Windy Albuquerque Letterboxing

After the event in Tucson I have been wanting to get out and do more letterboxing. There have been lots of boxes planted in Albuquerque that I haven't gotten yet and I decided I needed to get out today and find a few of them. I also wanted to go and scout some locations for possible letterboxes I want to plant. So this morning I gathered my things and headed south. When I left Santa Fe it was 29° and it was snowing - I checked the Albuquerque weather and it didn't look like they were getting snow. It snowed until I got to La Bajada and then it was clear - until I got to Santo Domingo. The snow started again and continued until I reached San Felipe and then it cleared again. It stayed clear the rest of the way to Albuquerque. I went to a couple of places and looked for possible places to hide letterboxes - it was pretty cold while I was walking around - not sure what the temperature was but it was cold enough to make me hurry my little butt along. So after about an hour and a half of checking out a couple of areas I decided to go and look for a few boxes.

The first box I looked for was Friendship Lei by gs10530. I went to the park and followed the clues. At first I was a little confused and looked in the wrong area but then I got my bearings and headed in the right direction. As I was walking along I kept my eye out for a SPOR by the cinder block wall. I found the spot, well, I actually saw the box. It was sitting out and had two small rock sitting on top of it. As I headed to get it a woman came out of a gate in the wall about 10 feet from where the box was. She was walking her dog and so I just kept walking. I then took another path and headed back in the direction of the box. The woman kept watching me as I walked around. Finally, she headed back to her gate and so I walked around and headed toward the box. But as I approached I saw her standing by the wall watching me. So, again I couldn't get the box. She kept staring and watching so I walked over to her and asked if there was a problem. She said "No!". So I asked why she was staring at me and if I was trespassing and if the park was private and only for the use of the people living around the park. She again said "No!" So I asked her to quit staring and watching me and told her she was creeping me out. She didn't say anything but she stayed standing at the wall watching me. So I sat on a near by bench and watched her. She eventually went inside her house but by this time I decided it was time to leave and if I tried to get the box she would probably be watching me from her window. So I returned to my car and headed to another location.

My next stop was Sunset Memorial Park to look for Maxie Had Moxie by Silver Eagle. I followed the clues and easily found the box. The box has been there since September but it turned out that I was the first finder. It was still a little cold and it had gotten windy. I was lucky because there was a was that helped block the wind while I stamped in. Then I put the box back into place and was ready for the next location. So from this cemetery I headed to another cemetery. This time I went to Fairview Memorial Park to find another Silver Eagle box - The Deputy Sheriff. This was another quick and easy find and this time I stamped in while sitting in the car. After returning the box back to its hiding spot I moved on. The next box brought me to the 66 Diner. I parked in the lot and read the clue - which is actually pictures. I was a little nervous and walking around trying to find the box as there are windows looking out and there were quite a few people inside that might see me stalking around the building. So from the car I scoped things out and was pretty sure I had eyed the hiding spot. So I took out my phone and pretended to talk while I walked around and reached for the box. Thankfully, I found it on the first try and took it back to the car. After stamping in I began worrying again about putting it back and having someone inside seeing me. But I pretended with the phone again and put it back and then I decided to head inside and get a milk shake. While I waited for the shake I looked around and realized that most of the people weren't even looking out the windows and that it wasn't that easy to see the hiding spot from inside and sitting down. Oh well - it was done and all was good.

So I found three boxes today and had a nice time. I also may have found at least one good place for a box - we will have to see. Now I was ready to head home. But I will have to get to Albuquerque again soon because there are still a few more boxes to find. Maybe at the end of the week.

The City Different and The Duke City Letterboxing

Okay, since I couldn't get one of the boxes I found yesterday back in place I needed to get in back this morning. So that was our first priority. And then near there was another box that I could find. Thomas and I left our house around 8:00am and drove to the National Cemetery. Thankfully, there was no one around and it was a quick errand. Next, we headed toward Tesuque. We took the exit off of US285 headed toward Tesuque Village and almost immediately stopped at a pullout. Here we looked for On Our Way to Great Wolf Lodge, Colorado Springs, Colorado - Wandering Wolf by The Rodriguez Family. This was a quick and easy find. I stamped in the car and then put the box back in place. We were now done with Santa Fe and we could move on to Albuquerque.

Once we arrived in Albuquerque we made our way to Los Altos Park and the Albuquerque Garden Center. Here we looked for and found Florabunda by Kit. The box is hidden near a bench and it was the perfect spot to sit and stamp. When I was done stamping and the box was back in place we headed on to the next box.

From Los Altos Park we took I40 to Tramway and then took Central headed east and stopped at the Route 66 Open Space (was the site of Little Beaver Town). We followed the clues for Red Ryder by Wronghat. We did fine until we got to his "word play" part of the clue. It took us a little while to work out the clue but we eventually found the box. There are some concrete slabs where I took the box to sit and stamp in. Then I replaced the box and we were ready to go to our next destination.

We had plans to meet another letterboxer for lunch in ABQ Uptown. So we made our way to the Elephant Bar to meet Kit for a relaxing lunch. We had a nice visit with Kit and a delicious meal and it was a nice addition to our letterboxing day. When lunch was finished we decided to call it a day and head back to Santa Fe. Over the last two days I found six wonderful letterboxes - thanks to all who planted them.

Celebrating 12 Years of Letterboxing

It was 12 years ago today when I found my first letterbox and I am still thoroughly enjoying this hobby. Every year since then I go out on this date and letterbox to celebrate. And today was no exception. This morning Thomas and I headed out to find some letterboxes in Moriarty, Edgewood and Albuquerque. We left our house around 9:00am and headed out on this overcast and chilly morning and headed for Moriarty.

We took I25 north to US285 and then turned onto NM41. Here we began looking for our first letterbox. We were searching for Antelope Playground by Kit. We needed to find mile marker 46. There was a short time when we worried that the box might be missing because they are doing construction along NM41 and the sides of the road were all torn up. But the construction ended about a mile before '46'. So we pulled over and parked, I crossed the road and easily found the box magnetized to the post. I took it back to the car to stamp in. Once done I returned the box to its hiding spot and then looked around to see if I could see any antelope - no luck. So we continued on our drive. About a mile up the road we spotted seven antelope off to our right. So we stopped and I got a few pictures. Then we made our way to Moriarty. Once in Moriarty we made our way to the Veterans Memorial which is near the Civic Center. Here we looked for and found Soldier's Cross by Kit. This was an easy find and I sat on a nearby bench to stamp in. In hindsight, I should have taken the box back to the car to stamp in. It turned out to be quite cold while sitting there stamping in. So I worked quickly to finish stamping in and then put the box back in place. I returned to the car and Thomas had decided he wanted some breakfast. So we headed to the restaurant we usually go to when we are in Moriarty - El Comedor. I guess it has been a while since we have been there because the restaurant is now closed and the place is an antique mall. The woman there suggested a couple of other places and we ended up eating at Chili Hills. After some delicious breakfast burritos we continued on our letterbox hunt. We made our way to McCall's Pumpkin Patch. We parked on the frontage road in front of a large pumpkin house. Then we followed the clues for Pumpkin Patch and Harvest Moon by Kit. Our landmark was a tree/bush just south of McCall's on the frontage road. When I walked to the area I found that the tree had been cut down and there were only stumps remaining. I looked around but did not find the box. So we continued on. Driving west on I40 we exited at Edgewood and drove toward Wildlife West Nature Park. We went a bit further up the road to the Edgewood Open Space. Here I went in search of Red Top Diner by reporter at large & Seeker of Flags. I only had to follow the trail for a short distance and was easily able to find the box. I found a nice spot to sit so that I could stamp in. When I was done I replaced the box and then made my way back to the car. Now we could head to Albuquerque to continue letterboxing.

