The Lion's Game

A Day at the Opera

2012-01-17T21:19:00.005-07:00

Yesterday I had plans to go out and find three boxes in Santa Fe. But if you read yesterday's post about the cold, rainy, snowy, wet day we had you can understand why I only found one of the boxes. I decided to wait until we had a nicer day to find the other two. That day was today. It was a beautiful sunny day, albeit cold. I had a few errands to run and the first one on the list was the two letterboxes. I got all my things together and loaded the car. My destination was the Santa Fe Opera. Both boxes were hidden near the gate for the entrance to the Opera. The Opera is only open in the Summer so the entrance gates are usually closed and locked. So I found a little pull out to park and gathered the clues. I decided that I would find both boxes and take them back to the car to stamp in because with the snow and rain yesterday I knew I wouldn't find a spot to sit and stamp. I found both boxes and made my way back to the car. The boxes are Kanji Series #3: Music by BirchMoon and Santa Fe Opera by ArnoldZiffel. I was the first finder for both boxes. I stamped in while enjoying the warmth of the car. Both stamps were nice and I even got a first finder magnet for the Santa Fe Opera box. I really enjoyed finding these boxes and it was a great way to start my errands. Thanks BirchMoon and ArnoldZiffel.

Holiday Letterboxing

2012-01-16T20:59:00.003-07:00

Today was the holiday for Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday so that means the employees who work for the State of New Mexico had the day off. You may be thinking why is he writing about this. Well, a new letterbox popped up planted near the State Capitol and I thought today would be a great day to go and find it. But as it turned out it was a cold, rainy, snow, wet mess out today. But that's no problem for a letterboxer. I parked very near the box and while in the car I read the clues. I spotted the hiding area and hoped that they were correct and I was reading them right. So when the rain slacked a little I ran out and reached in and grabbed the box and brought it back to the car. It was a nice box by BirchMoon - Song of Ice and Fire: House Lannister. So I sat in my warm, dry car and stamped in. When I was done it was raining a little harder, so I put all my letterboxing things back in my bag and waited a little while. The rain slowed and I made a mad dash to rehide the box. It was a quick and easy find and perfect for a cold, rainy day in Santa Fe.

Celebrating 100 Years and Moms

2012-01-06T19:54:00.005-07:00

Today I had lunch with Astro D - just a little get together to visit and make some plans for upcoming letterboxing adventures. Eventually you will hear all about them right here at The Lion's Game. Anyway, after a great lunch and visit I went out and planted a couple of letterboxes. It has been a while since I planted a box and it was nice to get out and do that again.

My first stop is a bit of a mystery. Today marks the 100th birthday of New Mexico Statehood and to celebrate I planted New Mexico Centennial letterbox. I have been working on this one for about a month now. I had the image and knew that I wanted to get it planted today. But finding the time to carve it proved to be a challenge - but I got it done. Then I had to find just the right place to hide it. I had thought of several options but nothing seemed right. Then just the other day I ended up going out and checking a place and I had a good feeling about it. I did get it planted and I think it will work out. So check out the clues and have fun celebrating New Mexico's birthday.

After that box was in place and I had the clues written down I headed to Canyon Road to find a spot for the next box. That box is called Goodbye MOM. I haven't added the clues yet because I want Astro D and rubberpeace to get the box first (since it is in memory of their Moms). The box is actually a memorial to Astro D's Mom who passed away in November. As I was putting the box together I was constantly thinking of my Mom as well (she passed away 20 years ago) and then that got me thinking of rubberpeace and her Mom (who passed away several years ago). So this box is now in place on Canyon Road in Santa Fe. As soon as Astro D and rubberpeace have found it I will update the box information at Atlas Quest.

I had a great time today visiting with Astro D and planting letterboxes. And I am planning some letterboxing adventures for the upcoming months - I will keep you posted.

Lunch and a Letterbox

2011-12-29T21:30:00.000-07:00

Today I had lunch with Astro D and rubberpeace - it was a great visit and lunch at Back Street Bistro. Before I left home to meet them I got an email from Astro D to bring my letterboxing things so that we could go and find a new letterbox (Song of Ice and Fire: House Stark) that was placed just before Christmas by BirchMoon. So after eating we headed to Pueblo del Sol Playground. We first went with rubberpeace to find a letterbox that both Astro D and I had already found - Pueblo del Sol Playground letterbox. Once she had stamped in and gotten the box rehidden we followed the clues to the Song of Ice and Fire box. It was a short walk on a snowy and icy path to the box. We found it quickly and backtracked to a bench to stamp in. After we all had gotten the image and left our 'sig stamp' image in the logbook I went back to get the box hidden again. We returned to the car and rubberpeace made a suggestion that we get together monthly to go letterboxing. She is planning an outing for January, I am working on an overnight jaunt for February and Astro D will plan something for March. We will see how this works - I think it will be fun and give us letterboxing fun to look forward to. We also talked about T.A.L.E. 9 - Get Wild. This is the annual Texas letterboxing event they hold every year the first weekend in March. Astro D is already signed up and rubberpeace and I are both seriously thinking about it - oh, who am I kidding - we are both going to be there as well. So now I am working on that trip. I always love attending these events - the Texas letterboxers are so friendly and I always have a good time and find some great boxes.

Snowy Letterboxing

2011-12-20T23:32:00.004-07:00

Today I had lunch with Astro D and we had decided to go and look for a letterbox after eating. The box in question is a mystery box. We knew it was in Santa Fe but the rest was a bit of a problem. Well I should be a little more clear in this - I was having a big problem figuring this one out. When the clue was first published on AQ I printed it out and started to try and figure it out. I never got anywhere with the clue. Astro D emailed me a couple of days ago asking if I wanted to go look for this box and when I told her I hadn't figured it out she told me she had trouble as well but wrote the placer and she got a couple of hints back. She emailed me those hints and I tried to figure it out. I came up with some stuff but not everything and I wasn't even sure that what I had was right. So when we met for lunch we talked about it and I did have a small part right but not much and with out a little help from Astro D I am not sure I could have found the box. But we headed out to the place and followed the rest of the clues and found the box covered with about an inch of snow and a couple of rocks that were frozen in place. After I kicked the first rock loose the other rocks moved easily and there was the box. We took it to a large flat rock that was snow free and stamped in. It was a nice stamp and an interesting clue. So after stamping in we put Arkahm City - Riddler back into its hiding spot and called it a day. I love letterboxing with friends and had a great time today - thanks Astro D.

A Quick Letterbox Find

2011-12-17T15:51:00.003-07:00

This past week has been very busy and I haven't had much time for any fun so today while out running errands I decided to take a little break and look for a box. This box was planted back in November and I didn't have time then to go and find it because Thomas and I were getting ready for our trip to Florida. The box is Tree Ornament Box placed by BirchMoon and ArnoldZiffel and was placed at the Santa Fe Community College. So I pulled into the parking area and then started following the clues. Right off the bat I had trouble - I couldn't find the sculpture that was in the picture in the clue. But in the end nothing mattered. Because I turned around and I saw the box just sitting on top of a retaining wall. When I walked over to it I noticed lots of cigarette butts all around and it looked like someone had moved the rocks that were suppose to be hiding it. So I grabbed the box and walked over to the next building and sat at a table to stamp in. This box had five small stamps in it and some round cardstock. The idea was to take a piece of cardstock and stamp the stamps on it to create an ornament. Then you take the cardstock home and put a string or hook on it to finish it off. The clues also stated that you could add a stamp if you wanted to you could add a stamp to the collection. So I stamped in and added a little stamp to the collection. Then I went to rehide the box. I moved all the rocks and tried to make the hole a little deeper to get the box to be less noticeable. I had a little trouble because the ground was frozen. I was able to make it a little deeper but not enough to really hide the box. It is better than when I found it but it isn't great - I really hope this box lasts. I did notify the placers and hopefully they will go and find a better spot. Anyway, it was a nice letterboxing outing and I enjoyed the box.

Letterboxing - Universal's Islands of Adventure - 2 for 2

2011-12-06T17:45:00.004-07:00

Letterboxing in the theme parks has been a very hard test. There are so many people around and all coming from different directions as well as seeing you from up above or down below if there is a hill or ramp around. But today when Thomas and I visited Universal's Islands of Adventure we found two out of two letterboxes. Not sure why both were still there and in good shape but they were. And today wasn't very crowded (at least not when we were looking for the boxes) and we found both of them without any problems or without having to wait a long time for the area to clear. We found Boy Wizard by papertrail and Luna Lovegood by Roots and Shoots Redmond. Both of these are hidden in the newest area of IOA - The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. And both are hidden in the same area - they are actually only about 20 steps from each other. The walkway where these are hidden could possibly be very busy at times as it is the exit area for one of the rollercoaster rides. Luckily for us today was a very quiet day in the park. I am glad I got these two stamps as Harry Potter is one of my favorite characters, books and movies. Thanks for the boxes guys.

Letterboxing - Hollywood Studios - 2 for 6

2011-12-04T21:24:00.003-07:00

Very difficult to look for and find boxes at these Disney Theme Parks. Today I looked for a few boxes while walking around Disney's Hollywood Studios. In between rides and shows we would look for boxes. But with so many people around it was hard. Our first attempt went well. We went to see when the Indiana Jones Stunt Show was scheduled and found the area pretty empty of people. So we went in search of WDW's Hollywood Studios. It was an easy find and I sat and stamped in on a nearby bench where no one could see me - unless that is there were hidden cameras. After this box was in place we went on visitng the park. After riding Twilight Zone's Tower of Terror and Rock 'n' Roller Coaster we searched for two boxes in this area. We didn't find either one of them. One was velcroed to the underside of a fence - I found the velcro but no stamp. The second one we didn't find any sign of the box and we ended up looking in three spots because I wasn't sure of the location from the clues but still came up empty handed. After this failed attempt we decided to see one of the shows and after that looked for another box in route to another ride. This one we found but it took a little while. I had to study the map of the park and look like I was trying to figure out where to go next because there were just too many people in the area. While I was doing this I kind of looked around the area and spotted the camo box. When the coast was clear I grabbed it and stamped in. When I went to put it back in place there was no one around so that was easy.

On to the last two boxes. The next one was hidden around the Animation area. We followed the clues but the end was a little sketchy and the area was busy but I still sat on the planter ledge and gave it a try. I came up empty handed so Thomas gave it a try and he also came up empty handed. Time to move on - lots to do. One more box near a car stunt show. The show was over but there were cast members picking up things. We waited until they left and then I ducked behind the bushes and searched around three trees but did not find the box. Oh well, I guess two for six isn't bad - at least I found two. I have decided I will not ever hide a box in a theme park - just too many people and too manicured for a box to stay put.

Letterboxing - Animal Kingdom - 0 for 4

2011-12-03T19:48:00.004-07:00

We spent the day at Disney's Animal Kingdom today and I had clues for four boxes here. We started at the beginning - just as you entered the park you looked for some landmarks and followed clues to a box very near the entrance. We looked but didn't find. So we continued. The next box we looked for was in the vicinity of The Tree of Life. Not right near it but a little ways down the road. Again after searching we came up empty handed. We continued our visit of the park until we came to the next area where there was a box. So we followed the clues, found all of the landmarks but again no box. We still had one more but it was on the other side of the park and we said if we got there we would look for it but no special trip just for the box. We did make it to the area of the last box at the end of the day but again we didn't find it. For these four boxes I am sure we were in the right spot for each of them but they were gone. The clues were straight forward and the areas were easy to find but no boxes. So we found 0 of 4 boxes. So far on this trip we are 6 for 24 - pretty bad! We are not giving up though. I still have some clues and we are here until Friday morning, so who knows - maybe we will find a few more.

Letterboxing - Epcot - 6 for 15

2011-12-02T23:57:00.005-07:00

Today we were at Epcot and I had clues for 15 boxes. One set of clues was for a series of 11 boxes, one was a series of two and the other two were single boxes. We started by looking for the series of 11 boxes which is called The World Showcase. Each of the boxes was placed in a different country. The other boxes were in various countries so I marked which ones were in which country and we headed out. In between seeing shows and looking around we searched for boxes.

We ended up going in the opposite direction than the clues only because we entered the World Showcase in that area. We entered into Canada first and looked for the box there - it took a little patience but in the end we found it - this was a box from the World Showcase series. And while I was stamping in Thomas noticed a woman reading a paper and looking around so he asked her if she was letterboxing and she responded with a hesitant "Maybe!". They introduced themselves as The Treasure Seekers from Ohio. We talked for a bit and then Thomas and I left them to stamp in and we moved on. In Great Britian there were two boxes to look for - one from the World Showcase and one from another series called A Christmas Carol. We didn't find either box. They were both in the same area which had a bandstand, a small hedge maze and some sitting areas. There weren't too many people but it wasn't empty either. Both boxes were placed near these large columns that were part of a decorative wrought iron fence. You had to reach in between the decorative wrought iron and find the box. Neither Thomas nor I could get our arms in enough to actually search for the Great Britian box for the World Showcase series and the box from A Christmas Carol series was in an area that was blocked off with Christmas decorations and a set up for Father Christmas - so no boxes found in Great Britian. Moving on we looked for two boxes in France. Both were in the same area - one from the World Showcase Series and a single one. We found the France box for the World Showcase Series and sat on a bench to stamp in - then I put the box back in place and read the clues for the second box. But I wasn't able to look for it because Cinderella showed up and the area was packed with people right where I needed to look. So we just skipped that box. Next stop in Morocco for another of the World Showcase boxes. I sat on a bench in the area where the box was suppose to be and read the clues and found the spot I needed to look in and just as I was heading to the spot a couple came and sat down in the area. I waited a little while but they didn't seem to be leaving so I took my things and went and sat right next to the area and casually reached in and searched for the box. I was looking in the opposite direction so I only had feel to go on. I didn't find the box and I didn't want to be too obvious so we just left and went on to the next one. We were now in Japan. We followed the clues and hit a road block - literally. They had blocked the path (in three places) with large wooden walls that were braced and held in place with cinder blocks so we couldn't even get close enough to look for the box.

So we continued on. The next stop was the United States. We found the first landmark and then from there just looked for the next landmarks. We spotted the what we thought was the right area but there was no way to get to it. There were strollers (two deep) lined up along the fence we needed to get to where the boulder was that hid the box. There was also a cast member who was dealing with the strollers so we had no chance at this one. Next was Italy. The area was really crowded because there was this little show going on - which in the end helped us because people were watching the show and not us. Fortunately for this box we were able to sit right near the spot and reach behind the fence and grab the box without being noticed. I stamped in right there and then replaced the box before moving on - this was one of the World Showcase series boxes. Now we were in Germany. There was one box for the World Showcase series, one for the A Christmas Carol series and a single one. The first one we looked for was the single box - I found a landmark that fitted the clues but there was no box there so we continued around the building looking for that same landmark and we found it but we weren't able to get to it because there was a large group of people waiting in line to take pictures with Snow White (too bad the evil queen didn't succeed with that poison apple) - so no box found there. Then we looked for and found the box from the A Christmas Carol series - thankfully this was in a quiet area with hardly anyone around and it was kind of hidden out of the way. After stamping in and replacing the box we went in search of the World Showcase box. We found that one as well even though it was in a more open area but it was also kind of hidden so I didn't have too much trouble retrieving and rehiding the box. Before we left Germany we checked to see if Snow White was gone but she wasn't so we decided it wasn't worth the wait so we made our way to China. There was an acrobatic show going on in the pavilion so we had to wait a few minutes before we could look for World Showcase box here. When we finally got the chance to look for the box we came up empty handed. We had two more boxes to look for from the World Showcase series. Now we were in Norway and we followed the clues and found the spot. I sat down next to the landmark and reached in (all the way to my elbow) but did not find the box. By this time it was dark and it did me no good to look into the spot - all I can say is thankfully nothing bit me. One last box in Mexico. We found the first landmark, then the second and then the third. I had to wait a few seconds for the area to clear and then I quickly reached in and found the box. I took it to some steps out of the way to stamp in and then replaced it.

So we only found six out of 15 boxes. It is really hard to be stealthy in Walt Disney World so we had to forgo looking for a few of the boxes and I am sure that some of the ones we looked for were missing due to the busyness of the area and the large amount of people present. Anyway, I can now saw that I have found letterboxes in Florida - the 34th state that I have found boxes in.

Letterboxing - Disney's Magic Kingdom - 0 for 5

2011-12-01T21:29:00.006-07:00

Today we were at Disney's Magic Kingdom. I had clues for five boxes and I had marked them on the map when we first arrived at the park. So when we were in a area that had a mark for a box we took the time to look for it. The first ones we looked for were around the area where Pirates of the Caribbean ride is. One of the clues (which showed two boxes) had you look for the pressed penny machine in the gift shop that had a roof on it. We found a machine but it didn't have a roof and there was on box around it. We even asked a worker (oops! sorry - I mean a cast member) if there was another machine in the gift shop - and there wasn't - so no box or boxes. Next we went outside the gift shop and went around the side near some bathrooms and looked for another box. We followed the clues but had a little trouble looking for the box because it was such a busy area. Thomas and I took turns looking but people kept watching us so eventually we gave up looking for the box. So 0 for 3 at this point.

The next place we looked for a box was on Tom Sawyer's Island. We had to cross over Superstition Bridge and look in the middle of a multi-trunked tree. Again this was a very busy area and it was hard to look for the box without drawing attention. We sat and waited for times when no one was around but it was still difficult. We actually looked in two different places because I wasn't sure of the exact location for the clues and we found two multi-trunked trees kind of close to each other. Anyway we gave up after 15 minutes mainly because there were just too many people around. The last box we had clues for was at Cinderella's Castle. We didn't even attempt this one because there were just too many people in the area and it was awkward snooping around the place. So we ended up 0 for 5 boxes. It is really hard to be stealthy at Disney World - just way too many people.

A Beautiful Letterboxing Day in Albuquerque

2011-11-22T20:03:00.007-07:00

A few weeks ago I had a letterboxing outing in Albuquerque with Astro D and rubberpeace. We had a good time and found quite a few boxes but we didn't have time to get all the boxes available. And since that time a few more boxes had been planted in the area. So last night I decided to get things together and map out all the boxes so that I could spend today letterboxing in Albuquerque.

I wanted to get an early start so that I had time to do a little hiking on the La Luz Trail. So I left Santa Fe about 7:00am and headed for the trail head. When I parked there were no other cars in the parking area and it was a bit chilly but not bad. So I gathered my things and hit the trail. This was my first time hiking this trail and I found that I loved it. The views are spectacular and even though it was a lot of work I enjoyed it. Now I did not hike the entire way up today - I only went two and a half miles up. At this point I found a letterbox and stamped in while enjoying a nice view of Albuquerque. Just after getting the box back in its hiding spot and starting my way back to the car I encountered my first person on the trail. By the time I got back to the parking area I had passed three other hikers. It was a challenging and wonderful hike and a great way to start the day. I will have to get back out there and hike the entire trail - I really think I can do it. Anyways, back in the car I looked at my map of letterboxes and headed back to Tramway and made my way to Elena Gallegos Picnic Area.

Once I paid and parked at Elena Gallegos I did a short little hike on the Pino Trail to find a box planted by Stormcrow - Whole Enchilada Fiesta. I was a nice little walk and I enjoyed sitting and stamping in while enjoying the terrific views of the Sandias. I enjoyed the letterbox and the short walk but it was time to head out again since I had a lot to do today. From here I made the short drive to Juan Tabo and the John B. Robert Dam. Here I was searching for Another Dam Letterbox placed by Jane Booth. So I parked and climbed up the dam to the top and then walked down the backside. As I descended the dam I was trying to follow the clues but at one point I got a little confused at what something meant and had to make an assumption. But in the end I thought I figured out where the box was. When I checked behind the rock I thought was hiding the box I did find a spot where a box could fit and some rocks off to the side but I didn't find the letterbox. At the spot where I was looking I was a little self conscious because there was a large two story house with the whole side facing where I was covered in window - anyone in that house could see what I was doing. Anyway, I searched around the rock but came up empty handed. I then returned to a spot at the beginning of the clue where I knew I was in the right spot and started again. I never made 100% connection with the clues so I gave up and returned to the car. I hope I was in the wrong spot and that the box isn't missing. My next stop was only a little ways down the road from the dam at a restaurant - A Taste of Italy. This also is the name of the letterbox I was looking for and that box was placed by Hi Desert. I pulled into the parking lot, which was pretty empty and looked at the clues. I parked and scoped out the area and located the box's hiding spot. I had to wait a minute or two for a car to clear the area and then I made a mad dash for the box. It took me about a minute to actually locate the box and then take it back to the car to stamp in. I loved the stamp and enjoyed stamping in. But when it came time to put the box back in place I was feeling a little uncomfortable. The hiding spot can be a busy area and I wasn't sure if anyone could see me from the restaurant or not. But I got the box back in place and headed out to my next location.

For my next stop I hit I40 and then exited onto I25 and headed south to Rio Brave. Then to Isleta Blvd. and the Gutierrez-Hubbell House. I parked and read the clues and then headed out to find the box. They have a perimeter trail that goes along an acequia with some incredible cottonwoods bordering the trail. It was only a short walk to the box - a Wronghat box called Abode of Adobe. A beautiful stamp and a beautiful location - thanks Wronghat. It was so nice to sit and stamp in among the grand cottonwoods. I didn't have time to visit the museum but I did enjoy the grounds and the letterbox.

The next location on my letterboxing map was the Albuquerque BioPark - which includes the Rio Grande Zoo, the Albuquerque Aquarium, the Rio Grande Botanic Garden and Tingley Beach. These places are all pretty close together and easy to get to from each other. I had clues for three boxes - all at different locations. I was looking for Twinville Trekkers' Beatles Series #28 "Baby,You're a Rich Man" at the zoo, trilla marion's Just Fishing at Tingley Beach and TKH's Don't Worry, Bee Happy at the Botanic Gardens. I always love the zoo so I walked around and enjoyed what few animals were out and about and then looked for Baby, You're a Rich Man. I didn't find it and I am pretty sure I was in the right place. I was really disappointed by this because I am really liking the Trekkers' Beatles Series. I then left the zoo and headed to Tingley Beach. I didn't find Just Fishing. Now I was getting bummed (this was the third box I couldn't find today) - later I found out that the box had been moved and hidden in a different place and I missed the new clues. (Note: You see, I tend to print out the clues as soon as I get the notice of the box being placed - this is only for boxes in New Mexico. I save these and when I decided to go letterboxing in a certain area I pull the clues I have and map them out. I usually also go to AQ or LbNA and double check if the clues were changed - but today I forgot to do that and that is why I couldn't find this box.) So on to the Botanic Gardens for Don't Worry, Bee Happy. When I got to the gardens I went straight to the area to find this box and it didn't take me long. I stamped in and rehid the box pretty quickly. The gardens at this time of year aren't the best and I didn't really want to hang around too long. After getting this box back in place I did go and check on my box that was hidden here - BioPark. I checked its hiding spot and the box is gone. I have decided to retire this box since this is the second time it has gone missing.

