Not-so-lame Park-and-grabs

[Dinoprophet]

Whenever someone complains about caches that don't involve a five mile hike, it is inevitably said that there are some outstanding 1/1's out there. Tell about them here.

 

I bring this up because last night I did "On the Path to Death". You can park 40 feet from the cache, it's a simple container, but the location -- 100 yards from a small, old, unmarked cemetery in the middle of a cluster of suburban neighborhoods -- was fascinating to me. It made for a great night cache.

 

"Garden of Hope" in northern Kentucky is a very interesting place, whatever your beliefs.

 

"Mackinac Mooch", in its original location, was in the shadow of the Mackinac Bridge, and considering it was a plain ammo box in a very open area, it was surprisingly well-hidden. It did eventually cause a bomb scare but only because someone was spotted replacing it, not because someone found it (at the time, at least one park authority knew it was there, so it shouldn't have happened).

 

"M Cubed Museum" is not only a 1/1, it's also a virtual, probably the most popular one in my area.

 

I have finds on a few other great caches that are listed as 1/1's but are severely misrated. The caches above are true 1/1's under the ClayJar system.

[+woof n lulu]

Looking Glass Cache

 

My favorite so far, other then some of my own.

[+BlueDeuce]

Both in Olathe, Ks

 

Well, this one Santa Fe Trail Ks-01 because of the historical attraction, but that's too obvious. (Unfortunately currently archived)

 

No more digging! because it's just simply...enjoyable. What more could I ask?

 

 

 

not my photo

Edited July 29, 2004 by Elf Danach

[+briansnat]

>>>Personal attack and profanity deleted<<<

Edited July 30, 2004 by briansnat

[+Boo & Kitty]

Sometimes the cache container itself makes the cache more interesting. This one is kinda nice: Is There A Doctor In The House?

 

Of course, I had seen similar containers used before. Just not on a 1/1.

[+drat19]

My rants about "lame" 1/1's are well-documented around here. In the interest of positivity, then, I would comment that an "easy 1/1" may not be anything particularly noteworthy in terms of the cache or hide, but if it takes me to an interesting or worthwhile location, or one of a city's "hidden gems", then it's certainly NOT lame...and often it's GREAT.

 

I'll even use Nashville (my usual whipping post for the "lamppost/bush/dumpster/roadside proliferation" problem that I rant about around here) for an example of what I thought was a GREAT cache. There's a cache (I believe it's been archived since my visit last winter) hidden at the Music Row traffic circle, where the statue of Nashville music pioneer Owen Bradley playing his piano is located.

 

Now, if you're in the area visiting Music Row you'll most likely drive by and see it. However, the cache forces searchers to park and examine the statue...and it's AMAZING. The detail of the bronze relief, the workmanship, WOW. I even failed to find the cache (because I'm a goofball!), but I must have lingered there 25-30 minutes spending as much time examining the statue's details as I spent searching for the cache. While I was there, snow began to fall...add the snow gently settling onto the statue to the scene, and it was just delightful!

 

How can you beat that? (Question asked rhetorically, not competitively!)

 

-Dave R. in Biloxi

Edited July 30, 2004 by drat19

[+TeamK-9]

I have to say that any 1/1 cache can be made 100% enjoyable by doing it at night.

 

I've even done caches I've done before at night and found it to be an interesting challenge...

[+woody_k]

I think sometimes we forget that only the healthy, mobile people geocache and that's far from the truth. Easy 1/1's are good for those who cannot do a 1 mile walk up and down hills. This way all who wish to partake are able to.

 

Personally, I don't mind 1/1's or 3.5/3.5's. Sometimes I don't feel like bushwacking and am thankful for those easy 1/1's.

 

My $.02 worth.

 

Ken

[+SuzyQhoo]

I agree with WoodyK about 1/1's...I wish all caches with a 1 terrain were wheelchair accessible. I rate my caches a 1.5 or above unless a wheelchair can easily and safely access the cache area.

 

I work with adults with disabilities in a day recreation setting. One of my coworkers and I cache together. We have actually managed to get our usually "not interested in anything new" clients interested in Geocaching! So far, they have been to one park that we were very excited that it had three easily accessible caches in it (not necessarily a 1 in difficulty!)...they have also done one virtual...and hidden one cache. The love getting the emails and reading the logs when someone finds "their" cache that they bought the goodies for and decided the location to hide it. Two of our clients have even sent out travel bugs, one of which has quadraplegia.

