Farmington Letterboxing Trip - Part I

We are at it again. Astro D, rubberpeace and I are off on another letterboxing trip. A couple of months ago we took a letterboxing trip to Gallup. You can read about that trip at To Gallup and Back (Part I) & (Part II). This time we have headed a bit further north and will be in Farmington. It has a been a couple of years since we have been here and there are quite of few boxes for us to find. We will see how we do over the next three days.

Wildflowers

Astro D and rubberpeace picked me up at a little after 8:00am and we started our trip. We drove south on I25 to Bernalillo and then took US 550. This is where our letterboxing began. Our first stop was about 13 miles up US 550 at Big Chief. This is a defunct gas station/store. There is an historic marker there for the New Mexico Historic Women Marker Initiative - this one honors Trinidad Gachupin Medina. Near this marker we found Big Chief New Mexico by ArnoldZiffel. This was an easy find and a quick stamp in and then we were on our way. We drove only a short distance and then turned into the Ojito Wilderness and White Mesa Bike Trails so that rubberpeace could find Wronghat's Wind Down at White Mesa. It was a short but nice walk to the box. And while rubberpeace stamped in I took pictures of the area. From here we had a great view of Cabezon Peak. After this box was back in hiding we continued on our trip. The next stop was at the Perea Nature Trails, again for rubberpeace to find a box. This box is Black Mesa Inbound. Another quick stamp in and then it was time to hit the road again. [Astro D and I had found both these boxes on earlier trips.] Still on US 550 and just a short drive up we stopped for Stone Faced by RNR. This was placed near a mesa that has a profile resembling a rhinoceros. We all needed this one so we took the short walk and nabbed the box. We sat and stamped while the wind started getting worse. Once we were done and the box was back in place we continued our trip. We made it to Cuba a short time later and stopped at the Visitors Center to find another Wronghat box - Calder in Cuba. This was a quick and easy find and we stamped in at a picnic table near the box. By the time this box was back in place it was time for lunch. We had a really good meal and a nice visit at El Bruno's. Their sign said "Excellent Mexican Food" and I agree - we had an excellent lunch. Now that we were full and rested it was time to get back on the road.

Angel Peak

Our drive to the next box was a little longer than the ones we did this morning but soon enough we arrived at Angel Peak Scenic Area. At this stop it was Astro D that needed a box. We arrived at the Cliffs Picnic Area and she found my box - Angel Peak. The wind was still blowing pretty hard but she managed to stamp in while getting some cover from the juniper where the box was hidden. Once back at the car we returned to US 550 and drove up to Bloomfield. Here we stopped to find Wronghat's Promenade. We found the box at Verde De Rio San Juan Park. It was a short walk along the river to the box and we stamped in at a nearby picnic table. After stamping in and rehiding the box we made our way to the next one. We drove to the starting point for Juneau Alaska NW N.M. but then things got sketchy. We weren't sure where to go and we had some trouble understanding the clues. So we decided not to worry too much about this box and we headed out. We drove up to Aztec and stopped at Riverside Park. Here Astro D needed to find Maine Quarter (rubberpeace and I already had this one). Another quick and easy find and it was on to another box in the same park. That box was PAC-12. This was planted near a walking bridge by the river. We sat and stamped in and then rehid the box.

BirchMoon, Kaw, rubberpeace, Astro D

We decided to head to our hotel and get checked in. The hotel we are staying in is the Towne Place Suites by Marriott. This is a pretty new hotel and the rooms are really nice. We all went up to our rooms to get washed up and put our things away then we headed out again to find a couple of more boxes and then meet some other letterboxers for dinner. We stopped for Frolick in the Garden at Gateway Park. I was the only one that needed this box. I found it easy enough and stamped while sitting on the wall where it is hidden. Once done here we headed to the All Veterans Memorial to find Harry Potter Horcrux Series #6 - Harry Potter by BirchMoon and ArnoldZiffel. The area was quiet and it was a quick find - we grabbed the box and found a spot to sit and stamp in. Once that box was in place it was time to head to the restaurant for dinner.

We met Kaw and BirchMoon at Three Rivers Brewery. We did some exchanges and had a great visit and a wonderful meal. It was a perfect way to end the day. Tonight I need rest, tomorrow will be another full day that is going to start with a drive out to Crow Canyon.