We drove west on I40 through Tijeras Canyon and into Albuquerque. We then exited at Louisiana Blvd. and made our way to ABQ Uptown and more specifically to Trader Joe's. Here we looked for and found Two Buck Chuck by Kit. This was a more difficult find since the box is hidden at a light post and in the parking area where there is a lot of traffic. I had to wait a bit and then sneak the box out from under the skirt of the post. I took it back to the car to stamp in and when I was done I went to return it to its hiding spot. I had to use a bit of distraction to get it back in place. From here we made our way to Woodward Road and found Hello from Las Vegas by Always on Call. Another difficult find again hidden under the skirt of a lamp post. The only good thing was it wasn't as busy here as at Trader Joe's. Once we were done with this box we headed over to the Barelas Senior Center. I was looking for Mercedes y Angel, mis abuelos by Kit. Again, we had to be extremely stealthy as the box is hidden out in front of the building. But we prevailed and I took the box back to the car to stamp in. When I was done, Thomas took the box back to the hiding spot so that it didn't look suspicious with me hanging around the spot a second time. With that done we headed to our last destination for the day - Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm. We looked for and found Llama at Los Poblanos. There is a nice bench near where the box is hidden where we sat and stamped in. the area was beautiful and peaceful. There were geese and llamas near us and this was a great spot to end our celebration of my 12 year of letterboxing.

I had a great time letterboxing today and found some nice boxes and stamps. There was only one box we couldn't find. I did have clues for three other boxes that we opted to skip for today. Those boxes were at businesses and I didn't feel like dealing with that today. But I did get to letterbox on my anniversary and as long as I find one box I am happy. So today was a good day and I found seven boxes.

Albuquerque, Tijeras and Edgewood

Thomas and I decided on another day out doing some letterboxing and today we decided to head to the Albuquerque area. Last night I got all the clues together and mapped things out. And this morning we packed some snacks, lunch and water and headed out.

Once we arrived in Albuquerque we headed to Marble Brewery to find Plant a Beer Day: Marble Brewery by Wronghat. We followed the directions, parked and then headed out to find the box. I was a little confused at first but then things fell into place and I found the box. I took it back to the car to stamp in and then when I was done I walked the box back to its hiding spot. Then we moved on to our next boxes. I had clues for two boxes in the same area - by the musuems. One was at the Natural History Museum and one at the Albuquerque Museum. One of the clues is titled GISHWHES 2017 Wayward AF Team - this is the one at the Natural History Museum. I followed the clues but couldn't find the box. I looked all around the museum but had no luck. So then we moved over to the Albuquerque Musuem and looked for Team Elefunky by TeamElefunky. I think this one is also a GISHWHES box. GISHWHES stands for Greatest International Scavenger Hunt the World Has Ever Seen. I don't really understand it but it seems to involve creating art, solving riddles and meeting new people. I don't see how it relates to letterboxing and I am not sure if the people who logged in these plants are letterboxers or not. But after looking around the sculpture garden at the musuem we found the landmarks but didn't find any box. So we left and went to the next box - also a GISHWHES box. This one is GISHWHES 2017 TEAM VOODOO by Vecinos del Bosque. The clue description stated the location and then the clue was 'Huge Bike'. I found the bike but no box. After not finding three of these boxes I wonder if there was or is a box related to these clues. It was all just very confusing. I was almost ready to call it a day and head home but Thomas said lets just move on to the next box. So we did. We headed west on I40 to Route 66 Casino. We followed the directions and parked then followed the clues and easily found the box. I took it back to the car to sit and stamp in. It didn't take long and the box was back in place. So now it was time to leave Albuquerque and head to Tijeras.

We took I40 to Tijeras and then took NM337 south to Oak Flat Recreation Area. Here we went in search of Beatles Series #29 "Blackbird" by Twinville Trekkers. This box is suppose to be done at night and you follow fire tacks using a flashlight or headlamp. I had been our here once before but didn't have any luck so I hoped with Thomas' help we could find the box. On my previous visit I found a fire tack on a tree right near the start of the trail but then after that I couldn't find any more tacks. Today we decided to follow this one trail and we found two pyramid shaped fire tacks but then nothing. After walking for about twenty minutes and searching for tacks we decided that we had gone past where the clues had stated. So we turned around and headed back. On the way back we found a few more tacks but these were round and flat. But still nothing made sense and we didn't find the box. I guess you really have to go at night but I don't know about that - it seems a little too spooky. Once back at the car we decided to eat our lunch and sit and relax.Thirty minutes later we drove back to Tijeras. In Tijeras we turned onto NM333 and drove to the Musical Road. We approached it from the wrong direction to drive on it so we had to make a 'U' turn. Then we drove over the rumble strips (at 45mph) and listened to America the Beautiful. Just past the end of the song we followed the road until the guardrail ended then we pulled over to find a letterbox - America the Beautiful by 66gypsies. This was a quick and easy find and then we were on our way again.The next box we went in search of didn't have any clues. But there was a location - so I did a search and found where we needed to be. We arrived at the location and parked. Then I thought about it and figured out where the box was. So I ended up asking Thomas to go and check and it turned out we were in the right place. So we found Desert Dreams by Kit and I stamped in and returned the box. We decided to go for one more box before calling it a day and heading home. So we drove to Edgewood. I have never been to Edgewood and it turned out that it wasn't at all what I expected. I thought it was a small town like Tijeras but it was bigger and more spread out. We drove to the Church Street Market to find Deep Space Aerial by Kit. This was another quick and easy find and it didn't take long for me to stamp in and replace the box.

We had a good time today and enjoyed the letteboxes we found. It is always nice to explore New Mexico.

The Carved Line and Balloons

Yesterday Thomas and I decided that today we would drive down to Albuquerque to the Albuquerque Museum to see an exhibition called The Carved Line: Block Printmaking in New Mexico and to find a couple of letterboxes. This morning we left Santa Fe around 8:30am and made our way to the museum. When we arrived at the museum we headed inside, paid our entrance fee and then headed to the gallery for The Carved Line. We spent about 45 minutes enjoying the art. There were some amazing prints and we thoroughly enjoyed the exhibit. When we were done we visited a few more galleries and around 10:45am we left the museum. I went back to the car to get my letterboxing bag and then went in search of Wronghat's FENRIS box. We followed the clues and easily found the box. I took the box to a nearby bench to stamp in. After stamping in and replacing the box we walked around the museum grounds and took a few pictures of the sculptures. Then we returned my bag back to the car and then headed to Old Town to get some lunch. We ended up at Church Street Cafe. This is one of my favorite places in Albuquerque. After lunch it was time to head to the next box.