Well, I still had two boxes left to look for and it was mid afternoon by this time so I moved on. I punched in the next location on the Garmin and followed the directions to Paradise Hills Park to look for Just Tryin' To Hold On by Vegaspua'a. The park was empty so I didn't have to worry about anyone in the park seeing me but I did have to watch for people in all the houses that surround the park. Luckily, the area was pretty quiet and I found the box quickly. I stamped in while sitting on a bench and enjoying the terrific weather. I got the box back in place and headed back to my car. One more box left. I now headed to Public Servants Garden of Vista Verde Memorial Park to find trilla marion's 9/11 Memorial - NM. This was a quick and easy find in a peaceful area. After stamping in and rehiding the box I got back in the car to head back home to Santa Fe. I had a terrific day in Albuquerque and found some great boxes - thanks to all the planters.

Albuquerque Letterboxing on a Cloudy, Chilly Day

2011-10-27T20:03:00.006-06:00

Today was a get together with rubberpeace and Astro D. We planned this about a week ago and we mapped out all the boxes available to us. Little did we know that Winter would decide to show itself today. I woke up to snow flurries and cold temperatures and was really wishing it was just a tad warmer. And most of the time Albuquerque is a little warmer than Santa Fe so I was still hopeful.

Astro D and rubberpeace arrived at my house and we climbed into my car and we were off. We made a stop just about 2 miles from my house at the 599 Rail Runner Stop so that they could get a box there that I had found a couple of days ago - Rail Runner Santa Fe. This was a quick and easy find and they brought the box back to the car to stamp in. Once they were done we made our way to I25 and headed south. Astro D looked at her list and mine as well as maps and we made a decision to make our next stop at Sandia Casino. We looked for and found Music City New Mexico, well just Astro D and I - rubberpeace had already found this one. This was a great little box hidden near the amphitheater in front of the casino and the stamp was beautiful. It was still a little chilly but better than Santa Fe. After we stamped in and rehid the box we continued a little further along Tramway to Forest Road 333 and the La Luz trail head. I was looking for two boxes here and the girls only needed one. I went in search of La Luz by myself. It didn't take long to find it but I had trouble finding a dry spot to stamp in on. As we made our way to the trail head we were driving in clouds, the mountain was socked in. So there was a mist all around and everything was wet. But I eventually found a spot and got the stamp image into my logbook. I returned the box back to its hiding spot and then returned to the car. Astro D and rubberpeace had found Sandia Mountain Series #1: Lover's Rock and had it in the car. So we all stamped in to this box while sitting in the car. We got that box back in place and it was time to head to our next stop. We drove back to Tramway and crossed I25 making our way to Guadalupe Trail and Wronghat's Dryad box. We had to find a stump and then go from there. The stump was incredible and I won't reveal what about it is incredible - you will have to go out and see for yourself. Anyway, we had a little difficulty with the clues and it took us a little while to find it. But it was worth the work because it was another great Wronghat stamp. By the time we found the box, stamped in and rehid the box it was time for lunch.

Astro D and rubberpeace had picked a place on Central called The Grove so we headed there. We had a nice lunch and a great visit and then made decisions of where we were going next. Since we were on Central we decided to head to Twinville Trekkers' Lovely Rita box. We parked on Central near 3rd Street and followed the clues to the box. We sat on a bench overlooking Central and stamped in as the traffic rolled by. We replaced the box and walked back to the car to continue our letterbox searching. Next stop was in Old Town. We went to Explora to find two boxes by trilla marion - State Fossil and Let's Explora. One box we found quickly but we had a little trouble finding the second one. It took all three of us searching to make sense of the clues and find the box. We stamped into both boxes at a picnic table near a windmill then put them back in place to continue our day. From here we drove a short distance and parked near the Fine Arts Museum and then walked to Old Town. We found the address followed the clues and nabbed the box from its hiding spot. We found a built in banquette to sit on and stamp. I enjoyed sitting in this little patio area - it was beautiful and peaceful. The box here is one of the Twinville Trekkers' Beatles Series - Michelle. By this time it was mid afternoon and we all wanted to get back up to Santa Fe. So we opted for one more box that was on the way as we headed back up north. We made our way to the San Mateo/Osuna exit on I25 and headed west on Osuna to Chappall to find Wronghat's Bike Tree letterbox. We parked and made the short walk to the only shaded area on the trail and found a neat log bench covered in all kinds of little stickers. From the bench we found the box without any trouble and stamped in while sitting on the bench. We enjoyed looking at all the stickers and the stamp that Wronghat carved. With this box back in place we were done in Albuquerque and we headed for home.

But of course, as all letterboxers do, we had to make one last stop before truly calling it a day. We stopped at the rest area just before you get to Santa Fe so that Astro D and rubberpeace could destroy one of the horcruxes. I found this box a week or so ago but they hadn't gotten it yet. They found the box and stamped in at a picnic table and then we really called it a day. Thanks Astro D and rubberpeace for a great day and thanks to everyone for the wonderful boxes we found in Albuquerque today.

New Boxes in Santa Fe

2011-10-25T19:20:00.006-06:00

This morning I woke up and did a few things around the house and got some things ready for the errands I needed to run. Then I sat down in front of the computer with my coffee and read through my emails. I had an email from AQ with two new boxes placed in Santa Fe. So I added my letterboxing things to my stuff for errands and went on to finish reading my emails. I then paid a few bills and fed the dogs and then it was time to hit the road.

So time to do a little letterboxing. My first stop was very near my home - the Santa Fe County/599 Rail Runner Stop. I pulled into the parking lot and found the sign I needed and parked. I followed the rest of the clues and quickly found the box (Rail Runner - Santa Fe). I took it back to the car to stamp in. I really liked the stamp and I was the first finder, so I got a nice little certificate. After stamping in I got the box back in place and headed off to the next one.

This box took me to the intersection of Richards Ave. and Governor Miles Rd. (well, a little beyond the intersection) to a playground for the Pueblos del Sol neighborhood. I parked in the parking lot and there were about six cars already there with lots of moms and their kids. I hoped the box was in a spot that was clear from the view of everyone at the playground. So I followed the clues which took me to a walking path behind the playground. Luckily, the box's hiding spot was pretty well hidden from view. Again I found this box (Pueblos del Sol Playground) quickly and was the first finder. I took the box a little further down the trail to stamp in so I wasn't near the playground. So I sat at the edge of the walking path and stamped in. When I was done I returned the box to its hiding spot and then made my way back to my car.

It was a nice morning of letterboxing in the City Different and I found a couple of nice stamps - thanks ArnoldZiffel, I appreciated the boxes.

A Little More Box Maintenance

2011-10-15T18:28:00.004-06:00

For a while now I have been wanting to go up into the mountains and do a little maintenance and check on some boxes. I have boxes planted on the Chamisa Trail and the Borrego/Bear Wallow Trails that hardly ever get found. Well, that is only partially true - two of the boxes - The Art of Ebru & A Boy and His Tiger get found quite a bit, in fact they were both found today. When I got to them and checked on them I found that someone had stamped in this morning. I still made sure all the baggies were closed well and that the box was well hidden. These two were in good shape.

But before that happened Thomas and I hiked the Chamisa Trail to the intersection of the Winsor Trail near the Tesuque Creek. Near this intersection is a meadow with a large granite rock in the middle. The first box we checked on was Western Blue Flag which is hidden at the edge of the creek in a mutlti-trunked tree almost directly behind this rock. Sadly this box has only had five visitors. Now I know this is a long hike but it is an incredible hike. And you get to sit creek side and stamp in while serenaded by the moving waters. It is worth the trip.

To check on the boxes on the Borrego/Bear Wallow Trails we just hiked up the Winsor Trail until we reached the intersection with the Borrego Trail. Thomas sat in the meadow and relaxed while I crossed the creek and went to check on Bad, Bad Black Sheep. The box was in perfect condition, the baggies were sealed and the box was hidden well. This box has had nine visitors since it was planted back in 2006. After getting this box all snuggled in for the winter we headed back down the Winsor Trail to the intersection of the Bear Wallow Trail. Well, not quite all the way, about 100 steps before you reach the intersection I have Ribbit! hidden. This box only has five finds as well. I did a little more maintenance on this one making sure everything was sealed and the box was hidden well. Now that these boxes were taken care of and ready for their winter sleep (the boxes on these trails will be covered with snow all winter and thus inaccessible). So we made our way back to the Chamisa Trail and then back to the parking area - this is when we checked on The Art of Ebru & A Boy and His Tiger.

I am glad I got out there today. It was beautiful - a perfect Fall day in the Land of Enchantment. The weather was just right, a little chilly in the morning and warming up as the day progressed but it never got hot. Also at this level in the mountains we had quite a bit of Fall color - it was wonderful. And the best part was just spending the day with Thomas enjoying nature. But seriously folks - please consider going and looking for these boxes next Spring. The hikes are worth it and so are the boxes. These are some of my first boxes and carves so they are not my best stamps but the whole experience is really worth the effort. You can get all these boxes on one hike and in less than a day - just consult a hiking trail map of Hyde Park Road and you can figure out how to do it and if you contact me I can help as well. Happy Letterboxing Everyone!

A Morning at Museum Hill

2011-10-13T19:22:00.004-06:00

Last night I got a notice from AQ about a new box in Santa Fe hidden at Museum Hill. So I printed out the clue and put it with my things I already had together for some errands I needed to run today. And since I was going to Museum Hill there were a couple of other things I wanted to do. So I headed out early this morning and got to the parking area and there were only three other cars in the lot. I gathered my things and started following the clues for the new box - MIAC to MOSCA. I found all the landmarks and in no time I had the box in hand. I had passed a bench on the way to the box so I took it back there to sit and stamp in. This was kind of in a secluded place and was very peaceful - so I stamped in and then rehid the box.

Next I crossed the street to the overflow parking area and went to Astro D's Little Edie's HHH. I had in my possession five hitchhikers that I needed to do something with. So I got the HHH and opened it to find four hitchhikers in it (well, really three, one was a flea). I looked through them and took one and then I put four of the five that I had in the HHH. So now I have two hitchhikers to find homes for. That is a whole lot better than five. After doing all the requisite stamping I got Little Edie back into place.

I then went back over to the Hill and decided to take the short walk to check on a box I have hidden here. Happily I found it in place and all is well. I had a nice morning at Museum Hill - it was a peaceful way to start the day.

Peaceful and Interesting

2011-10-12T19:13:00.007-06:00

Two days ago I found a letterbox - Catch a Wave in Santa Fe - that is associated with a murder mystery called Death by Kindle. There are a total of four boxes related to this story. I found Read or Be Read back in June and then the one a couple of days ago - well today I went out and found the other two. I can't tell you where I was because both of the boxes are mysteries but I can say that I really enjoyed both spots. They were interesting and nice places. I found Catch Me If You Can in a very relaxing and serene place that was enjoyable. I sat on a bench near the hiding spot to stamp in. It was in a really nice and quite spot and I was totally by myself. Where I found HUB was interesting in a couple of ways. The history of the building was something I hadn't known about and there is some interesting artwork around the place. These were easy to find once I got to the areas and that gave me time to just enjoy my outing. If you get the chance you should read the story and the go out and find these boxes.

A Little Box Maintenance and Catching a Wave

2011-10-10T21:29:00.004-06:00

All summer long I have wanted to hike the Hyde Park Circle Trail and check on my Land of Enchantment Series but there was always something stopping me. The boxes had been found this summer but I still felt the need to do a little maintenance. Well this morning Thomas and I got up early and headed to Hyde Memorial State Park. It was a chilly fall morning but I was loving it. A couple of days ago we got some snow in the mountains and I was hoping most of it was gone on the trail so we would have a nice hike. So we made the four and a half mile hike and checked on all nine of the boxes. I made sure everything was dry and that all the bags were sealed well and the boxes closed tightly. I also needed to add some map cards and post cards in the first box. The trail was pretty clear except in the really shady areas where the snow was lingering - fortunately it was only a light covering and we had no problem maneuvering the trail. By the time we got to the top (which is about the half way mark and is about 9200 feet elevation - a 1000 foot change from the trailhead) we took a break and had a little snack. The rest of the hike is all down hill or pretty much level. We made it back to the car and I had gotten all the boxes really well sealed and hidden. I also went over my notes so that I could tweak the clues once we got home. Now we headed back down Hyde Park Road.

Before we headed home we decided to look for a letterbox. This letterbox - Catch a Wave in Santa Fe - is one of four letterboxes associated with Death by Kindle. This is a new murder mystery, set in Santa Fe, with 'clues' planted as real letterboxes around town. I had found one of the four boxes - Read or Be Read - back in June, you can read about that one at I 'Read' Today. I didn't know about this Death by Kindle at the time so the person I thought was Postal, wasn't. Anyway, we made our way to the location and it didn't take long to find the box. I stamped in and then rehid the box. Thomas and I had a great morning hiking and letterboxing - now isn't this a great way to spend a Monday morning - much better than working.

Another Horcrux and a ?Toy?

2011-10-03T20:15:00.000-06:00

Back to my To Do list that I mentioned in the last post - I still had some things left to take care of. Some of the things on the list were running errands. Yesterday another clue for the Horcrux Series popped up and I already had a clue for a box hidden on Upper Canyon Road so I decided I would do a little letterboxing before I ran my errands. So I put all my things for the day into my backpack and headed out. My first stop was at Genoveva Chavez Community Center. Here is where I went in search of Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem. It was a short walk to where the box was hidden but it took me a little while to actually retrieve the box. The trail this box is hidden on is so busy. Finally, the coast was clear and I grabbed the box and sat on a bench to stamp in. Unfortunately I wasn't the first finder on this box - Astro D and The Great Wuga Wuga beat me to it. After stamping in and enjoying the early morning I replaced the box and returned to my car.

On to the next box. This one was hidden on the Dale Ball Trail off of Upper Canyon Road. I really like this area and I love this part of the Dale Ball Trail. In fact I have my Waiting on the World to Change letterbox is on this trail. I parked at the Santa Fe Canyon Preserve and crossed the road and started up the trail. The box I was looking for is called Tiny Toy Story. It didn't take me long to reach the box, it was only a little over a quarter of a mile. Once I had the box I found a nice place to sit and stamp in. I opened the box and ended up confused. Box Title = Tiny Toy Story, Stamp = store bought stamp of mushrooms, ??? = a tiny toy car and a dinosaur. Did I just find a geocache? But the name of the box on the clue matched the name in the logbook. The whole box was disconbobulated - nothing made sense - why plant a box like that? Oh, I have this stamp and I will take some paper and a couple of little toys and I will put them in a box and then I will go plant it even though nothing really makes sense - oh, but I can say I planted a box. The only thing good I can say is that thankfully it was on a fantastic trail. So after getting the box back in its hiding spot I decided that the only way to redeem this was to hike the trail a little more. I didn't get up to Picacho Peak but I got a nice hike in and enjoyed some of the views this trail has. But alas, it was time to come back to the world of being a responsible adult so I returned to my car and went on to my errands.

Hunting a Horcrux

2011-10-01T19:42:00.005-06:00

This morning I woke up to a To Do list that was insane. After getting three things scratched off the list I decided I needed a break. So I sat at the computer and checked my email and then went to Atlas Quest. One of the new boxes listed was in Santa Fe. So I printed out the clues and put them aside. I went back to my list and got a few more things done but the clues were there in the back of my mind. I decided I needed another break and so I got my letterboxing stuff and the clues and headed out. The box was hidden just a few miles from my house and it only took me about 15 minutes to get there. I parked, followed the clues and had the box in hand in less than 5 minutes and was happy to see that I was the first finder of this box. The box I found is Tom Riddle's Diary - the first of the horcruxes to be destroyed in the Harry Potter Series. I sat at a picnic table to stamp in and enjoy this beautiful first day of October. Putting the box back in place was just as easy as finding it which is always nice. I love Harry Potter and I am looking forward to finding all the boxes in this Horcrux series. Oh, and I did get back to my To Do List - I just didn't finish it - yet!

Back from the Beyond

2011-09-28T16:35:00.004-06:00

Well, I am back home after another wonderful adventure or should I say odyssey. I had a great time traveling around the midwest and attending the 2011: a space odyssey event. I met some great people and visited with some old friends - hi Front Range Hiker, deniserows and Goofy Girl. I added four new states to my list of states I have found letterboxes in - Missouri, Iowa, Ohio and Kentucky - which brings the total states I have letterboxed in to 33. I also got to visit seven State Capitol Buildings - Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. They were all quite different and some I liked better than others. I took quite a few photos and it took me a while to go through them so that I could put together a slide show - well I ended up with two slide shows. I did one for the trip - Missouri and Beyond and I did a second one for a sculpture garden I went to - Citygarden. And if you want to read all about my adventures you can go to Missouri and Beyond for my blog post. Now that this adventure is now history I will have to start planning my next adventure.

Letterboxing Trip to the Midwest

2011-09-14T23:20:00.005-06:00

Well we got home from our Alaska trip and got things back to normal and then I started preparing for my next trip. I am headed to Missouri to attend the 2011: a stamp odyssey letterboxing event. I will be doing a lot of driving and site seeing while in the area. The event is just outside St. Louis and I will be there until Sunday morning. On Sunday I will be heading to Jefferson City and my whirlwind driving tour begins. Before I return home on the 26th I will have visited seven states (four of which will be new states that I will be letterboxing in). I will also visit seven state capitols during this trip. I think it will be fun and I will try to keep up with the blog as I go along. If you wish you can follow along by going to Missouri and Beyond. When I return home I will go through all my pictures and make a slide show of the trip. Well here I go on another odyssey of exploration.

Boxing Along I40

2011-08-18T19:34:00.008-06:00

All day yesterday I had this feeling that I needed to get out and do a little letterboxing. But as things go I was busy all day with responsibilities (I hate when they get in the way). Then I realized that I had nothing pressing to do the next day so I looked at all the available clues that were within one day driving distance and made a decision. I was going to letterbox along I40 from Tucumcari to Tijeras.

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.

A Little Box Check

2011-08-16T23:41:00.005-06:00

Today I had some errands and a meeting in the morning but my afternoon was free. And since I haven't had the chance to do any hiking in the mountains I decided to do a short hike and check on a couple of boxes at the Black Canyon Campground. After parking I walked through the campground and made my way to the trailhead. I was surprised to see quite a few campers - most of the times I have been there the place is pretty empty. I walked the trail and and enjoyed the peace and quiet (even though there were a bunch of campers, none of them were on the trail). When I reached the area where ev∙o∙lu∙tion is hidden I made my way to the box. Now, this box was found just a few days ago but I had been wanting to check on it and change it from a camo bag to a Lock & Lock. I had gotten a message that one of the finders a while back said the logbook was a little damp. So I grabbed the bag and found a log to sit on and I opened the bag to check the stamp and the logbook. Both were in great shape - if the logbook had been damp it didn't do any damage - all the entries were in good shape and so were all the pages. So I moved the contents to the Lock & Lock and put the box back in place and made sure it was hidden well. Once all that was done I made my way back to the entrance of the campground.

One more box here to check on - Pin Up Stamp Swap 2: Tess. Again, this box was found a few days ago but I still wanted to check on it and review the clues. So I made my way down the trail and to the box. Everything was good except for a log that was across the trail - it is gone now, but you can still find the box with the clues. The stamp and logbook and box were all in good shape. So I placed the box back in its hiding spot and made sure it was hidden well and returned to my car. I had a nice walk and enjoyed being in the mountains. Hopefully I can find a little more time to do some more hiking before summer ends.

Letterboxing and Celebrating

2011-08-02T22:55:00.000-06:00

Astro D, rubberpeace and I had a great day in Albuquerque letterboxing and celebrating. You see today was rubberpeace's birthday and also her AQ anniversary (5 years of letterboxing). They arrive at my house at around 9:00am and then it was south to Albuquerque. We had lots to talk about . . . Astro D's house remodel, rubberpeace's upcoming trip to Colorado Springs and my recent trip to Alaska, so the trip down to Albuquerque went quick.

We had decided to head to the Old Town area first to find a few boxes and then have lunch and after that we would decide what we wanted to do. So we drove to and parked near the New Mexico Museum of Natural History. The first box we looked for was one that I had already found, so I just tagged along as Astro D and rubberpeace followed the clues to find Wronghat's Spike letterbox. They sat on a nearby bench and stamped in while I walked around taking pictures. Then we went in search for Twinville Trekkers' Beatles Series #21 "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" letterbox. ***Here is a confession - I used the computer and google maps street view to find the location of this box to minimize our walking.*** Anyways, we made our way to the spot and followed the last few clues to find the box. Once that box was in our hands we went to some nearby picnic tables to stamp in. When all three of us were done rubberpeace replaced the box while I took a few pictures and then we returned to the car and headed to Old Town. It wasn't too hard to find a parking spot but it was a little walk to the plaza. Upon arriving at the plaza rubberpeace and Astro D searched for and found Wronghat's Old Town letterbox (I already had this one) and we found a nice shady spot to sit while they stamped in. I ended up taking a picture for some tourist (they asked if I would take a picture of them at the gazebo there in Old Town). Once the letterbox was back in its hiding spot we all headed down the street to the 'Little by Little' plaza to find Flight of Fancy by Vegaspua'a. We had to take some pictures and look around to kill a little time because there was a little tour going on. After about 10 minutes they headed out and left us all by ourselves to search for the box. We had a little problem locating the box at first until Astro D noticed another rock and she found the box. We found a bench in the shade and stamped in. We got the box back under its rock and decided it was time for lunch.

For lunch rubberpeace had stated she wanted to go to Church Street Cafe, which was fine with Astro D and I since we had eaten there before and liked it. We had a great lunch and visit and a break from the heat outside. After a leisurely meal we headed for one last letterbox in Old Town and dessert. We walked a short distance to the next location and found all the landmarks but we were having trouble locating the box. We sat at a table (in the shade) and read the clues, checked the compass and tried again. Still no luck. Then as I was walking around I noticed something that I thought could be the answer to finding the box. I ended up moving a rock and digging a little and I found the box. Which turned out to be a wet and rusted tin. We took it back to a table and after a little work I got it open. The stamp was wet and sticky so Astro D took it and cleaned it off and dried it. Thankfully the logbook was dry. We all stamped in and made sure the stamp and logbook were clean and dry. Then we made a decision and we hoped the planter would be okay with it. We put the stamp in a small baggie, the logbook in another small baggie and then both of those into a larger baggie. And then just to be sure we put all of that into another baggie. When I went to rehide the box the area was swarming with muggles. So rubberpeace and I sat next to the hiding spot and Astro D took our picture and while this was going on I was reaching down and hiding the box. Now that we had taken care of Celestini by Celestini we went for some dessert. We ended up getting chocolate and then heading for the car. Let me tell you that the chocolate was melting before we reached the car.

