A Quick Plant and A Quick Find

Back in February rubberpeace asked if I would plant a box for her. She had a stamp that rbrhorno had carved and she put that stamp and a logbook into a ziplock bag and asked if I could make a camo bag and hide it. The stamp is of a sculpture by Kevin Box. It is a representation of the game Rock, Paper, Scissors. She wanted the box to be placed out by his studio near Cerrillos. The studio is called the Kevin Box Studio (aka Turquoise Trail Sculpture Garden) and is near the Garden of the Gods pullout. In the summer you can visit the garden and take a walking tour of all the sculptures. So I finally got around to planting Rock! Paper! Scissors! for rubberpeace today. It is just outside the garden and is available even when the garden is closed. Make sure if you go out to find this box to look up clues for other boxes in the Cerrillos and Madrid areas.

After planting this box I headed into Santa Fe for an appointment. I was a bit early so I decided to look for BirchMoon's Public Art #3: Roundabout while I was in town. This was a pretty easy find even though it is hidden in an actual roundabout with cars going through at a regular interval. Fortunately I was there when the traffic was minimal. I parked on a side street and walked to the roundabout. I waited a minute until a car passed and then crossed to the center and easily found the box and returned to my car to stamp in without any other cars passing. After stamping in I returnded to the roundabout (again without any cars passing) and got the box back into place. It is a nice stamp in a challenging area for stealth.

It was nice getting out today and doing a little letterboxing - it has been a couple of months since I last letterboxed. Hopefully I will get out more as there are quite a few boxes in New Mexico that I need to find.

One Last Day of Celebrating

Okay, I had planned on planting a letterbox to celebrate my 10th anniversary on the 16th. But alas, I didn't get it finished until yesterday. I have put together a series of ten boxes and I have them ready to plant today. I had made a decision about where I would plant them and I got everything ready for this morning. Also ArnoldZiffel placed one last box for my 10th anniversary - Rail Trail. This one is also on the Rail Trail near the ones I found yesterday. I left my house at around 8:00am and made my way to Rabbit Road. I walked the Rail Trail for about a quarter of a mile following the clues and I didn't have any problem finding the box. I was first finder and I loved this stamp - and actually I loved all the boxes that ArnoldZiffel, Astro D and Wronghat placed this week. When I finished stamping in and replacing the box I returned to my car to make my way to plant my boxes.

The placed I picked to plant my boxes is the La Tierra Trails. From Rabbit Road I got onto I25 and headed south. I then took Exit 276 for NM599 and followed that for about 11 miles. Then I turned left onto Camino de los Montoyas and drove another mile to the parking area for the Calabasas Trailhead on the right. In the parking area there is a large sign with a trail map and I studied it and compared it to my printed out map. It was much easier reading the big map but the printed one ended up working just fine. I made the decision to plant the boxes on a loop following the numbers 1-8 on the map. These numbers mark trail junctions and if you follow the signs you can easily get from one number to next. To start on the trail I had to cross the road and go through the fence.

