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Some things DON'T get better with time


kmartcachier

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Yes. I know. You hate LPCs. But remember your first time? Admit it- you were flabbergasted. Who knew those lifted up, right?

 

Share your log from your first LPC here!

 

Mine first: "Clever cache. Found this with TexasCachier and was about to leave when his wife had an idea for one more place to look. Pretty sneaky! TFTC! Tnlnsl"

 

To be honest, I would have gone on about how blown away I was because I didn't know these things even lifted up but I didn't want to ruin the "surprise" for everyone else!

Edited by kmartcachier
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I think I've found maybe two. The first one was in VA in front of a Starbucks. It took me about 2 minutes after I arrived at GZ because the lamp post was the only possible place for it to be. I looked under and around, then I tugged on the skirt and noticed that it moved. The second was in western NY and I knew where

to look right away. Haven't found another since because if I see the GPS is pointing to a parking lot, I move on.

 

Here is my original log. Apparently I was not impressed.

Edited by briansnat
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First LPC I found was under a lamp skirt that was broken in half. So even though I found one I didn't realize they were normally liftable.

 

Busted skirt:

"GPS tried to send me in the wrong direction. Restarted and it confirmed my geosense. Took a few minutes to figure this one out."

 

Skirt in need of lifting:

"Had spent about 5 minutes looking for this about 2 weeks ago and was stumped at the time. A fellow cacher gave me a clue when I mentioned I needed to go find the Wally World caches. I felt a bit foolish for not having realized where the cache was on the first try, especially since I had found something similar recently in Jupiter."

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Great thread! I have found hundreds of LPC's, of every conceivable variety, and several of which are on my all time favorite caches list. Among those is my first skirtlifter. Here is my "fourth to find" log, from May 2003:

 

#259. This was a VERY fun cache! I did it at night, so I only had to contend with a few teenagers hanging out nearby. Reading the prior logs now, I had the same experience and searched the same places for a good half hour. Then, Eureka! Check that... yes, it does... got it! A masterful hiding place. Cache is underrated for difficulty stars. I said in the logbook that I left a traveling alien, but then he wouldn't fit, so I took & left nothing. Thanks for the challenge.

 

Of course, as with all other caches, it's about location, location, location rather than hiding style. Here is the setting for my first lamp post cache:

 

flag_opt.jpg

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Yes. I know. You hate LPCs. But remember your first time?
Before I'd found any caches, I thought it would be cool to hide one at a lamppost base. Say, make a fake box to cover the real one. I didn't know they can be lifted up.

 

I was familiar with them by the time I found my first LPC. And it made the loudest metal scraping noise ever, as I lifted it.

 

But the 2nd one was better -- it had been painted shut. When you think the GPSr is pointing to yet another lamp post, and it won't budge, it becomes quite a mystery. I returned a couple of times to search and ponder. Then a helpful kid in a family of cachers provided just the right "kick".

Edited by kunarion
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I still clearly remember my first LPC in 2003, even after seven years. I'd only been caching a month, and thought it was very clever, like the rest of Marky & Joani's hides - they were pioneers at what later become common hide techniques. Of course, now I'm as jaded as the rest. :)

 

hydnsek found Cola Belt (2/6/03)

"2nd cache find on my move north from San Jose to Seattle. As luck would have it, I parked my car/trailer right next to the location, which also conveniently blocked views from the nearby building. Walked to the spot, paused to think like M&J, and found it. Will miss y'all's caches and the Bay Area!"

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Yes. I know. You hate LPCs. But remember your first time? Admit it- you were flabbergasted. Who knew those lifted up, right?

 

Share your log from your first LPC here!

 

Mine first: "Clever cache. Found this with TexasCachier and was about to leave when his wife had an idea for one more place to look. Pretty sneaky! TFTC! Tnlnsl"

 

To be honest, I would have gone on about how blown away I was because I didn't know these things even lifted up but I didn't want to ruin the "surprise" for everyone else!