Our next stop was in downtown at the New Mexico Holocaust and Intolerance Museum. None of us felt like actually visiting the museum so we just went in search of the box - Twinville Trekkers' Beatles Series #20 "Give Peace a Chance". It was a pretty easy find and we ended up stamping in the car because it was so hot. We put the box back in place and then headed to Roosevelt Park to find Wronghat's Jillion Gyrations. I love this park. It is so green and full of trees, there is a disc golf course and a playground - it is just a really nice place to hang out. We found the box and sat under a tree to stamp in. We got everything done and got the box back in its hiding spot and headed back to the car. We had time for one more box before heading back to Santa Fe. We opted for the closest box and that was All Quiet by Wronghat. I had already found this one but both rubberpeace and Astro D needed to find it. So we headed to Fairview Memorial Park Cemetery and followed the clues to the box. They used the car to stamp in and then rehid the box.

We made the drive back to Santa Fe and when we got to my house rubberpeace showed me how to do her 'map fold'. This is an origami type fold that is used to take a large piece of paper and make it into a more manageable size that can be open to view the whole picture. After that they left to go home. We had a great day of letterboxing and it was a nice way to celebrate rubberpeace's birthday and letterboxing anniversary and I hope she had a great day.

A Letterboxing Outing

2011-07-30T20:07:00.003-06:00

Last night Thomas and I decided that we wanted to get out of the house today so we planned for a trip to Chaco Culture National Historic Park. And there just happened to be a letterbox along the way. So about 7:00am we filled our backpacks with water, trail mix, sandwiches, cheese, apples, oranges and strawberries. We also took the letterboxing stuff and the camera. I also remembered to bring my passport stamp book.

The drive was nice, I think we left early enough that we got started before most people were awake. Our first stop was in San Ysidro at the Perea Nature Trail to find Black Mesa Inbound by Birch Moon. It was a quick and easy find and after stamping in and replacing the box we walked the trail - it isn't very long so it was a quick walk. Once we got back to the car we continued our drive north on NM550 to Cuba. We stopped in Cuba to have breakfast. There was only one place open and that was Bobbie & Margie's Cuban Cafe. We had a nice breakfast and the staff was very friendly - we enjoyed it.

So now it was time to head to Chaco Canyon. Driving to Chaco isn't the easiest. It is out in the middle of nowhere and the last 13 miles or so is on a badly maintained dirt road. And today the road really felt like driving on a washboard. There were times we had to go about 5 to 10 mph because the car was shaking so bad. But we made it. We stopped at the Visitors Center (which is a tent as they are building a new one) and paid the fee and got my passport stamps. We also got a map. We then drove down the park road and stopped at the Chetro Ketl and Pueblo Bonito parking area. They had just started a tour of Pueblo Bonito so we joined in. The ranger gave a great tour and Thomas and I both really enjoyed ourselves. After the tour we drove over to Casa Rinconada Community and did our own self guided tour (there was a ranger lead tour but not until 4:00pm). It was an enjoyable day but by 1:00pm it was starting to get hot and we needed to head back to Santa Fe.

It was nice to take this little day trip. Thomas and I use to do that all the time but these trips now don't happen as often as we would like. Maybe we will try to do one or two a month and see how that goes. Anyway, it was a nice day and we got to find one letterbox.

Meeting Hi Desert

2011-07-25T18:50:00.000-06:00

For a little over a year now there has been a new letterboxer in Santa Fe and that letterboxer is Hi Desert. Today I finally got to meet her. I had lunch with Hi Desert, Astro D and rubberpeace at Mucho's. It was nice to meet Hi Desert since I have found 12 of her boxes so far. She is so full of energy and you can tell she really loves letterboxing and has been having fun with it. She complimented all of us for the boxes we have planted and how they have entertained her through some health issues. It was a nice lunch and I enjoyed hearing her letterboxing stories and I look forward to more meetings and also to finding more of her boxes. Hi Desert, welcome to the group of Santa Fe Letterboxers.

Lunch with the Travelin' T's

2011-07-21T19:21:00.005-06:00

Astro D and I had lunch today with Sha and Anne (Travelin' T's) at Mangiano. They have been vacationing and letterboxing in Santa Fe for the past week. We first met them back in July 2007 when they were visiting Santa Fe. We always enjoy getting together with them whether it is in Waco or Santa Fe or at an event somewhere. We had a great lunch and visit and enjoyed hearing about their kids and sharing letterboxing stories. They have planted some great boxes in the Waco area and I love finding them. Sha has also contributed stamps for the Road Trip box that Astro D placed for my 1000th find and a stamp for Dreams of Eames box for Astro D's 1000th find. I am glad they find time to visit with us, it was good to see them again.

Home Sweet Home

2011-07-18T23:31:00.001-06:00

After a long day of customs, airports and planes we are home. Our dogs are laying next to us and won't leave our sides. Anytime one of us moves all three of them follow. I guess they missed us as much as we missed them. I am trying to get some things onto the blog so I don't forget them but to tell the truth I am really tired. It is late and it has been a long day. The trip was fantastic - we had an incredible time, saw some amazing places, had a few wonderful excursions, experienced some tasty food and made some terrific friends. I have to say that this trip is my all time favorite and I hope the memories will last a lifetime. If the memory fails me I can always go to Letterboxing Cruise to Alaska Adventure to refresh it. You can go there as well to read about the entire trip. And if you would like to see pictures I have created four slide shows and you can find them at . . . Alaska 2011 Interior, Alaska 2011 Cruise, Alaska 2011 Ship Tour and Alaska 2011 Vancouver.

Off to the 'Land of the Midnight Sun'

2011-07-01T20:30:00.008-06:00

I used this title for this post since Thomas and I are off to an Alaska trip. And since we are going in July we will have plenty of daylight - I think while we are there we will have on average of 18 to 20 hours of sun.

We are taking this trip as part of the Alaska Letterboxing Cruise set up by Mark and Sue Pepe. But we decided to add a couple of days to the beginning of the trip and to the end of the trip. We will arrive in Fairbanks on July 2 at about 10pm. After a couple of days there on our own we will join the group for a trip to Denali and then to Anchorage before boarding the cruise ship in Seward. The cruise goes from Seward to Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait Point, Ketchican and then the Inside Passage before docking in Vancouver. Once off the ship Thomas and I will spend a couple of extra days in Vancouver (one of our favorite cities to visit).

I am so excited about this trip and I have done so much research and reading I kind of feel like I have already been there. I haven't planned much for our free time - we will just play it by ear and hopefully we will end up with an incredible experience. This is our first visit to Alaska and one that has been on our 'To Do' List - I am hoping that the trip is incredible and that it will entice us to visit Alaska again. If you would like to follow our trip and adventures go to Letterboxing Cruise to Alaska Adventure.

285 & 68 to Taos, 64 to Tierra Amarilla and 84 to Abiquiu

2011-06-27T18:55:00.004-06:00

I am trying to find letterboxes in the area and get caught up on things before we leave for Alaska on Saturday. So this morning I left Santa Fe (and all the smoke) and headed north on US285 to Taos. By the time I got past Pojoaque the smoke was completely gone and I was breathing fresh air for the first time in a while. I continued my beautiful drive along 285 to Espanola and then took NM68 to Rancho de Taos. I always enjoy my drive along this route - passing through Velarde, Embudo and Pilar before reaching Taos. I stopped a couple of times to watch the people rafting on the Rio Grande and let me tell you they were out in full force. I finally arrived at my first stop - San Francisco de Asis Church in Rancho de Taos. I walked around and took a few pictures and then went on my mission to find a letterbox - Rancho de Taos by Hi Desert. It was a quick and easy find but I did have to be a little sneaky as there were a couple of people walking around the outside of the church taking pictures, but it wasn't a big problem. I retrieved the box and returned to my car to stamp in. Once I was done it was easy to get the box back in place and I was on my way.

I continued my trip through Taos to US64. I turned left here and stopped at the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge. I took a walk out onto the bridge and admired the view and took some pictures. After about 15 minutes I returned to my car and continued. I drove from Taos to Tres Piedras and through the Carson National Forest (which had a lot of dead trees) and eventually arrived at US84. I headed north to Tierra Amarilla and ended up at Heron Lake State Park. Once I entered the park and paid my fees I drove to the Brushy Point Campground West. I parked and walked down to the cove, following the clues for Kretaceous Klam by PetroPunks. It was a short walk along the lake and I found the box without any problems. I took the box and sat on an old log near the water and stamped in. It was a beautiful day and very peaceful - not one other person was in the area where I was sitting. However, there was one problem - noseeums! I hate these little buggers. With each bite I get about a dime sized pink area with a bright red dot in the middle and they itch like crazy. My ankles look horrible - all red and puffy - and I have been putting benadryl cream on to help with the itching, so it is more tolerable today. I can't believe I forgot my Off when I went left the house this morning. Oh, well. After stamping in I returned the box to its hiding spot. It was a really cool box. The stamp was mounted on a piece of stone with clam fossils on it. So after I replaced the box I walked along the shore of the lake looking for rocks with fossils. I found a few but didn't really spend a whole lot of time searching because I still had plenty of ground to cover.

Back on US84 I headed south towards Abiquiu. I made my first stop at Ghost Ranch to find Hi Desert's Georgia O'Keeffe at Ghost Ranch. This was a really quick find. I parked at the Visitors Center and walked a little ways down the road to the Ghost House and followed the clues. The box was right where it was supposed to be. I took it to the next building over and sat at a table to stamp in. Once I was done, I put the box back and returned to my car. Back on US84 and still heading south I stopped at a picnic area at mile marker 217. The picnic area was deserted and it was easy for me to search for the box - another Hi Desert box - Entering O'Keeffe Country. I found it quickly and returned to one of the picnic tables to stamp in. I didn't sit around too long because the smoke from the fires in Santa Fe and Los Alamos was getting worse and I didn't feel like sitting out in it for too much time. I rehid the box and continued my journey. My next stop was Bode's store. I parked, followed the clues and found the box - Forgot the Pickles by Hi Desert. I did have a little trouble with one part of the clue but eventually it became 'cleary'. Once I had the box in my hand and found a good spot to sit and stamp in it started to rain. Not much but a few drops here and there. I didn't care if all my stuff got wet - we really need the moisture. So I kept on stamping - and the rain stopped about 30 seconds after it started. I got the box back in place and returned to my car and put my stuff away. I then went into the store to look around. They had some really interesting and cool things - toys, cards, candy, etc. - I wanted to spend more time but it was around 4pm and I still wanted to make one more stop before returning to Santa Fe. So back on the road I drove south a little further and eventually made a left turn onto NM554 and in a short distance made another left onto CR155. I made my way to Dar al Islam and parked. The box I was looking for was Hi Desert's Dar al Islam and when I got the clues off of AQ it was marked unavailable but I decided to stop any way because I like the area - Plaza Blanca - with its white cliffs and spires. So I quickly looked for the box (and didn't find it - I really didn't look too hard since it was marked unavailable and Astro D & rubberpeace had mentioned to me that they couldn't find it) then returned to the parking area and hiked out to Plaza Blanca. It is such a beautiful and peaceful area and a great way to end my day in the Abiquiu area. Now it was time to head back to Santa Fe.

Once I got into Santa Fe I decided to go for one last box of the day before heading home. So I made my way to Amelia White Park and found rubberpeace & rbrhorno's Dessert in the Desert. I sat at a picnic table enjoying the cool early evening and stamped. I put the box back in its hiding spot and then headed home. I had a really fun day driving around Northern New Mexico and letterboxing. The next post I will make will be about our trip to Alaska - WooHoo!

Picking Up Letterboxes in Albuquerque

2011-06-23T18:56:00.012-06:00

The last few weeks have been pretty busy mostly with getting things ready for our trip to Alaska. So I decided to take a break today and get outside and do something. And that something was to go letterboxing in Albuquerque. I had a stack of ten clues for boxes that were planted in Albuquerque between March and June. This morning I got all my stuff ready and headed south. I drove all the way to Belen before making my first stop. That was at the Harvey House Museum where I looked for Chuga Chuga placed by rookie traveler. I had to walk around and take some pictures before I could actually look for the box. There were three people just hanging around the parking lot and it took about 20 minutes before they went inside. After that the only problem I had was navigating my way around a giant yucca without getting stabbed to death and luckily I came out of it unscathed and with a letterbox. I found a nice spot to sit and stamp in and then rehid the box and was ready to get on my way again.

I had mapped out things so that I wasn't backtracking and so I didn't waste too much time just driving around. So as I headed back to Albuquerque my next stop was somewhere off of the Rio Bravo exit. The clues don't actually tell you the location, they just gives you directions and tell you to look for something. Well, I found it easy enough. I won't tell you anymore about the clues or location but I did like the area and the box - thanks Twinville Trekkers. This was another of their wonderful Beatles Series.

From here I made my way to Fairview Memorial Park Cemtery to find All Quiet by Wronghat. As I entered the cemetery I marveled at the green grass and tall trees (it seems that this year everything is brown - a product of zero moisture) but as I followed the clues I entered into another section of the cemetery only to find the typical New Mexico landscape - dirt. There were very few trees and not much other vegetation. I continued to follow the clues and eventually found the box. I stamped in while sitting in the car, which was shaded by one of the few trees. I really liked this double sided stamp.

My next stop was at the Rio Grande Zoo and more specifically the parking lot. There was a box here called Panda and the Poo that I found in August 2010. I guess that box eventually went missing so the planter decided to plant another box in the same location. Last year I found the panda and this time I was going in search of the poo. But as I parked and started walking while counting light post I realized that they were digging and working on the parking lot and that there weren't even enough lights to match the clues. I tried to remember where the other box was and I think they were digging right in the area. I am pretty sure that the poo is gone. But I will leave it up to the planter or someone who has found the box to make a more accurate statement.

From the zoo I drove to Old Town and parked on 19th Street near The Albuquerque Museum and walked through a beautiful mosaic arch to Old Town. I walked to the gazebo and followed the clues to find Old Town by Wronghat. It was a wonderful day to be in Old Town, the weather was good and there weren't that many people which made it easy to find the box. It was a clever hide and I loved the two sided stamp. I sat on a bench in a shaded area and stamped in and enjoyed the incredible summer day. After I stamped in it was easy to get the box back in its hiding spot and then I made my way back to my car. I then drove a few blocks to the Natural History Museum where I went on the hunt for Spike by Wronghat. I parked, found Spike (the dinosaur sculpture, not the letterbox), I found the Cosmic Connection and made it to the future. Once there I quickly found Spike (the letterbox, not the dinosaur sculpture). I found a bench to sit on while stamping in. This was another nice Wronghat carving. By the time I got back to my car the temperature was rising - it was now in the '90's - so I sat for a minute in the air conditioning to get cooled off.

Next I found myself in the downtown area and was parked on 4th Street near the Madonna of the Trail statue. This was my starting point for the next box - another of the Twinville Trekkers' Beatles Series. To find this box I had to do a little work - I had to find words and letters to figure out all the clues. It took me a little time to decipher everything but it didn't take me too long to find the box. Like I said earlier it was getting a little warm so I found a nice shady spot to sit and stamp in. Thankfully there weren't many people out and it was easy to find and rehide the box. I made the short walk back to the car and the comfort of cool air and then started for my next destination. It wasn't too far from where I was at and it only took me a few minutes to get to the UNM Cancer Center. Hi Desert placed a box here called Cancer Awareness Letterbox. I found the location of the box pretty fast but I wasn't able to actually get the box right away. Just as I parked a woman was getting into her car right where the box was and her car wouldn't start. So she called for someone to come with jumper cables to help get her car started. So I waited for about 20 minutes. Finally, she got her car started and left. After that I easily retrieved the box and took it back to the car to stamp in. Putting it back in place was pretty easy as well.

I had one more stop on my list. It was for La Luz by Wronghat. This box is placed near the La Luz Trailhead off of Tramway. But just as I turned on Forest Road 333 I was stopped by closure signs. The road was only open to residents. All this dryness in New Mexico has made all of our forests prime fire areas. So they are closing lots of areas for the time being in hopes of preventing more fires in the state. I really had a good day in Albuquerque and found some really great boxes.

While in Albuquerque I did make a few other stops to check on some of my boxes. My Roosevelt box is definately missing and I am now retiring it. I had also gotten a note from Wronghat that my Koi Fish box was missisng as well. I checked and it is missing and now retired. Fortunately, my Urban Forest box is still in place and doing well.

Cleaning Things Up

2011-06-22T22:58:00.007-06:00

I recently retired some letterboxes and I have been spending time cleaning up my AQ listings. I updated the status on all the boxes and I even took time to update the clues. I do need to still do some actual checks on some of the boxes and see if they are still there and double check on the clues to make sure they still work. So not everything is done but I have made some headway. I also went through all my LTC's and I have quite a few that I can trade. After we get back from our Alaska trip I will actually present a list on the LTC board. I have also lifted most of the restrictions from my boxes but I have left a few for my own personal reasons and I won't even bother to justify why - because I know that no matter what I do or say someone won't be happy with my decision. But it is my decision and I am standing by it (just not justifing it). So if you don't like the restrictions that is something you will have to deal with - I won't be changing them or making any exceptions. I also took a little time and created a slide show of the letterbox stamps that I have retired. So here are some of my carvings . . . Retired Letterbox Stamps.

I 'Read' Today

2011-06-14T20:20:00.004-06:00

I had the clues to a box that was placed recently in Santa Fe and I thought that today would be a good day to look for it. The clues were sort of a puzzle to solve so I can't tell you where the box was hidden. But I had figured out the clues and decided that I would try to get the box this morning. It just so happened that I was going to be in that area anyway. So I gathered my things, drove to the location and parked. I followed the clues and the box was right where it was supposed to be. It was a nice little carving and I enjoyed sitting and stamping in. When I was done I easily got the box back into place. I enjoyed the morning and was glad to find this box which was hidden by someone new - Postal. I have an idea of who this might be but I'll keep that under my toup for now.

Another Milestone in Santa Fe

2011-05-13T20:23:00.002-06:00

Not too long ago Astro D reached her 1000th find and I hid a special box for her. Astro D, rubberpeace and I made a day of it by going to find the box and then having a great lunch. Well this milestone was rubberpeace's 1000th find and Astro D hid a special box for her. I contributed one stamp and Astro D took care of the rest. She also carved a couple of stamps and found the perfect hiding spot.

We all met at rubberpeace's house and then headed out to find the box. Astro D didn't tell rubberpeace where the box was hidden she just gave her an address. She plugged the address into her Garmin and we were off. Astro D and I knew the location but it was a total surprise to rubberpeace when she pulled into the parking lot.

Astro D waited in the car while rubberpeace and I went in to find the box. Once inside it was easy to find the box. We sat on a couch and stamped in and enjoyed the stamps. After rehiding the box we returned to the car. Then we went to Chicago Dog for a quick lunch before ending the day. I really hope rubberpeace loved the box and stamps as much as Astro D and I enjoyed putting it together.

A Couple of Quick Finds

2011-05-12T18:13:00.004-06:00

Today I had some errands to do near the Plaza and so I decided to pick up a couple of letterboxes that I had clues for. I also decided to get a little walk in while I was downtown. I really enjoy walking down Canyon Road and around the Plaza. So I parked on Canyon Road not too far from the intersection with Paseo de Peralta and I walked up Canyon Road as far as The Teahouse. At this point I turned around and headed back to Paseo where I crossed and walked up Alameda in the direction of the Plaza. I took a left on Sandoval and ran my first errand and when I was done with that I turned around and headed back toward Alameda where I crossed that street and continued to Water St. I turned right at this point and walked past Blue Corn Cafe, Doodlets and Café Pasqual's until I reached Santa Fe Arcade. This is not a place with video games it is a shopping mall of sorts and it is home to Rooftop Pizza. My letterboxing pal - rubberpeace - planted a box outside the restaurant. I found the box and sat on a bench and stamped in. It was a nice stamp and find. I rehid the box and continued my walk. I left the Arcade and stepped out onto San Francisco Street. I crossed the Plaza and headed down Washington St. to my second errand. As soon as I was finished with that I headed back to my car. A nice little walk, don't you think.

After getting back to the car I went to find one more box before heading home. I made my way to Museum Hill. Well actually not to the Hill but to the intersection of Camino Lejo and Old Santa Fe Trail. There is a statue here that represents a Santa Fe Trail caravan as it nears Santa Fe - it is called Journey's End. Hi Desert hid a box near this statue. So I followed her clues and easily found the box. I found a place to sit and stamp in and then rehid the box.

It was a nice day of errands, walking and letterboxing - thanks rubbberpeace and Hi Desert.

Making Changes

2011-05-10T17:59:00.005-06:00

Over my letterboxing years I have received many comments about the letterboxes I have planted. Most of the comments have been positive but there have been a number that have not been nice, some bordering on rude and a few that were outright rude. I tend to take things personally especially when it involves something I have said or done or made. I put an insane amount of time into every letterbox I make and it really bothers me when I get a rude comment.

Over the years I have realized that when I think about planting a new letterbox it seems to take me longer to get the box done. I procrastinate about every aspect of the box - from finding the right spot, picking the best image, getting a good carve and making a nice logbook. I have come to the conclusion that the reason it takes me so long to get a box planted these days is because I worry about what people will think. This has taken all the fun out of planting boxes and out of letterboxing.

I have also noticed that I get some comments about the way I list my boxes. Some people are demanding about how they think I should do things. Here is a very recent example: I posted a couple of boxes both on AQ and LbNA. When I posted them on AQ I put in some restrictions. So when someone visited LbNA it took them to a link on AQ that told them they weren't authorized to see that box. They thought it was rude of me to do that and they stated I shouldn't post boxes on LbNA if there were restrictions. Well, I loved having all my finds and plants listed on both sites - it is just something I like doing - having complete records. What bothers me is that these people feel that I should change the way I do things because it inconveniences them. I feel that because they choose to use only one site and to not log in their finds on AQ that they are rude. My feelings are that if it is a problem for you and you think it is rude when you get an unauthorized message then maybe you should change what you do instead of asking someone to change what they do just because you don't like what they are doing.

Because of all this I have decided to make some changes in the way I do things. First, I deleted all my boxes from LbNA, so if someone feels like finding any of my boxes they will have to go to AQ - I really don't care anymore if they take the time to search AQ for my boxes or if anyone at all looks for them. Second, I am starting to retire some of my boxes (a list of boxes I have retired will be at the end of this post). It just isn't worth getting rude comments while doing maintenance on a ton of boxes. Third, I will no longer log finds on LbNA or AQ - I will just keep a personal record on my home computer. And I will keep all my logbooks on AQ private except for my planted traditional boxes. I had originally thought I would make my blog private but decided that I would open it to all but not post it on AQ.

I am not sure how much letterboxing I will be doing - I will just see how it goes. There are a few in and around the Santa Fe and Albuquerque areas that I haven't found yet so I may look for those during the summer. And I still have the Alaska Letterboxing Cruise that is in July. I do have one more box for my Alphabetical New Mexico series to plant but after that I will severely curb planting any boxes. I have lost the love that I had for this hobby and I don't seem to be able to find any excitement to get out and box.

