Boxed Ore

[Apollo Bob]

After reading many threads about urban micros or uncreative caches, the standard description "film canister in a Walmart parking lot" comes up. It made me wonder - are there really a proliferation of caches that fit this description, or has it just become the shorthand description for the quintessential unimaginative cache?

 

Searching by keyword for "Walmart" only about 10 or so come up, some of which are actually caches meant as responses against Walmart or urban sprawl in general. Of course I recognize that you wouldn't necessarily telegraph the location in a cache title.

 

I'm not really intending this thread as a jumping off point for a debate to kick off yet again - I'd actually be interested in links to bonafide Walmart parking lot caches if you know of any. In my home area, I've yet to come across any like that, although I'm fanning out slowly, so who knows what's out there. I'm just curious.

 

("Breath Strip container thrown under a bush" looks like a rising contender phrase to challenge the champ, so maybe links to those as well?)

[+The Leprechauns]

Search on "Wally" as your keyword and you'll turn up many more results. Still others won't even hint at Wal-Mart in the cache name, in keeping with focusing on the geocache hide rather than the possible "commercial cache" connotations.

 

Yes, a lot of them are "lift the lamp post cover" or "look around the vending machines and newspaper boxes." Each of those hiding styles is fun the first time, and little less so every time you see the same style. The same can be said for piles of parallel sticks in the woods. Other parking lot caches are devious and evil, and have thrown me for a loop on many occasions when I was expecting "just another easy park and grab."

 

Based on my experience in just a handful of metro areas that each have dozens and dozens of caches hidden in "box store" parking lots, I would say that caches of this type number in the thousands rather than the hundreds.

[+Salvelinus]

HERE is a link to a users profile that has 12 of them in a series.

 

and

 

HERE is the 69th cache in a series of caches hid around Starbucks Shops and plazas

 

and

 

HERE is another series of Wal Mart themed caches. The cacher is inactive but many of these in this series have been adopted.

 

If you would also like links to several series of turnpike and Interstate rest stop caches, all hidden similar to the above, I can provide those as well.

 

Salvelinus

Edited June 30, 2005 by Salvelinus

[SCP-173]

Here's one that for some strange reason was adopted.

[+sept1c_tank]

I have never found a cache in a Walmart parking lot, or a breath strip container under a bush.

 

I have, however, found unimaginative caches.

Edited June 30, 2005 by sept1c_tank

[+briansnat]

We found one in a Starbucks parking lot 2 days ago (no, it wasn't a SBUX cache). I was with my wife, who though having nearly 200 finds of her own, had never found a lampost micro. I've found a few so I knew exactly where to look and picked out the hiding place from 100 feet away.

 

I watched as my wife searched every place but inside the base of the lampost. After 15 minutes I started with the "getting warmer-getting colder" routine and she finally found it. When she found it she said "how cool is that!". I guess the first time you find one they are, but once you've see one, you've seen 'em all.

[Apollo Bob]

Thanks, all for the info. Wow, a lot of em in PA and NJ it seems.

[+The Leprechauns]

Thanks, all for the info. Wow, a lot of em in PA and NJ it seems.

That conclusion may be skewed a bit, based upon the people who posted. If you think that series of parking lot micros are limited to Pennsylvania and New Jersey, then you're off your rocker.

[+sbell111]

... I guess the first time you find one they are, but once you've see one, you've seen 'em all.

Of course, the same can be said about every hide technique.

 

If I'm in the woods, the first place I look is under the pile of sticks.

 

If I'm searching around items that have big bolts in them, the first thing I do is check for hollow ones.

[+DocDiTTo]

Here's one that for some strange reason was adopted.

You'd be surprised how many of these types of caches have been adopted. Most would have been better left to live on only in the memories of past finders, but nope, where there's a cache in need there's an adopter, it seems. I myself have adopted one SBUX hide, but it's an ammo can 1.5 miles back in the woods, where the Appalacian trail meets another local trail. Was actually my first ammo can find, and one I'm honored to maintain. The parking lot caches just ain't my thing.

[+Rick618]

Another WalMart-esque cache

 

The fella that put the above one together has a local Wally series and another at some of the eating establishments. In that one the cache location is different in every one and no lamp skirts are used.

 

Another at a wally competitor used a bolt with a hole drilled through it, mono line tied to the cache and the whole thing setting in a hole of a manhole. You lift the bolt up and the cache follows.

Edited June 30, 2005 by Rick618

[+treasure_hunter]

There are 100's of Walmart Micro caches.

[+sbell111]

Here's one that for some strange reason was adopted.

You'd be surprised how many of these types of caches have been adopted. Most would have been better left to live on only in the memories of past finders, but nope, where there's a cache in need there's an adopter, it seems. ...

Its not a big mystery. They are adopted for the same reason that they were created... because people like them.

[+Fairbanks]

I actually adopted one of the original Wally World caches placed by SBUX. I adopted it for a few reasons:

 

1) There are still a bunch of people that like to find this type of cache. If you don't, then that's fine - get over it.

2) This cache was placed several years ago when it was an original idea. Some people have travelled far from other areas to log one of the "original Wally World" caches.

3) The cache hasn't been muggled and has had two DNFs in the last few weeks (one wasn't logged, but I received an e-mail from the finder that had been there several times) so it can't be that trivial of a hide.

4) This cache has 75 logs - seems kind of a shame to kill it now.

5) It doesn't seem likes there's anywhere else nearby to place a killer cache. This cache doesn't seem to be "sucking up valuable real estate".

 

Anyway, just MHO . . .

