scolding your dog for losing the frisbee / ball / set of car keys you just threw. Dogs are great for (a) looking embarrassed about it, whether or not they know what's going on, and ( helping you look for whatever you are looking for, thereby encouraging bystanders to believe there really is a lost doggy toy. With the dog involved, they're less likely to volunteer to help.

 

We've "lost car keys", "lost a baseball", and "lost the fetch toy" quite a few times, which either means that the locals around here are way too nosy or we're way too indiscreet. We're all trying to do better, since we're beginning to give the dog a complex. She just looks guilty to start with, now.

[+GEO*Trailblazer 1]

I know that skunk is in here somwhere.........HEY there it is.

[+GPSKitty]

Geocaching dogs come in SO handy...

 

We're all trying to do better, since we're beginning to give the dog a complex.  She just looks guilty to start with, now.

Awww....poor puppy. Always blame the poor dawg. She's gonna need therapy.

 

GPSKitty

[+ChrisCindy]

We always drag a 6' section of rolled up carpet with us that has red Kool-Aid stains on it and for some reason most people avoid us.

[+SamLowrey]

I would tell them I'm from the local zoo and we have a large python on the loose.  And ask them if they saw it.

Worst pickup line....evar!!!!!

Edited April 5, 2004 by SamLowrey

[Pipanella]

Well, I can only imagine what the people who lived across the street from where we were searching on Saturday thought. My husband, daughter and I were searching on all fours (well, my daughter and I were) under some bushes for like 15 minutes. This was next to a library, but on the opposite side of the entrance. After a little while, even my husband walked away, not wanting to be associated with us in any way. Come to find out, the micro was located about 15 feet away in a super easy location. (Darn GPS)

[+JohnnyVegas]

I have a few things I use while caching, Most of the time I have a camera with and I will pretend to be taking a couple photos of flowers or birds ect. Or I will have a binocular around my neck doing the bird watcher routine, I have had people ask me what a particular bird is, unless it's on a table ready to be eaten, I have no idea what it is. I citys I just drop a few coins on the ground and pick them up if anyone happens by, this work with some cops on day. Julie said they stoped to see waht i was up to and when they saw me picking up the coins they went on theri way.

[+Criminal]

Act nervous, say loudly, "There's no dead body buried in here!"

 

Unless you have really bad luck and one is later found buried there....

[+2qwerqE]

Was just beginning a search when a small girl, about 3 years old, took intense interest in watching what we were doing, casting about, following the arrow. I just gave her a little smile and went on about our business. Her mom was busy with other kids, until the girl tugs on her mom's jacket, and whispers very quietly, "Look, Mommy.... Geocachers!' Mom didn't at first listen, so the girl shouts it: 'Mommy! There's geocachers!' And suddenly we were surrounded by Team Z'Cachers, about nine kids, three adults , and three dogs.

 

I love meeting cachers!

 

As for muggles, sometimes, if they look harmless enough, I just say I'm playing a game. Other times, I blither nonsense and talk to my shadow while making some offside remark about meds. They usually find a reason to be elsewhere. I'm just afraid that one day, I'll find myself in a padded cell...

[+GPSKitty]

....until the girl tugs on her mom's jacket, and whispers very quietly, "Look, Mommy.... Geocachers!' Mom didn't at first listen, so the girl shouts it: 'Mommy! There's geocachers!' And suddenly we were surrounded by Team Z'Cachers, about nine kids, three adults , and three dogs.

 

I love meeting cachers!

 

...

That's priceless!! I love it....busted by an ever-observant 3 year old.

 

GPSKitty

[+wimseyguy]

I told an inquisitive little boy I was inspecting the bridges for safety in a park a few weeks back.

dadgum multi stages-sometime you do need to be a troll.

