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Failing to hide a cache in Charlotte


Guest adventuretom

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Guest adventuretom

Twice in the last week I have gone to areas with the plans of hiding a cache but found the area unacceptable for various reasons, so I bailed out. The first was Carowinds theme park. After working there 20+ years ago as a teenager, I figured I knew the area well and there would be a few good places to hide a small cache. Well, there are a few good places and they are almost always behind a fence to keep people from trampling the bushes. After spending the entire day with the kids(mostly having fun) I found only one mediocre spot and finally abandoned it as a bad idea. The second failure came at a beautiful spot with miles of trails and wonderful woods to hide things in. But, after looking around, talking to folks and doing some research, it appears that going off trail at Latta Nature Preserve is highly discouraged. If trails even get the slightest bit worn they close them. All of the literature tells you to preserve the plants and wildlife and stay on marked trails, so I gave that up also. No need to get the Park and Rec folks mad at us. A great place for a hike though.

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Guest Rubberhead

Have you thought about the Anne Close Springs Greenway in Fort Mill. It's only about 4 miles from Carowinds and would be a great place to hide a cache. There's even an old cabin or two that may work well.

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Guest Hard Slate

What a shame, I was strongly considering Latta Plantation park also.It is difficult to find acceptable places around.By the way I came in from urban getaway cache to the OG,

came in the hard way, was about to cry uncle when we saw the chicken.I think I may have uttered a few bad words in conjunction with your name, I can't really be sure. rolleyes.gif

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Guest adventuretom

The chicken is still there! That's pretty interesting. There is a path to OG, you just have to come from the right angle. Actually I usually look for some type of path when I place a cache, even if it is very subtle. Latta - I really wanted this for a multiparter, but the guy I talked to recommended against it. Then I walked around a while and there are enough warnings about staying on trails that I thought I should just move on.

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Guest adventuretom

Haven't tried Anne Close, but I have been working my way through the parks in the area and I still have a few possibilities left. It helps to have access to County Park and Rec data and all the county aerial photos!

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Guest Snowtrail

Actually I've talked to one person in Parks and Rec, and they are fairly supportive of geocaching.

 

Check out Charlotte Orinteering Klubb. http://www.carolina-ok.org/

 

They have events I am assuming that are close to ours where you might have to go off trail on occasions. Talk to the park rangers and see if there is an appropriate place to hide a cache (under a bridge, the deck of the nature center, etc). Else, there will either be illegal caches in Latta, or none at all...

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Guest BGSkierNC

Well, I myself was thinking of placing a cache in Latta Plantation Park also, but after reading about the potential negatives, I'll choose another site. There's a great view from one trail that overlooks the lake, I think that would be the real treasure.

I've been to the Greenway park in Fort Mill, and I think that would be a good place. It's pretty spread out, with several entrances. Has anyone talked to the authorites here?

BG

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Guest CacherintheRye

I agree with Snowtrail...since there are caches located in several area parks

already you could probably place a cache in most any park if you took a couple things into consideration when you place the cache:

 

Dont place in a natural area that does not get any traffic.

Keep it reasonably close to trails edge.

 

Just my 2 cents.

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Guest poppyseed

I own a house near Charlotte, but now live in northern Virginia. Because my husband isn't maintaining the house, there are lots of hidey-places around in the yard and up near the house. It's a small neighborhood and I don't think there'd be a problem with cachers there at all. I know it's not a park or anything, but at least it'd be a new cache...

 

Since I don't get down there terribly often, I wouldn't feel good about placing a cache. I'd like to be able to maintain it, and every couple of months isn't my cup of tea for cache maintenance. I'd like to see some caches that I'm involved with even peripherally down there because I hope when I'm down to visit, I can maybe log a couple of Charlotte-area caches. Perhaps one of you guys would like to use the spot? As it happens, I will be down there this weekend if you'd like to meet up and scout the site (I haven't been there in months - I shudder at the probable state of the yard). I think you can email me from this post - if not, I'll repost with an email address where you can contact me if you'd like to kind of buddy up and use my house for a cache-hiding spot. icon_smile.gif

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Guest poppyseed

I own a house near Charlotte, but now live in northern Virginia. Because my husband isn't maintaining the house, there are lots of hidey-places around in the yard and up near the house. It's a small neighborhood and I don't think there'd be a problem with cachers there at all. I know it's not a park or anything, but at least it'd be a new cache...

