This blog chronicles my letterboxing adventures. It includes posts that share my travels that are letterboxing related, the letterboxes I have found and planted as well as the people I have met along the way. There are also photos included to help give a complete picture of the fun I had.

Thursday, February 27, 2014

Letterboxing in DC

I am in Washington, D.C. with Thomas. He is here for the AASHTO Washington Briefing and I have tagged along. While he is attending the conference I am doing lots of site seeing and some letterboxing. You can read about all my adventures at Washington DC.

I first tried to find a letterbox on Tuesday, February 25 at Union Station. I arrived at Union Station and entered where the clues for the box told me to and once inside I sat and read through the rest of the clues. I then followed the clues and made my way to the hiding spot. It was a little uncomfortable (which turns out to be a theme when letterboxing in DC) since there was a door for employees to go through. Checking the area I didn't find any box. Now, I am not sure if I was in the right area or if I was just really nervous that someone would walk through the door or not. I made a half hearted effort to find the box and then left empty handed to continue my sight seeing.

Then on Wednesday, February 26 I did a little more letterboxing. There is a mystery box hidden in an area that I was near. To be honest, when I solved the clues I was a little confused by them and I wasn't sure I had them right. But I attempted the box but things really didn't make sense but I tried anyway. Unfortunately I got stopped by security when I tried to go where the clues said to go and he directed me elsewhere when he asked what I was looking for. So I decided it was too uncomfortable and the box wasn't worth getting into trouble for so I left and continued with my day.

My next letterboxing adventures were on Thursday, February 27 when I took a walk around the Mall and the Tidal Basin. Finally I found my first letterbox in DC. I looked for and found The Tiny Lotus at the Botanic Gardens. Luckily there was a group of school kids and they distracted the staff so I was able to grab the box and I found a table and chairs in a different room of the conservatory so that I could sit and stamp in. Getting the box back in place was just as easy as nabbing it and then I was good to continue on. I then attempted four boxes around the Tidal Basin. Three of them I couldn't find, not sure if I was in the wrong place or not but I didn't find the boxes. But I did have some luck - I found Eye Have a Dream. Thankfully there was a bench nearby where I could sit and stamp in. After hiding the box I continued on to look for a few other boxes. When I arrived at the locations for the other boxes I felt too uncomfortable to look for them. There were lots of Rangers around and some cameras. I decided that no boxes are worth getting stopped by security so I aborted the searches and just enjoyted the memorials.

Well at least I found two boxes and I can add Washington DC to my letterboxing map.

Sunday, February 16, 2014

8th Anniversary Letterboxing


Today marks my 8th anniversary of letterboxing. Back in 2006 I found my first letterbox (Silver Eagle's Santa Fe Trails Microbox) and 8 years later I still love looking for boxes. On my anniversary I like to do a little letterboxing to celebrate. I had originally had plans for a full day of letterboxing but plans change. Thomas and I have guests from England staying with us and it didn't seem right for me to disappear for a full day. So I opted to stay in Santa Fe to find two recently planted boxes. This turned out to be a very quick outing and I found two nice stamps. We spent the morning and early afternoon with our friends and then just before dinner I headed out to nab these two boxes. I found ArnoldZiffel's My Favorite Swine: Maxwell and Undocumented Pig? not too far from my home. I pulled into the parking area and read the clues. From the car I could see the hiding spots for both boxes so I left the clues in the car and went out to grab both boxes. It didn't take me long to find them and then I took them back to the car to have a comfortable place to sit and stamp in. Like I said, these are two nice stamps and I enjoyed putting them into my logbook and celebrating my 8 years of letterboxing. Once done with the stamping I put the boxes back together and returned them to their hiding spots and called it a day. Thanks ArnoldZiffel for planting these boxes. I am looking forward to more letterboxing anniversaries.
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