A Little Letterboxing and Final Preparation for Our Event

This morning I joined Astro D and ArnoldZiffel to get some final things done for the Letterboxing With Altitude event tomorrow at Hyde Memorial State Park. We met at Astro D's house and then drove up to the park. First we checked on three boxes Astro D had planted a few days ago to make sure her clues were good. Then ArnoldZiffel planted two boxes she had with her. Next we checked on the four boxes I placed two days ago. Thankfully my clues were okay. So now that all the boxes we needed to plant were in place and the clues were good we decided to go to Group Shelter #2 and go over things for tomorrow. We went over the list of things we needed to do and everything is in place. I will arrive at the shelter around 8:00am and get some things ready and be there in case anyone wants to get an early start and needs any assistance. Astro D and ArnoldZiffel will get to the shelter around 9:00am and the event officially starts at 10:00am. After we talked I took Astro D and ArnoldZiffel back to their car so they could leave since they had things to do. I decided to stay in the mountains and do a little letterboxing.

There are two series of boxes I wanted to look for - one by Astro D and one by Front Range Hiker. My first stop was at Forest Road 102 to look for Finbar's First Road Trip by Front Range Hiker. I parked in a pullout near the junction of Hyde Park Road and FR102. I quickly found the first box -
We're Going For a Ride and found a place to stamp in. After stamping in and replacing the box I walked down FR102 a short distance and found Are We There Yet?. This was another quick find and there was a log to sit on and stamp in. Then I replaced the box and started walking down the road and then I heard a noise and stopped and listened. It sounded like a gunshot, so I waited and then hesitatingly continued a little ways. I then saw a red truck and a man shooting at something in the trees. So I turned around and went back to my car. I waited a few minutes and I saw the truck coming up the road. Now I felt a little more comfortable so I drove down the road to the last box - Home and Happy. I was feeling better now that the shooter was gone and I found the box and stamped in. I replaced the box, got back in the car and returned to Hyde Park Road. This series of stamps is amazing and I am glad I took the time to find them. Now I made my way back down Hyde Park Road to the Big Tesuque Trail. I parked, crossed the road and went down the stone steps. I followed the clues for Astro D's Sangre Series. In no time I arrived at the first box - Ole Man Winter. I took the box and found a place to sit and stamp in. I was amazed at the carve. I finished stamping in and replaced the box and then continued to the second box. I found So Very PC quickly, stamped in and replaced it - all the while thinking that this carve was even better than the first one. Continuing along the trail I arrived at the third box in no time. I found Bright-eyed and Feathery-tailed in a beautiful meadow. When I opened this box I couldn't believe how incredible this carving was. I stamped in and looked at my logbook and was in awe of the three beautiful carvings I had just found. Eventually I replaced the box and made my way back to the car.

I continued my drive back down Hyde Park Road and returned to Group Shelter #2. Here I was going to look for 4 boxes. I started with two that began at the volleyball area. I followed the clues and they took me to a small shelter. I didn't find the boxes because there were some people camping there and I didn't feel comfortable searching around the shelter with all their things there. So I turned around and walked over to the big group shelter. From here I followed the clues to a box and was a little surprised to find two boxes hidden together. I stamped into both and then replaced them. Then I went to look for one more. I walked down the trail a bit and quickly found the last of the four boxes I had wanted to find. I sat and stamped in and then replaced it. At this time I decided I was done for the day. I wanted to go home and get a few things ready for tomorrow. I have done that and I am ready for the event. Stay tuned for a report on everything that happened at the event.