 

I got off topic for a minute...sorry, but I do enjoy an easy grab and go cache with something fun to look at or learn about. Hopefully the 1/1's will continue to be accessible for all to enjoy the great fun of Geocaching!

 

Just my humble opinion! Suz

[+Team Perks]

Exit Here is one of my all-time favorites because the sheer obviousness of it is just hysterical. The picture linked above doesn't show you that it's right at a freeway off-ramp and is viewed by thousands upon thousands of people every day.

[+Larry.s]

So is the Exit Here cache actually the green box or a micro hidden on/in it? If it's the actual box, that's a hoot.

[+JMBella]

I have to say that any 1/1 cache can be made 100% enjoyable by doing it at night

Exactly! Then once you've mastered that, try it without a flashlight.

[+Team Perks]

So is the Exit Here cache actually the green box or a micro hidden on/in it? If it's the actual box, that's a hoot.

It's just a micro glued to the inside of the big "GEOCACHE" sign. It just amazes me that it's been there undisturbed since last December...and yet somehow my well-hidden ones keep disappearing.

[+Ambrosia]

Here's a super cool 1/1:

 

Ironworks:

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...71-82eb11193d9b

 

It has a bunch of sculptures all over the place made out of yard supplies.

[+Snoogans]

I don't have time to link or even check if they were 1/1, but there were 4, on my trip West, on I-10, that were basicly park and grabs for me.

 

Real stand outs for easy caches:

 

The Thing

TexCan Cache

Starlight Dance

 

All in the Texas Canyon area AND on private land with permission given to geocachers to enter and hunt them.

 

In Phoenix:

 

Kiss My Grits (Because I loved the TV show "Alice" as a kid.)

 

BTW- I haven't had time to log them yet...... Too busy having fun.....

Edited July 30, 2004 by Snoogans

[+Will+Bill]

We had one of those magnet on a lamp post hides, but it didn't say Geocache on it, so it was much harder.

[+Stunod]

My favorite non-lame 1/1: Putt Putt Geocaching

 

It's an abandoned mini-golf course in the middle of a forest.

 

(Photo lifted from the cache gallery...I think it's from Markwell's log)

Edited July 30, 2004 by Stunod

[kayaker22589]

Hmmm lets see here

theres Heading to Dollywood in a small cemetary.

 

this one I know its a virtual but its cool

 

Incredible you can stare at this one for about a minute and not see it its so camoflagouged.

 

and my third find Golden in a mcdonalds parking

[+Torry]

As a busy truck driver I rarely have time for long walks through the forests so I appreciate a quick grab in a nice area.

 

Almost do-able from the car if you have one of those shelf grabbers

 

The cache is more handicap-accessible than the attraction it promotes

 

Even after some rain the ground is firm enough for a chair with very little effort. All the rest of the area is accessible with some inconvenience

[+fly46]

There are a few 1/1s that I did that I loved..

 

This one was awesome because it was such a spiritual moment - the virt at Johnny Cash's grave

 

This one is cool because of it's hiding place (inside a hollow horse statue with it's leg missing)

[+Strapped-4-Cache]

Sometimes the cache container itself makes the cache more interesting. This one is kinda nice: Is There A Doctor In The House?

 

Of course, I had seen similar containers used before. Just not on a 1/1.

Boo,

 

Thanks for the mention of that cache. It's received a little more traffic than I thought it would. I've found that one is particularly friendly to night cachers. Can't beat it for convenience.

 

Regards,

 

- Mark (S-4-C)

[+Tsegi Mike and Desert Viking]

Rx: GPS prn

 

One of ours, shameless plug, that seems to be a popular and favored cache. It is in a scenic desert landscaped park, with plenty of statues focused on the large rattlesnake that is the sidewalk. People have enjoyed the cache location and the find.

 

Others Ive enjoyed:

 

Hummingbird

Old West Cache Now mine, after we adopted it.

Prospector Mickey Revisited

Spring of Life

Cache is in the Mail....Box

Aint No Crime in Being Different

Lonesome Bush Another Cache we adopted after we found it.

Garden@Joy

Arizona Falls

Steel Steed

 

There are so many nice 1/1 caches, and many more favorites that are rated above that. We are fortunate to have a good cache rich area and decent hides.

Edited August 2, 2004 by Tsegi Mike and Desert Viking