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Skirt Lifters - Luv'em or Hate'em


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First of all, let's make sure everyone knows what I'm talking about (yeah, D'UH, but better safe than sorry).

 

A skirt lifter cache is one, usually a micro, film canister, M&M Tube, etc, that is placed at the base of a light pole in the movable utility access skirt. These light poles are usually found in the wmarts, tgets, groc. stores, etc.

 

That being said, lets move on to opinions.

 

When I encountered my first one, I was impressed. I didn't even realize those things lifted up. What a cool cache I thought. Now that I've done my 10th one, I almost dread pulling into a parking lot when I'm searching for a cache. You can almost immediately lock in on the pole from a 100 yards away. I guess they are a number booster, but come on guys. Can't we be a little more original than that?

 

I personally would much rather hunt a micro in a forest than to run across any more of these darned skirt lifter type of cache's.

 

Any one else?

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As I've already found out, this crowd ain't fans of micros at all. :ph34r:

 

Oh, I love the challenge of a good micro... After the first though, these are no challenge at all. CREATIVITY! that's the key.

 

I donno, I think if someone managed to hide an ammocan I still don't care much for visiting parking lots to look for caches.

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While I admit I don't really care for the parking lot caches (but I will look for them), I have found many others that HAVE taken me to a cool place. A place where the only place to put a cache is a light pole. We have one in a urban park that is VERY cool (so say the logs, not just me) and while ideally it would be nice to put a big ole ammo can there a micro under the skirt is just fine. As I have looked through my finds, I see that many were micros. And I can honestly say that there were VERY FEW that I did not enjoy finding. Its a shame that folks whine about caches. I'm glad we have enough fo find and that the whiners have enough to scoff at. Better than the alternative "there ain't no caches within 30 miles." Thanks to ALL who hide em! Kwit-chur-bitt-chin.

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As I've already found out, this crowd ain't fans of micros at all. :ph34r:

 

I think you'll find that this crowd has no problem with a well thought out micro. What many in this crowd have an issue with are micros placed in unappealing or totally mundane areas simply for the sake of placing another cache.

 

As for the OP's question, if the "skirt lifter" is in a shopping center parking lot, I'll generally pass on it. There is nothing there of interest to me. I've seen cars and painted lines on asphalt all too often where I live.

 

If however it is at a scenic highway overlook, at an historic site, in a pretty town park or an otherwise interesting or unusual place I'd definitely look for it.

 

It's not the size of the cache or the style of the hide, its the location.

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While I admit I don't really care for the parking lot caches (but I will look for them), I have found many others that HAVE taken me to a cool place. A place where the only place to put a cache is a light pole. We have one in a urban park that is VERY cool (so say the logs, not just me) and while ideally it would be nice to put a big ole ammo can there a micro under the skirt is just fine. As I have looked through my finds, I see that many were micros. And I can honestly say that there were VERY FEW that I did not enjoy finding. Its a shame that folks whine about caches. I'm glad we have enough fo find and that the whiners have enough to scoff at. Better than the alternative "there ain't no caches within 30 miles." Thanks to ALL who hide em! Kwit-chur-bitt-chin.

 

Whiners? Why is there always some moron that has to start pointing fingers and calling names.

 

If the only place some one can think of to put a cache at a "cool urban park" is a lamp pole, then they aren't thinking outside of the box. Though, I'm all for a cache that brings me to a cool location.

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As I've already found out, this crowd ain't fans of micros at all. :ph34r:

 

I think you'll find that this crowd has no problem with a well thought out micro. What many in this crowd have an issue with are micros placed in unappealing or totally mundane areas simply for the sake of placing another cache.

 

As for the OP's question, if the "skirt lifter" is in a shopping center parking lot, I'll generally pass on it. There is nothing there of interest to me. I've seen cars and painted lines on asphalt all too often where I live.

 

If however it is at a scenic highway overlook, at an historic site, in a pretty town park or an otherwise interesting or unusual place I'd definitely look for it.

 

It's not the size of the cache or the style of the hide, its the location.

 

Exactly! I mostly agree, anyway. I'm still all about the style of the hide. Even if it's a bit goofy or obvious. If it shows creativity and that the hider put in some effort, I'm all for it!

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Yeah, I'm in agreement with most everybody else on this one. My very first find was a LPC. I thought "Whoa, cool! Those things lift up?!" Then, after another one or two, the uniqueness wore off. Boring. Not something I'd go out of my way for.

 

Ken

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Yeah, I'm in agreement with most everybody else on this one. My very first find was a LPC. I thought "Whoa, cool! Those things lift up?!" Then, after another one or two, the uniqueness wore off. Boring. Not something I'd go out of my way for.

 

Ken

 

When I go caching with my 7 year old son, the first thing he heads for is the nearest lamp post or flag post skirt.

 

My feeling is that lame caches are better than no caches, but why not at least try to come up with something new (at least to your area) or interesting or challenging.

