Skirt Lifters - Luv'em or Hate'em

[Mr.Yuck]

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.

 

That purpose being the increment of your find count by one, with a minute at most of effort.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

... That purpose being the increment of your find count by one, with a minute at most of effort.

If incrementing find counts by one offends thee, stop logging your finds.

[+sbell111]

... That purpose being the increment of your find count by one, with a minute at most of effort.

If incrementing find counts by one offends thee, stop logging your finds.

Agreed. I have yet to figure out why anyone would care if my find count goes up by one. Also, I don't really understand why anyone would care why I would enjoy one cache and not another. These decisions have nothing to do with anyone but me.

 

The fact that some people would presume that my decision to go after a cache is solely to increment my find count by one is hubris, plain and simple. It is a way for them to feel important.

 

meh.

Edited April 4, 2007 by sbell111

[Mr.Yuck]

... That purpose being the increment of your find count by one, with a minute at most of effort.

If incrementing find counts by one offends thee, stop logging your finds.

 

Not offended by the increment of thy find count, by caches deemed worthy by thyself!!

[Mushtang]

... That purpose being the increment of your find count by one, with a minute at most of effort.

If incrementing find counts by one offends thee, stop logging your finds.

 

Not offended by the increment of thy find count, by caches deemed worthy by thyself!!

What?

[+Moose Mob]

Angst check.

 

Time to take a breath and settle down before someone's feelings get hurt.

[+sbell111]

... That purpose being the increment of your find count by one, with a minute at most of effort.

If incrementing find counts by one offends thee, stop logging your finds.

Not offended by the increment of thy find count, by caches deemed worthy by thyself!!

I think your post translates to: You are not offended by someone else's find count, but are offended by caches that others find to be worthy.

 

If that's an accurate translation, I don't understand why you would be interested in whether someone else enjoys a cache.

 

Either way, I guess you are in the 'hate 'em' column.

 

[Apologies to Moose Mob. I have an irritating habit of replying to posts before I make it down to the bottom of the thread. It's a personal weakness.]

Edited April 4, 2007 by sbell111

[+tozainamboku]

We loved the first lamp post skirt we saw, but got sick of them after two or three. Not only are they typically in crappy areas, but many of them will make a lot of noise when picked up making it difficult to be discreet.

That's why I alway have a container of WD-40 in my caching bag

 

It's all a matter of attitude. If I'm looking for a cache in a parking lot, I'm still surprised when I lift up the lamp post skirt and find a cache there. And if I lift up the lamp post skirt and don't find a cache, I'm suprised as well and happy that now I get to look somewhere else.

 

BTW, Happy Passover to those of you that celebrate the Jewish Holiday. The kids had trouble finding the afikomen this year, so next year were having Seder in a Wal*Mart parking lot and you know where the afikomen will be hidden.

[Mr.Yuck]

Angst check.

 

Time to take a breath and settle down before someone's feelings get hurt.

 

No angst, this is funny stuff. How often do I get to use thesbian type prose in a post? I can't speak for Sbell111's posts, as all I see is an avatar there.

[+sbell111]

Why do I feel comforted by that post?

[+Criminal]

Would everyone feel better if we called them lamp post kilts instead?

[+StarBrand]

Would everyone feel better if we called them lamp post kilts instead?

Certainly changes the visuals...........

[+tozainamboku]

Would everyone feel better if we called them lamp post kilts instead?

Sounds right to me. After all, when I lift up a lamp post kilt, I may not find a cache but there are always nuts.

[Dinoprophet]

Would everyone feel better if we called them lamp post kilts instead?

That's for when you look in the wrong place on the lamp post.

"BillyBobNosePicker unscrewt the wire box majigger, and the lamp post kilt him."

[+briansnat]

Some cachers can't make a long hike ! Some are in a wheele chair

 

So you're saying that the disabled must be sentenced to a geocaching life of nothing but lamp post micros in mall parking lots?

 

If this were the case and I were to become disabled, I think I'd find myself another hobby.

[Neos2]

I read all the way down to here before I realized that some people think all lamp post caches are "skirt lifters".

 

I guess we aren't going to let them in on the secret?

 

I enjoy a variety of cache types. Some of the funniest ones I have seen have involved lamp posts.

[+sbell111]

I'm confused. Is this a thread where we just let the OP know whether we like these caches or is it a thread where we get to attack the goobs that disagree with us.

 

I'm good either way, I just need to know before I jump into the deep end.

Edited April 4, 2007 by sbell111

[crawil]

Our first find was a lamp post and it had nothing whatsoever to do with the skirt/kilt/nuts. It's still one that we take new cachers to.