I had looked for this box a few weeks ago but had some trouble and wasn't able to find it. So I ended up emailing Astro D for some hints. Thankfully she emailed me back and her hints ending being extremely helpful. This box is a bit of a mystery - you have to find the location from a couple of sentences. I thought I had the right place but wasn't sure since I didn't find the box. But it turned out I had the right location but just look in the wrong spot. So this time I found We Came to See the Balloons by nm sun. I grabbed the box, took the box back to the car and stamped in. Then I replaced the box and we started our drive back to Santa Fe.

It was a nice day in Albuquerque. We saw a great exhibit and found two wonderful letterboxes. Thanks to Wronghat for a great box and letting me know about The Carved Line.

11 Years of Letterboxing

Today marks my 11th anniversary of letterboxing. I found my first box on February 16, 2006 and that box was Santa Fe Trail Microbox by Silver Eagle. The past 11 years have taken me to 44 states and 6 countries to find letterboxes. Every February 16 I have gone out letterboxing to celebrate. Usually I leave boxes close to me so that I have something to find on this date. But when I started planning what I would do today I only had one box close - that one was in Albuquerque. But I found another one in San Antonio that I hadn't gotten to yet. So I decided to take a road trip and do some letterboxing. I left Santa Fe sometime around 8:30am and drove to San Antonio. The box is located in a small park not far from the interstate on NM 380. So I pulled in and followed the clues and easily found An Unusual Tourist by ArnoldZiffel. I took the box back to the car to stamp in and then after replacing the box I headed back to Albuquerque. When I arrived in Albuquerque I went in search of We Came to See the Balloons by nm sun. The clues for this box are cryptic and I thought I had figured out where it was hidden. But when I arrived at the place none of the other clues made sense. But I tried and looked in three trees (the clue said to go to a tree and look up) but didn't find any box. I don't know if I just had the location wrong, or if I didn't understand the clues once I got there, or if the box is missing. My belief is that I was in the wrong location. I will have to look at the clues again and see if I can figure it out and then try again. But at least I found one box to celebrate my anniversary. These 11 years have been so much fun. Looking forward to more.

Ten Years of Letterboxing

Today marks exactly 10 years to the day that I have been letterboxing - who knew that when I found that first box this would become an obsession. That first box was Santa Fe Trail by Silver Eagle found at Amelia White Park in Santa Fe. I remember that day well. We had some snow a couple of days before so there was still some lingering on the ground. It was also a cold and overcast day. But that didn't matter - I went ahead and found that box, took it back to a picnic table and stamped in as best I could while wearing gloves. I never imagined that 10 years and 4125 boxes later I would still remember the details of that day like it was yesterday. On my 5 year anniversary I planted a box in Amelia White Park (lionsmane's 5 Year Letterboxiversary) to commemorate that first day, first box and first place where I started the hobby. This year I am planting a series of 10 boxes to mark the 10th anniversary. And they won't be in Amelia White Park - it just isn't big enough. I had planned to plant them today but unfortunately I didn't get the logbook finished yet. All ten stamps are carved, I just have to get them in boxes and then I can go and plant them - I am hoping by the end of the week at the latest.

Every year since I started letterboxing I have gone out on February 16 and letterboxed and today was no different. I purposefully leave a few boxes in the Santa Fe and Albuquerque areas just for this day. I had clues for four boxes in Albuquerque and one in Santa Fe. It was somewhere around 8:00am when I left home to begin my journey. The drive down to Albuquerque was uneventful and I quickly arrived at my first destination - Academy Hills Park. There are two boxes in this park both planted by Origami Hen when she visited earlier this year. I first found High Desert Panda and took the box to a nearby picnic table to stamp in. The morning was a bit cool but the skies were clear and blue. When I was done stamping in I put the box back into its hiding spot. The other box - Howdy Kitty - was on the other side of the park. I decided to leave my car where it was and walked to that box. It wasn't very far and the walk was easy. I again had no problem finding this box and I took it to a bench to sit and stamp. I did have to be a little stealthy because there were quite a few walkers around. After getting the second box back in place I walked back to the car to continue on.

From the park I made my way to Uptown and more specifically the Albuquerque Marriott. Here I was in search of Where's George Series - Box #292: Dreamcatcher in Albuquerque by alexandria_ky and Where's George. This was a quick and easy find - it is just a magnetic key holder with only a stamp, no logbook. Once I nabbed the box I took it back to the car to stamp in. When I finished stamping I took the box back to its hiding spot. I then drove to the next box - Little Free Library Albuquerque - which wasn't very far away. I arrived and parked in front of the library, read the clue and then went and found the box. Again I stamped in while sitting in the car and then replaced the box.

So now I was finished in Albuquerque and it was time to head back up to Santa Fe. I decided to forego the traffic and boring drive on I25 and headed east on I40 to Tijeras and then took NM14 up to Santa Fe. A much prettier and calmer drive. I still had one more clue to find in Santa Fe so I made my way to the Rail Trail parking off of Rabbit Road. From the parking area it was only a short 10 minute walk to the box. It was a perfect afternoon - blue skies, light breeze and no other people on the trail. Here I found Toy Train Story by Astro D. There was a stone wall nearby and I sat there while stamping in. After replacing the box I took a few pictures and the returned to my car. It was a great day - thanks to everyone who has planted boxes in Albuquerque and Santa Fe and especially thanks to Astro D for the Toy Train Story box - fun, fun, fun! The last two days have been great and I had a wonderful 10th anniversary.

A Spring and a Crest

This morning I had to be in Albuquerque for an appointment which would only take me an hour. That left the rest of the day to do something. So last night I got together some clues for boxes I hadn't found yet so that I could go and find them when I was done with my meeting. I also gathered all my letterboxing supplies so that I would be ready in the morning. When I left home this morning I had everything I needed to enjoy my letterbox hunt - clues, logbook, signature stamp, compass, inks, water, hat and camera. After my appointment I headed out to do some letterboxing.
I headed east from Albuquerque on I40 and exited on Tramway and then turned onto Central which turns into NM333 (this is the old Route 66). I made sure to go 45 mph so that I could listen to the singing road and then turned onto Carlito Springs and made my way to the Carlito Springs Open Space. I did a little research about this open space and found that it is the newest open space area for Bernalillo County. I also read about its history which was fascinating. Here are some links about Carlito Springs . . .