 

Here's my first LPC log on this cache in 2003:

 

Wow! Cool hiding spot in a very busy area. Just the log remains. There must have been 200+ people coming from both directions just before midnight! MtnFrog & Camel and MiracleMan7 and I blocked, while Lil E went in for the score. Very spyesque. Fun hunt! Thanks.
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It was only our 6th find. It was in the middle of winter and the snow was deep around where our GPSr was taking us (we were still using a TomTom then) The stupid thing brought us right this lamp post. Couldn't it see that the pine trees were clear across the other side of the parking lot?? What was the problem with our GPSr anyway? Man, it was cold and all we wanted to do was find this cache and get back in the warm car. Then I slipped on some ice next to the lamp post and instinctively I grabbed for the post. My hand hit the cover and... it moved! Amazed, we lifted up that and even more amazed, there was the cache! It was like the sun had come out and made all the world a spring day. We, like most of you, thought this was the most clever hide ever. We still think about that first one whenever we look for one now.

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I do not remember my first but I do remember my fourth or fifth of this type. It was a hot day in the summer of last year. Out caching by myself and drove up to an empty parking lot. Knew where the cache was and lifted the skirt up. Grabbed the bottle and realized there was a wasps nest in there as well. Made a B line to the car, not that it would help any because the top was down. Didn't get stung luckily but after signing the log I had to replace it. I thought to myself, well I could go get some wasp spray but that would take too long since I wasn't close to any stores. So I let the wasps calm down while I got the car pointed in the right direction to make a fast escape. I expected the worst and slowly lifted up the skirt to place the cache back in. I let the skirt drop as ran back to the car and tore out of there as fast as I could.

 

I left a log warning others to bring wasp spray or for the CO to do it if he got out that way. It was truely amazing I didn't get stung. Ever since that day I have been very leary of skirt lifters in the summer.

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Mine was stage one of a multi in a park:

I stopped in a few days ago for part one and had no luck, thought maybe there was a problem. Then a newbie found it that same day (no offense, newbie! Good job!) I came back again today and was stumped for about ten more minutes before discovering it. Very cool hide. I didn't have time for the rest, but I'll get it soon.

The only other one I've found was the final of a puzzle.

Edited by Dinoprophet
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My first one was at a DQ. I had no idea they lifted. I set my GPS on it so I could lean over a fence and when I set it down, I noticed that it wasn't as solid as I expected. It still took me a few minutes to mess with it further. I ended up celebrating with a cookie dough blizzard!

 

The scraping noise is pretty loud on some. Ha ha ha

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Yes. I know. You hate LPCs. But remember your first time? Admit it- you were flabbergasted.

My first LPC:

 

I was a pretty naive cacher, having found, up to that point, nothing but containers large enough to hold lots of swag, in places which I found aesthetically pleasing. I actually assumed that this was what caching was all about, which led to me nurturing a destructive sense of entitlement. Because of this, I would follow the arrow on my GPSr blissfully, believing it would lead me to someplace wonderful. One day, as I followed the arrow, I saw it pointing toward a parking lot. I figured there must be something special, hidden somewhere in the parking lot, so I kept following. Then I focused on the distance count down with a sinking feeling. There was nothing there but a lamp post! Maybe I punched in the wrong coords? Surely no one would actually want to bring me to 500 acres of sweltering, exhaust laden blacktop, where the only challenge lay in dodging soccer moms in SUVs... right? Thinking I would prove myself right, I evaluated the scene, observing that the only hiding place in sight was the kilt which hid the lamp post mounting bolts. I just knew that I would lift up the skirt and find nothing, which would allow me to keep up my inner deception that caching was an activity that brought me to kewl spots.

 

My naivete was dashed as a soggy log film can was discovered resting under the kilt.

 

So... In a way, you are right. I was flabbergasted. I couldn't believe anyone playing this game was capable of hiding something so lame.

 

I know better now, and thanx largely to these forums, I've learned to tailor my PQs to avoid such drivel.

 

I don't think I ever logged that one.

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The forums ruined the surprise of the lamp post skirt for me. But, that being said the first one I found with my friend (because my first one in general was completely not memorable) we decided to make it SCENE. We screeched that skirt all the way up and jumped up and down yelling and cheering that we found it. We gave each other some pretty firm back slaps, bumped chests. Signed the log on the damp little piece of paper shoved into nothing waterproof and screeched the skirt down until we could finally let it crash down. We cheered and slapped hands again.

