Phone a Friend

[cheezehead]

@shine_like_a_star wrote:

@Trudy & the beast wrote:

Where are we getting the phone numbers from? 😯

That’s what I was wondering.

Is there a 1-800-phone- a- friend or 411 Geo Help hot-line? I couldn’t even make a call even if I wanted to when I was looking for An Ounce of Courage Maybe if I had a satellite phone. Hey there is an idea, push a button on your GPSr and it will connect you to 1-800-Dork

[rogheff]

@shine_like_a_star wrote:

@Trudy & the beast wrote:

Where are we getting the phone numbers from? 😯

That’s what I was wondering.

(262) 914-8699

How’s that for a hint?

[Frizz]

I’ve gotten a lot of phone numbers from fellow cachers while attending various events. One of the many perks in addition to an event smiley.

[Trekkin and Birdin]

We have I think phone numbers for three caching teams, but I don’t think we can really count one of those….since Trekkin’ and Mr. TE are brothers, we’d have their number, anyway.

Actually, I think those two have had each other’s number since Mr. TE was born! 😉

[TyeDyeSkyGuy]

Personally, I have no problem giving out hint’s to my caches, as long as the cacher asking for the hint has at least put in some time and effort into the find/puzzle before they ask. In most cases I respond first by asking how good of a hint they are looking for, because there is nothing worse than wanting a tiny nudge, and winding up with a total spoiler.

As for other peoples caches, that is different. I generally try to understand what the cache owner would most likely tell the cacher, and respond in that manner. When in doubt, I’ll give a vague hint.

Because of the nature of many of our cache-hiders in extreme SE Wisconsin, we have come up with a phone-a-friend network down here. It started life small, just exchanging numbers on the trails over the last year, but recently The CinnemaBoxers came up with the idea of starting a public yet private phone list.

Now, don’t get me wrong, it’s not like we sit on the phone getting walked through caches, it’s just an emergency thing, and that’s all it should ever be.

[PCFrog]

I have only one cache that is specifically made to be hard to find. If a cacher looks for it once and can not find it I will email them a clue if they ask. If they still can’t find it I will email them another clue far more descriptive. If they still can’t find it I’m more than happy to make a personal trip out and assist.

[Trekkin and Birdin]

Heh, heh, we know exactly which cache that one is, too! I can’t remember if we emailed for a clue on that one or not, but I think it took us four tries before we found it. Once we (I) found the mystical fire tack, it was almost simple.

I’m sure we put in over two hours total—easily— on that one, but we enjoyed the area so much, it was (mostly) a pleasure!

[greyhounder]

I think half of my phone list on my cell phone is geocachers. I rarely call any of them due to my extreme dislike of using the phone, but I would feel comfortable calling any of them if I needed a hint on a cache.

Bec

[brkster]

I must admit that I have in fact used the phone-a-friend lifeline on a few occasions for help, but I am not real big on doing it. In spite of this, I welcome anyone to call my cell for help when they’re looking for caches. I don’t mind others giving me hints via emails (without me even asking), but I prefer to go for broke. I like a hint to help me narrow my search, but once the secret is literally given away, it diminishes the excitement of the find. I was zero for ten looking for Ian’s Incredibly Evil Invitation, and only asked Rogheff where it was AFTER it was archived.

[Astro_D]

Hee Hee, I’m like Greyhounder, most of the numbers in my cell phone are geocachers.

I have used the phone a friend but only as a last ditch effort when trying to find a cache and I tend to be far from home looking for a cache. I don’t mind the practice. As far as I’m concerned, caches are meant to be found. I see the phone no different than sending an email or tackling a cache as part of a large group. It’s a tool, it can help, so why not.

[Team Bear Bear]

Certain limitations motivate us to use the phone a friend option: too long of a walk, time restrictions (not just the 5 minutes per cache types), the weather, etc.

I went out the other day to find a cache that had eluded us for quite some time. It was raining and I had to get home for another obligation. My son and I looked for about 15 minutes. I felt that the rain might be hindering my GPS reception so I phoned a friend. When I did call I described to the friend the area where I was looking, and asked if I was looking in the right spot (the cache was a math/multi). I didn’t have to know exactly where it was, just if I was on the right track and to be reassured that I had done the math properly.

I don’t mind using the option, nor do I mind when others use it in this fashion.

Team Bear Bear
(Chris)

[RSplash40]

Lately, I’ve had to drive a fair distance to do any caching from home, and many of them have been in spots I wouldnt be back to in a long time if ever.

So I do make good use of the phone numbers on my phone and I would expect others to call me if they think I can help.

[Team B Squared]

In Michigan, we have an actual phone a friend list that is maintained by a cacher. It is publicized through the MiGO forums, but it is NOT maintained by MiGO. The way it works is that every month or two, an email is sent out to each person that is on the phone a friend list with an excel file, pdf, and a file to put it on your palm if you so desire.

If you are not on the phone a friend list you don’t get the email. To get on that list you have to provide your real first name(s), caching name, home, cell, or work #’s (not all are necessary), what time would be appropriate to call, home town, zip code, and email to the person that maintains the list.

By having this list we are able to call people for help if needed, even if we are traveling downstate where we don’t know a lot of people (and hence wouldn’t have their #’s). On the flip side, we get a few calls from people visiting the UP that we haven’t met, and in a few instances, we have ended up meeting people because of talking to people off this list. We have only used if for help a couple of times (when stages were missing of a multi, etc), but we have found it a great help since we have been on it.

I was just looking at our list and their are 161 people on it, and even one team from Wisconsin! 😯

If someone were to do something like this for Wisconsin we would be happy to participate in it as we cache pretty frequently in Wisconsin and I know that a lot of you Cheeseheads come caching up here in Yooper country!

[djwini]

wow, what a discussion. we used phone a friend at a group hunt multi that we were stuck at for more than an hour. took a few tries to get someone that knew the phone number of someone who had been to that cache.
i have a few numbers in my phone (which i usually carry in case i need to call 911) i used it once when i had written the coords down wrong and was in the wrong place on a mystery cache.
i’m not one of those people who make multiple trips to look for a cache. so if i can get help, i’ll take it.

[AuntieNae]

I had a phone a friend from Gr8 Eyes the other day. Actually, a text message saying she was at x coords, are there any caches nearby? A quick look at the website showed she was 162 feet from a cache. I returned her call giving the cache name and coords .. and hootie.

She was on a road trip, in Indiana at the time, and at a rest area. I guess her geo instinct told her there was a cache in the area?

AuntieNae

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