Here is the list of the boxes that I have retired . . .
Siddhārtha Guatama
Going in Circles
"Fortitudo Dei"
Keep on Swimming
The Crow Knows
New Mexico's Eternal Flame
Giant Rebel of Eden
Honor, Loyalty and Peace
Bear in Mind
lionsmane's 5 Year Letterboxiversary
City Different Walking Tour
Thaumaturgic Escalator

Knocked Down - Again!

2011-04-28T18:35:00.000-06:00

I was going to post about my last day in Las Cruces but I decided I don't want to write about the day. I did plant another box today but I am holding off on logging it in because I sure I will upset someone - maybe in a week or so I will post it.

When I got back to the hotel I read a post on one of the talk list that just bashed me and lots of people threw in their two cents worth. I guess I am not strong enough for the cut-throat world of letterboxing. I am thin skinned and sensitive and take criticism really personally. So I am going to take a break for a while.

Columbus, Anthony and Las Cruces

2011-04-28T17:00:00.005-06:00

This morning I got up early so that I could drive to Columbus, NM from Las Cruces. I had two orders of business to deal with - find a box and hide a box. This was my first visit to this part of New Mexico and I have to say that it isn't my favorite. First of all it was really deserted, I think I may have only seen 4 or 5 people in the three hours I was in the area. Second, it was very dry with little vegetation and third, it was so flat - very few mountains or hills in the area. Anyways, I made my way to Pancho Villa State Park. I went to the visitors center and got a map and information of the park. Then I walked through the museum to gain a little insight to the park and area. After about an hour I headed out and decided to look for the box - Where's Pancho Villa? placed by CW Sun Seeker. It was an easy find and from the location of the box you had a great view of the entire park. After I put the box back into its hiding spot I decided to walk around the park and look for a good place to put my box. It took me a while because there aren't very many trees and not a lot of vegetation and what is there looks to be quite manicured. Eventually I found a spot that I felt would be okay - but it still may be a little iffy. But I left it there anyway. The box is Alphabetical New Mexico: P (Pancho Villa). After leaving the park I drove through the small little town of Columbus but didn't see anything that interested me so I decided to head back toward Las Cruces.

As I drove back to Las Cruces I decided to stop at a rest area just west of the city to check on one of my boxes - Alphabetical New Mexico: R (Roadrunner). I had gotten messages that it was missing and wanted to make sure whether it was there or not. And just in case it was missing I had carved a new stamp and made a new box. But the box was exactly where it should have been. So I checked the compass reading and steps and wrote them down since I didn't have the actual clues with me. When I got home I checked the clues and they were right. I think the problem may be that I stated to stand between the legs of the roadrunner and they are metal - that may throw off the compass reading. But I did get the same reading standing between the legs and five steps in front of the legs. So anyway, the box is there and the clues are right.

Once back on I10 I headed past Las Cruces to Anthony, NM. I had to go a little ways past Anthony into Texas and make a U-turn in order to get to the first rest area in the state of New Mexico. Once there I read the clues to CW Sun Seekers' Pinata box. I followed the clues and found the box easily. Once I had the box in my possession I had difficulty finding a spot to sit that wasn't sandy. So I ended up just sitting in the sand. And once I had stamped in I had to clean sand off of everything before packing my letterboxing supplies back in my bag and before putting the box back together - I think I got it all cleaned pretty good. So I walked back to my car and headed for Las Cruces.

My next stop was Old Mesilla and specifically La Posta Restaurant. The box hidden here is another CW Sun Seeker work of art. I had some difficulty finding the box because it is hidden right at the entrance. There were so many people coming in and out I had to sit on a bench and try when the coast was clear. After three tries and not finding it I waited another five minutes and then went for my last try. The box is hidden in a tall planter with a fake plant in a pot sitting in the planter. This time I lifted the plant out of the planter and was able to find the box. I took it outside to stamp in just so no one would question what I was doing if I was sitting on the bench near the entrance. After stamping in I replaced the box without a problem.

From here I headed a little ways down the road to the Masonic Cemetery to find another of CW Sun Seekers boxes. Here I had a little trouble - I followed the clues and everything fell into place and I found the tree (and it is a very large tree). But I couldn't find the box. I spent over 20 minutes looking into the tree and even parted the branches and got inside and still couldn't find the box. So then I checked the surrounding trees but still came up empty handed. So I decided to call it a day and headed back to the hotel room. It turned out to be a good day until I arrived back at the hotel and read some things on one of the talk list. You can read a little about that in the next post.

Boxing in Otero County

2011-04-27T20:14:00.007-06:00

Last night I got things ready so that this morning I could head over the mountains into Otero County, more specifically Cloudcroft and Alamogordo. I had about an hour and a half to two hours of driving to reach Cloudcroft from Las Cruces. It was a pleasant and relaxing drive and I enjoyed the views.

I arrived in Cloudcroft and immediately headed to Sunspot. Sunspot is south of Cloudcroft high up in the Sacramento Mountains. I took NM130 for a short distance before turning onto NM Scenic Byway 6563 heading up into the mountains. It was about 16 miles on this beautiful winding road up to the National Solar Observatory. As I climbed higher up the temperature was dropping - by the time I reached the Visitors Center at 9200 feet the temperature was 34 degrees. I put on a jacket and hat before stepping out of the car. My first order of business was to get my Alphabetical New Mexico: N (National Solar Observatory) box planted. I walked around a little and found a nice place for this box. By the time I finished writing out the clues my hands and feet were freezing. So I decided to go into the Visitors Center and look around and see the exhibits. After about an hour up in the mountains I headed back down to Cloudcroft. Once back in Cloudcroft I made my way to Burro Street. I parked and followed the clues to find Reach for the Clouds. I found the box and went to a bench to sit and stamp in - it was a beautiful and relaxing morning in Cloudcroft. Once the box was back in place it was time to head back to Alamogordo.

As I drove NM82 I enjoyed the incredible landscape - this is such a beautiful drive. There is a tunnel you go through around High Rolls and on the west side of the tunnel is a parking area with some great views of a canyon and White Sands far in the distance. There also happens to be a letterbox there. So I took some pictures and then found the letterbox. I stamped in while in the car and then rehid the box and then continued my drive to Alamogordo.

Last night I had read through all the clues for boxes in Alamogordo and put them in a little bit of order so that I wasn't backtracking back and forth through town. I also had two boxes to plant here and do a little maintenance for Astro D. So with my plan in hand I started boxing in Alamogordo. My first stop was for The Gun. This was a quick drive by near NM82, but it was a little hard to be stealthy as the box was hidden right off the main road in Alamogordo and there were cars going by constantly. I did my best, found the box and took it back to the car to stamp in. I used my camera pretending to take pictures while retrieving and hiding the box. Next I headed up to the New Mexico Museum of Space History. This is where I had to most to do - hide two boxes, find one and do maintenance on another. I decided I wanted to get my two boxes hidden first. I walked around but it was hard to find a spot near the museum. There is an area off to the left side past all the rockets but Astro D has her box hidden there and the other box I was going to look for is almost right on top of that one. So I thought I should go away from these two boxes. I stumbled upon a wrought iron arch way that said "Indian Wells Trail" and I was elated. The two boxes I planted - Alphabetical New Mexico: X (X Prize) and Alphabetical New Mexico: H (Ham the Space Chimp) are spaced about an 1/8th of a mile apart from each other. Which means that you only have to walk a total of a half mile round trip. The trail does have some ups and downs with some stone steps here and there on the first part. All in all I would say it is a pretty easy hike with some great views. And I was glad to have found a spot away from the museum and all the people. After getting these two boxes hidden I returned to the museum and headed for Astro D's box so I could replace the logbook for her. After getting that done I read the clues for the box I wanted to find. The clues stated to start from Astro D's box and walk SW. I found this box literally ten steps away from Astro D's - I don't think that is right. I really feel that this person should move there box a little futher away. Anyway, I stamped in and rehid the box and was ready to move on.

I spent about another hour in Alamogordo finding three more boxes in town and one more box just outside of town on my way back to Las Cruces. I had a pretty enjoyable day, the weather was nice and the wind decided to take a break today. When I got back to the hotel Thomas and I went out for dinner and then back to the hotel to rest. Tomorrow - another short trip and a little more letterboxing.

Oh, and I forgot about the fire. As I was heading back into Las Cruces I could see smoke in the mountains. I stopped and took some pictures. Later I found out that this it the Abrams Fire in the Organ Mountains.

Letterboxing Along I25

2011-04-26T21:25:00.006-06:00

Thomas has a conference in Las Cruces for three days and I decided to tag along and do a little letterboxing. The main purpose is to get some on my Alphabetical New Mexico Series planted but to also find a few letterboxes.

I left Santa Fe around 6:00am and headed south on I25. The first part of the journey was just a pleasant early morning drive since I wasn't going to stop until I reached Socorro. And thankfully I was early enough to get through Albuquerque before morning rush. I arrived in Socorro and made my way to New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. I found my way to the Macey Conference Center and parked. With letterboxing things and clue in hand I headed out. I followed the clues easily enough at first but then things went all confusing. There was a pond and I was supposed to follow it around until I reached a golf cart path that ended abruptly and then find clusters of trees. Follow the path towards the golf course but the golf course was all around. Found some trees that looked like they grew in clusters but wasn't sure, checked all of them - never found a box - things were all confused, so I gave up after about 25 minutes. Not a good way to start the day. All I could think about was that it had to get better. So I left Socorro and headed to San Antonio and the Bosque del Apache.

Not much activity at the Bosque this morning, I only saw one other vehicle the entire time I was there. After paying (and reading the signs that were all over announcing not to hike alone since there had been multiple mountain lion sightings) I headed to the Rio Viejo Trail. Thankfully the box was right at the parking area and I didn't have to hike anywhere. But I did find myself looking all around for any movement before getting out of the car. I had also read the clues and pretty much figured out exactly where the box was. So I made a quick dash, grabbed the box and stamped in while in the safety of my car. After stamping in and rehiding the box I drove around the loop to check on my Alphabetical New Mexico: S (Sandhill Crane) box. It was right where it was supposed to be but it had a number written on it (3: FWS). I guess they found it and were okay with it and just marked it for their own records. Now it was time to continue on. I made my way back to I25 and continued south.

I drove until Exit 75 at which point I headed to Williamsburg. Back in March we had taken a trip to Tucson and on the way we had stopped and looked for two boxes there. We found one but couldn't find the second one. So I decided to give it another try since I was here. I still didn't find it so I am not sure what I was doing wrong. At this point I was 1 for 3. Next stop, Veterans Memorial Park in Truth or Consequences. There were two boxes here but one has been retired so I followed the clues and found Lest We Forget. I thought it was a great hide although the park seemed desolate - all concrete and gravel - very little green or any color. It seems that they could of done something to spruce it up since it is in honor of fallen soldiers. Oh well, time to move on. Just a short way up the road I stopped near an art gallery and what should have been an ice cream shop. The sign for the building next to the art gallery was gone and I didn't see any activity in the building and couldn't tell if that had been the ice cream shop or not. But I followed the clues and found the letterbox without any problems. I walked to a bench and sat and stamped in. It was a little difficult stamping in since the wind had started to pick up. One that box was back in place I headed over to Ralph Edwards Park to find T or C. This was a quick and easy find in a very empty park. I had the place to myself which was nice - no need to be sneaky. I returned to my car to go and look for one last box before getting back on I25. I headed down Third St. to Elephant Butte near the dam. I got to the starting point and tried to follow the clues but I ended up with deja vu from this morning in Socorro. Nothing made sense, then it kind of made sense, then it didn't. I tried to make things work and looked for landmarks and checked near trees with rocks like the clue said but kept coming up empty handed. After twenty minutes I called it quits - without really feeling that I was looking in the right place. Time to leave this area and continue south.

Time to hide my first box of the trip. I took Exit 63 to NM152 and drove west for about 30 miles. When I reached Emory Pass in the Aldo Leopold Wilderness I stopped. Here you can find Alphabetical New Mexico: L (Aldo Leopold). At the Emory Pass Vista I enjoyed the views but not the wind. It was blowing so hard I had the eerie feeling that I was going to be picked up and thrown right off the cliff. After hiding the box I retraced my drive back to I25. I know this box is a little off the beaten path but the drive and views are worth it.

Okay the day is going away fast but I wanted to make one more stop before reaching Las Cruces. I took Exit 50 and drove about a mile north on NM187 to Caballo Lake State Park. I didn't have to enter the park because the box was hidden at a pullout just past the entrance. This was a quick and easy find and I was glad to be able to sit in the car and stamp in since the wind seemed to be getting worse. I got the box back in its hiding spot and then gave Thomas a call. He had attended a meeting in Roswell and was making his way to Las Cruces and I wanted to check in to see where he was. It seemed that we would probably arrive at the hotel at the same time. And surprisingly we made it within minutes of each other. Once we had checked in we headed to Lorenzo's for some Italian food. I just had spaghetti and sausage which was really good. And once we were full we returned to the hotel. Resting and planning for tomorrow. I really do hope the wind settles down so I don't have to grip my clues for dear life.

This is What Letterboxing is All About!

2011-04-12T23:27:00.001-06:00

Last week Astro D, rubberpeace and I celebrated Astro D's 1000th find and had a great time. We talked about getting together again for lunch. Astro D and rubberpeace went to find one more letterbox after I left them and they picked today to have lunch and they picked Joe's Diner. Yesterday afternoon I noticed that four new boxes had been planted in Las Vegas, NM by Hi Desert and I had printed out the clues with the thought that after lunch I might drive up there and find them. I guess great minds really do think alike because while I was doing chores around the house and getting things ready for the afternoon Astro D called me and asked if I wanted to extend lunch to an afternoon of letterboxing in Las Vegas. Of course, I was totally on board (since I had already been thinking of that).

When I arrived at Joe's Diner Astro D and rubberpeace were there already and had a table. We chatted a bit and ordered and when I reached into the sugar bowl to grab some sweetner that is all I noticed. I used to pride myself on being pretty observant but with age I am losing it. I totally missed that the two of them had placed a small pouch letterbox in with the sweetner. I was so embarrassed when Astro D took it out and put it on the table. The box is called The Locavore's Dilemma and the stamp was carved by Astro D and the logbook was made by rubberpeace. Both the stamp and logbook are terrific and I loved the first finder card they included in the bag. Thanks guys - what a great surprise and sorry I am so unobservant. rubberpeace had also brought both Astro D and I a surprise. She had made homemade chocolate bark (and it was very good). After a nice lunch and good conversation we loaded into the car and headed north to Las Vegas.

I always have loved the drive from Santa Fe to Las Vegas - it is very scenic and not nearly as much traffic as going to Albuquerque. So after about an hour we reached our first destination. We arrived at the Las Vegas Depot and began our search for our first box - All Aboard For the Other Las Vegas. We followed the clues and found the box. We sat on the steps of the old La Castaneda Hotel and stamped in. After rehiding the stamp we drove just a little ways up the road to the City of Las Vegas Museum and Rough Rider Memorial to find Rough Rider. To find the box you had to solve a little puzzle (which we did) and we followed those clues to the hiding spot. rubberpeace retrieved the box for us and we stamped in sitting in the car. So far we were doing great with finding the boxes and had no problems and after rubberpeace replaced the box we were on our way. We parked at the corner of 8th and National and walked to the Centennial Alumni Tower on the New Mexico Highlands University campus. Once there we needed a few numbers and while Astro D and I were getting these numbers and figuring out the compass direction rubberpeace went out and checked a couple of spots and found the box without any of the numbers. So we sat on the artificial grass that covered the area. It was a beautiful day but we didn't see any students - I kind of thought that was weird. We stamped in and rehid the box. As we headed back to the car we noticed a lone turquoise shoe near a tree. Upon further investigation we found a few more shoes - they were all different and all painted turquoise. Another weird thing about the campus. This intrigued me and I made a note to myself to do some googling when I got home. I did that but didn't find anything so I sent an email to the University to see if they could give me some insight. And they did! The shoes are put all over campus to mark the Take Back the Night Event that takes place tomorrow night. You can read about the event which takes place all over the country by clicking on the picture with the shoes. On to the last box - Oh, Well! - no, that is the name of the box. So we headed through the Plaza to the Hay Springs Well (the nation's oldest surviving well along the Santa Fe Trail). We parked and I went out and retrieved the box and brought it back to the car. We stamped in and just as Astro D was putting everything back into the bag a woman walked up and asked if she could help us. Come to find out the well is on private property. rubberpeace thought quickly and said we just wanted to see the well and the woman seemed fine with that and left us. We all got out of the car and Astro D took pictures of the well while I rehid the box hoping that the woman wouldn't come out or wasn't watching us while I hid the box. Once it was back in place we got in the car and headed out.

But before leaving Las Vegas we made a stop at Charlie's Spic & Span Bakery and Cafe for some sweets. Then Astro D drove us back to Santa Fe and our cars. It was a great day with friends and a great day of letterboxing - just as it should be. Thanks Astro D and rubberpeace for all the fun and thanks Hi Desert for the boxes and tour of Las Vegas, NM.

At the Santuario

2011-04-11T08:07:00.001-06:00

Early this morning I had a couple of errands to run and fortunately they didn't take me long to complete. So I had the rest of the day to do what I wanted. I had put my letterboxing things in the car and I had three clues with me. So I picked one and headed out for a little drive.

My drive took me up Hwy 285 to NM 503 where I ended up at El Santuario de Chimayo. It was turning out to be a nice day. The weather was beautiful and there were no other cars in the parking lot. I ended up walking around for a while taking pictures and enjoying the beautiful morning and the peace and quiet. It was a very relaxing time. After about 25 minutes I started looking for the letterbox. I found the landmarks and made my way to the hiding spot. When I got to that point I took a few pictures and looked around to make sure I was still alone. I didn't see anyone so I started to check for the box. I was looking for a flat rock behind the wall. When I got around to the back of the wall I only found one flat rock. I checked under it and I didn't see anything. So I moved the rock and realized there were a lot of dead leaves and debris around. After brushing the leaves aside I still didn't find a box. So I put my stuff down and checked all over the area but never found the box. I hope I was just not getting it and that the box is still there.

I felt I had done a pretty good search and decided to call it quits. But before leaving I did another walk around the area just enjoying the morning. Even though I didn't find the box I still had a great morning and enjoyed my little outing.

Letterboxing with Astro D and rubberpeace

2011-04-07T20:25:00.008-06:00

Well today was the day - Astro D found her 1000th letterbox. I started working on getting this box together back in July 2010. I did a little bit at a time until I got a box planted that I thought she would like. And if you read her blog post from today - Neither rain nor snow . . . - I think I succeeded.

It was a great day of letterboxing and a great day with friends. I am glad I was able to return the favor of placing a special box for her milestone. And even if I say so myself I think the letterboxers in Santa Fe are pretty special. I think Astro D, rubberpeace and myself have planted some incredible boxes in Santa Fe and I wish more people would come and find them.

Congrats Astro D and I am really glad you enjoyed your box!

A Special Delivery

2011-04-03T18:16:00.002-06:00

Most of you know my letterboxing buddy Astro D. Well, back in 2008 (September to be exact) I reached my 1000th find and Astro D planted a special box for me that I still remember and love - Road Trip. Now Astro D is at 999 and ready to get to a grand. So I am returning the favor and planting a special box for her. I began working on this box back in July 2010. I first came up with a few themes and locations and kept working on things until I focused in on one that I thought would capture Astro D's interest (Mid-Century Modern) and make this box a memorable one. Placing a box of this magnitude requires a lot of work and a lot of help - so I recruited a few people to assist me. Thanks go out to Aspen, Bell Motel, rubberpeace & rbrhorno, Travelin' T's, Twinville Trekkers and Wronghat for their assistance in bringing this box to fruition. The box is now planted and all the clues written - in codes. The clues area a series of puzzles that have to be solved. I put a special booklet together to give to Astro D so she could work on the puzzles and be ready to go and find the box sometime this week. So this morning I drove in to Santa Fe and left the booklet hanging on her front door for her to find as a surprise. (I did worry a little that it might blow away as we have been having high winds here in Santa Fe.) But I didn't need to worry because I received this email from her not too long after I left it at her house.

"Hi Mark- John came in this morning and was hiding something behind his back and said in a sing song voice, "Someone left you a present at the front door!" I couldn't imagine what. Then he showed me. Woo hoo!! An Eames box!! I love it. I have so far completed puzzles 1,2 and 3. (Thanks so much for the hint on puzzle 3.) 4 looks to be easy and 5 looks to be hard! Just sat down at my desk after lunch to look at #5 some more. Love love love the Eames theme and the name of the box. Now I can't wait to go find it! -D"

And a little later I got this email.

"Hi Mark- YEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH! I got it. Ah, what a relief. Would be very embarrassing to not be able to get it.... :-) You sure did a lot of work. Very cool. Thank you. Again, it is the PERFECT theme. Well, I haven't put the jigsaw puzzle together yet but I am expecting that to go smoothly!! -D"

I think she will remember this box. So there are plans for Astro D, rubberpeace and I to get together on Thursday to go and find the box and then have lunch to celebrate. The box is called Dreams of Eames and I have it as a mystery. The puzzles, when solved will give you all you need to know to find the box. I did log the box in but the clues aren't posted yet. I want Astro D to find it first and enjoy it before I make it public. And I do have restrictions on the box. I really don't want it to go missing since it celebrates a milestone and it was quite a bit of work to put together. So don't think I am being mean but if you don't meet the restrictions I won't make any exceptions to anyone for the clues. Hopefully the box will last a long time and eventually you will get to the point that the clues will become available to you. Congratulations Astro D and I hope you enjoy your box!

Letterboxing With the Wind

2011-04-03T16:00:00.011-06:00

March was a busy month for me. Lots of projects and two trips - one to Texas and one to Tucson. Yesterday I completed a couple of major projects which made me happy enough to jump up and down. I spent the afternoon on Saturday cleaning up my craft area and getting some things organized. So that left today pretty open for just about anything. I did have one very important thing to do - make a special delivery. I will write about that in my next post.

Yesterday while organizing things I went through some clues I had printed out for boxes recently planted in New Mexico that I haven't yet had the time to go out and find. Two of those were in Santa Fe. So I gathered all my letterboxing stuff and the clues and headed out. I think Thomas had had enough of letterboxing in Tucson that he declined to join me on my hunts.

My first stop was at Old Fort Marcy Park and the Cross of the Martyrs. When I left home the wind wasn't all that bad but by the time I parked the wind had really picked up. So I read the clues in the car and and then folded and rolled the clues so I could hold them tight enough not to have them fly away. I followed the clues to a certain spot and then had to unroll them to check the next part. Not thinking, I wasn't holding the paper tight enough and the wind decided that I needed a little chase before finding the box. Lucky for me a bush intervened and stopped the paper and I didn't have to chase it very far. Now I kept a good grip on the page and made it to the box. I grabbed the box and was going to go and sit on a bench nearby but realized that it was out in the open and unprotected from the wind. So I found another bush and sat on the side that would block me from the wind. I still had a challenging time but I got through it. And WooHoo! - I was the first finder of the Twinville Trekkers' Beatles Series #15 "Revolution" letterbox. I got the box back into place and hidden well and returned to my car.