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"If it wasn't for geocaching. i'd never know this parking lot existed :ph34r: ."

 

My rule for all geocaches that I place is simple:

If a film crew was filming a documentary about geocaching, would you be ashamed to show them your geocache? If the answer is yes, pick another spot."

 

 

A 35mm canister underneath a lamppost cover does not a geocache make. Since this hobby has evolved into a sport where recognition is given to those that have multiple thousands of finds, Micro Spew ™ is the new name of the game. Great caches, hidden in great locations, requiring physical effort, routinely get passed over, for parking lot caches. From my observation, a large portion of the "big number" cachers are also out of shape, but they still find lots of caches that are "1/1s."

 

Some cachers think i'm too opinionated. I go out of my way to hide great caches in great locations.

 

C-46A Commando Crash Site.

 

The Llano Del Rio Geocache (4 geocaches in 4 unique locations)

 

The Real "Lost World" Geocache

 

The Legend of Big Ben. (Night Cache)

 

Cañon El Gato del Diablo

 

Eisen-Faust

Edited by Kit Fox
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My rule for all geocaches that I place is simple:

If a film crew was filming a documentary about geocaching, would you be ashamed to show them your geocache? If the answer is yes, pick another spot."

 

Some cachers think i'm too opinionated. I go out of my way to hide great caches in great locations.

 

Sounds familiar. :laughing:

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As a newbie still learning how to use my equipment and also as a mom caching with a kiddo in tow, I like them. They give me practice in doing things such as not spending 45 minutes searching for my car because I fumble fingered the button. :laughing: I think they serve a purpose, and sometimes they're even in a cool location.

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I cache as I wander about the landscape. I found the two at the WalMart, the one at Home Depot, the one at the Best Western, and the two at the rest stop. And I wonder: Isn't there anywhere interesting around here??? Well, there was the one that the geocide hid in the NPS area...

There are cache and dashes, and there are interesting caches.

Oh, wait. There's a third cache at the WalMart! It's a mystery cache, and it's NOT an LPC! This one was actually fun!

Yes, I do have an LPC (whom do I call to get skirts put on these lampposts?!?) , but it was intended with a certain amount of satire. :laughing:

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Whiners? Why is there always some moron that has to start pointing fingers and calling names.

So people that call other people names are morons eh? Hmmm.

 

If the only place some one can think of to put a cache at a "cool urban park" is a lamp pole, then they aren't thinking outside of the box.
I love it when someone calls someone else stupid (or moron, or an idiot, etc) and then shows us how well they spell easy words. :laughing:

 

Though, I'm all for a cache that brings me to a cool location.
For the sake of this post, I'll define "cool location" as, "somewhere other than sitting in my hotel room watching TV while I'm on a business trip". I love it when there are caches within walking distance of my hotel room! I'll get out and go find them, and often end up finding something else to do as well. Many of these end up being LPCs but I'm very thankful they're there.
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two reasons why I like em.

1. I enjoy looking for all the hides in my town and surrounding area.So the more the better and not all of my area is wooded, thus the LPC concept allows hides in the most uban areas that anyone however creative or not can hide and find.

2. Good for really rainy days, or when doing other chores like shopping

PS the less negativity the better :laughing:

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As a newbie still learning how to use my equipment and also as a mom caching with a kiddo in tow, I like them. They give me practice in doing things such as not spending 45 minutes searching for my car because I fumble fingered the button. :laughing: I think they serve a purpose, and sometimes they're even in a cool location.

 

My four year old has been caching for a couple years now and he is not intersted in micros, and if we are at Walmart he's definately not interested in caching. (hence why he is not interested in micros)

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Before seeing this thread, I had heard (or read anyway) the term Lamp Post Cache, but never knew about the skirt lifter type. Tonight, while dropping a TB, we went to grab a few quickies in the area. One of which happened to be in a parking lot. I immediately knew it would be at a lamp post, but I was thinking nano. We walked around said lampost for 5 minutes (trying to be as discreet a possible!) before I figured it out!! I thought it was a neat idea!

 

So then, I come here to read the forums and see this whole thread about LPCs/Skirt Lifters! Had I seen it earlier, it would have saved me 5 minutes searching and I would have missed out on 5 minutes of fun!!

 

Not my favorite type, by any means, but I will still grab them when they are nearby! Seems like not too many people seem to like them, but they serve a purpose. After all, not everyone is able hike for miles to get a cache.

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Geocaching in the urban environment can be very disappointing if not down right nausiating. :laughing: I would much rather go after a rural cache any day. That being said, when I find I am going to a city whether for business or pleasure, I set up a query, do a map recon of the area, identify caches near where I will be staying or working, download the query to my pda and gps and eagerly await the trip. Upon arrival, at the first opportunity, like a shot, I am off. The goal is to find as many caches as I can. Lets face it, most urban caches are only worth a quick driveby anyway. :laughing: Yes there are exceptions, the few jewels amungst broken glass, but for the most part, 'awe inspiring' is missing so as soon as I find the cache and sign the log I race on to the next one. Parking lots, alleys, in front of a businesses, behind businesses, by electrical boxes, by garbage cans, at little kiddy parks, find the cache and sign the log so I can check it off my list.

