Ran Into Fellow Cachers?

February 10, 2005

I used to think that it would never happen but then I ran into my first Fellow Geocacher. I thought that the odds of this happening again werent to good, but as I go out and explore more areas and find more caches, it becomes more and more frequent.

Has anyone else bumped into fellow geocachers? Do you agree that it is getting more frequent to go out caching and bump into a fellow cacher?

February 10, 2005

first 35 caches, didn't run into anyone, then on my most recent, i ran into someone about 30 feet away from the cache (about a 1.5m walk to get there)

February 10, 2005

Here in the Denver metro area I have ran into several cachers and I have only done 41 caches. On one cache there were 7 other cachers looking with me!

5.3k · February 10, 2005

There are cachers running into cachers all the time. See http://www.mtgc.org/6deg and Rick's original page.

My first time running into another cacher was something like my second day of caching back in '01 in 15 degree weather when only crazy people were playing outside.

1.8k · February 10, 2005

Out here it doesn't happen, but it has happened to me a couple of times in the big city.

February 10, 2005

I met up with a fellow on one cache that we ended up not finding. We ended up spending the rest of the afternoon caching together.

On another cache, I had found it and signed the logbook and was in the process of rehiding the cache and heard voices. I quickly finished, and moved away, before giving away the cache. I just said hi, never thinking they may be cachers.

A few days later, a couple logged a find on my cache; I emailed them to ask a question and learned that they were the same couple from the other cache. And here I was worried about giving away the cache to non-cachers.

Jim

Kc8bdr

18.9k · February 10, 2005

In a 162 finds, I've only run into 4 cachers out "on the trail" but there aren't a lot of caches in my neck of the woods and even fewer hunters. Most find the 20 or so caches within 30 miles of thier house and are never heard from again.

7.3k · February 10, 2005

In close to 500 caches, I think it's happened to me about 7 times.

2.6k · February 10, 2005

I've ran into ten geocacher 'names' on trail.

5.8k · February 10, 2005

my most out of the way chance meeting

funny thing is, she and I are from opposite ends of the stete!!!

February 10, 2005

I ran into other cachers on my very first cache, and more recently on my 40-somethingth cache. (is "somethingth" a word?)

JB

38.2k · February 10, 2005

It doesn't happen nearly as often as it used to. There are so many caches around here that it makes it less likely to run into someone at any one cache. If a cache is brand new, you seem to have the best chance of running into someone.

February 10, 2005

Happened to us every now and then (mostly on event caches, but not only).

BS/2

February 10, 2005

When I first started caching about a year ago I ran into another cacher as I was doing maintenance on a cache.. then later that day about 5 miles away at another of my caches i ran into the same guy. that was very rare mainly because this was in korea where caching isn't very popular..

February 10, 2005

I'm a neeeeewbie, and I have only one cache of my own. However, the day after I placed my cache at a popular mountain bike trail, I was riding there and I passed two hikers on different parts of the trail. To see hikers and dog walkers is common, but the daypacks seemed out of place... When I got back to my car, there were two other cars in the parking lot, and they each had some form of geocaching symbol. The next day, I checked my cache's log, and there were two entries..... (!)

3k · February 10, 2005

Happens to me every couple of months.

On one trip last fall, I had just completed an hour long fruitless search for a cache, and was about to go home and log the DNF when another cacher came wandering down the trail. It turned out to be the cache owner, who I had met a few weeks earlier at an event. I told him about the trouble I had finding the cache, and he quickly recognized that I had neglected to account for a key piece of 'offset' information contained in the cache description.

As soon as I retrieved the printout from my bag, I realized what I had done: I had printed out the description weeks earlier, and had totally forgotten that the posted coordinates were NOT the exact location of the cache - you had to move some distance in a particular direction away from the posted coords to find the actual cache. I found it moments later, much to his amusement.

So running into this cacher saved me from having to make a second trip.