 

If you ever get to the Harrisburg, PA area, give it a try

[+Ambrosia]

We have a cache at our local Wal-mart, but it's full sized.

[+briansnat]

Thanks, all for the info.  Wow, a lot of em in PA and NJ it seems.

That conclusion may be skewed a bit, based upon the people who posted. If you think that series of parking lot micros are limited to Pennsylvania and New Jersey, then you're off your rocker.

Actually NJ is kind of an anti-Walmart area so far. The lampost hide I referred to earlier was in Va and the reason my wife never saw one before is becase she's done 90 percent of her caching in NJ. The lamp post hides I've found have been in western NY, PA and VA. I'm sure there are some in NJ, but they appear to be the exception.

 

I think people see enough asphalt around here, so when we go caching its to get away from it.

[+DocDiTTo]

My biggest issue with "franchise caches" is they're too often placed ONLY because of the store they're close to. "Oh look, another Starbucks/Walmart/Cracker Barrel/Dollar Store/Grocery Store/Gas Station/Porta-potty, so I MUST place a cache there!"

 

If that's the thinking, then take the time to review all the good spots, and do something original. (Light poles and guardrails are no longer considered to be "original")

 

Placing a cache just because of the name on the building nearby doesn't make the cache fun, it make it redundant, unoriginal, and mundane. Taking the time to find a unique hiding spot specific to that particular location is what makes a cache challenging. Imagine how cool it would be if every Walmart or Starbucks had a cache hidden in a completely unique way. At least they'd be worth hunting. Kudos to those who've stepped up to the plate and placed a regular size cache at a Walmart, or a 3 star head-scratching micro at a Starbucks. That's what we need more of.

 

(For the record, I've found 3 Walmart caches; 1 light pole, 1 guard rail, and one was actually a bit different, placed in a pine tree)

[+Robespierre]

We have about 20 caches in our area, 4 are micros, and that's plenty, but still I have an excellent place (brand new area) for a lamppost micro...... and I'm thinkin' 'bout it. I am afraid, though, that it might lead to a proliferation of micros.

[+Fairbanks]

We have about 20 caches in our area, 4 are micros . . .

I think the cache density is pretty high in this area (the Harrisburg PA suburbs). I just ran my PQ for caches closes to my office and there are 37 within 3 miles of where I sit . . . 5 of those are regular caches, 3 are small, and the rest are either not classified or classified as micros.

 

I must say that many of the micros in this area are well-though, tough hides and aren't the lamp-post variety.

[RandLD]

Some people are trying to start a Wal-Mart series in my area. So far, there are only these two:

Wal-Mart and

Wal-Mart II

 

According to the notes on the second one, we should be expecting a Wal-Mart III, IV, etc. in the near future. (There are several other Wal-Marts on the other side of Columbia. I'm guessing those will be the next tagets, if they continue with this series.)

 

I haven't tried to find either of these yet, so I don't know how they're hidden, but I do know that they're both micros. I'll have to check it out sometime and let you know what I think.

[+Shifty]

We have about 20 caches in our area, 4 are micros . . .

I think the cache density is pretty high in this area (the Harrisburg PA suburbs). I just ran my PQ for caches closes to my office and there are 37 within 3 miles of where I sit . . . 5 of those are regular caches, 3 are small, and the rest are either not classified or classified as micros.

 

I must say that many of the micros in this area are well-though, tough hides and aren't the lamp-post variety.

Yeah, What he said.

 

I live in the Harrisburg area and in Pennsylvania we have a collection of cachers that love hiding Urban Micros. Some of the most creative micros I've ever seen are right in my backyard. I agree that a Magnetic key holder on a guard rail next to a wal-mart isn't creative at all, but when you are looking for a pinecone in a tree, or a sign on a wall, or a reflector at the end of a street, the difficulty is raised a lot. My favorite type of hide is very prevelant in this area, and those would be the micros in plain sight. Ones that people walk by and look right at maybe 30 times a day, but they are so common place, no one thinks any different. I'll take that over an ammo can hidden in a stump anyday.

 

 

S

[+M&DofKJE]

Include the word "Always" in your search and you'll get more. My daughter combined 2 series into one with "Hedgehog's Respite Always". "Hedgehog's Respite" was our series for Sonic and "Always".... On top of that, me and my daughter have 2 more Wal_mart hides with no mention of Wal-Mart in the name.

 

Ours, Agent K's, and the combined series.

[+edscott]

Some people are trying to start a Wal-Mart series in my area.  So far, there are only these two:

Wal-Mart and

Wal-Mart II

 

According to the notes on the second one, we should be expecting a Wal-Mart III, IV, etc. in the near future.  (There are several other Wal-Marts on the other side of Columbia.  I'm guessing those will be the next tagets, if they continue with this series.)

 

I haven't tried to find either of these yet, so I don't know how they're hidden, but I do know that they're both micros.  I'll have to check it out sometime and let you know what I think.

I have an suburban micro series started, but with a bit different perspective. To reduce "micro proliferation" in the area there is only one active cache at at time. When the first one reached 25 finders it was archived and moved to another comparable site about 15 miles away. Now the second one just hit 25 finders this weekend and it will now be archived and a third version will be hidden. The series does have a dual theme, but one of the themes is probably still undetected by the finders. I guess my reasoning is to provide a relatively easy caching experience, but not having folks jumping in the car and speeding around to 15 Walmart lamp posts in a day.

[+Clan Delaney]

One of our local cache hiding juggernauts, wide glide, just placed this Wal-Mart cache: Red Headed Stepchild of Wally World.

 

I think it was in repsonse to this post, but it could just be a coincidence....