[Mushtang]

Some cachers can't make a long hike ! Some are in a wheele chair

 

So you're saying that the disabled must be sentenced to a geocaching life of nothing but lamp post micros in mall parking lots?

 

If this were the case and I were to become disabled, I think I'd find myself another hobby.

That would only be true if you assume that having a cache that someone in a wheel chair can definitely do (a skirt lifter) means that they are not allowed to try any other types.

 

This isn't true at all. Just because LPCs give additional choices and opportunities to those that can't do long hikes, doesn't mean that LPCs are somehow restricting them from going after non-LPCs.

[Pto]

I read all the way down to here before I realized that some people think all lamp post caches are "skirt lifters".

I guess we aren't going to let them in on the secret?

 

Lamp post = parking lot, mall, street, etc = enough to discourage me.

[+BlueDeuce]

Some cachers can't make a long hike ! Some are in a wheele chair

 

So you're saying that the disabled must be sentenced to a geocaching life of nothing but lamp post micros in mall parking lots?

 

If this were the case and I were to become disabled, I think I'd find myself another hobby.

That would only be true if you assume that having a cache that someone in a wheel chair can definitely do (a skirt lifter) means that they are not allowed to try any other types.

 

This isn't true at all. Just because LPCs give additional choices and opportunities to those that can't do long hikes, doesn't mean that LPCs are somehow restricting them from going after non-LPCs.

 

I agree with briansnat, You can put your boots in the oven, but that don’t make ‘em biscuits.

[+Kiwi Nomad]

When talking real estate the three most important things are:

 

Location, location, location.

 

 

In my opinion when talking about placing caches the three most important things should be:

 

Location, location, location!!

[Mushtang]

Some cachers can't make a long hike ! Some are in a wheele chair

 

So you're saying that the disabled must be sentenced to a geocaching life of nothing but lamp post micros in mall parking lots?

 

If this were the case and I were to become disabled, I think I'd find myself another hobby.

That would only be true if you assume that having a cache that someone in a wheel chair can definitely do (a skirt lifter) means that they are not allowed to try any other types.

 

This isn't true at all. Just because LPCs give additional choices and opportunities to those that can't do long hikes, doesn't mean that LPCs are somehow restricting them from going after non-LPCs.

 

I agree with briansnat, You can put your boots in the oven, but that don’t make ‘em biscuits.

What a well thought out and expressed argument. You've changed my mind with that one.

 

We should start a new thread and campain to get LPCs removed from the site so that handicapped people can then be able to go after difficulty 2 and higher, or terrain 2 or higher, caches. It's obvious that having a choice of doing the LPCs is holding them back.

 

They should put on their biscuits and get on the trails. I mean, put on their boots. Whatever, I'm confused as to how the boot/biscuit statement applied anyway.

[+BlueDeuce]

What a well thought out and expressed argument. You've changed my mind with that one.

 

Hey, right back at cha.

 

Is that it? Let's stock up those Walmart parking lots as a favor to the disabled? Man, maybe it's about time someone explained what a good hide for the disabled is all about. Maybe the rest of us walkies will get a chance to find them.

[+ReadyOrNot]

I’m indifferent. Since I don’t hunt them, they have no impact on my geocaching whatsoever. I have yet to see a parking lot that inspired awe or wonder, so I’m not going to expect much from a cache placed there.

 

How about this parking lot? I'd do one here -- Parking Lot Video

[Clan Riffster]

In my opinion when talking about placing caches the three most important things should be:

 

Location, location, location!!

(insert voice from the Guinness commercials)

Eh, what? Putting caches in scenic locations? Brilliant!

[Mr.Yuck]

What a well thought out and expressed argument. You've changed my mind with that one.

 

Hey, right back at cha.

 

Is that it? Let's stock up those Walmart parking lots as a favor to the disabled? Man, maybe it's about time someone explained what a good hide for the disabled is all about. Maybe the rest of us walkies will get a chance to find them.

 

A cache for a queen

[+sbell111]

What a well thought out and expressed argument. You've changed my mind with that one.

Hey, right back at cha.

 

Is that it? Let's stock up those Walmart parking lots as a favor to the disabled? Man, maybe it's about time someone explained what a good hide for the disabled is all about. Maybe the rest of us walkies will get a chance to find them.

You're a very reasonable person, so I can only guess that you missed half of Mushtang's post:

Just because LPCs give additional choices and opportunities to those that can't do long hikes, doesn't mean that LPCs are somehow restricting them from going after non-LPCs.