On to the second box. This box is Hi Desert's A Slice of Life box. I made my way up Hyde Park Road to the Black Canyon Campground and parked. It was a great drive, not too many people on the road and I always love the scenery. So I parked in the parking area for people only using the campground for hiking and started following the clues. I didn't actually go into the campground but hiked into Hyde Memorial State Park which is right next to the campground. Thankfully up here the wind wasn't as bad and I had plenty of trees to help block it anyway. I found the box which is hidden right near a creek. I found a spot to sit and I stamped in. I enjoyed the box and the area - I ended up spending about 45 minutes up there. It was such a nice day.

So I had a great time finding these two boxes and I enjoyed my time in the mountains. I am just waiting for it to get a little warmer so I can get out more often.

A Great Trip to Tucson

2011-03-28T20:35:00.006-06:00

Thomas and I made it home safely from our trip to Tucson. We had a great visit to Tucson and really enjoyed the 7th Annual Tucson, Arizona Letterboxers Gathering. It is always a pleasure to visit with the Tucson Letterboxers and they always have great boxes to find. I really appreciate all the images I have in my logbook. I am really happy to have completed Azroadie's Geology 101 Series and I enjoyed all the great hikes these boxes took me to. You can read about the whole trip by going to The 7th Tucson Event.

Off on Another Letterboxing Adventure

2011-03-22T18:55:00.006-06:00

I recently returned from a big Texas letterboxing trip and all as soon as I recovered and got caught up I started planning the next trip. Thomas and I are leaving tomorrow for Tucson, Arizona. We will be letterboxing throughout Tucson and attending the 7th Annual Tucson, Arizona Letterboxers Gathering. The event is being held at Colossal Cave Mountian Park in Vail. I always enjoy letterboxing in Tucson - they have some great letterboxers and letterboxes. I have found some incredible boxes there and have been on some great hikes. We are looking forward to the trip and I am sure we will have a great time. You can read all about our adventures by clicking on the picture.

I Went Native and Now I Am Home

2011-03-10T22:46:00.004-07:00

Well, I had another incredible trip, this one to Texas. I left New Mexico and traveled through Lubbock to Abilene. Then on to Waco and then down to Lake Somerville and then stopped in College Station. I then made my way to Mexia for the T.A.L.E. 8 - Going Native! event. From there I traveled to Dallas to visit a friend before heading to McKinney, Quanah, Turkey and then Canyon. Now I am home and I had a great time. I am finally settled, the laundry is done and I finally have blogged the entire trip and logged in all my finds. You can read all about it by clicking on the Texas flag. Thanks to all the Texas Letterboxers who placed boxes and thanks to Silver Eagle and Baby Bear for a fantastic event.

Going Native!

2011-02-27T19:14:00.002-07:00

I am off on another trip - this one is to Mexia, TX to attend T.A.L.E 8 - and I am really looking forward to it. I am hoping the weather will be good and that the letterboxes will be plentiful. I am also planning on replacing a couple of my boxes that have gone missing while I make my way to the event. I will be traveling down through Lubbock to Abilene. Then over to Waco and down to Somerville before making my way to Mexia. After the event I will drive to Dallas to visit a friend before making my way home. You can read all about the trip by clicking on the picture. Can't wait to tell you all about T.A.L.E. 8!

A Walrus and A Rose

2011-02-21T23:46:00.006-07:00

Two new boxes were planted in Santa Fe in the last few days and I just had to go out today and find them. Both had neat clues and both were in the downtown area so I headed into town and went on a quest.

I first drove and found a place to park near the plaza to find another one of the Twinville Trekkers' Beatles Series. I parked and made my to the location where I needed to start to look for the box. I found the hallway with the crows, eyes and clouds. It was actually a pretty neat mural. I got the information I needed and figured out all the steps and turns and made my way to the hiding spot. Then I had to wait and walk around until the area was void of muggles before retrieving the box. When I had in my hot little hands I went back to where the mural was and sat and stamped in. Putting the box back in place was much easier. Thanks Twinville Trekkers for another nice box.

I made my way back to my car and then drove to Amelia White Park to find a box by Hi Desert. She is fairly new to the letterboxing scene in Santa Fe. The box I found today was her second planted box and it is the first one of hers I have found. The other one is a little ways away and I haven't had time to get out there and get it. But today I solved the little puzzle she has for the clues and found Amelia's Rose. I am glad that the weather was nice today and I didn't have to be out in the cold trying to solve the clue. I enjoyed finding this box, thanks Hi Desert. I am looking forward to more of your boxes.

I had a pleasant afternoon walking around downtown and visiting Amelia White Park. It is nice to have boxes to find close to home. And next week I will be in Texas for T.A.L.E. 8 and I am so looking forward to it.

5 Year Letterboxing Anniversary

2011-02-16T23:05:00.010-07:00

Back in November 2005 while searching the internet for information about personal journaling I came across something called letterboxing. I took a little time to read about it but then moved on to my original project. A few weeks later I went back to the letterboxing information and read more. It really captured my interest and I kept reading as much as I could Back in November 2005 while searching the internet for information about personal journaling I came across something called letterboxing. I took a little time to read about it but then moved on to my original project. A few weeks later I went back to the letterboxing information and read more. It really captured my interest and I kept reading as much as I could and then gathered the materials to carve my first signature stamp. Then on February 16, 2006 I ventured out on a very cold morning to find my first letterbox. That box was Silver Eagle's Santa Fe Trails Microbox. As I sat on a cold picnic bench and stamped in I knew I was hooked. So here it is five years later and I am still hooked.

So to celebrate this day I decided to go letterboxing. My first order of business was to get a box planted. I put a box together to commemorate this anniversary and I wanted it planted today. I
made my way to Amelia White Park and found a good place to hide the box - the box is called lionsmane's 5 Year Letterboxiversary. I picked this park to plant the box in because this is where I found my first box 5 years ago today. After the box was placed and the clues written I decided to check on Silver Eagle's box just make sure it was still in place - and it was. Now to go and find some letterboxes.

I left Santa Fe and headed south to Albuquerque and droe to the Volcano Area of the Petroglyph National Monument to find Wronghat's Volcano Aslumber. You may have read my post; Volcanoes - 1, lionsmane - 0, where I attempted to find this box once before. I am not sure why I had problems finding this box on that visit because today I found it without any trouble. Once I retrieved the box I looked for a nice spot to sit and stamp. I found a nice flat rock with great views of the Sandias and enjoyed Wronghat's carving. After stamping in I decided to walk the entire area before returning to my car. I had a great morning at the Volcanoes.

My next stop was to find another of Twinville Trekkers' Beatles Series. Finding the box was pretty easy - but retrieving it was much more difficult. This was a very busy area and I had to wait for a little while before I could grab it and then again I had some difficulty putting it back in place. But with a little patience and stealth I managed to not get caught. I am enjoying the Trekkers' Beatles Series and I really liked this stamp.

I had a great day of letterboxing and it was a perfect way to celebrate my anniversary. Thanks to all who have planted boxes that have helped me to enjoy this hobby.

Volcanoes - 1, lionsmane - 0

2011-01-27T16:26:00.008-07:00

After going out last Saturday to find a letterbox I realized how much I missed it. Unfortunately, in New Mexico there aren't that many letterboxes that I need to find and most of the ones are further than a day trip away and aren't feasible for me right now. So I decided this morning I would try to go out and find a letterbox that was closer and could be done in a day. My choices were - one at Heron Lake, one in Los Alamos and two (possibly three) in Albuquerque. I decided to try the ones in Albuquerque. So I got all my letterboxing things together and grabbed the clues. On my way out the door I realized that I had printed these clues before the holidays and didn't have a chance to get to them then. So I went back to my computer and checked that the clues hadn't changed since I printed them. Everything was good so I headed out.

I arrived at the Volcanoes Day Use Area of the Petroglyph National Monument and parked the car. I was a little concerned about finding this box because when I left home I did not understand the clues at all and I hoped that when I arrived at the area if would all fall into place. So I sat at a picnic table near the parking area and read the clues and tried to decipher things - the only thing I could make out was that I needed to head to the south cone. So I headed up to the cone but before climbing to the top I read the clues again, I was even more confused. I couldn't tell if I needed to be at the top or if the box was hidden at its base. The first part of the clue read south cone north middle at base top east north rim side. I didn't know if I needed to be on the north side of the east side or at the top or at the bottom. So I gave it a try and started to follow the clues. Nothing worked - the last part of the clues talked about a cave and a juniper and tallest point. I went to the tallest point of the cone and looked around - no cave and no juniper. I never did find a cave or a juniper. So I decided to find a spot to sit and rest and think about the clues. I still had no idea what to do. So I ended up just walking all over the cone looking for anything that made sense. After about an hour and a half I gave up. Not sure what I was doing wrong but I was very confused - and it was appropriate that the last word on the clue was confusion.

I then spent another hour walking around the other cones before heading back to the parking lot and my car. My original plan for the day was to look for this box and then head in to Albuquerque and find another box in town. As I left the Volcanoes I decided that this letterboxing day wasn't working out so I just headed home. Maybe sometime later I will give these clues another try but it won't be too soon.

Out for a little 'Day Trip'

2011-01-22T14:10:00.000-07:00

Well it has been a while since I have been out letterboxing (almost two months) and I decided last night that I wanted to go this morning an find a letterbox that I had been trying to find the time to get to. After returning from our trip to the southeast for Thanksgiving things have been really busy. And then we had some really cold weather and I wasn't looking forward to sitting out and trying to stamp in.

But today was beautiful, a little cold early in the morning but by mid morning it was much better. So Thomas and I decided that we would take a day trip to find Twinville Trekkers' Beatle Series "Day Tripper" letterbox. I can't really elaborate too much on the box because it is a mystery. I can say that I love the area where it is hidden and we enjoyed our time there. We really loved getting out of the house and away from the daily grind. The box was easy to find and I loved the view from where it was hidden. So if you are in New Mexico and and want a nice little day trip then just solve this mystery and I am sure you will enjoy. Oh, and by the way the Twinville Trekkers did a great job on the carving. Thanks!

Another Trip is Complete

2010-11-30T22:12:00.006-07:00

Well after being gone for nearly two weeks we made it home today. The trip was pretty good but as always it is good to be home. We traveled to four states and saw a lot of new things. We discovered quite a few things that we would like to visit again. And as usual I took quite a lot of pictures. So if you want to read about the trip go to A Southern Thanksgiving Letterbox Trip and if you want to see a slide show of the trip just click on the picture. Now that we are home I guess it is time to plan the next trip.

Thanksgiving and Letterboxing

2010-11-17T20:21:00.005-07:00

Well we are off on another one of our trips. This one is a trip to visit my brother for Thanksgiving. He and his wife have been wanting us to visit and so they have planned a family get together and everyone will be there. But we can't just go straight there we have to make it an adventure. We fly into Birmingham, AL, then make our way to Savannah, GA and finish in Asheville, NC before we get to Acworth, GA for the family Thanksgiving. This is a new area for us - neither Thomas nor I have ever visited here. So we think this will be an amazing trip. Of course as we travel along we will be looking for letterboxes. I am hoping that looking for letterboxes will take us to some places we would have otherwise driven right by. We leave tomorrow morning and won't return until the end of November. If you want to tag along click on the turkey.

Northwest New Mexico Loop - Part III

2010-10-31T19:45:00.010-06:00

Sunday, October 31
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

This mornig we slept in, we didn't leave the hotel until around 9:30am. We weren't in a hurry since our plans only involved letterboxing within Farmington. Since we didn't have any long drives we decided to take it easy this morning. When we finally did get around to getting out we headed to Berg Park. With clues in hand and letterboxing gear in tow we headed out to find three boxes. We walked the nature trail and visited the Riverside Nature Center and also walked around the All Veterans Memorial Park. It was a beautiful Sunday morning and the park was a great place to be, we even managed to see two deer. I guess we spent about an hour and a half at the park and managed to find three letterboxes - Love Stars Box, The Tree Sniffers and The Red Brick Box. From Berg Park we made our way to Gateway Park. Here we were looking for two letterboxes. I followed the clues for one and found 'a' box but not 'the' box. I was looking for Frolick in the Garden and what I found was Native Mandala. So before stamping in I read the clues for Native Mandala the box was in the right spot but it was hidden by a brick and the clues stated to look for a rock. So I reread the clues for Frolick in the Garden and retraced my steps to see if I was looking in the right spot. I thought I was but I never found the box. I am not sure I was looking in the right spot or not but we ended up walking all around the garden and still came up empty handed. So I stamped in to Native Mandala and rehid it as I found it. I hope the other box isn't missing - I just hope I misread the clues. We decided it was time to move along.

We headed to the north part of town to Lions Wilderness Park. We drove to the Overlook Shelter Area and parked. While I looked for the box Thomas sat under the shelter and read. I followed the clues and found Here Lies Jose HHH tucked nicely in its hiding spot. I decided to take the box back to the shelter to stamp in where I could have a nice flat surface. The hostel only had two hitchhikers in it (and the clues stated that there should be three) so I didn't take any hitchhikers with me and I didn't have any to leave there either. So I just stamped into the box and rehid it. From this part of the park we drove back to the Amphitheater area. I found Smelly Snail and quickly stamped in and put it back and then went in search of Wronghat's Sting box. I didn't have any problems with the clues and soon I was sitting on the incredible rock formation enjoying the beautiful sunshine and stamping in. This was another wonderful Wronghat/Semicolon box! Once the box was back in its spot I returned to the car. I had a box that I had planned to hide in the park but wasn't sure where. While I was stamping in to Sting I decided that I wanted to put it in the area where I found Jose. So we drove back to the other area but instead of going to the Overlook Shelter we went to the Rocky Point Shelter. It didn't take me long to find a good spot for He Strikes! and get the clues written. I enjoyed this park, especially the landscape - the rock formations were incredible.

When we left this park we decided to find a place to eat and relax for a little while. We had an enjoyable lunch and rested for about an hour before heading out again. We didn't have much left to do in the way of letterboxing. I had clues for seven boxes but only three of them were actually available. Four of them were either missing, retired or pulled. And I still wanted to get one more box planted today. Our first stop after lunch was Vietnam Veterans Park where we found The Lucky Box. I stamped in and rehid the box and then decided to give the park a once over to see if I could hide my box here. The park is small but after looking around I decide it would work perfectly. I think The Lucky Box may have been lucky for me. I quickly found a spot for Alphabetical New Mexico: F (Farmington). There were a lot of things that fit - a big "F" on the hill, I found a bench that had "The City of Farmington" on it and it just felt right. So with that box in place we could move on. We next went to the Farmington Library and found Play-Doh. I sat on the beautiful lawn and stamped in while enjoying the terrific Fall weather. After getting that box back into place we headed off for out last box in Farmington. This one would be a quick drive by as it was hidden right on the side of the road. We parked on a side street and I made the very short walk to retrieve Fly By Knight. I brought it back to the car to stamp in and then I walked it quickly back to its hiding spot. So we managed to get all the boxes that are available in the Farmington area - except one and we will get that one on our way home tomorrow and we will leave one final box in the area as well. All our things are organized and I think we are ready to head on home. Thomas and I both miss Daisy and Buddy and it will be good to get home and see them. And tomorrow just happens to be Buddy's 1st birthday.

Monday, November 1

Today we are going to make our way home to Santa Fe. We did want to get an early start so we were up at 6:00am to get things ready. After a quick bite to eat we got on the road, I was wanting to get to our first stop before the sun was up too much. We left Farmington and made our way to NM550 and headed for Angel Peak Scenic Area. We got there just as the sun started peeking above the horizon. We watched the sun hit the landscape and loved the way the light played on it. We did all this from the car as it was 35 degrees. We finally got out and took a few pictures and then went in search of Wronghat's Angel's Peek letterbox. It took a little bit of searching but we finally found it. I found a place to sit and stamp in and Thomas high tailed it back to the car - he was cold. I enjoyed the views, especially the ones of Angel Peak and Castle Rock. After I got the box back into place we left that picnic area and went to another one so that I could hide a box. I placed Angel Peak at the Cliffs Picnic Area. Once we had the clues written down we headed out.

We continued down NM550 to Cuba, well actually a little bit before Cuba. We stopped at Apache Nugget Casino to find T.P., the letterbox not the roll of, placed here by D-Girl. It was a quick and easy find right near the bathrooms. I took this one back to the car to stamp in as it was still quite chilly. I love the carved image - it really made me smile. And I enjoyed finding this box on our drive home. With the box back in place we were done with the letterboxing portion of our trip. Truthfully we were completely done with our trip except for the remaining miles of the drive home. That is exactly what we did - drive. We made it home around noon and were excitedly greeted by Daisy and Buddy, and today is Buddy's first birthday.

Our trip to the northwestern portion of New Mexico was a lot of fun. We found some great boxes and enjoyed visiting some spectacular places. But as always it is great to be home. We found 31 boxes on this trip and placed 9. Some of the boxes I placed are in out of the way places but believe me it is worth the drive to the area - what you get to see is spectacular.

Northwest New Mexico Loop - Part II

2010-10-29T20:06:00.013-06:00

Friday, October 29

This morning was an early morning - up at 6:30am and on the road by 7:30am. Thankfully the temperature was above freezing. We drove from Farmington to the Four Corners Monument near Teec Nos Pos, AZ. Thomas and I had been there before but it was quite a few years ago. The whole place has changed from what I can remember and they are still doing some construction. They recently redid the monument and now they are working on booths for the vendors and it looks as though they are also working on the parking area. And yes, Thomas and I both were in all four states at one time. After walking around and visiting the vendors (we did not buy anything) we found Wronghat's 4 Corners NM box. It was a bit tricky to get the box due to where it is hidden - I had to be very sneaky. We had a fun visit here and then headed back to Farmington. On the way back we stopped at a little pull off on US64 to find Shiprock letterbox. This was a quick and easy find, with a great view of Shiprock and very soon we were back on our way to Farmington.

As we entered Farmington we turned onto NM170 headed toward LaPlata. Only a mile or so up the road we encountered a large brown bear on the side of the road that was hiding the One Love letterbox. He graciously allowed us to stamp in and then happily sent us on our way right after reminding us that we could prevent forest fires. About 15 miles later we arrived in LaPlata and found Talley Park. There are two letterboxes in this park. The Newest Red Dragon and Puppies Three. Both were pretty easy to find. Puppies Three was left here by alamocito before she moved away. A beautiful carving of cute little puppies and from where it was hidden you had a fantastic view of the LaPlata Valley. The Newest Red Dragon was placed at the edge of the park with a nice view of the park. I enjoyed finding these two boxes and the peace and quiet of this lovely place. As we were leaving we encounterd two geocachers - I politely reminded them that if they found any letterboxes to please leave everything in the box.

After leaving the park we took NM574 to Aztec. Arriving in Aztec we found our way to the Aztec Ruins National Monument. After paying our fees I made sure to collect my National Park Cancellation Stamps - one for Aztec Ruins National Monument and one for Old Spanish Trail. Thomas and I then walked the ruins trail and marveled at the size and workmanship of the buildings. Once we made it through the ruins we walked over to the picnic area to find Aspen's Aztec Ruins Box. It was a quick find and a great little stamp. We sat under a tree while stamping in - the day was beautiful, sunny and Spring-like with a temperature of 67 degrees. After rehiding the box we decided we wanted to get something to eat. So we took a break and relaxed over some pizza and salads. Once we were full and rested we made our way to Riverside Park to find two boxes. First we found GAQLBE09 - Maine Quarter (a beautiful carve) and then walked over the beautiful new bridge (I loved the rusty finish and the lights) to find Wild Horse (a great Aspen carve). With these two boxes back in place it was time to head back to Farmington. We took NM516 and continued right into the downtown area. First we stopped to get Downtown Farmington, which I thought was a very clever hide. I found the box, took it to a bench to stamp in and enjoyed the coolness of the late afternoon while stamping in. With this box back in place Thomas and I decided to walk up the road a little bit to get Let the Wild Rumpus Start! letterbox. We arrived at Andrea Kristina's and order dessert and coffee and then found the letterbox. I stamped in between bites of chocolate cake and sips of caramel latte. This was a wonderful stamp - large (about 3.5" x 5") and beautifully carved. We relaxed and listened to a gentleman play music and talked about what a wonderful day we had.

We are now back in the hotel, the letterbox finds have been logged and notes have been sent. The blog for today is written and we have a plan for tomorrow. I guess it is time for bed.

Saturday, October 30

We had a very busy and very adventurous day today. It all started when we got up at 6:30am and got ready for the day. After dressing, a little breakfast, and filling the car with gas we were on our way. First stop - Salmon Ruins Museum and Library. When we arrived at the museum it hadn't opened yet, but we decided to walk around to the back of the building and we found the gate to the ruins open. So we went in and looked around the ruins (we didn't have a trail guide so we weren't sure exactly what everything was) and then looked for a letterbox - We easily found that New Hampshire Lily that was left here by uneksia. After stamping and rehiding the box we made our way back to the parking lot - we never saw a single person. We continued our journey heading east on US64 to the intersection with NM575. We turned north here and drove about three miles where we parked on the side of the road next to a large cliff. We made our way up to the top of the cliff to find Old Spanish Trail letterbox. We looked for the group of two large junipers at the top (this was a little difficult as there were quite a few junipers in the area). But we made our way to two which to us appeared to be at the "top". Sure enough we found a box under one of them. I grabbed it and found a good spot to sit so I could stamp in. I opened the box and found a bag with a logbook and a store bought stamp of an angel. There were also trinkets in the box (like you would find in a geocache). I became confused (this happens from time to time) and I looked in the logbook for the name of the box to make sure I had the right thing. There was no box name and no placer. I decided to stamp in using the store bought stamp (even if it had nothing to do with the name of the box). When I was done I replaced the box where I found it but kept thinking I must have found a geocache and this couldn't possibly be the letterbox. But, there were other letterboxers who had stamped in along with some geocachers. Thomas and I decided to look all over the top of the cliff under as many junipers as we could to see if we missed anything. We came up empty handed and decided that we had found the right box and returned to the car to continue our day.

