Hiding urban caches, question..

[+nedinwc]

I wanted to place a cache to highlight a local history spot, but the only place I can figure to hide the cache would be in a support thing attached to a telephone pole. It's a large copper plate with bands around the pole and there's lots of room between the pole and the support piece. Has anyone found similar caches, is it against some rule I don't know about? I doubt the utility company would bother it unless the pole is destroyed somehow.

[knowschad]

Brace yourself for the upcoming onslaught.

 

I'd say that it is probably OK, from your description, but the explicit permission folks, the telephone pole safety group, and a bunch of others are yet to report in.

[GPS-Hermit]

I would say if you are having trouble finding a place to put the cache - the cache location is not a good place to put the cache even if it is historically significant. GeoCaching is all about the location so just find a place that you are proud of, with many choices of hiding, and great opportunitys for folks to enjoy the outing. Don't be in a hurry to place a Cache - put lots of thought into it and if it doesn't gleam with tons of fun - simply find a better spot. Yes you can do it and it is fun seeking the location.

 

Utility poles also need permission - yard sale signs will ruin your location. Ha! HA!

[+Walts Hunting]

Consider an offset/multi. At the location there is probably something with numbers on it. Use them and a little math to get the location of the container.

[+BlueDeuce]

Consider an offset/multi. At the location there is probably something with numbers on it. Use them and a little math to get the location of the container.

 

Agreed. Take them to the place you want them to visit and then to the cache location.

[+Jumpin' Jack Cache]

Irregardless of to the "location" posts, I have to wonder, copper for support? Never seen that.

[Mr.Yuck]

I wanted to place a cache to highlight a local history spot, but the only place I can figure to hide the cache would be in a support thing attached to a telephone pole. It's a large copper plate with bands around the pole and there's lots of room between the pole and the support piece. Has anyone found similar caches, is it against some rule I don't know about? I doubt the utility company would bother it unless the pole is destroyed somehow.

 

Lets see here, I'm a Mechanical Engineer, and have experience with "telephone poles" in 22 years in communications in the Army Reserve, and I live the next State up from you, where I'd assume the telephone poles are very similar. But I'm just not envisioning what you're talking about with this "support thing", no matter how much I try to envision it. You have pictures?

 

Yes, there are plenty of people who will tell you all power/telephone polls are off-limits, all the the time, without permission. Just don't drill a hole into the pole, and slip a film canister in the hole.

Edited September 20, 2012 by Mr.Yuck

[+J the Goat]

Consider an offset/multi. At the location there is probably something with numbers on it. Use them and a little math to get the location of the container.

 

Agreed. Take them to the place you want them to visit and then to the cache location.

 

+1 more. Use the historical site for some numbers that lead to a wonderfully beautiful location. Best of both worlds

[+Jumpin' Jack Cache]

Consider an offset/multi. At the location there is probably something with numbers on it. Use them and a little math to get the location of the container.

 

Agreed. Take them to the place you want them to visit and then to the cache location.

 

+1 more. Use the historical site for some numbers that lead to a wonderfully beautiful location. Best of both worlds

Except for the fact that a good percentage of cachers ignore multis, especially if they aren't local.

[AZcachemeister]

I've seen exactly what the OP is referring to, I believe it's called a bumper. Put there for the same reason you have a bumper on your car. Never seen one made of copper, since copper wouldn't provide as much impact protection for the pole as steel does, and the metal scavengers would probably take it on the first moonless night.

 

Yes, I've seen and found caches placed in that space between the pole and the bumper...lots of them. Not a particularly 'good' place for a cache, but way better than many other styles of hide I have encountered.

[+nedinwc]

Wow, this is an active board. I'm new to the boards, didn't know what to expect. Yes, I considered a multi, but I wanted to place some info with the cache describing what used to be at the site. I know I could place the info on the cache page, but it's not the same, y'know? That and as Jack said, multi-caches are not real popular. On the other-hand, it may be the best way to go on this as I'm planning this to be a series. On the pole thing, I am probably mistaken that it is copper, it's just not rusty, looks too clean, but you're right, AZ, it's a bumper, definitely. Many thanks for the input to all.

[+bflentje]

Irregardless

 

[+sparklefingers]

You could make it an earth cache. Make people go there and answer a question or supply you with a picture before they're allowed to log it.

[Mr.Yuck]

I've seen exactly what the OP is referring to, I believe it's called a bumper. Put there for the same reason you have a bumper on your car. Never seen one made of copper, since copper wouldn't provide as much impact protection for the pole as steel does, and the metal scavengers would probably take it on the first moonless night.

 

Yes, I've seen and found caches placed in that space between the pole and the bumper...lots of them. Not a particularly 'good' place for a cache, but way better than many other styles of hide I have encountered.

 

OK, copper threw me off. Way off. So it could be said we're talking about a guy wire cover? I've seen galvanized steel, and plastic. Yeah, that'll work. I think I've only found one, because it was in a park, and I generally don't turn my nose up at any cache that's in a park. But I know there are many caches hidden in that fashion out there.

[+nedinwc]

Consider an offset/multi. At the location there is probably something with numbers on it. Use them and a little math to get the location of the container.

 

Agreed. Take them to the place you want them to visit and then to the cache location.

 

+1 more. Use the historical site for some numbers that lead to a wonderfully beautiful location. Best of both worlds

Except for the fact that a good percentage of cachers ignore multis, especially if they aren't local.

[+nedinwc]

Is there a general rule for the distances between multi-caches? Should you be able to walk quickly? a few blocks? get in your car and drive to the next?

[+fuzziebear3]

There isn't really a general rule for distances between stages of a multi, but it is nice if you give some idea about the distance required on the cache page.

 

If it isn't specified otherwise on the cache page, I am generally expecting to walk from one stage to the next.

[AZcachemeister]

 

OK, copper threw me off. Way off. So it could be said we're talking about a guy wire cover? I've seen galvanized steel, and plastic. Yeah, that'll work. I think I've only found one, because it was in a park, and I generally don't turn my nose up at any cache that's in a park. But I know there are many caches hidden in that fashion out there.

 

Not related to the guy wire.

A thick (1/4" or so) U-shaped steel channel strapped to the pole, about the same width as the pole. Usually at a location where a car might go off the road and hit the pole, and put there so such an accident won't (hopefully) bring the pole down.

[+The_Incredibles_]

Is there a general rule for the distances between multi-caches? Should you be able to walk quickly? a few blocks? get in your car and drive to the next?

 

You can make the stages as far away or as close together as you like. Just don't make them too close for obvious reasons. Each stage needs to be at least 161 meters from any existing cache.

[+PSJKids]

You could make it a simple "multi" having the seekers get some kind of info off the pole (ID numbers for instance) and have them do a slight math problem to get the coords that could be a few feet away or someplace nearby. Any historical info about the place that could be used for determining a set of coords or in the math problem associated with it? Mention that part in your cache listing as an incentive to do it and so they know they don't have to be going all over God's Creation looking for the cache.