Carlito Springs latest open space area to open just east of Albuquerque
Bernalillo County Exploring Open Space "Carlito Springs"
Oasis in the Desert: The Renewal of Carlito Springs
Carlito Springs Open Space Trail Map
Carlito Springs Open Space

When I arrived at the Open Space parking there were three cars in the lot. I gathered my things and hit the trail following the clues I had with me. I took the left fork of the trail from the trailhead and started my hike. It was about 11:00am and it was already getting hot - I was thankful I remembered to bring some water. The first part of the hike was uneventful and took me up along stone steps placed in the trail with switchbacks added in to help ease the steepness of the trail. I then crossed the first of two steel bridges. I passed a couple standing on the bridge, said hi and continued on. After the first bridge I started seeing lots of beautiful wildflowers on the side of the trail. I also started seeing some stone walls off to the sides. I then crossed the second bridge and continued my upwards journey. The stone walls and wildflowers became more plentiful here.

Carlito Springs

This hike was mostly uphill and steep in some places and I was really glad I had water - with the heat and the climbing I needed it. I assumed the stone wall were for terracing the steep landscape to support the landscape and orchards all around. Up above I noticed some greenish buildings and eventually arrived at an intersection marked with two wagon wheels. This was the landmark I needed to start looking for Wronghat's Carlito Ingress letterbox. I stopped to reread the clues and quickly found the box not too far from the wagon wheels. I took the box to a shaded spot to sit and stamp in. I always enjoy finding Wronghat's boxes and love his carvings. After I stamped in I returned the box back to its hiding spot and then continued on the trail to the springs.  There are quite a few cabin-like buildings and one stone house in the area. When I arrived at the springs there was a mom and her two young kids sitting on a wall by a small trickling pond and there were four teenagers sitting below at the spring soaking their feet. I took some stone steps down to the spring and took a few pictures and chatted a little with the teenagers. Two of which were out with very nice cameras taking pictures as well. After a short while everyone went on their way and I had the place to myself. It was incredible - so peaceful and quiet. I just sat next to the spring and relaxed for a few minutes - having a snack and some water. Then I started my hike back to the car. I decided to follow the same route I took up since it was the shortest way back to the car and since I was tired it had the most appeal. Next time I will hike the entire loop and maybe bring a picnic lunch. Thanks Wronghat for showing me this place - it was truly magical.

Dalmation Toadflax (Linaria dalmatica)

Wild Sweet Pea (Lathyrus latifolia)

Wild Sweet Pea (Lathyrus latifolia)

Wild Sunflower (Helianthus gianteus)

After this spectacular hike I made my way up to Sandia Crest via the Sandia Crest Highway way to the Sandia Crest House. Here I was looking for cottonwoodlady's Sandia Crest House and Sandia Crest Rosy Finch. I paid my fee and entered the building. I found a place to sit and read the clues looking for landmarks. For the Sandia Crest House box I was having good luck up to a certain point. I kept looking at one of the landmarks trying to find the next one but I wasn't seeing it. I tried to skip down in the clues to see if I could find the next part but still no luck. I gave up on that box and tried the Sandia Crest Rosy Finch box. Again I was good until a certain point and then I became confused and the clues made no sense to me. I kept going back and forth between the clues trying to understand them. Then a young boy over near the entrance started a tantrum.

Hummingbirds at Sandia Crest

When I looked over to see what was going on I noticed a landmark for the Sandia Crest House box. The parents took the young boy outside and I made my to the area and finally after 30 minutes of searching I had found a box. I took that box to some couches and stamped in there and then returned the box to the hiding spot. Now to try for the other box, again. The clues eventually lead you outside to a patio. This was great - the views of Albuquerque from here were fantastic. There were a few other people on the patio so I took a chair and sat and watched the hummingbirds and squirrels. While I did this I read the clues and tried to understand where the box was hidden. Unfortunately I didn't find the box - I gave up after 25 minutes of retracing my steps and looking around. I was also getting a bit nervous because I had been in there for almost an hour and I had seen a sign for surveillance and wondered if the staff was getting suspicious of me walking around. I also didn't know if the staff knew about the boxes or not so I was trying to be stealthy.

Finally after an hour I left the Crest and drove back down the mountain. I took NM14 back home. I love this back road drive, much nicer that I25. I had a good day letterboxing - I just wish I knew what I did wrong with that last box. Oh well, maybe another time.

A Couple of Boxes in 'Burque

Today I had a couple of things to do in Albuquerque so I decided to do a little letterboxing while I was in town. My plan was to leave a hour or so early and that would give me time to grab two letterboxes that were planted recently in Albuquerque. My first stop was at the Balloon Fiesta Park. I drove in and followed the clues. As I was entering the area I spotted the location in the clue. So I found a place to park and then looked around. There were some guys playing golf nearby but they weren't even looking my way and then there was a maintenance/groundskeeper in a truck on the other end of the parking area. Things seemed safe so I walked to the spot and easily found Public Hand's Balloons Over Albuquerque. I took the box back to the car to stamp in. When I was done I looked around and the place was empty. No guys playing golf - I guess they moved on and the groundskeeper was no where in site so it was easy for me to replace the box. So I left the park and headed to my next location. That was the Holiday Inn Express on Yale. This was a very quick find. I parked where the clue told me to park and I stepped out of the car, nabbed the box and then got back in the car to stamp in. This box is by Grumpy Grinch and is called Trolley Transport. After stamping in and replacing the box I was ready to go to my appointments. It was a nice morning of letterboxing and I thank the visitors to New Mexico for their presents.

Celebrating 9 Years of Letterboxing

Today marks my 9th anniversary of letterboxing. I note every year that I started letterboxing on February 16, 2006 and the first box I found was Silver Eagle's Santa Fe Trails microbox. To mark my anniversary each year I always go letterboxing and today was no different. I had saved some boxes in Albuquerque specifically for today. So I left home around 7:30am and made the drive to Albuquerque.

But my first stop was actually before I got to Albuquerque. I exited at Bernalillo and drove about 10 miles up US550 to an historical marker for Santa Ana Pueblo. Here I found C4's NM Sunset. This was a quick and easy find and I stamped in sitting in the car because it was still a little chilly when I found the box. After replacing the box I made my way to Albuquerque. My next stop was Sophia's to find a box that I tried for before but couldn't get to because the place was really busy and someone was sitting right where I needed to be. So I decided to try again. Today the place was empty when I arrived. So I put my things on the table near where the box is hidden and then I ordered some breakfast. After ordering I quickly nabbed the box and stamped in while they were preparing my breakfast burrito. I was even able to rehide the box before any other customers showed up and before my food was ready. I was glad to finally get this box. A couple of things about the place . . . first, the food is fantastic. My breakfast burrito smothered in red chili was delicious. And second, they are changing the name of the place to Eli's. Everything about the place is the same - the same owner, the same menu and food and the same atmosphere - only the name will be different. You can read a great review at Gil's Thrilling (and Filling) blog. When I finished my meal I left and continued my letterboxing. Next I went in search of Wronghat's Epicure's Icon. I followed the clues and made it to the location and found a spot to park. Then from the car I found the hiding spot and quickly made my way to it. I easily found the box and then stamped at one of the picnic tables. It was still early and the area wasn't busy so I had no problem getting to the box. Once I was done here I drove to the Sandia Peak Tramway. I parked in the lower lot and followed the clues to easily find Dopey Dogs visit ABQ by Dopey Dogs. This was another quick and easy find and I stamped in while sitting in the car and then I replaced the box. Next I headed to Holiday Park to find a couple of boxes by Fan Five. The listings on AQ show six boxes but the clues only lead to two - it was all very confusing. Anyways, I parked and started following the clues. The first box I looked for lead to the edge of a school and the to the edge of a concrete arroyo. The slope was a little steep so I decided the box with the store bought stamp wasn't worth sliding head first into concrete. And there were people at a playground across from the arroyo and they were looking right at me so I didn't think I could be stealthy. So I returned the way I came and then I followed the clues for the second box. This area seemed better and I felt I was safe and hidden so that no one could see me. Unfortunately I didn't find the box - I think I was in the right spot but there was no box. I decided to cut my losses and head out. I had a clue for one last box and I had looked for that box one before and didn't find it. So I decided to try again just in case and since I was close to the area I headed there. I again came up empty handed so I think the Oh Deer! box is missing.