We continued a little further along US64 to CR4450 where we turned south. This road is all dirt and was a little bumpy but not too bad. We drove 20 miles crossing two bridges and a wash as we made our way to Crow Canyon. Everything was going well to right before we got to the parking area. Towards the end you pass through a gate and come to a fork in the road with a sign. To the right 44 Panel, Warrior Panel and Crow Canyon Pueblito. To the left the Main Panel. We went left and came upon a very muddy area with deep ruts. Thomas continued along and we got stuck, thankfully we put the Jeep in 4L and made it through. After parking we walked the trail to some informational signs and read a little about the area. Then we went in search of Aspen's Crow Canyon Box. It was an easy find and I sat and stamped in while Thomas began looking at all the rock art. After stamping in and putting the box back in place I joined Thomas and we walked the entire trail enjoying all the petroglyphs. I had also brought a box to hide and we were on the lookout for the image I had carved. It didn't take us too long to find it and we searched for a good spot to hide the box in that area. After about 15 minutes the box was in place and Alphabetical New Mexico: C (Crow Canyon) awaits visitors. After taking tons of pictures we returned to the car and we left the parking area. As we came to the muddy part of the road Thomas switched back into 4L. We were doing fine until half way through. We got stuck again and this time we were high centering and nothing Thomas did helped. We found rocks and sticks to put under all four tires to see if that would get him high enough to get out - it didn't, the mud was just too soft and the car just pushed them into the mud. Finally I got out and tried to see what I could do (remember we are 20 miles in the middle of nowhere and no cell service). I noticed that every time Thomas went forward he would bulldoze a pile of mud in front of the car. I made him back up a little and I used my hands and one stick to push all the mud that had piled in front of the car into the ruts and lower the middle as much as I could. After about 1o minutes of this I told Thomas to try and if he got out to just keep going and I would walk up and meet him. IT WORKED! So I walked up the road and met him. My hands and wrists, as well as my shoes, were covered in mud. Luckily we had brought quite a bit of bottle water and I used almost two bottles cleaning off my hands and wrists. Now that we were free we decided to go to the 44 Panel. It was about a mile walk (partially through a wash) but it was worth it. We saw quite a few more petroglyphs and enjoyed the walk. We returned to the car and realized we didn't see a sign for the Big Warrior Panel so on the way out we looked for it but never found it. We made the 20 mile drive back to US64 talking about what a worthwhile drive we had just had (mud and all). Thanks Aspen for getting us out there. But to anyone making this journey I highly recommend a 4WD and a high clearance one at that - you never know what will happen out there with no one around to help.

Back on US64 we were still heading east until we arrived at NM527. We drove north on this road for 11 miles and turned left on Werner Grade road. A few miles up this road we arrived at a sign for Francis Canyon Ruins. We followed four of these signs to a parking area. From the parking lot we followed the .1 mile trail to the ruins. What a great spot - a small set of ruins overlooking a spectacular canyon - absolutely beautiful. I took a few pictures and Thomas explored the ruins. I then went in search of Turtle of the Lake letterbox. A quick find and a quick stamp in so that I could walk around the ruins a little more. This was another bit of a drive but well worth it. I really enjoyed the views, the ruins and the letterbox. From here we wanted to go to Navajo Lake State Park and Astro D had done this trip just a couple of weeks ago and told me that her Garmin sent her over to the dam without having to return all the way back to US64 and making the trip back around. So I punched in Navajo Dam and it told me to follow the way back to US64. Didn't want to do that so I tried again - this time putting in Aztec. No dice. One more time - Navajo Lake. Finally we had something. So we continued in the same direction as we were before detouring to the ruins. For a little while everything was going well then the Garmin started freaking out - he kept telling us to turn right onto US64. That would have been fine if we had been any where near US64. We stopped I turned the Garmin off and the on again, retyped Navajo Lake and again we were on our way and okay. This happened two more times before we finally ended up at the lake. Twice we almost decided to turn around and retrace our path and go back to NM575 and US64. I was glad we didn't because this turned out to be way faster. Once at the lake we drove over the dam and ended up on NM511. Just past the dam we found a little pullout to take a picture of the lake. From this spot you could see the Marina. I decided to hide my Navajo Lake box here at the pullout mainly because I thought the view was wonderful. After hiding my box we descended the dam via NM511 and drove a few miles to NM173. This road took us to Cottonwood Campground so that we could look for one (maybe two) more letterboxes. We found the first one with no problem, it was in a picnic area near the day use area parking right along the San Juan River. After I stamped in here we decide to give the other box a try. This is an older box and I suspected it was missing (I read something on either the Southwest Talklist or the Rocky Mountain Talklist) but I decided since we were here to try. The clues were a little wonky and twice I had to retrace my steps to be in the right spot. The last little bit was confusing - I needed to find a crude path uphill through the brush. There were many paths. I counted the steps and went a little more and checked it out and then went back a little and checked it out. After looking between two large boulders (about 10 pairs of boulders) I decided it was missing (my choice - who knows it may be there and I just didn't look in the right place). I returned to the car and Thomas and I decided to call it a day. We headed back toward Farmington making a stop at one of those car washes with the power wands to get rid of some of the mud - the car was shaking as we drove because of all the mud in the tires. Once the car was rid of most of the mud we stopped and had a bite to eat. Now showered I had logged in my finds and plants and caught up on this blog. Tomorrow we are letterboxing right here in Farmington, no long drives.

Northwest New Mexico Loop - Part I

2010-10-27T19:35:00.019-06:00

Thomas and I decided a couple of weeks ago to make a trip to the northwest part of New Mexico. I have been wanting to plant some more of my Alphabetical New Mexico Series and I have also wanted to letterbox in the Farmington area (I have been letterboxing for four and a half years and I haven't been to this area yet). So I mapped out a route and started carving stamps and making boxes. This trip will take us from Santa Fe down to Albuquerque then west on I40 to Gallup. From Gallup we will travel north making a detour into Arizona before ending up in Farmington. To head home we will take NM550 to Cuba and either go through Abiquiu or go through Jemez Springs and Los Alamos. So follow along and see where this trip takes us.

Tuesday, October 26

Today Thomas worked half a day while I got last minute things ready for the trip. Once he got home (after filling the car with gas, getting some cash and picking up a few things for the dogs) we got the car loaded and headed out. It was a little after one 0'clock in the afternoon when we hit the road. The drive was actually very pleasant, we made it through Albuquerque before any rush hour traffic and I40 wasn't too clogged with eighteen wheelers. We really didn't have too much planned, we just needed to be in Gallup tonight so Thomas could attend a meeting tomorrow morning and then our vacation would really begin.

Whenever we travel and visit a National Park I usually get a cancellation stamp from the park. I just stamp it on a scrap piece of paper - I never got one of the Passport books. But for some reason I decided that on this trip I would purchase one of the books and start collecting them that way. So I had mapped out what National Parks and Monuments we would be near and decided that we would stop to get the stamp and visit the area. We got to our first one today - the NW New Mexico Visitor Center near Grants. I purchased a Passport and collected three stamps here - NW New Mexico Visitor Center, El Malpais National Monument and an El Malpais National Monument Bonus Stamp. Once we were done at the Visitor Center we continued on our way.

Since we had left early enough and didn't really have any plans we decided to stop in Thoreau to see Thomas' brother, Bill. Thoreau is small and we weren't sure where Bill lived so we found the Elementary School where he teaches. As we pulled into the parking lot he was walking out of the building. We asked him if he and his two daughters wanted to follow us to Gallup for dinner. He said yes and we went to the High School to pick them up. We drove to Gallup and had a nice dinner and visit, it was good to see them and catch up on things. After dinner they left and we went to the hotel. It was a great afternoon and we are looking forward to the rest of the trip. Incidentally, while at dinner Thomas got a phone call and his meeting was cancelled. So tomorrow we have all day to play in the Gallup area.

Wednesday, October 27

This morning we woke up about 7:00am, we decided since we had all day an alarm wasn't necessary. After dressing and getting things ready we had some breakfast at the hotel. Once we had our fill of nourishment we set out for the day. From Gallup we took NM602 south to its intersection with NM53. This was a pleasant drive and I enjoyed the rock formations along the road. This also took us into Zuni Pueblo land. We turned and headed east on NM 53 leaving Zuni Pueblo land, driving through Ramah, NM to El Morro National Monument. This would be our first visit here. We stopped at the entrance and I got a picture of the sign with the monument in the background and then we continued to the visitor center. We paid our admission fee and got some information from the ranger and then I made sure to get my El Morro National Monument Cancellation Stamp in my Passport before we set out on our hike. There are two hikes here - The Inscription Trail (a half mile loop walk with some minor ups and downs, all paved) and The Headland Trail (a two mile hike that includes The Inscription Trail and takes you up 200 feet to the top of El Morro). We wanted to hike all of it. So we set out with our Inscription Trail Guide following the paved path to the numbered markers. We stopped at each point, read the guide and took in the sights. There are 23 markers along the trail and they point out some of the more interesting inscriptions in the rock. We marveled at how old some of them are, one of the oldest is from Don Juan de Oñate dated 1605. While looking at this one I looked around for a good hiding spot for a letterbox. I placed Alphabetical New Mexico: I (Inscription Rock) near this inscription because the stamp is this inscription. After hiding the box we finished this trail and then continued on to The Headland Trail. We followed the trail as it took us up 200 feet via switchbacks. On the top on El Morro there are fantastic views and it was a perfect day to be up there. We passed the ruins of Atsinna Pueblo and continued along the trail as it descended and made its way back to the visitor center. I really enjoyed visiting this place and was glad we made the trip.

From here we got back on NM53 and headed back west. I had another box to plant - Alphabetical New Mexico: Z (Zuni Pueblo). We had seen a Welcome sign on NM602 and another one on NM53 that announced that you were on Zuni Land. But I felt I wanted to place the box closer to Zuni Pueblo. So we drove into Zuni and looked around. We stopped first at an Historical Marker but it was too desolate and really had no place for a box. We next went to the visitor center and I thought maybe somewhere around there. But there was only one tree and no spot for a box, and there were a few people just 'hanging around' - it didn't feel right. We next went to a museum but it ended in the same results. I found the area to be uninspiring and was disappointed. Thomas and I decided to head back to Gallup and stop at the Welcome sign on NM602. There isn't a pullout here but there is enough of a shoulder to park safely. Even though the box isn't at the Pueblo it is on Zuni land and I felt that the views were better here. I hope it is good enough and that the letterboxers that go and look for this box aren't too disappointed.

After getting this box hidden we finished the trip back to Gallup. I had carved a stamp and made a box to hide at Red Rock Park. I mostly made the box because originally Thomas was suppose to be in a meeting this morning and I would be on my own. I thought it would be nice to spend the morning at this park and get another box hidden. So we made our way to the park and drove around. At first I thought we would hid the box on either the Pyramid Trail or the Church Rock Trail. In the end we found a spot that makes this box a drive by. We placed Red Rock near the park office. We enjoyed driving and walking around the park, especially the views of all the red rock, the view of Church Rock and the Church Rock, NM Post Office. Once this box was in place we were done for the day, but it was still early. We decided a little siesta might be good so we returned to the hotel and rested for a while. Around 5:00pm we decided to go out for a bite to eat. The hotel recommended the Badlands Grill. It was pretty good, we both had steak and baked potatoes and then split a dessert. It was a good day and now that the blog is written I can get a good night's rest, tomorrow will be very busy.

Thursday, October 28

We left Gallup at 7:15am in the dark and with a chilling 19 degree temperature. We drove north on US491 and then headed west on NM264. We arrived in Window Rock and made our way to the window rock that gave the city its name. Here there is a monument to the Navajo Code Talkers and I wanted to visit the monument and also place a letterbox. We walked around the memorial and took pictures (while freezing our butts off), during this time I was also looking for a good spot to hide the box. We eventually located a great spot and now Navajo Code Talkers has a home. From the memorial we drove to the Navajo Nation Museum. I have started collecting the elongated pennies and the museum has a machine with three designs. I got my pennies as soon as we got there and then we walked through the galleries. They have a nice collection of art, jewelry and photographs. They also have a small display about the Navajo Code Talkers. I enjoyed visiting this museum and was happy to get my pennies. It was now time to continue onward - we had a lot planned today.

We continued west on AZ264 to Ganado. We stopped at the Hubbell Trading Post and I found Jukebox Life Lessons #33. I stamped in and loved this stamp - very 'groovy' image! After stamping in and rehiding the box we went into the trading post and looked around. Then we visited the visitor center so I could get my National Park Cancellation stamp. This was a pretty quick stop because we needed to be in Chinle for a guided tour of Canyon de Chelly at noon. So we headed north on US191 toward Chinle. When we arrived we realized we had quite a bit of time before we were to meet our guide. So we decided to look for two letterboxes. We first found Falcon's Nest near Tsaile Public School and after stamping in and rehiding the box we went and found Howdy Man. By the time this second box was back in place it was time to be at the visitor center at Canyon de Chelly. We pulled in and parked and saw our guide pull in. We used Canyon de Chelly Tours which was recommended to us by Astro D. We had booked the tour with Leander but he had some school responsibilities and wasn't able to meet us - instead we got his uncle, Ben. Thomas filled out the permits at the visitor center and I got my Canyon de Chelly stamp and a Canyon de Chelly Bonus stamp. Then we headed out for our tour. We booked a three hour tour because we wanted to make it to Farmington at a decent hour tonight. The tour ended up being about three and a half hours and we got to see Canyon de Chelly and Canyon del Muerto. This was an incredible time. Inside the canyon is spectacular and we got to see so many more things than you can't see from the rim. I highly recommend a guided tour and would go with a private one. We saw tours with trucks that had open seating in the back and it looked like they were packed in. Our guide was very knowledgeable and showed us his family's farm - he spent many of his childhood years living and playing in the canyon. We learned so much history about the canyon and saw tons of ruins in the canyon walls. We also got to see petroglyphs and pictographs. For a little more detail about the tour you can read Astro D's blog post Camping at Canyon de Chelly. When the tour was done we asked our guide what he thought was the best way for us to get to Farmington and then we asked the ranger at the visitor center the same question. We got the same answer from both. So we took their advice and headed out.

To get to Farmington we took Indian Route 64 (which is the North Rim Drive for Canyon de Chelly) to Tsaile. We turned left onto Indian Route 12 and drove about eight miles to Indian Route 13. Here the landscape became spectacular. There were red rock walls all around us. We enjoyed the drive and made several stops for photos before we ascended up Lukachukai Mountain. We drove through ponderosa pines and aspens making our way through Buffalo Pass and finally descending on the other side with incredible views of Shiprock in the distance. The drive on Indian Route 13 took us just south of Shiprock. We turned onto a little dirt road that seemed to lead right up to the huge volcanic rock. We didn't drive that road, we just parked at the beginning and took pictures. From here the drive became just the drive. We turned off of Indian Route 13 onto US491 and passed through Shiprock, NM where we continued on US64 to Farmington. By this time we were hungry so we stopped for a quick bite to eat and then headed to the hotel for the night. We are settled in and looking forward to more adventure tomorrow.

Letterboxing and a Mini Meet in Albuquerque

2010-10-23T22:05:00.006-06:00

This afternoon Astro D picked me up at my house and we headed down to Albuquerque. There were a few boxes we wanted to find and then we were meeting a family of letterboxers that were passing through Albuquerque. We talked about Astro D's recent trip to Farmington since I will be leaving on Tuesday for that same area. The trip went fast and before I knew it we were in Albuquerque.

We both noticed that a new box had appeared today on AQ so we decided to head that way first. We made our way to La Luz de Amistad Park. We were here to find one of Twinville Trekkers Beatles Series boxes. This one was called I Wanna Hold Your Hand. Very appropriate as this park has a state with a hand on it. The statue is called Hand of Friendship by Ted Egri. We found the box easily and parked ourselves on a bench to stamp in - it was a little windy so we had to keep hold of all the papers. It was a nice stamp and we got a first finder prize as well. So once the box was back in place we headed off to the old Microsoft Offices so that Astro D could find Fantastyk Voyager's box (I found it a while back). This is a very easy find as long as no one is around. So a Saturday was just perfect and Astro D was able to get the box and stamp in after numerous tries with the area too busy for her to retrieve it. Once that was done we headed to downtown to find two of Wronghat's boxes. All Aboard the RAILRUNNER and KiMo. I already had KiMo but Astro D needed to get it. So after a little searching for a parking spot we followed the clues for All Aboard the RAILRUNNER and found the box. Thankfully the area was pretty quiet and we didn't have to avoid prying eyes. We grabbed the box and walked a little ways away to stamp in. While stamping in we were approached by a man that asked us tons of questions but thankfully he didn't hang around (I was glad we weren't sitting right by the hiding spot). After we stamped in and were ready to rehide the box we had to be much more careful. There were some people hanging around but with Astro D blocking for me I got it back in place safely. From here we walked a few blocks and arrived at the KiMo Theatre. Astro D found this box and we sat so she could stamp in. Once she finished stamping in we got the box rehidden and realized it was time to head over to the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History to meet Wronghat and the Happy SAHD Family. When we arrived we didn't see anyone but a few minutes later Wronghat and Semicolon showed up. We talked for a few minutes and then Wronghat gave Astro D and I clues for a box that he had planted in a nearby park. So while they waited for the Happy SAHD Family we went and looked for the box. It took us a little thinking and working things out but finally got the clues figured out and found the box. This was a little tricky since right near the hiding spot they were having some sort of concert, halloween, costume, dance thingy. There were quite a few people and a lot of them were dressed up as zombies or ghouls. We were able to grab the box and stamp in without drawing attention to ourselves. Rehiding the box was a little tougher. I sat in front of the hiding spot pretending to take pictures while Astro D was able to sneak it back into place. We headed back toward the museum and met up with Wronghat. I think he was concerned that we may not have been able to figure out the clues, but we did. We all returned to the museum and met Happy SAHD, Chesire Cat, Lil' Shamrock and Sodormaniac.

We decided to go and have some dinner and do some exchanges. Wronghat and Semicolon suggested Church Street Cafe. It was a quick walk to the restaurant but they were busy and we could only get two tables that sat four each. Fortunately the tables were next to each other and we were able to visit and get exchanges and personal travelers done. We had a great meal and a wonderful visit. I am always glad when letterboxers passing through New Mexico contact us for a meet. Thanks Happy SAHD, it was nice to meet your family and we hope you have a wonderful time on the rest of your trip.

A Tarantula, the State Fair and Two Letterboxes

2010-09-23T20:56:00.005-06:00

Thomas had today off so we decided to make a trip to Albuquerque. It's State Fair time here in the Land of Enchantment and we make it a point to go at least one day during the Fair. I also wanted to check on a box on the way so we made the trip going the back way.

We left the house around 10:00am and headed down NM 14. We stopped in Cerrillos at Cerrillos Hills State Park. I needed to make a few changes to one of my boxes there. The Park used to be just a local one and recently it became a State Park. When this happened they changed the brochures and the old ones were needed to find the box. Anyway we checked on the box and made sure the clues were good, once that was done we continued on our way. As we drove down NM 14 we saw quite a few tarantulas crossing the road. I finally made Thomas stop so I could take a picture. He pulled over and I got out and walked over to the tarantula. That little thing moves fast. It left the road and got into the grass and it was hard to see it and get a good picture. So I found a bottle and pushed it back into the road, but it just kept scurrying back into the grass. Eventually I got a picture and we were back on the road.

Once in Albuquerque we headed straight to the Fair. I won't go into all the details but we visited exhibits, saw some animals, walked around the rides and games, and saw a couple of shows. It was a good day to go. It wasn't too busy or crowded so we got to enjoy our day. Once we had seen all we wanted to we left the Fair and went on the search for two letterboxes.

The first one was off Rio Grande Blvd. at the Gail Ryba Recreational Trail Bridge. We parked and took our walk following the clues. We found all the landmarks and quickly found the box. We sat and stamped in with a view of the Rio Grande and the Sandias. It was another great Wronghat stamp and box - thanks big guy. Oh, and I was the first finder! After getting the box back into place we left the area and made our way to Montano and the Pueblo Montano Trail. I was here about a month ago to find another box and I love this area. There are all these dead trees that were carved by chainsaw into different animals and a fireman by Mark Chavez. The box we found was Chainsaw Bear and was another quick find. I retrieved the box and stamped in at a picnic table. A nice stamp in a very relaxing place - I enjoyed finding this box. I rehid it and it was time for us to make our way back to Santa Fe. We had a great day in Albuquerque and enjoyed the two letterboxes we found.

Labor Day Letterboxing

2010-09-06T21:07:00.008-06:00

Since Thomas had the holiday off we decided to do a little letterboxing and explore an area of the State we haven't been to in a while. So we started out very early this morning as this had to be a day trip because we both have to work tomorrow.

We left Santa Fe and headed north on I25. We drove for a while and then took Exit 387 to Wagon Mound. We continued our trip on NM120 to Roy. This was actually a very nice drive - at one point we descended into a little canyon with incredible views and crossed the Canadian River and then started back up a little before we entered Roy. It was still early when we arrived in Roy and the town was still asleep. We only saw one car moving and there was nothing open on the main street. At this point we turned north onto NM39 and traveled a short distance to Mills Canyon Road. Here we took a left and continued our journey to Mills Canyon. Once we left NM39 the road was dirt and gravel. The first part was pretty well maintained but the closer we got to the canyon the road became rougher. And as the road descended into the canyon it became rougher still. I would definitely recommend a 4WD or AWD vehicle with pretty good clearance. We drove to the end and arrived at the remains of the Orchard Ranch Headquarters. The drive was long and out of the way and we ended up in the middle of nowhere but I loved every mile and minute of it. Being at the bottom of the canyon near the Canadian River was spectacular. We walked around the ruins and I took some pictures, and then I hid a letterbox. This new box is another in my Alphabetical New Mexico Series - the letter "O" for Orchard Ranch. After about an hour in the canyon and with the box hidden we made our way out of the canyon and back to NM39.

We continued our trip headed north on NM39 to the intersection with NM56 where my New Mexico map told me I would arrive in Abbott. But when we got there we only found trees and grass, no town. Anyway we turned right and headed east on NM56 making our way to Clayton. When we arrived in Clayton we stopped to fill the car with gas and then found something to eat. Once the car and ourselves were full we continued our little adventure. Last year in October Astro D placed a box for me in the Clayton Cemetery. It was my "K" box. I didn't hear anything from this box until April of this year when I was notified that the box wasn't where it was supposed to be and that the stamp was missing. I have been thinking about this box a lot. The note I received stated that people were logging into the log book as though the box was a geocache. I have come to believe that either geocachers are ignorant, stupid or just plain don't care. There were three places on my letterbox stating it was a letterbox and they still didn't get it. So we arrived at the cemetery and found "Black Jack's" grave and my box directly behind it sitting in the same hole covered by the same rock as a geocache. Now the geocache was empty except for a scrap of paper - they literally had turned my box into the geocache. I took my box with all the junk in it and my logbook and left the geocache. We then looked for another hiding spot for the new box that I had with me. Before actually picking a spot I double checked all the trees and bushes around just to make sure there were no other geocaches. I hope my search was good and that this doesn't happen again. So "Black Jack" Ketchum is active again. We left the cemetery and headed north(ish) on US87 to NM370 to Clayton Lake Road (State Road 455) and we entered Clayton Lake State Park. We made our way to the Nature Trail to find Stormcrow's Clayton Lake box. We had a nice, short walk along the lake (although we couldn't see it because of the trees) and next to some great rock formations. We arrived at the landmark quickly and found the box without any problems. We stamped in while sitting on a bench in the shade of a rock outcropping. As I stamped in I celebrated another milestone - this makes 1900 finds. When the stamping and celebrating was done we rehid the box and made our way back to the car. On our way out of Clayton we stopped at the Eklund Hotel. I wanted to see this historic landmark. But when we approached the door we realized that the place was closed and it looked like it was up for sale. There was a Sotheby's sign in the window and a note on the door about being sorry for the inconvenience. I was a little bummed - I wanted to see the interior of this place. Oh well, time to continue on.