Whether or not handicapped cachers or any cachers like LPCs is the subject of this thread, not whether handicapped cachers are required to find LPCs because they clearly are not required to do so. Further, I've seen no evidence that suggests that the existence of LPCs puts a freeze on the creation of caches that any one cacher or group of cachers would like better than LPCs. I suppose that on rare individual instances, a specific LPC might block a location that some would believe to be better, but if that is so the 'better' location could have been chosen before the LPC. Since it was not, the 'tough nuts' rule applies.

[+michigansnorkelers]

I've done some exciting LPCs!

 

You find the lamppost, lift the skirt, and RUN from the yellowjackets!!!

 

This happened last week. Funny thing is that the cache was actually in a tree nearby!

 

On the other hand, after I broke my leg geocaching, I was glad to have some easy LPCs to find while on crutches. But now, I generally avoid them (except for FTFs).

[+wimseyguy]

I think I prefer the quick pickerupper of a LPC to the exciting and scenic? outdoors found directly behind the shopping center on the steep slope leading down to the bored teenager shopping cart graveyard waste of time cache.

At least in the parking lot I know what to expect most of the time. (although the unexpected can be fun too)

[+CYBret]

Heh...I just remembered....i got this card from a geocacher for my birthday last year:

The inside said, "I hope you don't have to lift any unwanted skirts on your birthday."

 

[+GClouse]

I don't care much about the numbers, but I have seen a few Lampost caches that were a bit more challenging than most.. In one case, you had to choose which of 120 lamposts to look under. Another was in a former parking lot where the pavement had been plowed up, but the lamposts were left behind. This made for a weird location because small trees and bushes had grown in around the lamposts.Another one was of the evil viriety. In this case the container was a tiny glass bottle, about 1 inch long and 1/4 inch in diameter. it was velcroed up under the skirt.

The most interesting Lampost hide I have seen is one where the cache is not under the skirt. The cache is in plin sight, stuck to the lampost with a very strong magnet, about 20 feet above the ground.

[+Team GPSaxophone]

The inside said, "I hope you don't have to lift any unwanted skirts on your birthday."

 

 

[+legacypac]

LPC's have a place in the world, but there are plenty of ways to do good PLC's (Parking Lot Caches). Frankly I wish there were more because I like to cache at night (cause I work during the day) and I'm not always thrilled about heading into the woods on a dark stormy night.

 

I actually am building a series of PLC's but the hides are each unique. Non-traditional containers, puzzles, info-hunts that teach you interesting facts about the town etc. I even put a PLC at a wilderness park/trail where it would be inappropriate to encourage off trail activities. I've also enjoyed hunting PLC's that are unique - like 5 stories underground below a square - got to think about that, then put away the GPS and pace it out.

 

I'm actually getting a bit tired of looking in stumps and under logs - give me a challanging PLC anyday.

[+Cornerstone4]

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.

 

Wow...less than 10 posts in here, and you're already calling someone a moron...

 

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

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.

 

Wow...less than 10 posts in here, and you're already calling someone a moron...

 

Yeah, any moron knows you must have 1000 posts to call anyone a moron!

[+Cornerstone4]

Would everyone feel better if we called them lamp post kilts instead?

Sounds right to me. After all, when I lift up a lamp post kilt, I may not find a cache but there are always nuts.

 

Now THAT made me laugh out loud!

[+geomann1]

Kids had the day off, so we did a little caching this morning. The last one turned out to be a LPC in a park.

 

Upon consideration, it was still a fun cache. We still had a nice walk in a pleasant park. Got some exercise, kids had fun looking at the ducks and looking for fish. There were some other possible hiding spaces in the area, so we look around a bit

 

What I really don't like is LPCs in parking lots. I really don't like hanging around WM or WM parking lots. I just don't like caches is unpleasant places, where I don't want to be. In fact, I'm really not into commercial caches in general. To each his own. I like the concept that caches should lead you to scenic or interesting places, which lets face it excludes WM

[+TrailGators]

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

I agree. Size doesn't matter but where you put it does matter...

[+mtn-man]

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.

 

Wow...less than 10 posts in here, and you're already calling someone a moron...

 

Yeah, any moron knows you must have 1000 posts to call anyone a moron!

Um, of course, when moderators call people morons, we use the warning meter.

 

Please don't make us go there.