Edited April 5, 2004 by wimseyguy

[+Ambrosia]

Some local cachers got the police called on them a couple of days ago. We have a new nasty micro cache behind the mall, and all the cachers in our area were going there multiple (and I mean multiple) times to try to find it. No one could find it. Finally, while someone was looking for it, a lady that worked in one of the stores called security on them. The cachers told them about geocaching, and very fortunately, found the cache with the cops looking on. That's the best ftf ever!

 

We were in Canada on a trip, on the way to a virt. The cacher had said to drive around town and look at the numerous murals on buildings. Unfortunately, it was very late at night, and we were stopped by a cop. He was a good sport, even though he thought we were a little strange driving slowly around town in the middle of the night.

 

Caches in playgrounds are scary for me. In this day and age, you don't want to be skulking around little children, looking everywhere furtively. I was just at one last week, and I could see a father watching me the whole time. That's where you really want to have a clipboard and look like you're important.

[+Red Clover]

Having my son w/ me makes me somewhat invisible most of the time. If we are in the bushes I just say he saw a lizard, squirrel, frog or something. Most people shrug and go on about thier business.

[+SerenityNow]

We got approached by a couple kids while we were signing the log at a cache site one snowy day. The boys asked what we were doing so I pushed the cache under a log with my foot and my husband told them we were doing a study on trees in the area. They asked if we were going to plant more and we told them it was too early to begin planting. They seemed satisfied and wandered off while we were mumbling something about the tree we were next to being a silver maple or some such thing.

 

Bottom line... It worked!

[+Team Flying Dachshund]

Just htink WWJD

[uperdooper]

Just htink WWJD

[+greyhounder]

....I just told them that I wanted to be alone, but they had to make a big deal out of it.....

 

 

(I'm referring to the college student from University of Wisconsin at Madison who faked her abduction and was later found wandering in a marsh -- scary thing though -- that same day, around the same time she was found, I was wandering around in a marsh in Madison!!! My repsonse to inquiring folks might have been the same is someone asked!)

 

Bec

[+buck09]

Some local cachers got the police called on them a couple of days ago.  We have a new nasty micro cache behind the mall, and all the cachers in our area were going there multiple (and I mean multiple) times to try to find it.  No one could find it.  Finally, while someone was looking for it, a lady that worked in one of the stores called security on them.  The cachers told them about geocaching, and very fortunately, found the cache with the cops looking on.  That's the best ftf ever!

Maybe you shoud have been wearing a different t-shirt...

 

[+Mericalis]

Well, the bushes thing caught up with me yesterday. I had gotten out of college on Monday (4/5/04) and a new cache was in town. So, I ventured out to try to be a FTF. The cache was in an area of trees and undergrowth that was adjacent to a local soccer field. When I arrived at the sight, there was an African American gentleman seeding the field on a tractor. I got out of my vehicle and started following my GPSr. It pointed me out across a small creek where the only "bridge" was a pipe. As soon as I left my car, I felt eyes staring through me and it continued as I walked out onto the pipe and sat down on it. The guy looked curious as to why I had just ventured out on the pipe and just stopped and sat. The guy continued on with his work and I jumped up and went on across to the other side. However, as I was plummetting through the underbrush I heard the guy shut off the motor to the tractor and he was surveying the area I had entered. I figured that I would have to explain myself, but in a few moments, he cranked the tractor back up and that was the last I saw of him. Also, I was sure that my problems were all gone after he left...wrong. I had found the cache and was beginning to leave when I heard someone quickly come out of the bushes behind me. My first instinct was worrying about someone being a mugger, but the second was "What in the world am I going to tell this guy?" I had started to tell him the story I was going to tell the guy on the tractor--I was working for the soil conservations association here in town and I am taking samples of dirt, leaves, and branches back to be analyzed by our specialists... But a few moments later, he asked me what time it was and then he left. Sometimes the best way to get rid of someone is by not saying a word!

[+crzycrzy]

I generally will pick up the GPS and hold it to my ear, and pretend I am searching for something that I have lost.

However, if anyone asks, I always tell the truth.

(Generally no-one has ever asked.)