 

The sight of the parking lot and the glow of the signs was just all so overwhelming that it brought a small tear to our eyes.

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There is nothing to see in my log, because it was a leg of a 4 leg multi in January, 2005. It was on a street corner in a postage stamp sized park. After checking the nearby bench, that "thing" looked like it lifted up, and there was a film canister (or whatever it was).

 

This came up in a local forum a few months ago, and me being around longer than 95% of the people in my area, identified it as the first skirt lifter in my area (hidden 12/31/2004). The 2nd one, and 1st stand-alone one, was hidden at a self-service car wash in February 2005. Gee, I wonder where they got that idea???? :)

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On an FTF run after an event, we arrived at the cache location. We actually searched all over, left and drove to another lot a level higher and hiked around in the desert (terrain was 1). Drive back to parking lot, searched the holes in a wall when a team drove right up, lifted the lid and grabbed our FTF!

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LU...fa-2e307ead5a01

 

Walmart parking lot, behind tire department...

 

(I miss the forums :)

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Actually... I do not think I have ever found a LPC... no.. none of my 888 are LPC's... closest was a Flagpost cache (skirt lifter), so not really a LPC, but the same idea. Only other ones I found in any sort of proximity to a LP was a small under some rocks at the foot of one, and a fake electrical outlet on another one (no skirt lifting). Any and all skirts I've lifted had no caches under them at all. :)

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If I am in a hurry I will ocassionally do one of these. I think I only have 2, 3 at the most of these. Certainly not my favorites. Yes, they are very easy to find and rack up a quick smilie, but they are loud and even if there are no people in the immediate area, I still feel like I am being suspicious and doing something wrong. But then again, just for the sake of doing another hide, I may just make my next one (without a whole lot of pre-thought) a LPC. :)

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Just kidding! On a different note (sort of) I was all excited to pick up a quick cache stop on my way to work this morning, and was promised a small container...trying to get my TBs moving....and low and behold....take a WILD guess where this small container was? First two guess don't count. The coordinates were a bit off, so I looked around like the cacher that I am, and GROANED LOUDLY when I realized where it was hidden.

 

BTW...with LPCs, who do you ask permission to place them? The businesses around the LP?

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Yes. I know. You hate LPCs. But remember your first time? Admit it- you were flabbergasted. Who knew those lifted up, right?

 

Share your log from your first LPC here!

 

Mine first: "Clever cache. Found this with TexasCachier and was about to leave when his wife had an idea for one more place to look. Pretty sneaky! TFTC! Tnlnsl"

 

To be honest, I would have gone on about how blown away I was because I didn't know these things even lifted up but I didn't want to ruin the "surprise" for everyone else!

Ok, you got me: I DID think my first LPC was pretty amazing.

 

From Caitlyn's cache 46.5 "Past the Verizon":

 

"This cache was very tricky. I almost gave up, but went back to the most obvious land mark, and was illuminated!"

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I'm confused. I mention once in a thread about what an LPC is, and get scolded for giving a spoiler, and this is an entire thread about them... wow.

 

But anyway, I like the thread idea, so I'll play. It's fun reading others' logs.

 

This was our first LPC...

 

GCQDTZ

August 17, 2006 by nymphnsatyr (1753 found)

Cache-n-dash. After my miserable 0/2 morning, we got together and pulled off 3 in a row. I tried this one solo once before, but back then I got muggled too soon and scampered off. Tonight at 7:30pm, it was all clear.

 

 

I do remember thinking it was clever at the time. To be honest I haven't found that many of them, about 6 or 7.

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I'm confused. I mention once in a thread about what an LPC is, and get scolded for giving a spoiler,

 

That was me. It was supposed to be funny. Too bad there's no sarcasm smiley.

 

I was really surprised that several people posted after me, agreeing. I thought the joke was pretty obvious.

 

Actually, it wasn't you. It was the other posters after you. I got your joke, so even if you think you started it, I don't blame you at all.