We returned on NM56 and when we reached mile marker 24 we pulled off the road into a little roadside picnic area with two historical markers. One for View of the Rockies and the other was for the Dorsey Mansion. From the picnic area we took Dorsey Road headed north. This is a gravel road that goes for about 12 miles to the Dorsey Mansion. Unfortunately the mansion is no longer open to the public but I wanted a box here for my Alphabetical New Mexico Series. At the gate for the mansion we turned left and drove a little ways so that we were parked in front of the mansion - not right in front, it was quite a ways away but there was still a good view. Here is where I hid the box. So now "D" is out there. Now that the box was in place and I got to see the mansion we backtracked to NM56. I wanted to make one more stop before heading home to Santa Fe. When we reached Springer we turned onto Summit St. and made our way to the Mills Mansion. This was the home (at least for a little while) of Melvin W. Mills - Mills Canyon and Orchard Ranch. It looked like it could have been a beautiful place at one time, but it is very poor condition now. So we had a very full day and drove to some very out of the way places. But it was an incredible day - we learned a lot about the history of the northeast section of New Mexico and saw some beautiful landscape. I know that the boxes I placed today will probably not see much action. But for those willing to take the time and make the journey you will be rewarded with some incredible history and a very beautiful view of New Mexico.

Dining with the Beatles

2010-09-04T16:51:00.006-06:00

Last weekend I spent a day in Albuquerque looking for all the letterboxes that had been planted this summer and I thought I might have time to head to Tijeras and Edgewood to find two others- but alas, I ran out of time. So today Thomas and I decided a road trip was in order.

We headed down NM14 (The Turquoise Trail) and made our way to Tijeras. It was an uneventful drive as it was still early and virtually no traffic. In fact as we drove through Madrid we did not see one person out and about. From Tijeras we headed south on NM337 about nine miles to the Oak Flat Picnic Grounds. The parking area we needed wasn't open yet so we parked just outside the gate, gathered our things and headed out. We followed the Twinville Trekkers' clues and found the "concrete herd". (I have never seen so many of these in one place.) We continued following the clues and continued going in circles until we were Dizzy like Miss Lizzy. We located the box and found a spot to sit. I opened the box and realized I was the First Finder - woohoo! I thought for sure either Fantastyk Voyager or Wronghat would have beat me to it. Anyway, I stamped in and then replaced the box. We made our way back to the car (passing landmarks that we had already seen two or three times). So we left Oak Flats and headed to our next destination.

From Tijeras we drove down NM333 (Old Route 66) to Edgewood. It was a nice, pleasant drive and we arrived at the Red Arrow Campground and the Redtop Diner. I took a few pictures before looking for the box. The diner is so tiny - it looked like maybe only six or seven people could eat in there at a time. So I found the box but in order to get it I had to fight with a pyracantha bush. Unfortunately, the bush one because by the time I had the box I had gotten stuck three times. I took the box back to the car to stamp in. Once I was done I carefully put the box back in place. This brought us to the end of our letterboxing activities.

We continued down Route 66 to Moriarty and decided to stop for lunch at El Comedor de Anayas. We always enjoy this place - the food is pretty good and consistent and they are always friendly. After eating we drove up NM41 through Stanley to Santa Fe. It was a fantastic way to spend a Saturday morning.

Sunday Letterboxing in the Duke City

2010-08-29T20:07:00.012-06:00

All summer long new letterboxes have been popping up all over 'The Duke City'. So, I have been planning a day when I could go and find these boxes as well as check on some of my boxes. So this past week I mapped out the boxes I could find and intermingled those with my boxes I wanted to check on. I also had carved a new stamp and made a new box for my Koi Fish letterbox. I had all my things ready before I went to bed last night so that when I woke up this morning I could get on the road quickly. And that is just what I did. I was heading to Albuquerque by 7:00am and looking forward to a day of letterboxing.

I usually try and plan a route so that I am not backtracking but as usual things happen. It was nothing bad but I had to backtrack for one box at the end. But it wasn't too out of the way. So as I entered Albuquerque I exited I25 onto Montano. My first stop was the Pueblo Montano Trail and the Coyote del Bosque letterbox. As I drove down Montano I could see hot air balloons in the sky and as I drove into the parking lot I noticed how many cars were there already. I grabbed my things and started down the trail hoping that I would be able to grab the box. The box was only a short ways down the trail but it took me about 20 minutes to get to it. I stopped and took pictures of the balloons and there were all these dead trees that had been carved (by chainsaw) by Mark Chavez. The sculptures were incredible and I took tons of pictures. I finally arrived at the box and thankfully no one was around. So it was an easy retrieve and stamping in was no problem. The box was rehidden and I was on my way to the next box. I returned the way I had come on Montano and I stopped for the next box but the place didn't open until 10:00am so here is where I had to backtrack. I continued along Montano to my next stop. The Tree of Life. The letterbox and the mosaic art piece. This was at a very busy corner and next to a Dunkin Donuts. I parked behind the donut place and walked to the sculpture. I took a few pictures then followed the clues to the box. It was hidden in a bush off to the side of the sculpture, but the only problem is that the cars in the drive up at Dunkin Donuts are looking right at you as they order. So I had to wait for a few minutes and then I was able to get the box. I didn't actually have to search for the box because I could see it by just walking around the bush. So I reached in when the coast was clear and grabbed it. I took it to a bench and stamped in. When I rehid it I made sure it couldn't be seen and that took moving the branches of the bush and reaching in a little further. By the time I finished hiding the box I was covered with scent. The bush was rosemary and both my arms had been rubbbing the branches - so all day I smelled like rosemary - I had this horrible thought of being roasted like a chicken. But as the day went on either I got used to it or it faded because I stopped smelling it eventually. Okay, it was time to move on. I drove to my Urban Forest box to replace the logbook (I had gotten a couple of notes that it was full). I found the box and put the new logbook in it. After I put the box back in place I looked at the old logbook. It was full except that the backs of the pages could have been used - I guess it doesn't matter now that the new one is in place. Now to check on a box that had been reported missing. I went to UNM and made my way to the duck pond. I went to the area and looked for the box but just as I was getting started some people showed up and sat nearby. I checked the area the best I could with that group watching and came up empty handed. It was never hard to find the box so I decided it was missing - no problem I had made a new one. I walked around for over a half hour looking for a better place. I found a spot but I am not sure if it is better - maybe just different. Anyway, it has been replanted and I have updated the clues. I had one more of my boxes to check on - Roosevelt. I arrived at Roosevelt Park and went to the tree the box is hidden in. I couldn't look for it because there were so many people around playing disc golf and a man sitting on a bench looking right in my direction. I scanned the tree and walked around it but I was unable to see the box. I decided to leave and I'll check on it another time.

Now I headed off to find Chevy on a Stick. This box is hidden near an art piece titled "Cruising San Mateo I" on a very busy street corner. I was glad it was Sunday. I walked around and took pictures and then went to find the box. I located the rock hiding the box and I looked around - there was no one. So I kicked the rock out of the way and then pushed the pouch with my foot a little ways away before picking it up. I stamped in on a bench and enjoyed the wonderful Wronghat carving. Luckily when I was done there was still no one around so it made hiding the box easy. I put the pouch in the spot I found it and then covered it with pine needles and then put the rock over it and threw more pine needles over the rock. I think it should be safe . The next box gave me a little history lesson about a well known computer company. The box is called Micro-Soft (It's Not Ice Cream!) and it is placed near the building where Microsoft was first started. I easily found the box and took it back to my car to stamp in. I enjoyed this box and learning a little bit of trivia but I still had more to find, so I continued on. So I headed downtown for my next box - KiMo. This box is hidden off Central by the Kimo Theatre. I always enjoy walking around this area. I took my time and took some pictures before following the clues and finding the box. I found a nice spot to sit and stamp in and then rehid the box in its spot. I spent a little more time walking around before heading back to the car. The next box was at the Rio Grande Zoo. It wasn't in the zoo just in the parking lot. It was a busy day at the zoo and the parking lot was full and there were people all over. I had to wait about 10 minutes to get the box and I took it to a shady spot to stamp in. A nice little carving of a panda bear (which really isn't a bear) and I loved the name of the box - Panda and the Poo. When trying to hide the box it took me a little time again waiting for a clear window of opportunity. Once I did get it back in its home I headed out to the Aquarium. Now I was searching for another of the Twinville Trekker's Beatles Series - Octopus' Garden. Again this place was busy and there were two people parked and sitting right at the hiding spot. I went through the boxes I had found and noted the ones I needed to find and then had a little snack. Finally the area was clear and I retrieved the box - the stamp was a nice carving of a cute little octopus. I took it back to the car and stamped in. Rehiding the box was easy as no one was around. On to the next box.

I made my way to Martineztown and Longfellow Park. This park has a sculpture by Luiz Jimenez called Southwest Pieta. The park was empty and it made it easy to find the box. I followed the clues and found the box. I sat on a stone wall under a tree and stamped in. This box marks my 3ooth find in the state of New Mexico. I liked the park and found quite peaceful and relaxing. After I stamped in and rehid the box I took a few pictures and returned to the car. The next box was just a few block away at New Heart, a cardiac rehab facility. Kind of a boring spot. Just a business area - parking lot, standard building and the road right on the side of the building. I didn't waste too much time here. The stamp was simple and I am not really sure what it is and the area did nothing for me. So I quickly stamped in and put the box back in its hidey hole and I was on my way. So it was back to Montano and the Unser Racing Museum. They were open and I only saw two cars in the parking lot. I followed the clues to the back of the building and parked. I felt a little conspicuous. There were no other cars back here and really nothing to see so I couldn't fake taking pictures if someone came out and asked me what I was doing. I kind of walked around trying to follow the clues without looking weird. I found the box and looked around - no one watching me - so I took it back to the car and stamped in. I didn't waste time rehiding the box and then made my way back to the front. I parked and took pictures and then I organized all my clues and letterboxing stuff so that the car wasn't a complete mess. I was done and ready to return to Santa Fe. I had a great day in the Duke City and thanks to all the letterboxers who placed boxes for us to find.

Lunch and Library

2010-08-23T19:10:00.004-06:00

The Santa Fe letterboxers (Astro D, rubberpeace and myself) haven't had a chance to get together in a while. So we planned for lunch today. That way we could talk about rubberpeace's trip to Maine and Iowa, my trip to Maine and Astro D's upcoming trip to California. We were also joined by Rita to make up a nice little lunch group. We met downtown at Rooftop Pizzeria. We had a great lunch and visit. We sat outside on the patio and enjoyed a wonderful Santa Fe Summer day. We discussed our trips, recent letterboxes planted in and around the Santa Fe and Albuquerque areas and we talked about making logbooks. We met up right about noon and Rita needed to leave around 1:00pm and rubberpeace said her goodbyes not long after. As for Astro D and I we stayed and chatted for a while. If you talk to our significant others they would tell you that we could talk the day away and I guess that they would be right. Because Astro D and I didn't leave the restaurant until 3:45pm. It was such a relaxing afternoon and we talked about getting together to make logbooks and do other crafts. But as usual all good things must come to an end. We both had errands to run and still get home in time for dinner, so we said goodbye and headed off to our other duties.

This morning I had a list of errands to run before lunch and I got almost everything done. But after lunch I really needed to get one last errand done and I also wanted to stop and get a letterbox that rubberpeace had placed at the beginning of this month. I was so busy getting things ready for the trip to Maine that I couldn't get it before the trip and since I've been back I have been too busy to go and find it - until today. And the rest of the week is busy so I really wanted to find it today. So after leaving downtown I made my way to the LaFarge Branch of the Santa Fe Public Library. I parked and followed the clues and quickly found the box - Open a Book. It was a great carving (and I am pretty sure it was carved by rbrhorno) and the logbook was incredible. It had a little pocket on the inside cover with a little check out card, just like a real library book. It was a pleasure finding this box - thanks rubberpeace and rbrhorno. I stamped in and then rehid the box. Now I had to run my last errand - one that I don't like doing - going grocery shopping. Thankfully we only needed a few things and I was in and out and on my way home in no time. It was a great day and I got quite a few things done, had a fantastic visit with friends and found a letterbox - can't ask for more than that.

Another Adventure Comes to an End

2010-08-14T23:34:00.003-06:00

Well, we made it home safe and sound. It was a long day of nothing but airports and airplanes. We both like to travel but we also look forward to being back in our own home. The trip was fantastic and we had a really good time. We saw some amazing places and things and we now have tons of new memories. On this trip I added three new states to my total of states letterboxed in, I surpassed 1800 finds during this trip and I got to see two State Capitols that I had never seen before. So it was a very worthwhile trip.

The luggage is all unpacked but the laundry still hasn't been done. I also need to go through a week's worth of mail and pay some bills. And there are a few things we picked up during the trip and I need to deal with those. Hopefully I will get all of that done tomorrow so that Monday we can start the week fresh. I did manage to go through all my photos and put together a slide show of the trip. Just click on the picture to see it. And to read all about the trip just go to The Maine Event.

The Maine Event

2010-08-05T10:56:00.005-06:00

Hi all, just dropping a line to let you know we are headed to the Northeast early tomorrow morning. Thomas and I are going to Maine for the Maine's Nautical Past letterboxing event on Saturday. Here is the website for the event. After the event we will drive the coast of Maine to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. Our trip will also take us to Vermont and New Hampshire. I am really looking forward to this trip. This area has been on my 'To Visit' list for a long time. You can follow our adventures by going to The Maine Even t blog. I will try and post something each day to document the trip. You can also go to Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire to see the letterboxes I find. This trip will add three new states that I have letterboxed in which will bring my total to 24. When we get back I will put together a slide show of the trip.

A Letterboxing Outing

2010-07-30T20:25:00.004-06:00

Today Astro D and I took a little road trip to find a few of Wronghat's boxes. It was a bit of a drive but turned out to be a fantastic day. I met her at her house early and we headed out. We drove from Santa Fe to Bernalillo and then headed north on US550/NM44 in the direction of Cuba. Our first stop was just a few miles south of San Ysidro near the Ojito Wilderness. Our actual stop was the White Mesa Bike Trails. After parking we took the short walk up the trail to the letterbox. Once we found the box we found a place to sit. We stamped in while having a great view of Cabezon Peak in the distance. This was another nice box from Wronghat and Semicolon. After rehiding the box we headed back to the parking lot and continued on our little road trip. We continued on US550/NM44 to just before San Ysidro and stopped at the Perea Nature Trail. I already had found this box but Astro D still needed to find it. So we had a nice walk down the trail. While Astro D found the box and stamped in I just walked around and enjoyed the views and took pictures. With the box back in place we headed back to the car. Our road trip took us still further north on US550/NM44, through the town of Cuba and beyond (well actually we just made it to between mile markers 108 & 109). There is a pullout here with some beautiful rock formations (described in the clue as 'castles') and this is where we found the box. It was pretty easy to find the box and we took it back to the car to stamp in. We both decided that we love Wronghat's carvings, they just keep getting better. We rehid the box and decided to call it a day. We returned home via a more scenic route - NM96. This road begins just north of Cuba at US550/NM44 and goes to just north of Abiquiu at US84. It was a great day except for about 20 minutes when it rained so hard we could barely see fifty feet in front of us. But we survived and the weather cleared up. Thanks Astro D for a nice day and thanks to Wronghat for some great boxes.

Oh, I forgot to mention that Astro D celebrated her 5th letterboxing anniversary today - Congrats! my letterboxing buddy.

The Turquoise Trail

2010-07-17T17:19:00.009-06:00

Last night Thomas and I decided we wanted to do a little letterboxing and hiking this morning. So I checked what was available and got everything together. We decided to try for three more of the Twinville Trekkers' Beatles Series. So that meant a trip down the Turquoise Trail to Cedar Crest. I also wanted to get another of my Alphabetical New Mexico Series planted - 'T'.

We left the house a little before 7:00am and headed out. I always like driving NM14 - it is a great drive and it sure beats the traffic on I25. As we drove I kept my eye out for a good spot to plant my box - we would stop on the way home and hide it. It didn't take us long to get to the trailhead in Cedar Crest. The boxes are hidden in the John A. Milne/Gutierrez Canyon Open Space. We gathered out things and headed down the trail. We enjoyed a great walk, it was cool in the canyon areas. It was quiet and peaceful (when we parked there were no other cars). We followed TT's clues and eventually came to the first box. We found it and sat and stamped in - a very nice stamp and a first finder certificate. Once the box was in place we read the next clues and then continued along the trail. We walked until we came to the next landmark- a arrow with red letters. We followed the clues and in no time had the second box in our hands. I found a shady spot to sit and stamp in. The stamp was really good and there was a first finder certificate and a surprise (a dish towel with a rooster on it). We rehid the box and made our way back to the main trail and followed the clues to the next box. We enjoyed our walk through trees, along arroyos and by meadows. There were quite a few wildflowers along the way. We arrived at the next landmark - a very large ponderosa pine. From there it was only a few short steps to the letterbox. We sat and stamped in and enjoyed our surroundings. I collected another nice stamp and another first finder certificate and another surprise (this time it was a horseshoe - how lucky is that). We rehid the box and the hunting was complete. We still had a little way to go to return to our car. We did encounter a very strange cairn. It was composed of rocks and a creepy little baby doll. So we made it back to the car and talked about how this was a great way to begin the weekend and a great way to spend a Saturday morning. I do have to confess something. I was a little nervous during the hike. TT stated that this is an area that is frequented by mountain lions and bears. And with all the news about bear sightings and attacks in this area I was a little worried. Thankfully we didn't encounter anything ferocious. Here is a little pamphlet I came across that might help you deal with bears when you are out in the wilderness. It is called Be Bear Aware.

It was still early when we got to the car so we stopped and had some breakfast at a cafe right next to the trailhead. Fat Boy Café was pretty good - we had breakfast and coffee and talked about our hike.

Time to head back to Santa Fe and find a spot to hide my box. Thomas and I had picked two potential spots. As we approached the first one we decided to keep going and plant the box at the other spot we found. I felt that it had better views. So we placed the box, wrote the clues and took some pictures. So another letter (T) in my Alphabetical New Mexico series is planted. That makes 14 of the 26 boxes placed. I guess I have a little more work to do. We had a nice drive back home and made it back well before noon. It was a great outing and we really enjoyed ourselves. Thanks Twinville Trekkers for some great boxes in a great area and thanks for the little surprises in the boxes.

'In Spite of All the Danger' I Took 'The Long and Winding Road'

2010-07-16T22:25:00.005-06:00

I woke up this morning and had the feeling that I wanted to do something fun and relaxing. Twinville Trekkers had been up in Santa Fe a couple of days ago and planted a couple of boxes before they left to return home. So some letterboxing seemed like a good thing to do and this letterboxing would take me on one of my favorite drives - Hyde Park Road. Hyde Park Road (aka Artist Road, NM 475, Little Ski Basin Road) starts just outside downtown Santa Fe and goes for about 15 miles ending at the Santa Fe Ski Basin. It is a beautiful drive anytime of the year but my favorite time is Autumn. The aspens changing color are incredibly beautiful. Anyway, I digress.

So this morning I gathered the clues I needed and my letterboxing things and headed up to the mountain. As I drove up the road I was keeping my eye out for a good place to hide a box. I had a box with me that has needed planting for about a week now. This box was sent to me by Shorty. It is part of the Pin Up Stamp Swap 2 tracker. I will get back to this box later. My first stop was about eight or nine miles up the road. It was a pullout with a sign indicating that the road ahead was very curvy. I pulled over, read the clues and found the box just up a slight hill, behind a tree, covered with rocks. I took the box back to my car to stamp. It was a nice stamp and I got a first finder certificate as well. I stamped in and got everything back into the box and got the box back into its hiding spot. Time to continue on.

I drove another four or five miles up the mountain enjoying the views while listening to the radio. So relaxing! I pulled into the parking area for the NorSki Trail. This time it wasn't a drive by but it wasn't a long or hard hike either. I gathered the things I needed and followed the clues up the trail. The walk was only about a quarter of a mile but it was beautiful. Lots of green and lots of wildflowers. I also saw quite a few butterflies. I reached the landmark I was looking for and easily found the box. I found a nice big rock to sit on and stamp in. Another nice stamp and a second first finder certificate as well as incredible surroundings. After stamping in and replacing the box I walked a little further up the trail and took some pictures before turning around and heading back to the car.

So now I needed to head back down and decide on a spot to hide the box I had with me. As I drove down I had an idea of where I could plant the box. As I drove through Hyde Memorial State Park and exited the southern end I came to Black Canyon Campground. I pulled in here and parked in the trailhead parking area. I headed out to the area where I wanted to hide the box. It took me about 30 minutes to find just the right spot but I am glad I persisted - I found the perfect spot. Very peaceful and quite lovely. I think finders will enjoy sitting here and stamping into Pin Up Stamp Swap 2: Tess. Remember I hid the box but the logbook and stamp were created by Shorty. It is an image of a pin up but is tastefully done (no nudity) so it shouldn't offend anyone and it is a beautiful carving. But if you are prudish you might want to steer clear of this one.

My journey was now complete so I headed back into Santa Fe and reality. I ran errands and then headed home. All in all a very enjoyable day.

A Quick Find in Santa Fe

2010-07-12T18:34:00.004-06:00

About a week ago Astro D and The Great Wuga Wuga placed a new box in Santa Fe. This new box is a Hitchhiker Hostel and we needed one in Santa Fe. We needed it because there aren't a lot of boxes in town that can hold a hitchhiker and we would usually have to hold onto them for a while until we could find a box that they would fit in. So this box is easy access and big enough for quite a few hitchhikers - so thanks Astro D for this box.

I haven't had time to find the box until today. I was running errands and I passed right near the area where the box is hidden. So I made a little detour to Museum Hill to find the box. When I got there to pull into the extra parking it was pretty full. This past weekend was the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market and the regular parking lot was still covered in tents and there were tons of workers taking everything down. I eventually found a parking spot and followed the clues to the arroyo. I made my way down to the wire/rock gabion and followed the clues. I found the box easily and then found a nice shady spot to sit and stamp in.

There were four hitchhikers in the box and I had one with me. So I exchanged one for one. Then I stamped into the box's logbook and stamped the box's stamp into my logbook. Another great stamp by Astro D. I then rehid the box and was on my way. Thanks Astro D and The Great Wuga Wuga for another great letterbox.