I had a great time celebrating my 9th anniversary and finding boxes. I am now at 3678 finds. After all this time I still love going out and finding boxes and I still love all the interesting places this hobby takes me. I am looking forward to many more years of letterboxng!

Albuquerque With Visiting Friends

This morning I went to Albuquerque to meet some friends who flew in late last night from Massachusetts. Lazy Letterboxer and The Letterboxing Ham came to New Mexico to visit us for Thanksgiving. I picked them up at their hotel and we headed out to do some letterboxing before heading up to Santa Fe.

Our first stop was at the Hotel Parq Central. Here we found Ghost of Parq Central letterbox. This was a quick and easy find. We stamped in while sitting in the car and then replaced the box. Our next stop was at the Standard Diner for the Standard Diner letterbox. You had to go in and ask for the box. The Letterboxing Ham went in and got the box and brought it back to the car. Again we stamped in while sitting in the car. When we were done he returned the box to the diner. But it seemed to take him a while and when he finally came out he was carrying something - fried pickles. So we had fried pickles at 9:45am and they were delicious. From here we went to Old Town. I didn't need to find boxes here but I thought it would be a good place to bring the friends. So we spent a little time wandering around Old Town looking for boxes and did a little sightseeing. For lunch we ended up at Marble Brewery for a little snack. After eating we headed back to Santa Fe but instead of taking the interstate I decided to give them the back road tour and drive home on Hwy 14. In Tijeras we stopped to drive on the Singing Road. It was so worth the detour and then it was on the road home. We had a fun time letterboxing in Albuquerque and hopefully our friends will enjoy their visit to New Mexico.

Back in Albuquerque for More Letterboxes

This evening Thomas and I are going to a birthday party for a couple of friends in Albuquerque and we decided to go a little early and do some letterboxing. We left Santa Fe around 2:00pm and about half way to Albuquerque we noticed the sky was getting dark and it looked like it was raining up ahead. As we got closer to Albuquerque we did get a light drizzle but nothing major. So we made our first stop at the Marriott Pyramid North to look for C4's Out West series of two boxes. The first box is hidden in the parking area and I felt a little uncomfortable because it is right in front of the building and there is a window looking right out to the hiding spot. But I did my best not to seen and I found the box. I grabbed it and decided to take it into the hotel since that is where the second box is hidden and stamp into them at the same time. So we walked in and went straight to the elevators and made our way to the 10th floor. I easily found the second box and then I looked around for somewhere to sit and stamp in. There was no place but there was a table against the wall near the elevators so I decided to use that and just hope that no hotel personnel came by. Luckily only three people passed to get into the elevator and none of them said anything. I finished stamping in and then put the boxes back together and then replaced the one on the 10th floor before heading back down to the lobby. We left the hotel and replaced the other box and then made our way to the car. I just hope that no one saw us because there is that window and I couldn't tell if anyone was looking out. I also got two first finder certificates - I was surprised that I was the first finder on these boxes - I guess none of the Albuquerque boxers have had time to get out there.

We left the hotel and made our way to the next location - Sandia Casino. I had clues for four boxes there and to tell the truth I was a little nervous about hunting for these boxes. But Thomas and I had a plan for one person to look for the box and the other to be lookout. The first box we looked for was Farwell Road Trip by Sunny Delight. This box is hidden under the apron of a light post. We parked right at the post and looked around. This part of the parking area was empty - there was only one car anywhere near this post and that made us feel exposed. There was also a camera on the next light post over to our right. But the way we parked blocked us a little and I was able to get the box without a problem. I stamped in while in the car and the replaced the box and thankfully no security guards showed up. Next we crossed to another parking area to look for awty's 3 Girls Trippin'. We parked and I read the clues and figured out where I needed to go. I made my way to a shelter with a bench and I was able to see some rocks on top of the wall near a beam. I looked around and climbed on the bench and picked up the rock. I then felt around (unable to see on top - too high) and came up empty handed. I put the rock back and returned to the car - the hiding spot is right on the edge of the parking area and cars kept driving by so I didn't put too much effort into finding the box. At this point we decided to leave the car where it was and head inside the building to look for the next box.

We walked through the casino and back past all the conference and meeting rooms and out the back door. I read the clues for Sunny Delight's Mountain Moments and in no time I had found the box. I found a spot to sit and stamp in while enjoying the views of the Sandias. There was no one out back and I just hoped there were no cameras to see what we were doing. I replaced the box and we went back inside and then out the front entrance to look for Kaw's Wandering Eye. We quickly found the spot and the box. I stamped in and then replaced the box. We headed back to the car and Thomas thought we should check on the box I couldn't find one more time. Since I am taller I climbed onto the bench and Thomas was lookout. I moved the rock again and still didn't feel anything except something like hay or straw. So I checked with Thomas that the coast was clear and then hoisted myself up using the stones of the wall and looked in. It was still hard to tell but all I could see was the hay. We decided to call it quits and I am still not positive if the box is there or not. If the spot wasn't so out in the open I might have had Thomas climb into my hands and I would have helped him up for a better look but I think that would have been too suspicious and we wouldn't have had a lookout. So it was back to the car and on to the next  box.

From the casino we drove down Tramway to Academy and entered High Desert Park to look for Lolofifi's Oh Deer! letterbox. There were a couple of people in the park with their dogs but no one was looking at us so I followed the clues and ducked behind the metal sculpture and found a pile of rocks. I started moving them but ended up coming out empty handed. I reread the clues just to make sure this was the right spot and decided to look one more time. Besides the rocks there were quite a bit of dead leaves so I moved all the rocks and then swept through the leave with my hands and I still didn't find the box. I hope that I just missed it but I think it may be missing. Now it was time for one last box before we headed to the birthday party. the last box we looked for was another Lolofifi box and this was My Fifi and it is hidden in the parking lot of the zoo. This was a quick and easy find and I stamped in while sitting in the car. After replacing the box we made our way to the party.