 

What I don't like though is when the hider decides to make a lame cache more challenging. Imagination thrown out the window, lets hide a rock looking cache in some rocks, 50 rocks, funny - 50,000 rocks... :D Or how about placing a micro in a poor little defenseless ornamental flowerbed or bush :laughing: . Nuthing but leaves and flower petals everywhere. ;) Also, searching around businesses when they are open and seaching around a house or in an alley or around dumpsters, don't see the thrill. At least with a lamp post cache, you can almost guess where the cache is as you drive up so you can score the lame find and scratch it off you list. Quick... painless.... on to the next cache. :D

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Wow. Not only am I sick of LPCs, I'm sick of reading about them, too. Now where is that rascally topic ignore button? :laughing:

Well, good news then!!!

 

Not only do you not have to find every cache placed (if you don't like em, don't hunt for them), you also don't have to enter any thread with a topic you don't like (and can avoid reading about them).

 

Why complain that you don't like a thread in that thread?

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:D if you hide it , they will look for it ! B) Some like them , some don't! :D

Some cachers can't make a long hike ! :D Some are in a wheele chair ! ;)

Some don't have time for a long hike or a mystrey cache. :D Some like the woods !! :D

SOME DON'T !! :D SO IF YOU LIKE TO CACHE ,HUNT WHAT YOU LIKE AND HAVE FUN !! :D:laughing::D:laughing::laughing::D

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My own standards are pretty high. If I'm gonna hide a cache, it's gonna be interesting. Lifting up a lamp skirt in 500 acres of blacktop, choking on exhaust fumes whilst dodging soccer moms in SUV's, doesn't exactly qualify as interesting in my book. I can't even claim to have enjoyed my first one. I was blithely following my arrow, when it directed me into a parking lot. From 50' away, I knew where it had to be, and I shook my head, wondering "Why?". Groundspeak cites itself as "The Language of Location", and while a sweltering, trash strewn, smelly parking lot is, technically, a location, I can't help but think that TPTB had something else in mind.

 

I am actually rather fond of a creative CPC's, (Commercial Property Caches), of any size, but most skirt lifters don't qualify, in my book. In my eyes, they rate right up there with film canisters plopped into the bushes of a Burger King, and hide-a-keys slapped on a dumpster. The epitome of "Lame". I am part of a small yet vocal minority who believe that lame caches, regardless of size, are detrimental to the game.

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As I've already found out, this crowd ain't fans of micros at all. :laughing:

 

I think you'll find that this crowd has no problem with a well thought out micro. What many in this crowd have an issue with are micros placed in unappealing or totally mundane areas simply for the sake of placing another cache.

 

It's not the size of the cache or the style of the hide, its the location.

 

Well said. I too thought the lampost idea creative when I first saw it – not in a parking lot, but in a park that I continue to love to visit anyway. Micros can be just as creative as any other cache (and sometimes more so, with the flexibility their size allows); it's not them being micros per se that's the problem. I have two multi caches that end up with micro containers due to their placement in urban environments, and I think that they're quite creative, if I do say so myself!

 

It's all in how you play the game. If folks want to place (and/or find) a lot of micros in easy-to-find, easy-to-reach locations because they're pumping up their numbers, that's a valid way to play the game. It's not how I play it, and I don't seek out those caches. It's not how a lot of folks play it, and that's probably where this erroneous notion of "hating micros" comes from; people who work hard to create and maintain interesting caches often don't see the point of dropping one in a parking lot.

 

--- Jeannette

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I agree with all these posts.

I like the challenge of doing those without getting spotted during a busy Saturday, etc. Plus it lets me cache when I don't have time to climb a mountain to get one!
... I'll do them when they're in my way, but honestly, they're not why I started playing this game.
I don't own an LPC, don't plan to, but I sure have had fun finding a bunch of them.

 

To each his own!

 

No one MAKES you hunt any cache. :laughing:

Though, I'm all for a cache that brings me to a cool location.
For the sake of this post, I'll define "cool location" as, "somewhere other than sitting in my hotel room watching TV while I'm on a business trip". I love it when there are caches within walking distance of my hotel room! I'll get out and go find them, and often end up finding something else to do as well. Many of these end up being LPCs but I'm very thankful they're there.
2. Good for really rainy days, or when doing other chores like shopping

PS the less negativity the better :laughing:

Edited by sbell111
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I live in a small town and there is only 1 LPC here and it isnt at the local Walmart.It is a multi-cache with the final still in the parking lot.So if you happen to be in our town you will have to find Wal mart on your own.I cache in Spokane while im there and havnt came across a LPC yet.So I suppose I still dont know if I like them or not.I will get back to you when I know for sure. :laughing:

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