Just Jack in Arroyo Hondo Open Space

A week ago I made plans with Agent 86 to go on a hike. I asked him to pick the place, day and time. He decided on today at Arroyo Hondo Open Space.

There is one letterbox hidden there - Harry's Roadhouse by ArnoldZiffel. I decided to carve a stamp and make a box to plant in the area on the hike today. So I worked the last two days and came up with an image and box and now I was ready to plant the box.

I met Agent 86 at the Lower Trailhead Parking around 8:30am. We headed out on the trail and decided to hike in a clockwise direction following the outside loop. About three quarters of a mile along the trail we came to a three seciton wooden fence. We stopped here and I decided to hide Just Jack in this area. I easily found a nice hiding spot and took a little time to jot down some notes so that I could write up the clues when I got home. From here we continued our hike around the loop making our way back to the cars.

This is a great hike with some nice views and I enjoyed the morning solitude.

Finding Boxes Close to Home

Last night I was organizing things to run some errands this morning and I noticed a new box had been planted in Santa Fe. So I added letterboxing to my list of things to do. So after running all my errands this morning I headed over to the Spur Trail near the Community College. I parked and then read the clues and found where I needed to start to find the nine box series planted by ArnoldZiffel and Agent 86 called Dusty. I followed the clues to the first box and quickly found it. I sat on the edge of the trail to stamp in and who should show up - Agent 86. We visited for a bit and made plans to go hiking on Friday and then he continued on his bike ride and I finished stamping in to the first box. This box is the only one with a logbook, the rest of the boxes just have stamps. And, I was the first finder of the series. So I continued up the trail, following the clues and stamping the images into my logbook. Thankfully, the trail was quiet and I didn't have to worry about someone seeing me nabbing the boxes. I spent about half an hour gathering the images and enjoyed my walk along the trail. I really enjoyed the series, very clever - thanks ArnoldZiffel and Agent 86.

A SPOOKtacular Event Day!

Well, today was the day - the Santa Fe SPOOKtacular Letterboxing Event Resurrected has gone off without a hitch. I was up early to get my potluck dish complete and to get all my things together. Then I was off. Before getting to the event I made a quick stop to check on one of my boxes. Once that was done I headed to the event. When I arrived there were already people milling about. I brought in my dish, put my clues on the clue table, and hid a HIPS box.

Then I gathered any clues I needed and made a plan. I was a little concerned about the weather because it was overcast and a little windy. Thankfully, the rain held off except for a few drizzles at different times of the day. After saying hi to a few people Astro D, Bell Motel and I headed out to find one box just out the back gate on the trail. When we tried to find the box it wasn't there but as we turned to leave someone was walking up returning the box. So we sat and stamped in then replaced the box. At this point we all went our separate ways. I returned to the house to get a seven box series hidden around the outside of the house. When I finished this series I decided to sit at the event stamp table and stamp into those since there was no one there. I was about halfway through the boxes when I was joined by a few people. I had carved the event stamps for this event and our first SPOOKtacular event back in 2007 so that was three boxes I didn't need to stamp into. But I ended up getting the following event stamps . . . All Wrapped Up, Dobby the House Elf, and Mr. Pumpkin Head by ArnoldZiffel; Learning New Things That Might Be Helpful and Scary House by CorgiLover; Creepy Cryptex and Mr. Potato Head by Seekers Two; Booooo! and Spooktacular by C4; and Spooky Santa Fe by Kit. All great stamps. I then did some exchanges and personal travelers before finally taking a break and having a little lunch. After eating I headed out to the trails for one new box. I met up with Astro D and Bell Motel at the box and we all stamped in together. Then they headed off for more boxes and I returned to the house. I finished getting exchanges and personal travelers and then spent some time visiting. Then rubberpeace asked me to take her to my boxes on the furthest trails. So I drove her to those boxes and she stamped in while we talked. Then we returned to the house to finish off the day.

The event turned out great. It was a smallish gathering but extremely fun. The traditional boxes I found today were . . . Batter RIP, Posada's Calaveras, and Cozy Cone Motel by Bell Motel; Bob Bob Bobbin, A Halloween Carve, and Scary Monster & Super Freak by Astro D; Wild Things, Raven, Creepy Critters, Evil Eyes, and Devil's Tower by ArnoldZiffel; Dr. Frankenstein's Monster and Quoth the Raven by BirchMoon; Count Floyd by Wronghat; and La Llorona by Sunny Delight. The Exchanges I got were . . . Kit, ladyval, NMLeisa, CorgiLover, californiabluefrog, and sparkyNM. The Personal Travelers I received were . . . Corgis Were Here by CorgiLover; and Winter Solstice and Tiny Travelers by californiabluefrog. The attendees at the event were . . . Kit, NMLeisa, californiabluefrog, rubberpeace, CorgiLover, Sunny Delight, C4, Seekers Two, Wronghat, Semicolon, Wisconsin Hiker, Martini Man, ladyval, sparkyNM, Highwayman, The Great Wuga Wuga, Bell Motel, BirchMoon, Agent 86, ArnoldZiffel, Astro D, and lionsmane. It was a great group and a great event.

