+deacdiddy Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 I see all kinds of rants against LPC's...while I'm not in love with them, I don't hate them in that to me they aren't too annoying. When I get a notification of a new hide and it looks like it might be a juniper hide, I don't even consider going after them unless they are so close by that it doesn't seem like a total waste of time to check it out. I know that all caches have their place, I just can't see what moves someone to stick a micro bison in a thorny bush. Different strokes for different folks...I guess? Quote Link to comment
+fizzymagic Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 It's even worse when you are severely allergic to juniper, as I am. Nasty search and then hives all over. Lovely. I usually just leave as soon as I see the location. Quote Link to comment
knowschad Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Not at all. I LOVE juniper, cedar, balsam, and pine hides compared to spruce tree hides. The needles of these trees are soft in comparison to spruces short, sharp spikes. Around here, about 90% of cachers call them all pine tree hides anyway, but usually they are referring to spruce. Quote Link to comment
+Ecylram Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 I see all kinds of rants against LPC's...while I'm not in love with them, I don't hate them in that to me they aren't too annoying. When I get a notification of a new hide and it looks like it might be a juniper hide, I don't even consider going after them unless they are so close by that it doesn't seem like a total waste of time to check it out. I know that all caches have their place, I just can't see what moves someone to stick a micro bison in a thorny bush. Different strokes for different folks...I guess? These are my LEAST favorite caches. It's not just that they are dirty & scratchy, or that they tend to be in muggle-rich areas, it's the trash that gets caught up in them. Nothing like a dirty, scratchy, trash-strewn search to make one's day. If I don't just drive by these caches, I only give myself about 1 minute to find the cache which is about the point it no longer becomes fun for me. If it's not found by then I move on. As a result, I have more DNF's on Juniper bush hides than any other type of hide. Why do cachers put them there? It's quick, easy and you don't lose many caches to muggles (though you lose some to groundskeepers). Juniper Bush hides just sap the joy out of geocaching. Quote Link to comment
+lamoracke Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 I am not sure a juniper hide is worse than a fern hide (ie a soon to be dead fern), but neither are my favorites, for different reasons. I can think of plants worse than junipers though, how about hawthorns? Those can hurt. I do not think juniper is worse than a hide where you have to bushwhack through severe amounts of blackberries, or poison ivy, or scotch broom. Thus, what I am trying to say, there are lots of plants that are not the optimal caches, but I would not automatically skip them. If I skipped the caches in hawthorns, junipers, blackberries, poison ivy, ferns, lamp posts, power boxes, rock walls, benches, guard rails, or anything else I consider not places I would personally hide something in...I would be wasting a lot more gas and using the ignore button an awful lot. Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 To me all that matters is where the juniper is. If the juniper is at a gorgeous overlook, or next to an historic site that I might not have known about but for the cache,then it would be an excellent cache to me. Put that juniper next to Burger King, different story. Quote Link to comment
+NicknPapa Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Juniper isn't all that bad. I keep expecting to find a cache in a Honey Locust tree. It hasn't happened yet but I have found a cache under one, that's scary enough. Those thorns are needle sharp and mildly poison. Not poison enough to make your fott fall off or anything but if you get stuck it hurts for DAYS..... Quote Link to comment
+deacdiddy Posted February 16, 2011 Author Share Posted February 16, 2011 I have one in particular that has been taunting me for 6 months..It is in a K-mart parking lot very close to where I work. I have cleaned out nearly all the caches nearby so this is about the only one left without driving across town during lunch. High muggle activity and some nasty thorny leaves prevents me from searching for more than a few minutes. Almost all the found it logs read the same..."found quickly..nice p&g." I guess when I finally do find it my log will read "found quickly today" and it will be true....ha! Quote Link to comment
+Kyle98632 Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Looking for a micro cache in a juniper bush with only your car headlights and your better half who had already found the cache not willing to help you because that would be "cheating" is even worse. I really hate finding caches burried in the branches of holly trees far more though! Quote Link to comment
+Don_J Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 (edited) It's even worse when you are severely allergic to juniper, as I am. Nasty search and then hives all over. Lovely. I usually just leave as soon as I see the location. I guess I'm mildly allergic. I don't get hives all over but I get a definite reaction where I've made contact. I usually skip them outright. While junipers are bad, I hate ivy more. Edited February 16, 2011 by Don_J Quote Link to comment
+wimseyguy Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Juniper trees might be OK, I suspect the OP is referring to ground cover junipers that have scratchy needles on stiff branches. They are often used in commercial plantings as they are low maintenance, hardy, and cost effective. I was given a pair of kevlar lined pat down gloves as a gift after my snake bite two summers ago. It doesn't matter how hot it is, when I am searching in these beasts or holly, the gloves go on. Quote Link to comment
+Thrak Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 Juniper isn't all that bad. I keep expecting to find a cache in a Honey Locust tree. It hasn't happened yet but I have found a cache under one, that's scary enough. Those thorns are needle sharp and mildly poison. Not poison enough to make your fott fall off or anything but if you get stuck it hurts for DAYS..... So THAT'S what those #!%@#&^ things are called. I searched for a cache on a FTF try on a very dark and rainy night and discovered these thorns the hard way. They REALLY freaking hurt. I was amazed to find a tree with such long and nasty thorns on it. Why the cache was hidden in that area is beyond me. Quote Link to comment
+StarBrand Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 Juniper's of some variety or another are quite commonly used as wind breaks out here on the higher prairie and are often the only trees in sight outside of the river valley's. Lots of hides, on, in and around them. I don't much care for them and I get scratched up but like Briansnat pointed out - location is everything. I abondoned a search in a group behind the local Mcdonalds but have stayed and toughed it out for a sweeping overlook of the prairie. Quote Link to comment
+tomfuller & Quill Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 You won't catch me putting out anything smaller than 12 fl.oz. for a cache. I have an ammocan in a Juniper tree east of Bend, Oregon. You have to walk by some interesting lava formations to get to it from the parking area. If Juniper is the only species you have to work with in the high desert, that's what you use. If I choose to find a cache hidden in a Blue Rug Juniper area, I'll use heavy gloves. Quote Link to comment
+Harry Dolphin Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 Oh, I hid it under the juniper because the Challenge Committee asked me to hide a 'small' in that area. Only place to hide a small cache! Spectacular views! Yes. People have mentioned that gloves would be a good idea. Oh, well. Quote Link to comment
+Cryptosporidium-623 Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 Chalk me up as being allergic to junipers too. My favorite time of year to search them is in the winter when they're especially dry, prickly and they emit dust when you even remotely touch them. Gah! If a cache is underneath and there's clear access, I'll go for it. Otherwise, pass. Quote Link to comment
+roziecakes Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 The only junipers I don't like are the ones that smell like cat urine. Other than that, they don't bother me that much. Here in Oregon a common hide is in a bush called 'Arborvitae.' I'm not an expert, but I think they are a type of juniper. Their branches are pretty soft compared to the pfitzer bushes (a juniper) in Denver (and less stinky). I will admit, when we were new and didn't know any better our first hide was in a pfitzer bush. tsk tsk tsk. I've missed being on the board lately! I've just been TOO BUSY. (Guess that's a good thing though... ) Quote Link to comment
+TerraViators Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 They're terrible. We may as well hide caches in standing puddles of water in the summer so we can hunt through mosquitos. Quote Link to comment
+nekom Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 At least if you don't find it, you could make gin. Quote Link to comment
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