 

Since I don't get down there terribly often, I wouldn't feel good about placing a cache. I'd like to be able to maintain it, and every couple of months isn't my cup of tea for cache maintenance. I'd like to see some caches that I'm involved with even peripherally down there because I hope when I'm down to visit, I can maybe log a couple of Charlotte-area caches. Perhaps one of you guys would like to use the spot? As it happens, I will be down there this weekend if you'd like to meet up and scout the site (I haven't been there in months - I shudder at the probable state of the yard). I think you can email me from this post - if not, I'll repost with an email address where you can contact me if you'd like to kind of buddy up and use my house for a cache-hiding spot. icon_smile.gif

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Guest adventuretom

Hi Poppyseed. I think a lot of folks would be nervous about going on private property. Is it in a neighborhood? I know in our subdivision someone would call the cops if they saw someone poking around. You do bring up a good point about maintaining a cache. My opinion is you ought to check on it occasionally and if problems show up in the logs, go and fix them. We have some nice caches in the area that are neglected unfortunately. Though I think the majority seem to be well maintained. It seems most of us enjoy checking up on them to see what is on the log and what people leave behind.

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Guest poppyseed

Hi adventuretom -

 

I can see your point about the private property. I was thinking there'd have to be some way to let the neighbors know that nothing bad was afoot. It's a small rural neighborhood but the neighbors were always good about keeping to themselves. Still and all, a neighbor confrontation could spoil the fun of the hunt and I wouldn't want that. If I can think of a way to make it a little less iffy - or if anyone else can - the offer remains. Until then, I will either find another spot or else just be a hunter on occasion, if y'all don't mind. Thanks! icon_smile.gif

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Guest poppyseed

Hi adventuretom -

 

I can see your point about the private property. I was thinking there'd have to be some way to let the neighbors know that nothing bad was afoot. It's a small rural neighborhood but the neighbors were always good about keeping to themselves. Still and all, a neighbor confrontation could spoil the fun of the hunt and I wouldn't want that. If I can think of a way to make it a little less iffy - or if anyone else can - the offer remains. Until then, I will either find another spot or else just be a hunter on occasion, if y'all don't mind. Thanks! icon_smile.gif

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Guest Snowtrail

Just putting in a word of caution, having the coords on the website stating that the property is vacant for a period of time isn't a good idea.

 

If you place some caches in Charlotte, I would be more than happy to adopt them when you go back to Virginia...

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Guest poppyseed

Another good thought, and thanks. Clearly, my brain wasn't working last night.

 

I don't know if I'll get any caches placed (or sought) this weekend, but when I do, I may very well take you up on your offer to adopt my cache, and thanks! icon_smile.gif

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Guest poppyseed

Another good thought, and thanks. Clearly, my brain wasn't working last night.

 

I don't know if I'll get any caches placed (or sought) this weekend, but when I do, I may very well take you up on your offer to adopt my cache, and thanks! icon_smile.gif

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Guest Hard Slate

I found Snowtrail's Tee Time cache plundered today.I'm really sorry to have to report this,but it's bound to happen to an urban cache now and again.

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Guest Snowtrail

Yeah, I'm going to go check it out today. That's why I decided not to make it a "more expensive" cache with deposits and withdrawals. Stay tunes for another cache...

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Guest adventuretom

Snowtrail - I guess that you found it gone? I was pretty sure that cache would not have been raided. When I found it the bottle was WELL hidden inside the tree. I had to work for it.

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