The Pinto Line

On Sunday (1/7) ArnoldZiffel and Agent 86 placed a new box in Santa Fe. The box is placed near supports for an old trestle in the Rancho Viejo neighborhood. So today I was our running errands and on my way home I stopped to get this box. The parking area that the clues say to park in was locked so I parked in the Spur Trail lot and then walked to the parking area mentioned in the clues. From there I followed the clues and I easily found Pinto Line. I took the box to a spot off the trail where I could sit and stamp in. I didn't have any problems finding the box and the area was deserted (I didn't see one person on the trails) so I didn't have to worry about being seen. This box is about the New Mexico Central Railroad (formerly know as the Santa Fe Central Railroad). This line ran between Torrance and Santa Fe. It provided passenger service as well as carrying agricultural products from the Estancia Basin to market. The products included pinto beans thus earning the railroad the nickname "Pinto Line". It was a beautiful day for a walk to find a great box with lots of history - something I did not know. Thanks ArnoldZiffel and Agent 86.

New Mexico Central Railway train, southbound coal train,

vicinity of Arroyo de la Jara south of Kennedy and near Galisteo, New Mexico

Letterbox Maintenance on the Hyde Park Circle Trail

Last week I made plans with Agent 86 to go hiking today on the Hyde Park Circle Trail. We agreed to meet at the Borrego Trail parking area at around 9:00am. Yesterday I found out that we would also be joined by ArnoldZiffel and BirchMoon as well. So I parked there and Agent 86 met me and then drove us to the Hyde Memorial State Park parking. ArnoldZiffel and BirchMoon had already started hiking so Agent 86 and I headed up the trail. We met them at the first box of my Land of Enchanment Series. They had already stamped in so I did my maintenance and then got the box hidden so that it would be good for the winter. By the way, there was some snow on the trail and more snow off the trail as we got a little storm a few days ago. We continued our hike and after they stamped in to the box I did the maintenance I needed and then replaced the box. We did this up to the top of the trail and that got five boxes of the series updated. Along the way we also tried to find a PI Joe box but had trouble - hopefully it is there and we just couldn't find it with the snow. After a short rest at the top we continued our hike now heading down. When we got to the bottom I did maintenance on box number six and while I did that Agent 86 walked up to the Borrego Trail parking and got my car while ArnoldZiffel, BirchMoon and I waited at a pullout. So we only did the west side of the Hyde Park Circle Trail. I will have to get the three remaining boxes in the Spring once the snow is gone. It was a nice hike, I love this trail and I want to get up there again this Spring or Summer.

Letterboxing - Maintaining and Finding

I have been wanting to get out and do some hiking all summer but for different reasons I never made it. But finally this morning I had the opportunity to get out into the mountains and hike, letterbox and maintain some boxes. I was out today with Agent 86. I met him at his house at 8:00am and we each drove our cars up into the mountains. I parked at the Chamisa Trail and Agent 86 picked me up and we drove up to the Borrego/Bear Wallow Trail. Our plan was to hike down the Borrego Trail to the Winsor Trail and then down to the Chamisa Trail. Then I would bring him back to his car when we were done.

It was a bit chilly when we started on the trail. I had layered my clothes so that as it warmed up I wouldn't be too hot. When we got near the creek we stopped so I could check on my Bad, Bad Black Sheep box. I also needed to do some maintenance here as well. Once I had checked on everything and changed the baggies I made sure the box was hidden well since it will be all alone for the winter buried under snow. From here we continued on the Borrego Trail to the Winsor Trail and headed downhill. In the area of the Winsor Trail and Bear Wallow Trail junction, we stopped so I could do some maintenance on my Ribbit! box. Here I changed out the logbook and baggies and again made sure that the box was hidden well for the winter. I am glad this particular box is doing well as it is one of my favorites.  While I was maintaining this box, Agent 86 went ahead to look for Hummer by PI Joe. When I was done I went and met up with Agent 86 and we stamped into this box. Once we had this box back in place we continued along the Winsor Trail headed for the Chamisa Trail. When we arrived at the meadow just before the Chamisa Trail  junction we stopped so I could check on my Western Blue Flag box. Unfortunately, we could do that since there were two men having lunch right where the box is hidden. So we just continued on. When we got to the saddle of the Chamisa Trail I went in search of Letter Boxer by PI Joe. Agent 86 had already found this box so he just waited near the trail sign. When I finished with this box I met Agent 86 at the trail sign and we continued on to the parking lot. From here I drove Agent 86 up to his car and then I headed home.

It was a beautiful Fall day to be up in the mountains and hiking the trails. I am happy to report that the boxes out here are doing well. Being out in nature today was great. I am glad Agent 86 had the time to hike with me.

Hiking Stats:

Steps . . . . . . . . . . 17,987

Miles . . . . . . . . . . 8.26

Calories . . . . . . . . 3084

Stairs . . . . . . . . . . 72