Edited February 10, 2005 by cache_test_dummies

February 10, 2005

While caching in London I bumped into a fellow cacher in Hyde Park. I thought it would be a great opportunity to discuss the local caching scene, until I found out he was from Southern California. Ijust thought it was funny, a guy from Tennessee and a guy from SoCal bumping into each other while searching for an Altoids tin on a park bench in Hyde Park.

9.1k · February 10, 2005

Once upon a time, after spending 12 hours in the back seat of a car with Monkeybrad's wife, I took her to Hooters. There, I ran into Monkeybrad!

It was not pretty.

6.4k · February 10, 2005

Ijust thought it was funny, a guy from Tennessee and a guy from SoCal bumping into each other while searching for an Altoids tin on a park bench in Hyde Park.

I've done something like that. Twice.

Once, while caching in Florida I ran into a RI cacher.

Another time we were in a rest stop in MD or DE (I forget) grabbing lunch and a car pulled up next to us and said something to the effect of "I didn't know there was a cache in this rest stop?". Turns out they were from Mass., and had noticed the (several) geocaching logos on our car.

February 10, 2005

I know if I ran into Mopar, I would keep running....

1.6k · February 10, 2005

We have run into several in our ventures . One time we on a multi just for fun we made a race out of it to the final , and we made some friends as well !

See the First four logs for this cache at we decided to share FTF four ways ! :

The Land of Misfit Toys

Everytime we happen to meet a fellow cacher we try to note it in our logs .

Star

February 10, 2005

The cachers around here must be pretty stealthy - in 566 finds, I have only run into people 3 or 4 times. Heck, I have a cache in my front yard (literally), I can be home all day, and then read "Went to the READ Box today" in an e-mail that evening. I maybe have "caught" 5 cachers at my cache. Funny.

2.6k · February 10, 2005

The cachers around here must be pretty stealthy - in 566 finds, I have only run into people 3 or 4 times. Heck, I have a cache in my front yard (literally), I can be home all day, and then read "Went to the READ Box today" in an e-mail that evening. I maybe have "caught" 5 cachers at my cache. Funny.

Ha! You narrowly missed me, once. It was an early morning mad scramble on a series of four new caches posted overnight. The people before me at this cache had been the people after me at the previous cache (my one and only FTF), and they mentioned you were right behind. You pulled into the parking lot just as I got into my car. I thought about walking over and saying hi, but realized that might be a little off-putting. Since I was parked by the trailhead, I figured I'd just wait until you walked by.

And wait.

It finally dawned on me you were waiting for me to leave. And if that doesn't tell you to trust your instincts, I dunno what would...

February 10, 2005

HAHAHAHAHA!

You'll have to tell me which cache that was - was it the Swansea series?

Next time, PLEASE come say hi - I love meeting all cachers, and I have been waiting to meet you - you crack me up.

Actually, in all seriousness, if I saw you I probably waited not because I am easily spooked or put-off (quite the contrary), but perhaps I don't look like the woodland type to many - I attract cops like no one's business, and I am sure that people have seen me disappearing down a trail head and wondered just, exactly, what I was up to. I have waited people out at times simply because I don't want to "alarm" anyone (or be hassled for that matter )

Never mind the fanny pack, GPS, hiking boots, and enough fleece to warm all of Bristol - I guess I just don't "look" the part

We were hoping to see you at the SNEG meet!

February 10, 2005

It's happened to us just twice:

First time we were doing a maintenance check on one of our own caches. We pulled in to park and there was a car there. That's VERY unusual for this particular place so we wondered if it might be someone finding our cache.

Sure enough -- we walked in (about 100yds) and he was just walking away from the cache. Introduced ourselves as the cache owners, chatted, etc.

Other time was at a cache we had just found. I was sitting on a log signing the log book and Mrs.OuttaHand says 'there's some people coming". This cache was only about 5' off the trail so what was I to do?

A few seconds later she says, "I think they're geocachers too. They're standing there with something in their hand and talking. Looks like they want to come this way but aren't sure."

A minute later they walked up and, sure enough, they were from out-of-state visiting family and decided to do a local cache. This one ended up being a free find since I already had it out. But we chatted for a bit.

