would you cache with a stranger?

[djwini]

i am going to florida in february and had contacted a cacher down there about his cache. he has indicated that he might be availabe to go with me. (it is a water cache and part of the deal is he might be able to get me a kayak for the trip)
my question is how trusting do all of you feel about meeting up with a cacher from somewhere and going caching with them.

[zuma]

I have, and it was a great experience. For example, when I visited England in June, I was lucky enough to have a very attractive young lady pick me up at the train station in Oxford in a rickety old Festiva. We had a great time caching, and I could not have gotten out to the camping event near Oxford without her help. I think caching is about discovery, usually discovery of places you havent been. But if you cache with strangers, you open yourself up the possibility of a more interesting type of discovery.

zuma

[brkster]

I guess I would. Why not? Before I met you and Mark at the event in Kenosha a while back, I was a stranger. Well…maybe just a little strange .:wink:

[I M WU]

Yes. Any Strangers Out There? I think that is what the adventure is all about. That and well placed caches in the woods, along rivers, up hills…near historic and fun sites… P.S. Wish I would have seen your email about Milwaukee earlier, my daughter and her boyfriend rent near the Lakefront. They just started geocaching over the holidays and probably would have enjoyed a new experience with someone daring to meet up with strangers.

[greyhounder]

When I was still very new to geocaching, Cachew offered to help me find a cache that was causing me fits. I agreed to meet him at an empty park, having never met him before. Didn’t take me long to find out what a great person and friend he is, and we ended up spending most of the day together hunting downs some caches. I learned so much from him, and he seemed to tolerate me pretty well (and I’m stranger than most!)

Bec

[rogheff]

Everytime you run into a cacher searching, aren’t you doing exactly that? At least strange cachers have something in common.

Let me rephrase that…at least geocachers have something strange in common.

One more try…at least geocachers (who are strangers) have something in common.

[TyeDyeSkyGuy]

Everyone’s a stranger until you meet them.

[Cache_boppin_BunnyFuFu]

I did the same thing when going to Florida!! Ended up going with “The Federation” He’s an approver and on one of the boards. Felt safe enough since i had all his info.. phne numbers, etc and left those with my family! Had fun and got some 60+ caches and a parking ticket!! LOL

[Coastiegirl04]

Well.. i don’t mind it at all. i mean i was a stranger when i went to my event at Da Fu’s event and that was overnight.. it was fun! made a lot of friends.. i just look at it this way, Strangers are no more then friends you just haven’t met yet! at least thats the way i look at it for cachers! so i no i don’t have a problem with it! as far as caching!

[Team Deejay]

Seems like the only way you meet anyone is to “talk to strangers”. Lately we seem to be spending a lot of time caching with muggles. (“Whatcha doin?”, “We’re geocaching”, “Oh, I saw that on the news, can I watch?”, “How bout if you help us? Its a 35mm film can somewhere around here” “Sure, whats a 35mm film can?”) Maybe we should change the sport so that you can only claim a find if you get some random person to find the cache for you? (Ok, maybe not…)

[Mathman]

To answer your question…YES I would cache with a stranger. I have cached with Rick of “Rick Blick and Chick” and trust me, there is no one stranger than Rick! There are several people that I didn’t know that I have cached with in our state and the day went well. If you are at all uneasy about it, bring another friend AND tell people where you are going. Good luck and cache on!

[shrek and fiona]

I posted a note on the main geocaching page about wanting to hit some real good caches in the DC area and we got an invite to go to an ape cache in maryland we took the subway from DC to the stop in his area in maryland and he drove us to the ape cache we had a good time and had no troble . would we do it again yes it was fun and we got to see some new area

[djwini]

ah, but see, shrek and fiona, you said we. i have this tentative cache hunt scheduled in the swamps near cocoa beach florida, with a local cacher. and i am just a me. and when i get there and my mom hears i am going caching with some guy i never met, she’s going to give me lots of trouble. they just never stop worrying about you. but i like the idea of getting all of his info and leaving it with the family.

[LightningBugs Mum]

I can certainly understand djwini’s concern. Even though none of us have ever heard of a geocacher with a less-than-honorable intention behind an offer of caching help, there is always a first time and she doesn’t want to be it.

On the other hand, I think the chances of something bad happening are *quite remote* compared to the likeliness that you will have a great time and make a new friend. I would go ahead, but take precautions like you mentioned above. Find out everything you can about him and leave the info along with where and when with someone. Maybe set up something with a friend where you will check in regularly?

So my advice is to go have fun, but don’t be dumb about it. 8)

[I M WU]

Some other tips are; in Wisconsin you can search court records at Wisconsin Circuit Court Access, http://www.wcca.wicourts.gov. You can check out your neighbors, co-workers, relatives, etc., it is just an informational tool. Also national sex offender registry, http://www.familywatchdog.us. For information on who is in the area you live in or are geocaching at, etc. Florida may have the same court access website. I tried to Google but I don’t know what county you will be going too. Just extra tools to make you feel safe. Safe Travels.

[Author]

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