I started the morning off pretty early, I wanted to be able to take my time and not be rushing and driving at riduculous speeds to try to get everywhere I wanted to visit. I arrived in Clines Corners around 6:3oam to begin my search for Wronghat's Worth W8ing 4. I pulled into the parking area and read the clues - I was on the east side of the building (which was pretty deserted) and I needed to be on the west side (which was packed with 18 wheelers). I found a place to park amidst all the trucks and began my search. It was a pretty easy find and I took the box back to the car to stamp in. I really liked this stamp and I was the first finder. After stamping in and returning the box back to its hiding spot I returned to my car and read the next clues - which were for Santa Rosa. Oh, and the whole time I was at Clines Corners I didn't see a single person. I assume they were sleeping in their trucks, eating in the restaurant or getting cleaned up in the bathrooms - but they sure weren't out and about. Even with all the trucks the place seemed deserted.
On the road again, I was headed east on I40 and thankfully there wasn't much traffic. I had a nice, pleasant drive to Santa Rosa and took the first exit that I came to. I followed this road into town until I came to the old, broken down and forgotten Club Cafe sign (it is ashame that so many of the beautiful neon signs of the Route 66 days have fallen into disrepair). This is where I needed to start my search for Wronghat's Club Cafe box. I parked in the lot and read the clues. I looked around until they clicked and I made my way to the box's hiding spot and viola - I found the box without any trouble. I stamped in sitting in the car and got my second first finder certificate of the day. This is a really neat stamp and a wonderful carve. Once I completed my stamping and hiding of the box I headed for the Blue Hole. Wronghat has a box here but I have found that one, this time I was searching for Twinville Trekkers' Beatles Series #19 "Fixing a Hole". When I arrived at the Blue Hole there were three people jumping in and out of the water and they paid no attention to me, so I walked around taking pictures while following the clues. Thankfully where the box was hidden they couldn't see me. So I grabbed the box and found a nice flat rock to sit on while stamping in. This is a very nice stamp and perfect for the area. I rehid the box and made my way back to the car to continue my drive east.
Back on I40 I made my way to Tucumcari. Once in town I found US Hwy 54 and headed northeast to Ute Lake State Park. The box I was going to look for was Ute Lake by Reading Rica. I have had these clues for a while so before leaving the house I checked them online. I found them in the LbNA basement and it was marked "Missing". But I decided to drive out there anyway since I had never been to the park. This box was hidden in the Mine Canyon area of the park, so I followed the directions and made my way to the parking and pay station. I read the clues and started searching - but nothing and I do mean nothing. The clues took me to a small scraggly bush and there were no rock piles anywhere around. So I did a quick systematic search working out from that bush and after 15 minutes I called it quits. I then drove down the road and went to the lake and I kind of wished I had brought my kayak - it seemed like a good spot to do a little rowing. Well time to head on back to Tucumcari and then on to my next stop - Conchas Lake State Park. From Tucumcari I took NM Hwy 104 to the park. I followed the clues driving over the dam and then turned toward the Visitors Center and the Bell Point Campground. I was looking for Somethings Fishy by Candyrae. This box is also in the LbNA basement but it is marked as adoptable and does not say it is missing. I parked and started my search. I followed each of the clues but was having trouble finding the box. I started over three times and each time came up empty handed. I then spent about 15 more minutes just seacrching all the rocks in the area but still didn't find the box. I kind of hope that someone else will go out and look for these two boxes if for no other reason but to see if I couldn't find them or if they really are missing. I have to say that I enjoyed Conchas Lake more than I enjoyed Ute Lake, not sure why - just did. Time to head back west. From the park I got back on 104 and then took NM Hwy 129 to Newkirk and I40.
Back on I40 I remembered that I hate driving that road (it is so busy and full of 18 wheelers), the traffic was pretty bad and it was slow at times (the speed of some of the trucks I got caught behind was between 60 and 65 mph). But I turned up the radio and continued my drive to Tijeras. My original plan was to head back to Santa Fe at Clines Corners but it was still early enough in the day to find two more boxes in Tijeras. The two boxes I wanted to find were both from the Twinville Trekkers - Beatles Series #22 "A Day in the Life" and Beatles Series #23 "I'll be on My Way". My first stop was for #22 - I found the location and went in search of the box. It took a little work but I found it and stamped in - and got my third first finder certificate of the day. I rehid the box and the drove to the location for #23. I was looking for a memorial on the side of the road and I was having some trouble, I passed it three times before I finally spotted it. I pulled over and parked and followed the clues to the box. Once I found it I took it back to the car to stamp in, another great stamp from the Trekkers. I think I may have stated this in another post but I really am enjoying this Beatles Series, I think there are about four or five that I still need to get. That will be another road trip. For today I was done. I decided to drive back to Santa Fe via NM Hwy 14. It is a bit slower than I25 but it is much more scenic and relaxing. I had a great day of letterboxing and enjoyed all the boxes and stamps.
1 comment :
I'm happy the clues worked. What the heck is that to the right of the squirrel?
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