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I've been geocaching for just about 1 month, so my first was just a couple of weeks ago! Went to a local REI and was talking with an employee about GPS and he mentioned there was a cache somewhere around the store. I pulled it up on my iPhone, walked out of the store, and judging by the coordinates the lamp post was the ONLY place it could be... but you're right, I didn't know those things lifted up! Also learned the metal ones make an awful racket when you lift them up and set them back down.

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I looked back through the archives and found what I believe was my first LPC. I already knew about them so it wasn't much of a surpise:

 

"We got lost while looking for Going Postal #6 -- dadgum Topo Canada v2 for being so out-of-date that it doesn't include many of these streets. This cache had been used in the local forums as an example of a lame lamppost cache and it certainly lived up to it's billing but: "It's All About The Numbers" and I'll take a free smiley wherever I can get it. Thanks."

 

Wow, has my attitude changed since that day back in December of 2006! :D

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well my first LPC was when I didn't have an acount so I couldn't sign it. I had watched a couple of geocaching videos, so it took me barely a second to realize it was an LPC, but when I lifted it up I saw nothing. Dumbfounded, I made my search again, but to no avail. But a small circle with an "X" in it caught my eye; A bolt cache camouflaged to the EXACT colour of the Lamp Post. My only good LPC find.

The rest were just duct taped altoid cans or film containers swimming in a pool of water and dissapointment, with a soggy log stuffed into the moldy container. My faith in LPCs was shattered! B):D:)

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I have only found a handful of LPCs and had already seen it discussed here before, so my first one wasn't much of a surprise. However, I still can't get over the feeling that everyone on the planet is looking at me when I raise that noisy cover. Because of that, I try to avoid them when I can, but if I didn't realize it was an LPC before I get to GZ, I still grab it to feed the smiley addiction. Best LPC I have found was actually simple - magnetic and stuck to the inside of the top of the cover. That one hand me looking a couple of times before I caught on!

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Hi my names scaramedic and I am new geocachaholic. I must admit I was absolutely clueless about LPC's. I find some of my caches at work. So my partner and I would occasionally find one in the bushes. but for the life of me I couldn't find the ones in a parking lot. I would wander around bathed in the very light of the LPC thinking I really suck at this. It was only after seeing LPC in a hint and googling it that I understood. Yes I saw the light. B)

 

I do credit LPC's for one thing though. I've found one cache that I immediately assumed was an LPC for the basic fact of there being light at GZ, I work nights by the way. Imagine my shock when it wasn't there and I actually had to look for it. They make a good distraction. Same as putting one near a guard rail. These are things I will keep in mind when I start hiding.

 

P.S. Am I the only one that thinks it would be funny to attach rubber bands on the base attached to the skirt so every time someone pulled it up it would just pop back down? :D

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Here's my first LPC cache:

[Didn't find it] September 22, 2005 by beejay&esskay (4867 found)

 

Considering the hint, I looked in the areas I felt comfortable searching. Nothing turned up, but there is a disturbed area where I could imagine hiding a micro. But it was getting late so I needed to get moving. I’ve left enough unfound caches in the area to justify a return visit.

 

It was next to the video return box for Blockbuster. Couldn't find it there. There was some disturbed concrete. Certainly not there. Not sure I even paid any attention to the LP.

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I found two in the same day in Carmel, IN and I can't remember which one I found first. One was an absolutely normal LPC in a Kroger parking lot. The other was under the skirt of a flagpole in a veterans memorial at a park. Being new to geocaching at the time, I am actually surprised that I found that one.

 

Here is my log for the memorial: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LU...f8-3d3f9e39ec7e

 

Here is for Kroger: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LU...d8-9b41b5044c52

Edited by e5c4p3artist
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Interesting topic! We're still pretty new but already laugh at our amazement over the first LPS hide that we found.

 

Here's from our log:

 

"Very sneaky spot! We initially moved on to another one before deciding to come back and have another go! :rolleyes:"

 

Even more pathetic is that the hint was "w green lps". We had no idea what lps meant. Several days after that find I was going through the forum and it finally dawned on me. I told my wife about it and we both felt pretty darn stupid! :laughing:

 

I know many people don't like these hides, and while I suppose they aren't very original (although we certainly thought that first one was), they don't bother us. In fact, there have been a couple caches that we couldn't find then my wife would say, "Check the lamp post skirt." There it was. :D

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