Heron and El Vado Lakes

2010-07-05T18:50:00.006-06:00

Thomas and I spent the day in Rio Arriba County at Heron Lake State Park and El Vado Lake State Park. We couldn't get away this weekend so we opted for today to go kayaking and letterboxing. We had a pleasant two hour drive from Santa Fe to Tierra Amarilla. We arrived at Heron Lake State Park and made our way to one of the boat ramps. While we unloaded the kayaks we talked with this older woman who was getting her kayak ready. She was really nice, she told us she lives in an RV and travels around the country (she has been doing this for 17 years - 5 years with her husband before he died and for the past 12 years by herself). Her kayak was an inflatable one, I really liked it, easy to transport and store. Anyway, we got our kayaks in the water and headed out. Heron Lake is a "No Wake Lake" so the water was really still - it was like paddling on glass. We paddled around the lake never really getting into the open larger part. We put our kayaks in the water at the boat ramp near Willow Creek Campground. We paddled through The Narrows and made it into the smaller open area of the lake. We then turned around and paddled back through The Narrows and past the NM Sailing Club and through another narrow passage. At the end of this passage we turned around and headed back to the boat ramp. While going through The Narrows we saw all these birds flying around and eventually noticed all these nests on the rock cliffs on both sides of the water. I am pretty sure these birds are Water Ouzels or American Dippers. It was a great site seeing all the nests and watching all the birds flying around. As we were going around the NM Sailing Club we spotted two blue herons on the rocks just above the water line. Also flying around this same area were red-tailed hawks and lots of osprey. We spent a wonderful two hours on the water - it was so peaceful. We only saw two boats during our outing.

After getting the boats back in the truck we headed off to find a letterbox. This box was planted by PetroPunks a little over a year ago and is called Heron Lake. It is on the Nature Trail at the Willow Creek Campground. It was an easy find and we were the first finders. We stamped in on a stone bench very near the box with a great view of the lake. After stamping in and rehiding the box we headed back to the car. The trail was an easy walk and had a guide that told you about the trees and plants of the area.

We drove through the rest of the park and stopped just as we drove over the dam so I could take a couple of pictures. From there we continued our drive on a dirt road that lead out of Heron Lake State Park and took us into El Vado Lake State Park and around the entire perimeter of the lake. We entered the park from NM 112 and made our way to Shale Point and more specifically to the Rio Chama Trail. This is a 5.5 mile (no, we did not hike this trail all the way) that connects the two parks. The reason we were on this trail was to plant a letterbox. I placed Eagle @ El Vado about a quarter mile up the trail. It is an easy walk to the box and you get a really great view of the lake. Now that the box was hidden we were ready to head home.

The drive home wasn't as pleasant as the morning drive. There was much more traffic - everyone heading home after their holiday weekend. We decided to stop for a late lunch/early dinner at the Café Abiquiu (at the Abiquiu Inn). After a nice and relaxing meal we completed our journey home. It was an absolutely beautiful day and a great way to end a long holiday weekend.

Hiking and Letterboxing

2010-07-02T20:56:00.001-06:00

About a week ago Thomas and I took a trip through part of the Jemez Mountain Trail. We had a great time but there was so much to see and do we didn't get to stop everywhere we wanted to. So today we took a second trip to find a couple of letterboxes and hide one as well as get in some hiking.

The day started with a nice drive into Los Alamos. We left at a good time and we avoid all the traffic heading into the Labs. As we entered Los Alamos I wanted to visit a bookstore to see if I could find a good hiking book for the Los Alamos area. Astro D had told me about one that she said had some good books. So we stopped at Otowi Station and indeed I found a great book (actually two books) - Los Alamos Trails by Craig Martin and Guide to the Jemez Mountain Trail by Judith Ann Isaacs. I am going to love using these books. So after the shopping was complete we headed a little ways up the road to the Larry R. Walkup Aquatic Center. We parked here and found the trailhead kiosk. We were looking for the Acid Canyon Trail so we could hide a letterbox. We headed down the trail and kept our eyes open for a good hiding spot. We found a little bridge and crossed it. Not far along we found a great spot and hid Alphabetical New Mexico: A (Atomic Bombs). This is a pretty short hike (maybe a half mile round trip with maybe 200 feet elevation gain) and nice & quiet.

From here we headed to NM 4 and the Las Conchas Trail. There were only a couple of cars at the trailhead so we figured we would have a nice, peaceful hike. We went down the stairs and connected with the trail. Immediately we were transported into another world. It was absolutely beautiful. We walked along the trail following the Jemez River and enjoyed all the wonderful views the canyon had to offer. This hike is really easy. It is pretty flat all the way to where it ends at a Box Canyon. Great trees, beautiful wildflowers and wonderful views made this a fantastic way to start a holiday weekend. We took our time walking through the canyon and I took a ton of pictures. There were so many wildflowers all over and it made me wonder what this hike would be like in the Spring. I am hoping to get back there in the Fall to see what it looks like then. Eventually we had to leave this area so we made our way back to the trailhead and our car.

One more stop for the day. This one was in White Rock. We decided to find some food for lunch before we headed out on the next hike. There isn't much in White Rock and we ended up at the Bandelier Grill. It was an okay place and it provided us the fuel we needed for the next hike. The trailhead for the next hike was about three miles from the second traffic light in White Rock off of NM 4. We found the pullout and parked, went through the fence and headed up the trail. The trail had a few ups and downs but nothing too steep. The only thing was that it was pretty boring, very few views and really no flowers to speak of, mostly just junipers, a few cacti and some other pretty scraggly bushes. Also it was out in the open so the sun was beating down on us. After almost two miles we took another trail to the right. This lead us to some sandstone cliffs. Here we reread the clues to Fetch Fido and started climbing into the cliffs. We were supposed to count switchbacks (left, right, left, right, STOP). We did that and looked for the box. No box. Started from the beginning and again no box. One more time from the beginning and still no box. By this time I was getting hot and I wasn't feeling all that well. Even with drinking water the heat was getting to me. So I found a shady spot and sat for a few minutes while Thomas decided to go further down the trail and see if we were just counting the switchbacks wrong. Turns our we were in the wrong spot and Thomas found the box. So I made my way to where he was and stamped in. The views from here were incredible but unfortunately I just wasn't feeling all that great and didn't enjoy them as I should have. Once the box was back in place it was time to head back up the trail. Luckily, the 'up' part wasn't that much. Now we were out of the cliffs and back on the trail I felt like things would be okay - the hardest part was over. It took us a while to get back to the car because I needed to stop often and drink water. I am positive I just got over heated and probably didn't drink as much water as I should have going up. I drank plenty of water on the way back to the car. And on the way out of White Rock we stopped to get gas and Thomas bought me some Powerade. That really helped and by the time we got to Santa Fe I was feeling better, but still really tired. So I took a shower and just relaxed. I am sure I will sleep good tonight.

Which Way . . .

2010-06-28T19:23:00.010-06:00

. . . wind, fire, burros, ghost, zigging & zagging into the middle of New Mexico.

Today Astro D and I took a trip south. We started at my house and headed south on NM 14 then took County Road 42 to Galisteo. We continued on NM 41 until we reached the town of Stanley (home of former NM Governor Bruce King). Here we stopped at a sign post on the side of the road with quite a few street names on it all pointing in different directions. Astro D found Fantastyk Voyager's Which Way From Here? letterbox. While she stamped in I took some pictures until I noticed a sign that said "Please don't take pictures of this property.", so I went back to the car and waited for Astro D to rehide the stamp. And then we continued on our trip.

We stayed on NM 41 until we connected with US 60. We drove along US 60 only a short distance to Willard, where we made a turn onto NM 42. A few miles down this road we came to a mesa covered with wind mills. We stopped at the gate with the 'W' to find Twinville Trekkers' Wind Power letterbox. Neither Astro D nor I had found this one. We read the clues and found the box - we took it back to the car to stamp in. Once we were done the box was put back into its hiding spot and we were able to continue along.

Still on NM 42 we drove to Corona. At this point we turned onto US 54 and headed for Carrizozo. We had a nice drive and had a nice chat and visit. We arrived in Carrizozo at the junction with US 380. Turning onto US 380 we drove a few miles to Valley of Fires Recreation Area where we found Twinville Trekkers' Valley of Fires letterbox. It was an easy find right near the entrance sign for the park. We stamped in at the car and then rehid the box. We walked to an area with lots of lava rock and took some pictures then returned to the car and headed back to Carrizozo.

We made our way to Twelfth St. (The Book of Eli was filmed on this street.) where there are lots of painted burros and some galleries. We looked for and found The Spinning Burro and a Tiny Little Burro placed by Tulie Boxers and WadeCat. We sat in a little alcove with a bench, tree and burro to stamp in. We enjoyed these boxes and after we stamped in and replaced the box we decided to walk along the street and take pictures of all the burros. By this time we were hungry and decided to look for a place to eat. Just a block over from the burros we found a tiny little Mexican restaurant. The food was good and we relaxed and talk and had a good time. After a nice meal we were ready to head back north.

We returned to US 54 and headed to NM 349 and the ghost town of White Oaks. Astro D wanted to look for two of my Alphabetical New Mexico Boxes (M and W). We first stopped at the Cedarvale Cemetery and she found William McDonald. While she stamped in I walked around the cemetery and took pictures. After she was done and the box was back in its hiding spot she looked around the cemetery and took pictures. After a little while we headed into White Oaks and drove up to the schoolhouse where Astro D found the White Oaks letterbox. She stamped in and rehid the box. A few pictures later we were back on NM 349 and then US 54.

We drove on US 54 to the junction of NM 55 where we made our next turn. We continued on this road until we were in the middle of New Mexico. Unfortunately Astro D wasn't able to look for this box because there were a bunch of people in front of the building and they looked at us as soon as we pulled over and stopped. We decided it wasn't worth looking for the box and continued our journey along NM 55. We were zigging and zagging along until we found Twinville Trekkers' Zig Zag letterbox. I already had this one so I just walked around until Astro D was done stamping in and the box was rehidden.

Well, that was the last box of the day and it was time to head home to Santa Fe. It was another great day of letterboxing in the Land of Enchantment. Thanks Astro D for a fun day and thanks to all the letterboxers who hid boxes for us to find.

US 550 & NM 4

2010-06-26T20:25:00.010-06:00

Thomas and I had such a great time hiking and letterboxing in the Sandias and Cedar Crest/Tijeras areas that we decided to take another letterboxing trip today. We decided to drive to Bernalillo and drive up NM 550 to Cuba then head back down to San Ysidro and take NM 4 through Jemez Springs to Los Alamos. This drive took us on most of the Jemez Mountain Trail. So here is how the day went.

We left Santa Fe about 7:00am and made our way to US 550 and the town of Bernalillo. Our destination was the Jemez Canyon Dam. It was a nice quiet drive along Tamaya Blvd. which ends at the Jemez Canyon Dam Overlook. The views from here were wonderful and you could see Cabezon Peak in the distance, although there was no water in the reservoir. I was surprised to find that there were quite a few people around. There were two people at one of the picnic tables and there were three cyclists hanging out in the parking lot and there was a family at another picnic table. So we walked around and took some pictures and casually made our way to where the letterbox was hidden. We sat on the rocks and took more pictures and then just slipped the letterbox out from its hiding spot. I loved the stamp! After stamping in we rehid the box and left. By this time everyone else had left except for the two people at one of the picnic tables. Back on US 550 we continued north to San Ysidro. We turned into the parking area for the Perea Nature Trail. We headed down the trail following the clues. It was a wonderful trail - we saw lots of lizards, some wildflowers and a cute little snake (I say that because he was pretty small, maybe a foot in length and he didn't have a rattle) as we made our way to the letterbox hiding spot. The area where the box is hidden was a little gem. There is a bench under a big cottonwood tree and when sitting on the bench you have a fantastic view of Blanco Mesa and behind you there is beautiful little meadow. I enjoyed sitting here while stamping in - it was extremely relaxing and I think Wronghat and Semicolon hit a home run here. The stamp was excellent and the area was beautiful - I really loved looking for this box. Our journey continued up 550 to Cuba (at first we weren't going to go that far but changed our mind at the last minute) and a pullout for the Continental Divide. We parked and read the clues - I got out my compass and started my search. Standing at the first landmark I set my compass to the degrees noted in the clue and took the specified number of steps. I ended up in the spot I was supposed to be. So the next compass direction and steps put me a little off trail and the next set of degrees and steps put me in the middle of a bunch of pinons and junipers. The last compass degrees had me looking for a tree with three rocks in front of it. Nothing! We could not find the box. We searched around the area and looked in most of the pinons but couldn't find the box. We went back to the beginning and tried again - twice!. Each time we ended up in a little different area but still amongst the trees. I finally broke down and decided to use one of my lifelines - I phoned a friend - Astro D. I didn't get in touch with her so I left a message. Thomas and I decided to go into Cuba and have some lunch and see if Astro D would call us back. Just as we were getting to the restaurant she called and gave us a little insight into finding the box. So after eating we went back and found the box easily. I am not sure if I was reading my compass wrong or if my compass is just plain wonky but we were no where near the box and if it hadn't been for Astro D I don't think we would have found it.

Now it was time to drive back to San Ysidro and head down NM 4 (Jémez Mountain Trail National Scenic Byway). Soon after we turned onto NM 4 we saw a beautiful little church - so we stopped to take pictures. Then we continued on our way. The drive along NM 4 is beautiful. Lots of rock formations, tall pines and scenic little villages. We next stopped at Jemez State Monument. We paid our fees and headed down the Ruins Trail. The trail goes in and around The Village of Giusewa ruins. It was pretty impressive and I enjoyed the walk. There was another reason for stopping here - I wanted to place a letterbox and before we left we did just that. Time to continue our journey. We drove along until we reached Battleship Rock. We drove in and parked near the picnic area, but that isn't why we were here. We were here to hike to the McCauley Warm Springs and to find a letterbox of the same name. The picnic area was full - lots of people everywhere. We couldn't find an envelope at the pay site so we found a ranger and paid him. We also asked a few questions. There seemed to be a little 'something' in the air. The ranger informed us there was a mountain lion sighting in the back picnic area. So we asked if it was safe to hike to the Springs. He told us it was and that the trail started in the back of the picnic area (where the mountain lion was?). Somehow that information either didn't register or we just weren't thinking because we headed in that direction and started up the trail. Fortunately there were other people around the trailhead and even a little ways up the trail so we felt okay. Soon though we were the only ones around. I think I kept my radar up and was constantly looking around just to be safe, all I could think about was the show Six Feet Under when the hiker gets attacked by a mountain lion. So just in case you are out hiking here are some Mountain Lion Safety Tips. We had a wonderful hike (although it was a little hard) and enjoyed the peace and quiet. We ended up passing only four people on the hike and met up with a family at the Springs. There were some beautiful orange wildflowers so I took pictures for a little while until the family headed out. Now we were the only two people there, so I could look for the letterbox without anyone being nosy. We found it and I sat and stamped in and then rehid the box. It was such a beautiful area so we walked around the Springs and I took some pictures and we enjoyed the peacefulness. About 20 minutes later about five people showed up and we decided to head back down the trail. The hike down was uneventful and when we reached the picnic area it had cleared out and was almost empty. It was almost 6:00pm and we decided it was time to call it a day and head back to Santa Fe. I didn't get to do all that was planned because we spent more time at a couple of spots that were so beautiful. So we are planning another trip in about a week to the area to look for two more letterboxes and to plant one more.

Letterboxes and Wildflowers

2010-06-19T19:18:00.009-06:00

Earlier this week Thomas and I decided we wanted to get out this weekend and do some hiking and look for a few letterboxes. So this morning once we were up and had breakfast and coffee we loaded the car and headed off to Albuquerque. Well, it wasn't exactly Albuquerque. We drove the Turquoise Trail (NM 14) until we reached the Sandia Crest Highway (NM 536). We turned right onto NM 536 and drove 11 miles to the parking area for the 10K Trail. There are two parking areas - one on the right for the 10K North and one on the left for the 10K South. We parked on the left. After gathering our things we started down the 10K South Trail. It was an incredible walk. Plenty of trees to keep us cool, lots of beautiful wildflowers and lots of peace and quiet. Almost immediately we started seeing wildflowers, they were everywhere and we continued to see wildflowers throughout the day. We saw Rocky Mountain Iris, Deers Ears, New Mexico Locust, Red Penstemon, Apache Plume, Baneberry, Yarrow, Western Wallflower, Red Columbine, Golden Pea and Prickly Pear. So what should have been short hikes turned into long hikes because I stopped to take so many pictures - click on the Prickly Pear to see the slideshow. Just a little ways up the trail we encountered a group of six people that were on a wildflower walk (that is how we found out about some of the wildflower names) - it is called Celebrating Wildflowers. They have them every Saturday and they start at 9:00am. They meet at different areas in the Albuquerque area and are guided tours. For more information you can go to the Sandia Ranger District website and scroll down to the box titled Sandia Mountain Happenings. So now lets find some letterboxes.

To find the first letterbox we were looking for we hiked a little over a half mile we arrived at the Sandia Peak Ski runs. More specifically the Double Eagle ski run. Once we reached this point we had to figure some things out and it involved math. We didn't have to solve any equations or anything like that but we did have to know a little about triangles. We read the clues and started to think (yes, we can think). We figured out what we needed to do and headed to the area we thought was were the box was hidden. We were in the right place but it took us a little while to find the box - it was a little confusing. So with 2E * 10^4 in our hands we found a place to sit so we could stamp in. Turned out we were the first finders and we picked up the Lemon Shark Hitchhiker as well. After stamping in and rehiding the box we started out for the next box. We decided to hike up the Double Eagle ski run to the Sandia Peak Tram station.There was a little trail that headed up the ski run along the south edge. It was quite a climb but worth it. The next box we were looking for was the Sandia Peak Tram by Twinville Trekkers. So we found the 2 spheres, the cube and the submarine, followed the directions and headed down the Nature Trail. Then we ended up on the Gravel Pit Trail and found the box. A very nice stamp that really represents the box. We stamped in, rehid the box and then decided to check on two other boxes that are hidden in the area. We found Kantexan's Lost Texan #9 - which I have noticed is no longer listed on either AQ or LbNA - don't know why, it is alive and well. Oh, I just found it in the LbNA basement and noticed that the clues are a little off. But just know that the box is hidden by that log - you just may have to look a little. We also checked on Wanda and Pete's Sandia Picnic, which we were unable to find. It has been a while since I found that box but I am pretty sure we were looking in the right place. I am sad that this one is missing because the view from the hiding spot is spectacular. We returned to the tram area and decided lunch was in order. So we stopped in at the High Finance Restaurant. We both had hamburgers and onion rings (we figured we deserved after our climb up the mountain). After eating I took some pictures and then we headed back down the ski run to the 10K trail and eventually back to the car. It was a beautiful day on the mountain and there were some great views and wildflowers.

We drove back down NM 536 and turned right onto NM 14. We headed to Tijeras and more specifically Canyon Estates and the South Crest Trail #130. Our mission was to find the Poecile gambeli Letterbox. We parked and headed up the trail, and thankfully it was only a short walk (we were both pretty tired from our morning hike). We saw some wildflowers and ended up at a small waterfall. It was nice seeing this waterfall (we don't have many in NM) and enjoyed the area. We made our way up to the top of the waterfall and followed the directions to the box. We found it easily and found a nice shady spot to sit and stamp in. Once I finished stamping in we rehid the box and I took some pictures. Then we headed back to the parking lot. We redrove our route and headed back down NM 14. We stopped for one last box near the San Antonio Church. This was a drive-by and an easy find. I stamped in, rehid the box and we were off back down NM 14 headed home to Santa Fe. We got home, had some dinner and relaxed for a little bit. I have gotten my finds logged in and got this post written. Thomas and I had a great day and enjoyed all four of the letterboxes we found - thanks to all who placed them.

A Day in Los Alamos

2010-06-17T20:14:00.007-06:00

The trip today happened because Astro D wanted to attend the Salvage Sale at the Labs. About two weeks ago Astro D, rubberpeace and I did a little letterboxing in Cerrillos and we planned for a trip today to Los Alamos to attend the sale and to do more letterboxing. Plans changed a little when rubberpeace decided on an impromptu trip to Maine. So the trip was on but minus one.

I arrived at Astro D's house around 9:00am and after a little visit we headed out. We had a nice, relaxing drive and made our first stop at the PlayLot. I was looking for Oppenheimer. Astro D carved a stamp that depicted New Mexico for GreenJello who is planting a series called Hello from the United States. In return for that stamp GreenJello sent Astro D a stamp to plant in New Mexico and that stamp was Oppenheimer. It was just a short walk down the trail but it was in a beautiful spot overlooking a canyon. I sat and stamped in and enjoyed the beautiful morning. The stamp was a wonderful carving and Astro D found the perfect spot for it. It was a great way to start the day. From here we headed to The Black Hole to find The Black Hole. This was only a few blocks from the Oppenheimer box. We parked in front of The Black Hole followed the clues, counted the rocks and found the box. We took it back to the car to stamp in. It was a great little stamp of two little bombs (I am assuming that it was Fat Man and Little Boy). After stamping in and rehiding the box Astro D and I headed into The Black Hole and looked around. There was so much stuff and we had no idea what most of it had been used for. After looking around for about 45 minutes or so we ended up buying some paper rolls and it was time to leave. We needed to get to the Salvage Sale to check in and get in line before noon.

The Salvage Sale was pretty interesting. You check in at the office and get a bid number. Then you stand in line at the gate until they open. Someone goes over the rules and at noon they open it up. Everyone hurries in (you aren't allowed to run and push - part of the rules) and heads to whatever area they are interested in. If you find something you like you mark it "Sold" and put your initials next to the price. It was fun watching everyone search for their prize. The most surprising thing was the prices. Office chairs go for 50¢ - that is amazing even if they are used. Astro D didn't find what she was looking for but we still had fun. So we headed back into town for a bite to eat. We stopped at Ruby K's Bagel Cafe. We had sandwiches and visited - it was nice and relaxing.

Time to continue our day. We headed down NM 4 to a pullout overlooking the Valles Caldera. What a beautiful area. We were looking for a letterbox by The3DT's called Big Valley. It took me a little while to find the box. I looked in the right place the first time but didn't see the box so I started searching under other trees. I finally went to the first tree again and searched better and found the box. It was camoflauged well and the bush it was under was very stickery (pretty sure I just made up this word). We brought it back to the car to stamp in. The stamp was a great little carving of a volcano. We rehid the box and then I took a few pictures. Astro D noticed some little specks in the distance and she was pretty sure they were elk. So we ended up driving to the Visitor's Center to get some info. The people there were so nice. They gave us a lot of info about the area and even got us a pair of binoculars so we could see the elk - Astro D was right.

We had one more stop before heading back to Santa Fe. There is a box at Bandelier. It was placed by either the ferretbusters or Kokopellitravelers (AQ list one and LbNA list the other). Anyway the box is called New Mexico Petroglyphs #2 and I hate to say it but it wasn't at all exciting. It was a store bought stamp hidden in the picnic area. You weren't even close to any petroglyphs. It was a little underwhelming way to end the day. So after we stamped in and rehid the box we went to the Visitor's Center to get some 'squished pennies'. When I told Astro D that I wanted to get these she said she had been looking at those as well. It was too funny that we both recently were thinking about these and stopped here to get some. I also got a patch and stamped the National Park Passport Stamp.

It was time to head home. We had a great day in Los Alamos and we had fun letterboxing. Thanks to all who placed boxes for us to find.