diff --git a/upath/_chain.py b/upath/_chain.py
index 63c7ffc3..83261332 100644
--- a/upath/_chain.py
+++ b/upath/_chain.py
@@ -216,6 +216,13 @@ def unchain(self, path: str, kwargs: dict[str, Any]) -> list[ChainSegment]:
                 out.append(ChainSegment(None, protocol, kw))
                 if previous_bit is not None:
                     bit = previous_bit
+            elif (
+                protocol in {"blockcache", "filecache", "simplecache"}
+                and "target_protocol" in kw
+            ):
+                out.append(ChainSegment(None, protocol, kw))
+                if previous_bit is not None:
+                    bit = previous_bit
             else:
                 out.append(ChainSegment(bit, protocol, kw))
             previous_bit = bit
diff --git a/upath/core.py b/upath/core.py
index a94dd3d3..413cbc08 100644
--- a/upath/core.py
+++ b/upath/core.py
@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ def __init__(
         segments = chain_parser.unchain(
             str_args0, {"protocol": protocol, **storage_options}
         )
-        chain = Chain.from_list(segments)
+        chain = Chain.from_list(Chain.from_list(segments).to_list())
         if len(args) > 1:
             chain = chain.replace(
                 path=WrappedFileSystemFlavour.from_protocol(protocol).join(
@@ -1120,14 +1120,14 @@ def group(self) -> str:
 
     def absolute(self) -> Self:
         if self._relative_base is not None:
-            return self.cwd().joinpath(str(self))
+            return self.cwd().joinpath(self.__vfspath__())
         return self
 
     def is_absolute(self) -> bool:
         if self._relative_base is not None:
             return False
         else:
-            return self.parser.isabs(str(self))
+            return self.parser.isabs(self.__vfspath__())
 
     def __eq__(self, other: object) -> bool:
         """UPaths are considered equal if their protocol, path and
@@ -1293,7 +1293,8 @@ def root(self) -> str:
         return self.parser.splitroot(str(self))[1]
 
     def __reduce__(self):
-        args = tuple(self._raw_urlpaths)
+        # args = tuple(self._raw_urlpaths)
+        args = (self.__vfspath__(),)
         kwargs = {
             "protocol": self._protocol,
             **self._storage_options,
diff --git a/upath/tests/cases.py b/upath/tests/cases.py
index 8b6e4fc0..b05a52ab 100644
--- a/upath/tests/cases.py
+++ b/upath/tests/cases.py
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import os
 import pickle
-import re
 import stat
 import sys
 import warnings
@@ -380,12 +379,8 @@ def test_fsspec_compat(self):
         fs = self.path.fs
         content = b"a,b,c\n1,2,3\n4,5,6"
 
-        def strip_scheme(path):
-            root = "" if sys.platform.startswith("win") else "/"
-            return root + re.sub("^[a-z0-9]+:/*", "", str(path))
-
         upath1 = self.path / "output1.csv"
-        p1 = strip_scheme(upath1)
+        p1 = upath1.path
         upath1.write_bytes(content)
         assert fs is upath1.fs
         with fs.open(p1) as f:
@@ -394,7 +389,7 @@ def strip_scheme(path):
 
         # write with fsspec, read with upath
         upath2 = self.path / "output2.csv"
-        p2 = strip_scheme(upath2)
+        p2 = upath2.path
         assert fs is upath2.fs
         with fs.open(p2, "wb") as f:
             f.write(content)