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Setting A Parking-Lot Cache


computermaster4

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I'm thinking about placing a cache that would be in the parking-lot of this shopping center area. It's kind of small with only like 5-8 stores, but i'm not sure who I have to ask about setting it. It would be placed around the middle of the parking lot, a ways from any of the stores. So is there someone who I need to contact about that, and if so who? It's my first time placing one in a place like this, so i'm not very sure. Hope you can help.

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Ask yourself why you would want to lead somebody to this spot. Is it scenic? historic? little known? interesting? educational? peaceful?. If the answer is for commercial purposes - no thanks. If you really can't think of a good reason - then look elsewhere to hide a cache. Please.

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I'm thinking about placing a cache that would be in the parking-lot of this shopping center area. It's kind of small with only like 5-8 stores, but i'm not sure who I have to ask about setting it. It would be placed around the middle of the parking lot, a ways from any of the stores. So is there someone who I need to contact about that, and if so who? It's my first time placing one in a place like this, so i'm not very sure. Hope you can help.

 

"It depends"

 

If the mall is has an active managment company they are the ones to ask. If it doesn't, the store that's directly in front of the cache is probably the one to ask. If you can't find anyone to ask you may not want to ask anyone and think about not placing the cache.

 

Before you place such a fine cache highliting parking areas of the modern world you may want to look into a few things. Is the mall patrolled by security? If so even if you do ask and get a hearty "heck yeah!" the securty folks are going to harass cachers. If there is a camera that takes in the parking lot...you may want to re-think the cache. If the parking lot is so busy that a cacher would not be able to find the cache without being seen, you may want to re-think the cache. Someone will call the cache in as a bomb and then that would just make your day.

 

If after your investigation this site meets your expectations then place the cache. I'd go through the check list before you ask. It may save you the trouble.

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Thanks for the replys everyone, the last one really was the only one that answered my question though. The area where I live open land and used for running privetly owned cattle on. So as far as finding a more interesting place out here to hide it, I don't think thats really going to happen. There are only 5 caches within about 10 miles of where I want to place this cache. The only shopping center around the place is small and not overly used, so I thought it'd make a good place where more would be able to find it more often then not.

I have found quite a few parking-lot caches and have sof far enjoyed them. After your done shopping it's kind of fun to find out that you have some time to kill and there happens to be a geocache right there that you can find.

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...I have found quite a few parking-lot caches and have sof far enjoyed them. After your done shopping it's kind of fun to find out that you have some time to kill and there happens to be a geocache right there that you can find.

 

That's is a good thing. After a long day of hunting caches especially if I'm not finding any it's nice to end in a parking lot, find an easy cache, then head into a store for something to drink.

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Don't let discouragement set in here...I personally enjoy parking lot caches myself. As far as permission, Renegade Knight hit the spot.

 

I want to add a little something to spice up your mind before you hide the cache:

 

Try to shy away from the "typical" mindset for hiding "parking lot caches." Go to the proposed location before hand and have a look around. Check out the surroundings and invision in your mind what would make a cool cache in a location such as this. Is their a pine tree nearby where you can hide a fake pine cone in? Is there a guardrail that you can put a fake bolt in? Try to think outside of the box. To this day I see logs from "anti-parking lot cachers" who praise cache owners for their creative hide of a "parking lot cache."

 

Just something to think about.

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Don't let discouragement set in here...I personally enjoy parking lot caches myself. As far as permission, Renegade Knight hit the spot.

 

I want to add a little something to spice up your mind before you hide the cache:

 

Try to shy away from the "typical" mindset for hiding "parking lot caches." Go to the proposed location before hand and have a look around. Check out the surroundings and invision in your mind what would make a cool cache in a location such as this. Is their a pine tree nearby where you can hide a fake pine cone in? Is there a guardrail that you can put a fake bolt in? Try to think outside of the box. To this day I see logs from "anti-parking lot cachers" who praise cache owners for their creative hide of a "parking lot cache."

 

Just something to think about.

Great feedback! I would enjoy those because they are unexpected. A lot of the issues with parking lot caches is that when you pull into one and your GPS arrow points 200 feet across the parking lot at a lamp post; the thrill of the hunt is over because you know where the cache is before you even get out of your car. The caches you suggested bring both variety and the thrill of the hunt to the game, which is a double bonus. :P
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Don't let discouragement set in here...I personally enjoy parking lot caches myself. As far as permission, Renegade Knight hit the spot.

