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.

Letterboxing the Day Away in Albuquerque

About a week ago I put together a list of boxes in Albuquerque that I needed to find and decided that when my crazy work schedule let up I would head out and find them.

Apache Plume

So last night I got everything together and made a list and a driving plan for this morning. I didn't leave Santa Fe until around 8:00am and that was perfect because I missed all the traffic. My first stop was at the library and veteran memorial in Rio Rancho. Here I found Patriotic (and Water-Wise too!). This was a great place. Very relaxing and a good way to start the day. I sat and stamped in while enjoying the peace and quiet and the gardens. After rehiding the box I left Rio Rancho and made my way to Albuquerque and more specific to Trader Joe's. Here I found "Two Buck Chuck". I had to be a little careful here because it was at a very busy intersection. But I got the box and found a little spot where I was hidden from view where I could stamp in. When I was done I waited until the coast was clear and then put the box in place and headed for the car.

My next stop was a small little neighborhood park. There were only a couple of people around but they weren't any where near the box so it was not too much of a worry about someone seeing me. I did have a little difficulty finding the box - only because it was camouflaged pretty good and blended in with its hiding spot really well. I found a nice shady spot to sit and stamp in. The box is Birds of a Feather #1: Hootenanny. I really liked this carving and box. Time to move on. I had plans to stop by the zoo but when I arrived the place was packed and I mean packed. I drove around the parking lot for almost 15 minutes before I decided that if the parking was this bad the place had to be a nightmare. So I scratched that one and headed for the next box.

Rio Grande Nature Center Trail

I found this next box at the Rio Grande Nature Center (well actually in the bosque near the river). This box is called Motivation and was planted by a woman who recently insulted me and then when I tried to defend myself she called me rude. When the box was first planted a friend told me about it but I couldn't see it because I had been restricted. I didn't worry about it and decided if this woman didn't want me looking for her boxes that was fine. About a week later the box became available to me. I figured that she had lifted the restriction and now I could see it. I also noted that someone had found the box. The woman in question wrote to me after she saw that I had found a box in Albuquerque at the beginning of April. She wrote to accuse me of taking the box. She had tried to find the box the day before me but was unsuccessful. She returned to find the box the next day but I had already been there. She stated that she had wanted to be the first finder but unfortunately I had beaten her. Her reaction to that was that I went sometime before and took the box with me and then returned it days later thus making it unfindable for her. So I figure that since now I have access to the clues she had restricted me so that I couldn't be the first finder - which doesn't matter one way or the other to me. I don't ever go out to find a box just so I can be the first finder, I go out when I have the time. Anyway I found the box, it is an okay carve but very obvious. The SPOR was huge and can be spotted from the trail so I knew just where to go. In fact I didn't even follow the clues. As I was walking the trail to the river I looked to my right and saw the big pile of rocks next to a tree. I just walked over and found the box. I stamped in and then replaced the box and headed back to the Nature Center to walk around and enjoy the gardens. Now it was time to head out to the next box. This was at Tom Bolack Park and I was looking for Luciana. The park was completely empty and I could take my time looking for the box. Not that I needed it - this was and easy find and I took the box back to a bench to stamp in. The weather was perfect and I enjoyed sitting and stamping in. After putting the box back in place and returned to my car.

I was done in Albuquerque and decided to head out to Tijeras. I had time to go for another box placed on Cedro Peak. I exited I40 and took NM337 south to the turn for Juan Tomas Road. I then made my way to the Cedro Campground and parked. I was going on a search for Xeric Vertex by Wronghat. The clues stated that you could either hike or drive. I decided to hike but the clues also said the trail was a little sketchy. But I started my way up.

Tower at Cedro Peak

Now let me tell you that the weather all day had been extremely beautiful but now that I was heading up to some towers on a hill in the middle of nowhere without any other human life in sight it decided to change. Clouds started moving in and getting dark and the wind picked up. But I was almost at the top so I continued on. I was having a little trouble with the trail but came to a road and followed it up to the top. When I got there I got a phone call from Thomas so I talked to him and told him where I was and that the weather was looking bad. I told him I would find the box quickly and head back down to the car and I would call him from there. I followed the clues and found the box. I stamped in quickly and rehid the box. As I was doing this I felt a few rain drops. I quickly looked at the views and then made my way down the road again moving pretty fast. I found the trail I started on and followed it. I was almost at the bottom when I got a scare. It started thundering and I freaked out worrying about lightning. But I kept on course, got to the trail head and crossed the road. I threw my things in the passenger seat and then got in and slammed the door just as another thunder reverberated in the canyon. I started the car (I guess just to let myself know it would start) and then I called Thomas to let him know I was in the car and heading out of the campground. Before I reached NM337 the rain started and I was really glad I wasn't still on the top of Cedro Peak. From here I headed to Tijeras and the Cedar Crest. I stopped here to fill the car with gas and get some water and a snack for the drive home down NM14. The rain stopped but the sky was overcast and dark. But I enjoyed my drive home - I always love traveling the Turquoise Trail.

I had a great day letterboxing in Albuquerque and found some nice boxes. I just wish I could have spent a little more time at Cedro Peak enjoying the views. Well maybe I will make a trip up there again soon.

Boxing Along I40

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.