February 10, 2005

It doesn't happen nearly as often as it used to. There are so many caches around here that it makes it less likely to run into someone at any one cache. If a cache is brand new, you seem to have the best chance of running into someone.

...or walk right past someone.

Doh!

3.9k · February 10, 2005

About 1 in 8 hunts I'll run into another cacher.

2.6k · February 10, 2005

We were hoping to see you at the SNEG meet!

Eh. Sorry. It was more "space out" than "no show".

The cache in question was Seekonk Library. My...twelfth, I think. Berjr1 and Speedy38 were ahead of me. The whole day is a sort of surreal, Keystone Kops memory. And, to bring this back on topic, I have crossed paths with Berjr1 twice since, yet I've only run into other cachers one other time.

I've instituted a "craziness rule" for my caching wardrobe. I got tired of the hairy eyeball, so I've tried to tone it down a little. If I add a loony piece of kit, I have to take one away. Wanna wear the fishing vest with the buttons and patches all over it? Okay, but no camo pants. Flourescent orange baseball cap? Okay, but leave home the hiking stick with the bandanas tied to it.

It only worked moderately well, and I think I've blown it -- I just ordered an army surplus rain slicker and some army surplus snowshoes. It's going to be, like, "ohmygosh! Run! It's the fat middle-aged female special forces!"

February 10, 2005

A few weeks ago I ran into some fellow cachers at a trialhead to a geocache 70 miles from my home. They stopped and said hi etc. Exactly one week later on a tough micro near my house I pull up and lo and behold here's the same cachers standing at this one as I had met a week before........ A week apart and 70 mils apart. They also dont live in my hometown..

Other then that I've ran into other geocachers 3 or 4 times. My town is pretty small though..... 30,000 or so...

February 10, 2005

About three years ago my son (who got me started in 'caching) was visiting from AZ again. On previous visits he had found a few of JoGPS' caches and had commented how clever they were and how he'd like to meet him and tell him that and how he even copied some of the ideas to use on caches in AZ. Well, we were out looking for a cache in a park in Clarksville, and who came walking down the trail but Joe almost like he was waiting for us to call his name.

Since then I have run into several other cachers at different caches in Indiana, NC and KY. It's always fun and enjoyable.

February 10, 2005

I run into cachers all the time, probably 150-200 by now in 3 years. Would it be a typical marathon day, if I didn't run into a pair of cachers?

My most memorable was at last year's GeoWoodstock. We'd flown in from cross country a little late into the afternoon. After chowing down on the last of the marvelous catfish, we headed into the woods to do the park's caches. The thicket limited visibility to about 30 feet, and voices were moving towards me. At about 5 feet, I was surprised to recognize the Number One cacher on the planet, her daughter (who'd just passed my find count), and mtn-man. Too kewl.

February 10, 2005

My son and I have met a few cachers on the trails going in or going out. The best one by far was a group of people we met and the youngest of the group, a girl, stated "did you find the treasure?" We all had a good laugh and and then we had a small discussion of cacheing.

Some times a fellow cacher can be a great clue/spoiler for a difficult cache(Thanks 'Should-have-bought-him-the-tie').

Until a few months ago we had never met up (accidentally) and found a cache together with another group. We had 'Little Rover' with us, and he was very happy about cacheing with another group. Prior to that, he propably wouldn't wanted to cache together with another group. Now he can't wait!

February 10, 2005

I've ran into several different cachers here in the DFW metroplex area.

The first batch was from up from Austin, I was out for a bike ride and saw three folks staring at the trees while carrying GPSrs, I knew they had to be cachers.

Went out after a FTF one early, cold Sunday morning. Drove by, no one there, looped down the block and flipped around, there stood Padre at the cache! In fact, I saw him out driving around earlier today as I was coming back from a lunch time cache trip, (there must be something new out there that he's chasing!).

My wife and I have a multi stage cache near our house, I was out doing some maintenance on stage 4. As I was walking back I saw a dad with three boys just leaving the area of stage 3. As I walked by I noticed the boys were carrying Rino GPSrs. I stopped and talked to them for a bit and gave them a small hint for stage 4.