 

I want to add a little something to spice up your mind before you hide the cache:

 

Try to shy away from the "typical" mindset for hiding "parking lot caches." Go to the proposed location before hand and have a look around. Check out the surroundings and invision in your mind what would make a cool cache in a location such as this. Is their a pine tree nearby where you can hide a fake pine cone in? Is there a guardrail that you can put a fake bolt in? Try to think outside of the box. To this day I see logs from "anti-parking lot cachers" who praise cache owners for their creative hide of a "parking lot cache."

 

Just something to think about.

A lot of the issues with parking lot caches is that when you pull into one and your GPS arrow points 200 feet across the parking lot at a lamp post; the thrill of the hunt is over because you know where the cache is before you even get out of your car.

 

Not if you think outside of the box! You could use a black magnetic waterproof container and have it sitting in plain sight 20 feet up the pole :P Then when the "anti parking lot cachers" show up and roll their eyes from 200 feet away, they have to think twice when the lifted lamp post cover doesn't contain a container. Heck, they may even post a DNF and say that the cache is missing. BUT, it was using variety and extra thrill that you wern't expecting.

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I think that the 'thrill of the hunt' remains even with the most obvious parking lot caches. The thing about these (and most 'easy' urban caches) is that even though you know where the cache probably is, you still have to make the find and replace the cache without being spotted by muggles. This added bit of adventure makes these caches pretty fun, for me.

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Don't let discouragement set in here...I personally enjoy parking lot caches myself. As far as permission, Renegade Knight hit the spot.

 

I want to add a little something to spice up your mind before you hide the cache:

 

Try to shy away from the "typical" mindset for hiding "parking lot caches." Go to the proposed location before hand and have a look around. Check out the surroundings and invision in your mind what would make a cool cache in a location such as this. Is their a pine tree nearby where you can hide a fake pine cone in? Is there a guardrail that you can put a fake bolt in? Try to think outside of the box. To this day I see logs from "anti-parking lot cachers" who praise cache owners for their creative hide of a "parking lot cache."

 

Just something to think about.

A lot of the issues with parking lot caches is that when you pull into one and your GPS arrow points 200 feet across the parking lot at a lamp post; the thrill of the hunt is over because you know where the cache is before you even get out of your car.

Not if you think outside of the box! You could use a black magnetic waterproof container and have it sitting in plain sight 20 feet up the pole :P Then when the "anti parking lot cachers" show up and roll their eyes from 200 feet away, they have to think twice when the lifted lamp post cover doesn't contain a container. Heck, they may even post a DNF and say that the cache is missing. BUT, it was using variety and extra thrill that you wern't expecting.

I agree that would be creative and different from the vast majority of them. The key points you bring up are creativity and variety. :D When you were little and played hide-n-seek if one of your friends always hid in the hall closet, you would eventually tire of that, right? :)
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There is a cache here at the edge of a shopping center parking lot. The coordinates take you right to a lamppost, next to a hedge. The cover of the lamppost doesn't come up, although several cachers have tried to take it apart . . . :P The cache is a waterproof match container hanging from a branch in the hedge. :D

 

Still basically a "shopping center cache," but a little more memorable than many . . . :)

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There is a cache here at the edge of a shopping center parking lot. The coordinates take you right to a lamppost, next to a hedge. The cover of the lamppost doesn't come up, although several cachers have tried to take it apart . . . :P The cache is a waterproof match container hanging from a branch in the hedge. :D

 

Still basically a "shopping center cache," but a little more memorable than many . . . :)

I'm glad to hear about another good hide! B) I would also like to point out that as a cache owner reading the logs for your unique and creative hide should be more entertaining as well! :D Edited by TrailGators
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...Not if you think outside of the box! You could use a black magnetic waterproof container and have it sitting in plain sight 20 feet up the pole :P Then when the "anti parking lot cachers" show up and roll their eyes from 200 feet away, they have to think twice when the lifted lamp post cover doesn't contain a container. Heck, they may even post a DNF and say that the cache is missing. BUT, it was using variety and extra thrill that you wern't expecting.

I hid one. 2' from the lamp post. The cache was adventure paper on the back site of reflective marking tape like the road crew uses. I cut it to shize to extend a parking stripe that didn't quite reach to where it should have. Once in place I tossed parking lot dirt all over it to keep it from looknig so fresh.

 

The tape never stuck that well, and people used the Phone a friend network and short circuted the hide. It was creative but I came to hate that hide.

 

My only remaining urban micro is a film canister with a hook that I dropped down a short pipe that's used as a low fence. Easy find. Not easy to retrieve. I like that one. You still have to get the cache even if your friends tell you the scoop.