[+Team GPSaxophone]

Back on topic...Idajo is my favorite skirt-lifter

 

[+Lucky46]

There is an LPC in my area at a gas station. Drove by once and I know where it is but can't bring myself to lift the skirt right in front of a pumper. I don't know, just not macho enough I guess. 4 out of the 7 I found today were micros. No prob. They were all fairly private locations. Some micros though, for me, bring to mind the word "lazy". But to each their own. My total finds aren't going to suffer too much if I don't pick up that gas station micro. I aslo won't go around playground equipment, but that's another thread.

[+chrisandjanet]

I guess my biggest beef with LPCs is that you don't always know what they are until you get to the site. Some are pretty obvious (the "Always" series), and some you can guess at from the location map, but you mostly can never be sure about them until you seek them. And once I've made the trip out there, like 'em or not, I'v just got to cross it off my list (obsessive-compulsive, I know, but there you go).

 

Unfortunately, I don't think there is a way to let people know the cache may be "micro spew" without wrecking the cache for those who don't mind going for them.

[4wheelin_fool]

I try to avoid them at all costs.

 

Mostly, because if I run into a frustrating DNF, then I'll have the need to run out and grab as many as possible.

 

They are like geocaching "junk food" in a way. Nice to have every now and then, but not good to exist on..

[+ScoutingWV]

Don't really love them or hate them. They're just part of the game. Sometimes that's all you can use (or some other type of micro) - yes - REALLY. And why shouldn't one person like to go find these in the same way I prefer to go hiking for a while?

 

I just personally prefer they were in more interesting places and that has nothing to do with the type of cache and everything to do with the placement. There is a certain segment of our population that can't access all of the trails and hide locations many of us can. If we place these types of containers in accessible areas that give people a reason to go, it can be just as quality a hide as anything else.

 

I also don't get the argument that one person placing a LPC in some way prohibits others from placing an ammo can (or what they may call a "real" or "quality" cache) somewhere. I never saw a lamp post that could hide an ammo can, and I never saw a lamp post in the middle of the woods.

 

Make it a good hide - give me a reason to go. The container is secondary.

[+NobleSealFamily]

I guess my main issue with the LPC's is the lack of ingenuity. Most places I've seen these there is a nearby tree (even in the parking lots) that could host a micro leaf cache, or there is the opportunity to place a magnetic cache that looks like it's part of the lamp post. I think if there was a multicache and you just needed a place for another set of coordinates, one of these would work fine. Heck, even putting a medium container under there for some trade swag would be beat the typical film canister.

 

They are quick, they are easily accessible, and they do increase the numbers. Those are all good arguments for the LPC. But surely we could come up with something a little more inventive than a film canister under the skirt. A micro bolt, or maybe a tiny micro painted as a nut (nut and bolt kind) or the swag... Something!!!!

 

Does anyone have any good idea's that would change up the LPC, but leave it as an LPC? Anyone?

[+tozainamboku]

I guess my main issue with the LPC's is the lack of ingenuity.

I always wonder why the lamppost cache is the whipping boy for lack of ingenuity. Why not guardrails, bush hides, or piles of sticks? Certain hiding techniques are common because they work well. The cache is not found by muggles but easily found by a geocacher. Certainly geocaching would be boring if every cache was the same. It's cool to see one with a creative style or good use of camouflage. My guess is that when you get to a lamp post in a parking lot there aren't too many places to hide a cache so the first thing you do is lift up the skirt. One cacher near me has a series called "Is it a lamppost?" The coords always take you to a lamppost in a parking lot. Yet he always finds some place to hide the cache other than under the skirt.

[+Renegade Knight]

.... I encountered my first one, I was impressed. I didn't even realize those things lifted up. What a cool cache I thought. ...

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?

 

Ditto on the first part. Though I'd rather hunt a micro under a skirt than in the woods. The woods have room for larger caches with swag. Enough people place the latter to where I'm not going to mess with the micro's.

[idajo2]

Back on topic...Idajo is my favorite skirt-lifter

 

 

I've done my share of skirt-liftin' and enjoyed them all - I can say that for 99.99% of the all caches I've done! I cache because I love caching - all kinds, all containers, most locations. HOWEVER, liftin' this particular skirt has to be the all-time sooper-dooper-heart-stoppin'-pulse-racin' skirt-lifter of all time! Be still my heart!

 

idajo2

[+TrailGators]

I guess my main issue with the LPC's is the lack of ingenuity.

I always wonder why the lamppost cache is the whipping boy for lack of ingenuity.

Because a lot of people feel that way..... One of the coolest things about geocaching is not knowing what cool places you'll discover. So a lot of the fun is about anticipation. LPCs are a let down for people like that. So if you want to hide a cache that you like, but may let down tons of people then hide an LPC....