I guess here in the DFW area there are enough of use that running across another cacher isn't that uncommon.

Semper Fi

1.1k · February 10, 2005

I found my meetings have worked out almost regularly at about one for every thirty five to forty caches done (17 meetings out of 609 caches). Always an enjoyable time.

February 10, 2005

I have not run into them on the trail, but ran into one visiting our area at church but only after they logged a cache that I was watching. Small world. Then saw a GEO sticker on a truck and being on a role, emailed the only cacher that I knew of, the guy who has placed the majority of caches around me and sure enough. Not quite on topic but shows it is a small world!

5.3k · February 10, 2005

I run into cachers on the way to event caches a lot, or while trying to get a FTF, i ran into one cacher trying for a FTF once at 2AM.

February 11, 2005

Aside from geocaching events/meetings, I usually see other cachers doing Urban caches. I have yet to bump into other cachers on a hike or on some trail. Each meeting has been quite pleasant.

February 11, 2005

We have only run into another cacher once so far. We were within 20 minutes of our home caching last June, and met two cachers from Washington State! We live in Massachusetts.

2.6k · February 11, 2005

While caching in London I bumped into a fellow cacher in Hyde Park.

Oooo! You did Hyde Park? What was it like?

Whenever I drive past it on the way back from Heathrow, my eTrex lights up like a Christmas tree. Those can't be legal distance apart, can they? Are they all really there? I've tried to talk my caching partner into doing the Hyde Park run, but he just goes "arrrrrrrr." I think that means either "no" or "who stole my bloody parrot?"

February 11, 2005

Hyde Park is quite a bit of fun and while they are close, they are certainly on the happy side of the 528 rule. The big difficulty in hunting in the Park is trying to be discreet. I had the distinct pleasure of hunting a few of them with Neil Ford and we spent more time waiting people out than we did actually searching. It was great because it gave us an opportunity to discuss the differences in the game on our respective sides of the pond.

Funny aside, while hunting one cache in the park we were spotted by a couple of "bobbies" who decided to check us out. The first one actually opened with, "What's all this then?", referring to our gear which we had laid down nearby. We told him what we were doing and he gave us the evil eye, but then his partner explained it to him and informed us that unless it had moved we were on the wrong side of the corner. They then proceeded to help us hunt, but luckily I found it before they did. All in all my London caching experiences were wonderful, but Hyde Park was some of my most memorable.

February 11, 2005

My husband and I found another woman looking for a cache when we arrived at one last summer.

It just dawned on me this past week when I went out caching alone, that I should contact her and see if she wanted to have a cache partner. It's never a good idea to cache alone, especially women. I sent her an email and she wants to buddy up when the weather gets warmer. I made a new geo-friend!

February 14, 2005

I ran into other cachers on my very first cache, and more recently on my 40-somethingth cache. (is "somethingth" a word?)

JB

If it isn't a word yet, then according to the Oxford English Dictionary, I understand it just has to be found in print in 5 different places being used in context. If you can prove it is used in print 5 times then you can get it in the finest dictionary in the world. Hey, you might be on to somethingth. Yo Yo Maxx

February 14, 2005

I ran into another cacher, very early on while caching. I was hoping to be FTF and was there about 8:00 a.m. and lo and behold there was someone there before me. I was a bit unsure but we quickly identified ourselves by our caching names, the other guy was after the Jeep TB, and he got it even though it was my gps that actually found it. Oh well. I made a friend and subsequently bought some ammo cans from him. Another time I was walking through a walk tunnel and saw three other peoples. Since it was a walking park I thought they were muggles, so I held my gps down at my side hoping they would not notice what I was doing. And the lady, said, "I'll bet I know what you are doing, I see your gps." Busted. It was a hoot and we found the cache together and it turned out that we have friends in common, and I think that come spring we are going to work on some multi caches together. So, you just never know what will happen.

a happy cacher, Yo Yo Maxx

Ran Into Fellow Cachers?

Recommended Posts

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Join the conversation