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One of my more memorable finds was at stage one of a two-part multi that was near lamp post behind a grocery store. It was next to a tall retaining wall, but it was hidden by a guy that would never hide anything under a lamp post cover. So I never even looked there knowing that. Instead what he did was make you walk up the hill behind the retaining wall and then look around. After a while you'd finally notice that he had coordinates stuck to the back of the lamp itself. He must have used a long stick to stick each number on the back of the lamp because it was too far to reach by hand. Anyhow, it was hilarious. I won't tell you where the final was in case you're ever in Escondido, but it was even better! :huh:

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I have found quite a few parking-lot caches and have sof far enjoyed them. After your done shopping it's kind of fun to find out that you have some time to kill and there happens to be a geocache right there that you can find.

 

It's a shame, but people place what they find. :huh:

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I have found quite a few parking-lot caches and have sof far enjoyed them. After your done shopping it's kind of fun to find out that you have some time to kill and there happens to be a geocache right there that you can find.
It's a shame, but people place what they find. :huh:
You might have noticed that computermaster4 enjoyed those caches.

 

People place what they like. :( This simple principle is why this game has grown as it has.

Edited by sbell111
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Many good points here. I have to say though that I would not mind the parking lot caches if they were something more than a hide a key under a skirt. Keep in mind though the better they are the more people that are going to see you either looking for it or hinding it. Kind of a catch 22.

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I have found quite a few parking-lot caches and have sof far enjoyed them. After your done shopping it's kind of fun to find out that you have some time to kill and there happens to be a geocache right there that you can find.
It's a shame, but people place what they find. :(
You might have noticed that computermaster4 enjoyed those caches.

 

People place what they like. :( This simple principle is why this game has grown as it has.

The problem isn't that they place what they like. If you like urban hides in parking lots, by all means hide a cache there. Some people have simply indicated that they don't like finding the same hide over and over. The first couple of LPCs they found were great but after a while they got boring. Of course the same people seem to never get bored by an ammo can under a pile of sticks or a match container in a bush, but I haven't figured out why they have a tolerance for seeing these over and over and not LPCs. However, I certainly agree that going to a parking lot, lifting up a lamp post cover, and finding no cache there, means that now you have to look harder. :huh:

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The problem isn't that they place what they like. If you like urban hides in parking lots, by all means hide a cache there. Some people have simply indicated that they don't like finding the same hide over and over. The first couple of LPCs they found were great but after a while they got boring. Of course the same people seem to never get bored by an ammo can under a pile of sticks or a match container in a bush, but I haven't figured out why they have a tolerance for seeing these over and over and not LPCs. However, I certainly agree that going to a parking lot, lifting up a lamp post cover, and finding no cache there, means that now you have to look harder. :huh:

 

Exactly.

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I have found quite a few parking-lot caches and have sof far enjoyed them. After your done shopping it's kind of fun to find out that you have some time to kill and there happens to be a geocache right there that you can find.
It's a shame, but people place what they find. :(
You might have noticed that computermaster4 enjoyed those caches.

 

People place what they like. :huh: This simple principle is why this game has grown as it has.

The problem isn't that they place what they like. If you like urban hides in parking lots, by all means hide a cache there. Some people have simply indicated that they don't like finding the same hide over and over. The first couple of LPCs they found were great but after a while they got boring. Of course the same people seem to never get bored by an ammo can under a pile of sticks or a match container in a bush, but I haven't figured out why they have a tolerance for seeing these over and over and not LPCs. However, I certainly agree that going to a parking lot, lifting up a lamp post cover, and finding no cache there, means that now you have to look harder. :(

Mr. T we have been over this a thousand times and you guys still are not hearing what we are saying. "Ideally" each cache would have one or two kewl qualities.

A partial list of desired qualities would include:

- an attractive or interesting location

- an interesting or creative hide technique

- an interesting story behind the cache (this is a bit of a reach but it is something)

- swag and interesting items to trade

 

So the ammo box in the woods is in an attractive location and it has swag so it can get away with not having an interesting hide technique (although most of the time I do have to "search" for these out here). However, many LPCs do not have any of these qualities. So we have been talking about several interesting or creative hide techniques, which is one quality that can enhance a parking lot micro. :(

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I rarely have to put on my moderator hat in this forum, but please keep the the original poster's question. He is asking for advice about how to place a parking lot cache, not a discussion regarding whether or not he should.

 

Please stick to the question and if you want to discuss the appropriatness of this kind of hide start a new thread over in the general forum. It hasn't been discussed for some time :huh: .

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