We had a great afternoon and evening in Albuquerque and found some nice boxes. Today made my third day of letterboxing in Albuquerque in two weeks and I still have a few more boxes to find. Well really only one that I didn't get to look for and three that I am thinking are missing. So I guess if someone finds them or the placers note if they are missing or not then I might make another trip to find them later. Thanks to all who have placed all these wonderful boxes.

Oh, and I forgot to say that I reached another milestone today. When I found Lolofifi's My Fifi letterbox it marked my 700th letterbox found in New Mexico - WooHoo! That is a significant number when you realize that there were less than 50 boxes in the state of New Mexico when I started letterboxing back in February 2006.

Letterboxing in Albuquerque, Again!

Today I brought my friend back to the airport for her flight home. Once I had dropped her off I decided to stay in Albuquerque for the afternoon and do some more letterboxing.

My first stop was at Presbyterian Hospital to find C4's Hospital Angels. This is a series of four boxes and they are spread out over the campus. I felt a little uncomfortable looking for the boxes because there are people and windows everywhere. I couldn't tell if anyone was looking out the window or not so I took my time and made sure to be as stealthy as possible. I ended up finding three of the four boxes. I am not sure if I was looking in the right place or not for the box I missed but I never did find it. So I left the hospital with three stamps and made my way to the next box. For the next box I parked somewhere in the vicinity of Carlisle and Central. I started following the clues for Wronghat's Lambency letterbox. At first I was having a little trouble but it didn't take long for things to make sense and in no time I found the box. Then I looked for a spot to sit and stamp in. I walked just a half block away and sat on some stairs. After stamping in I replaced the box and walked back to my car. I decided I had time for one more box. So I went in search of Wronghat's "I Am Not a Number" letterbox. The area where this box is hidden is being worked on and I wasn't sure I would be able to look for it. But I was able to follow the clues and I found the box. Then I took it to a bench so that I could sit and stamp in. While I was stamping in the workers pulled up right to the spot where the box is hidden. So after stamping in I had to wait for a while until I could replace the box. While I waited I talked with one of the guys to see what they were doing. They are putting in a sprinkler system and they had literally dug a small trench for the pipes about three feet from the box's hiding spot. After they left I was able to put the box back and I think it will be safe - the guy told me they were pretty much finished in this area. Now I was done for the day so I made my way back to my car and made my journey back to Santa Fe.

So I did some boxing in Albuquerque last week and today but there are still some boxes for me to find so I do believe I will have to make another trip soon.

A Couple of Boxes in Albuquerque

This afternoon I needed to be in Albuquerque to pick up a friend at the sunport and I decided to go a little early and pick up a couple of letterboxes. First I wanted to get a box from a series I found a year ago this February that was missing. So I made my way to Rio Rancho to find the third box in the series Filmed in New Mexico. I was familiar with the area and I knew exactly where to go to find the box. So I arrived at the area and read the clues and quickly found the box. I stamped using a log as a seat and then put the box back in place. I took my time walking back to the car by walking along the river. It was very nice and quiet so I was enjoying my walk. Once back in the car I decided to head over to the BioPark to look for Stung! I parked and read the clues but I as having a little trouble finding a landmark but then I walked a little further and found what I was looking for. And after taking two more steps I actually could see the box. I grabbed it and took it back to the car to stamp. Once I was done I returned the box to its hiding spot and went back to the car. Now it was time for me to get to the sunport and pick up my friend. If I keep up this finding one or two boxes each time I go to Albuquerque maybe I will get them all in a couple of monthes

A Day of Letterboxing in Albuquerque

Back in December ArnoldZiffel arranged a dinner meet for the Santa Fe and Albuquerque letterboxers. We all had a great time but we realized we didn't get to visit very much with the way the tables were arranged and the fact we were in a restaurant. Days later Astro D and I talked and we both felt we needed another get together so we could all visit more. So Astro D got to work and in no time she arranged for a get together in Albuquerque. Today seemed to work for everyone and so we scheduled it and ended up meeting in a local coffee shop. But before the meet up I decided to go early and get in some letterboxing.

I haven't had the time to get to Albuquerque in a while to letterbox so I had quite a few boxes to choose from. Last night I got things ready and mapped out all the boxes. I ended up leaving Santa Fe around 9:00am and made my way south to Albuquerque. My first stop was at Sunset Memorial Park to find Grumpy Grinch's Fierce Fisherman. This was a quick and easy find and once I had the box in hand I took it back to the car to stamp in. When I was done I had to wait a few minutes for this one car to leave before I could put it back in place. Once it was hidden I continued on my journey. I drove to Tingley Beach and parked in the far parking lot. I walked from the parking area into the bosque and followed the trail for a short distance to a bird blind. I was on the search for Wronghat's Go N2 Serendipity BoX. It didn't take me long to find it and then I sat near the river to stamp in. Once the box was back in place I walked around the area just enjoying the quiet. I only saw one person during my time in the bosque. After about 30 minutes I decided to return to the car and continue with my day. Back on Tingley Drive I went a little further to a pullout parking area across from where the elephants hang out at the zoo. I was looking for Pachyderms Backdoor by Wronghat. I read the clues and started looking for the box. I wasn't having any luck but I kept looking anywhere I thought the box might be. Unfortunately I didn't find the box and it was time for me to go and meet the group.

So I headed over to Napoli Coffee on Carlisle. I parked and while I was getting my things out of the car I noticed other people showing up. Once in the place we put some tables together and we ordered drinks and snacks. The group consisted of Wronghat, Semicolon, ArnoldZiffel, Agent 86, BirchMoon, Astro D, Speleo and myself. We had a great time visiting and talking about letterboxing. I talked with Wronghat about the Pachyderm box and what I did wrong - he gave me some insight and I decided to try again after our visit. We all talked about different boxes around the state and talked about boxes we have found and we passed around logbooks. It was a great visit and I hope we can do it again sometime soon. After a couple of hours we all headed off in different directions to continue our day.

I returned to the Tingley Drive area to try again to find the Pachyderm box. I reread the clues and this time I realized what I had done wrong (with Wronghat's help) and I easily found the box. I took it back to the car to stamp in and then had to wait a little while because a group of people had stopped to talk right near the hiding spot for the box. Eventually they left and I was able to get the box back in its hiding spot. From here I made my way to Central and then to Old Town. I parked in the parking lot between San Felipe and Romero and went in search of Astro D's Breaking Bad in Burque: Dog House. The box is hidden in the parking lot and I found it fast and then sat on a bench to stamp in. It was such an open area I thought I would have problems with lots of people but I didn't see anyone and I was glad about that. I stamped in and then replaced the box. I was now ready to continue on. When we met at the coffee shop Astro D let us know she had just placed another box. So I got the clues from her and now it was a good time to go and find this box - Breaking Bad in Burque: Los Pollos Hermanos. I got to the location easily enough and parked. I read the clues while sitting in the car and tried to find the location of the box from inside the car. I wanted to find the location while in the car because the box is hidden off of a very busy road and I just wanted to make a bee line to the box and then take it back to the car to stamp in. Everything seemed good and I left the car and headed towards the box and as I went around a tree I encountered a turkey. I jumped and screamed and was thankful there wasn't anyone around to see or hear me. The good thing was that I scared the turkey when I screamed so he ran the other way. That made it easy to get the box and take it back to the car. After stamping in I walked back to replace the box making sure there was no turkey around - he wasn't, and it was easy to get the box back into place. Now I headed to the UNM area and specifically to the Observatory. I drove into the parking area and made my way to the spot where the box was headed. I was a little concerned looking for this box because the parking lot was empty and I was out there in the open where anyone passing could see me. I was a little worried that campus security would pass and ask me what I was doing. Fortunately no one came and I was able to find Star Wars Anniversary and stamp in without incident. After replacing the box I got back in the car and looked at the time. It was already 5:00pm and it was starting to get dark. I decided to look for one more box and then find something to eat for dinner. I drove to Coronado Mall and easily found C4's Mother and Daughter box.  I parked right next to the box which help protect me from being seen while I nabbed it and took it back to the car to stamp in. I quickly stamped in and then replace the box. By this time it was dark and I was hungry.

It just so happened that I could see a Panera Bread not far from the box so I decided that is where I would have dinner. I ended up having black bean soup and thai chicken salad. While I ate I surfed the net on my iPad and just relaxed after a great day of letterboxing. I left Panera around 7:30pm and needed to find something to do until 11:00pm - that is when I needed to pick Thomas up from the airport (he was returning from a trip to New York City for work). Once I was in the car I started thinking where I could go and sit and play on the computer for a while. I remembered that there is a Satellite Coffee on Central not too far from the airport. So that is where I headed. Playing on the computer, drinking coffee and having a little snack helped to pass the time but around 10:15pm I needed to move - I was tired of just sitting. I made my way to the cell phone waiting area at the airport and parked. At first I thought I would just sit in the car and wait for Thomas to call but I was antsy so I ended up walking around the perimeter of the parking area about five times. As I headed back to the car (fyi - I was the only one there) my phone rang. Thomas had landed and was heading for the baggage claim - he said he would call once he had his suitcase. I waited about 10 minutes and then decided to head toward the pick up area. Thomas called just as I was making the last turn. We got his things in the car and we were on our way home.

It was a great day in Albuquerque and I found some wonderful boxes. Also Thomas is home after five days away - a wonderful way to end a fantastic day.

A Box on the Way

This afternoon Thomas and I had plans to meet friends in Albuquerque and then go for dinner. There is a letterbox about half way between Santa Fe and Albuquerque that I have been wanting to grab for a while now. I decided that today we were going to stop and get this quick find. The box in MacabreMobile by Wronghat and I always love finding his boxes. This was no exception. The box in hidden near a water tank that has some very cool graffiti murals on them. We pulled up and parked next to the water tank and it took me all of 30 seconds to grab the box. I decided to take it back to the car to stamp in. I finished stamping in and decided to drop a hitchhiker in the box - this should be a good spot for the little guy to be picked up and moved along. When I was done it the box was replaced and we were on our way to meet friends. Thanks Wronghat for the distraction along I25.

Cactus and Adobe

Saxophone and Guitars

Macabre Mobile

Letterboxing Blows Me Away

Last Tuesday Thomas and I were invited to a birthday party for friends in Albuquerque for tonight. We also had a couple of errands we needed to run in Albuquerque.

Mormon Battalion Monument

So we decided to make a day of it and find some letterboxes as well. We left Santa Fe sometime after 11:00am and with a lot of wind. We made a stop at the Mormon Battalion Monument in Budaghers to find Wronghat's Pillar for Polygamist. We parked and I decided to read the clues and try to locate the box from the wind free safety of the car. I was pretty sure I had the right spot so I exited the car and almost immediately went on a mad run to recover my hat. Once I had my hat I went and looked for the box. It was in the spot I figured so I grabbed it and returned to the car to stamp in. As usual it was a great Wronghat carve and I loved the title of the box. When it was time to return the box to its hiding spot I had to wait a little bit because the wind had picked up and there was lots of sand blowing around. When it subsided I made a mad dash and replaced the box. Once I was back in the car we headed toward Albuquerque.

We went to Trailhead Park to look for a bonus box to the Filmed in New Mexico series (I am not giving anything away - it states in the clues that there is a bonus box).

Daisy and Rozie

Once there I didn't find the box because I was really confused about the clues and the wind was a little aggravating. I tried to figure it out but still came up empty handed. So we left there and continued on. The next stop was Rio Grande Valley State Park where we looked for another Wronghat box - Quest Aloft. I followed the clues and hunkered down against the wind. It took a little more time to find this box because the wind and blowing sand had us taking little breaks behind trees to protect ourselves. Once I found the box I sat down in the middle of some trees which helped to block us from the wind. I stamped in and got a first finder certificate for my troubles with the wind. I replaced the box and we bolted for the car to get out of the wind. We drove to the Rio Grande Zoo to find the next box which is Sunny Delight's Rosie's News. We didn't have as much trouble with the wind here because there were buildings to help cover us. I found the box easily but ended up getting a few scratches - the bush where this box is hidden has some serious spines so you need to be careful. I brought the box back to the car to stamp in.  Once I was done and the box was back in place we made our way to Old Town. The next box we looked for was Wronghat and Semicolon's New Mexico Women #4: Sarah Ruiz. This box is at the Church Street Cafe.

Church Street Cafe

I have eaten here a few times and I love the food. We hadn't had any lunch so we decided to get something to eat while here. The box is sitting on a fireplace mantel in the entry so I grabbed it and took it to our table when they seated us. We order our food and then I stamped in. I got a great stamp carved by Semicolon and a first finder card. I then replaced the box on the mantel and then we ate. While we were eating I ended up talking with Thomas about the bonus box we couldn't find earlier and I had some ideas but still wasn't certain. After the meal was done we left to run our errands and while Thomas drove I emailed Wronghat for some insight to the bonus box - I didn't ask for the clue just his thoughts. During our last errand I stayed in the car and Thomas went inside. I got on my iPad and tried a few things and voilà I had the clue and I also checked my email and Wronghat had sent me a note. When Thomas was back in the car I told him I had the clue so we headed back to Trailhead Park. By this time the wind was a little better and we found the box without any problems. After stamping in we returned to the car and headed to the party.

We had a nice time visiting with our friends and celebrating their birthdays. There was lots of food and cake and very nice company. But Thomas and I were tired - the wind had really beaten us down and we still had to drive an hour to get home. So around 9:00pm we left Albuquerque and headed to Santa Fe. Thankfully the wind was a lot less by this time and the drive wasn't bad. Even though we had the wind to contend with it was still a great day of letterboxing and we found some nice stamps - thanks to those who planted boxes.

Celebrating Seven Years of Letterboxing

Every year on my letterboxing anniversary I make it a point to get out and do a little letteboxing just to celebrate my addiction.

Amelia White Park

I joined Atlas Quest on February 11, 2006 so that is my AQ cake day but I didn't find my first letterbox until February 16, 2006, so this is what I consider my letterboxing anniversary. The first box I found was Santa Fe Trail Microbox by Silver Eagle. That box is in Santa Fe at Amelia White Park. This was also Astro D's first box and both of us tend to check on it when we are in the area - I think we want to keep it alive just because it is a special box to both of us. If I am honest with myself, I knew the minute I found that box that I was hooked. I guess I was right because here it is seven years later and I still love this hobby and even though there have been many ups and downs I still look forward to hunting for boxes and I still get a thrill when I find one.

So today marks my seventh anniversary and I went out letterboxing. I started planning this day on Monday and when I mentioned it to Thomas he decided he wanted to go with me. I searched for all possible clues for boxes in Albuquerque and mapped them out and put a backpack together with all my letterboxing supplies. By Wednesday night I was ready to celebrate my anniversary. Thomas and I decided to make it a day in Albuquerque since I wanted to letterbox during the day and then we had plans to meet some friends for dinner before attending a play (Dreamgirls).

We left Santa Fe sometime aroung 8:15am and headed south on I25. I was really looking forward to finding at least one letterbox today and that would satisfy my criteria of always letterboxing on my anniversary. Our first stop was to be in Rio Rancho (well really Corrales) at Trailhead Park to find a series of five boxes called Filmed in New Mexico. The series was planted by Kazam and I had noted that someone had already been out there and had found four of the five boxes. We had a little trouble interpreting the clues for the parking so we ended up parking on the street for the park access. We entered the park and then walked to the trail head.

Trailhead Trail

Here I read the clue for the first box and then we were on our way. It was only a short trip along the trail until I had the first box in my hand. Woohoo! I was now celebrating. I stamped in and then rehid the box and then we continued on to the next box. Again it was only a short walk along the trail until we encountered a large fallen cottonwood concealing the box. I grabbed it and used the cottonwood to sit on and stamp in. Once the box was back in place I decided to just sit there and read the next clue for the third box - the one that the previous finder didn't find. The clues seemed straight forward so we continued on following the clues to the next location. So we found what we thought was the right tree and checked for the box. We didn't find it. I think we looked around the tree for about 15 minutes then decided to move on. I decided we could stop again on the way back to the car and check again. So we moved on to the next box and found it quickly. I found a spot to sit and stamped in. One more box to go - up some steps and along a trail until we spotted the landmark. I grabbed the box and took it to a bench to stamp in and after getting the box back into its hiding spot I reread the clue for the third box we missed. We stopped at the tree we had been at earlier and started a systematic search of the area. Thomas went over to a neighboring tree that we thought could also meet the clue description. After a few minutes Thomas called me and he had found a camo bag on the ground past the tree away from the main trail on another smaller trail. So we continued searching and found a light blue felt piece that was just like the felt in the other bags. We felt optimistic so we continued looking around but after about 15 minutes we decide to call it quits. I still have a feeling that the stamp is out there, but anyway we put the felt and camo bag back into the tree where we thought it should be and made our way back to the car. Oh, I hit a landmark when I found the last box - it was my 600th find in New Mexico - WooHoo!!!!! There were probably only about 50 boxes in New Mexico when I started letterboxing back in 2006 so I think this is quite an amazing milestone. Thanks to all the letterboxers who have planted all these boxes. Oh, and another note - this series were about movies or series filmed in New Mexico and in the clues were numbers so that you could figure out the title of each box. As I was trying to decipher them using the stamp image and the numbers I ran into a problem. The answer to the first box seemed obvious but it didn't match the numbers in the clue for Box A but it did match the numbers for Box C. And there wasn't an image that matched the Box A numbers. I am just curious if the planter mixed up the stamps or boxes. Just a little conumdrum.

Now that we were back in the car we drove through Corrales and made our way to the intersection of Alameda Blvd. and Rio Grande Blvd. and the Bachechi Open Space.

The Bell Keepers

We were here to find the Bell of Bachechi by eudyptula. This was a short walk and an easy find. We were close to The Bell Keepers statue which had  benches all around, so we chose to sit there to stamp in. We then put the box back into place and decided to grab a little lunch. On the way to the next box location we saw a Jason's Deli and we decided to eat there. After lunch we continued to the Piedras Marcadas area of the Petroglyph National Monument. I had visited this area a few years ago looking for other boxes but Thomas had never been here. So we walked the trail and viewed all the incredible petroglyphs along the way.

Chimera

We also collected some numbers so that we could complete the clue. In the end we found the box and stamped in - I also got a first finder card from the box - thanks Wronghat. Oh yes, this box is called Chimera and was placed by Wronghat. And so our hunt continues . . . we drove to the intersection of San Mateo and Osuna and made our way to the bike bridge that crosses over I25. We parked and made our way to the center of the bridge which pretty much lines up with the center median of the interstate. It was easy to find Above the Imbroglio by Wronghat. I have to say it was really interesting standing above all the traffic while stamping in. Luckily no one else walked the bridge while we were there but it was hard to ignore all the hundredes of eyes passing below us. We even got a few honks while we were up there. I stamped in, then replaced the box and returned to the car. The next box was across the city near the intersection of Tramway and Menual. We arrived at Piedra Lisa Park and followed the clues eventually peeking through the moon being split by a lightning bolt.

Elfego Baca

We grabbed the box (Buggs or Daffy by Kazam) and found a bench to sit while we stamped in. When we were done we returned the box to its hiding spot and headed out for our last box. We took Menaul all the way from Tramway back to I25 and entered the Sunset Memorial Park to look for Paladin by Wronghat. We followed the clues and found the box hanging in a tree near the grave of Elfego Baca. Once I had this box in hand I met another milestone today - this was my 2800th box. The cemetery was peaceful and beautiful and we only saw one other person while we were there. So we found a nice sunny spot to sit and stamp in. (By the way I should have mentioned what an incredibly beautiful day it was - sunny and in the mid to high 50's.) After we finished stamping in we just sat and enjoyed the wonderful weather for a while. Then I replaced the box and we looked at the time and realized we had a couple of hours to kill before dinner.

Satellite Coffee

We spent our time at Satellite Coffee reading and sipping on some caffiene. We choose the location near UNM since our play was at Popejoy Hall. Around 5:00pm Thomas and I called our friends and told them to go to dinner without us and we decided to have a quiet dinner just the two of us. We ended up eating at Light and Healthy Mirai Japanese Restaurant very near the coffee shop. We had a simple meal and just relaxed and talked about our day. After dinner we took a walk around the UNM campus and just talked still enjoying the weather. Eventually we made our way to Popejoy Hall to meet our friends for the show. We really enjoyed Dreamgirls - great music and lots of energy. We didn't get home until midnight and we were both exhausted - but we did enjoy our day. Thanks to all the letterboxers who placed boxes in Albuquerque, it really helped me to celebrate my seventh letterboxing anniversary.