I walked a short distance along the trail and arrived at sign post 1. From here I started looking for landmarks that I could use to write clues and hide boxes. Almost immediately I realized that everything looks the same - junipers, pinons, rocks and dead trees. So I had to be creative and hopefully I could find something that I could use as a landmark. I was trying to gauge mileage using Map My Walk but soon realized that because I was going off trial and doubling back to find hiding spots I was not getting accurate distances. But I soldiered on. It was easy finding hiding spots but describing those spots proved challenging. I made sure to take good notes and pictures so that when I got home I could write the clues. I tried using the sign post at the junctions but with ten boxes to plant and only eight junctions I had to use other landmarks. The trail is wide in some areas and narrow in others and is easy to walk on. There are also great views all around. You also cross a lot of washes along the way and I tried using those but I wasn't always clear if I should call something a wash or not - so I was picky about using them. Eventually I completed the loop and got all ten boxes planted and had quite a few notes and pictures to help write the clues. The boxes have a theme and that is the Number 10. Nine of the boxes are like that - images that conjure the number 10 in some way and the last box is a lion crest with the number 10. I did a similar image for my 5th anniversary (lionsmane's 5 Year Letterboxiversary) - a lion crest with the number 5. I got the idea for using images that represented the number 10 from a conversation with ArnoldZiffel. When I first started planning these boxes I wasn't sure how I wanted to them but I had a few ideas. They just didn't seem to work, so when ArnoldZiffel mention the number 10 idea from something she had seen or a series of boxes she had found I started looking into using that. It worked perfectly! And since there are ten boxes I decided to put only one logbook and that one is in Box #10. This box is called lionsmane's 10 Year Letterboxiversay. It took me around three hours to get all the boxes planted - that was me being choosey about the locations, doubling back, taking long notes and some pictures. I am estimating that it should take between one and two hours to find all the boxes. The length of the hike (walk) is around 3.5 miles and there is only about a 250 foot elevation gain during the walk. It isn't a hard walk but it is long and the area is pretty much open space so I believe that in summer it could get really hot so it would be good to take precautions. Sunblock, hat, sunglasses and water would be a good idea. There are maps at each trail junction to help you stay oriented but I would suggest printing out a trail map before you go looking for these boxes. I had a lot of fun planting these and I hope they are enjoyed by all who go and hunt for them.

When I got back to my car I had one other box to plant. That was my Alphabetical New Mexico: Y (Yucca) box. The place I originally planted it was good but I realized there were no yuccas around so I pulled it and finally brought it out to the La Tierra Trails to hopefully place somewhere that had at least a few yuccas. I left the Calabasas Trailhead parking and drove to the Frijoles Trailhead parking. I left the parking area and went through the fence and started down the trail. At first I was discouraged since I wasn't seeing any yuccas and then about a quarter mile along the trail I saw a few. I decided to continue further along the trail to see if there were more, but I didn't see any. So I turned back and planted the box near the few I saw earlier. I took a few pictures and wrote some notes and then returned to my car.

It was a great day of planting and finding boxes and I am extremely happy to have this series done. It has been an incredible 10 years and I am looking forward to 10 more.

A Letterboxing Celebration

I have been letterboxing for 10 years now and I am still having lots of fun with the hobby. Today starts a celebration that will probably go on for three or four days. Every year since I started letterboxing I go out and letterbox on my anniversary as a kind of celebration. But this year is different - a milestone if you will. This morning a new clue popped up on Atlas Quest - Santa Fe Super Chief by Wronghat - the clue stated that the box was placed in celebration of my decade of letterboxing. I was excited when I saw the clue, so I printed it out and decided that sometime this afternoon I would go out and find it. But first I had lunch plans. Astro D and rubberpeace invited me to lunch to start the celebration. We met at The Ranch House (a favorite restaurant) around noon and immediately things were happening. rubberpeace gave me an LTC with images carved by both rubberpeace and rbrhorno. This LTC is a one of a kind - I have the only copy and I have a carved image by rubberpeace (she doesn't do the carving, rbrhorno does the carving). Astro D surprised me with a photo memory book spanning my 10 years of letterboxing (a very special gift) and a small logbook made from circuit boards (I will probably start using this for exchanges). And she also gave me an awesome lion card. We had a relaxing and wonderful visit.
After lunch I returned home and got my letterboxing things together and the clue for the new box. Thomas was home and he decided to come with me to find the box. This box is hidden on the Rail Trail near the Nine Mile Road access. Every morning I walk the Spur Trail to the junction with the Rail Trail and then I turn right and continue to that access point. Then I turn around and make my way back to the parking area for the Spur Trail. This walk is a 10.5 mile walk. But this afternoon I didn't walk all that way, we drove to Nine Mile Road and parked. We made our way to the trail and followed the clues to the box. We found it easily enough  and found a nice place to sit and stamp in. The afternoon was incredible - around 60° with clear blue skies. So the walk was great.

After stamping in and getting the box back into its hiding spot we returned to the car and then home. Tomorrow is my actual anniversary and I am planning a trip to Albuquerque for a few boxes. I also have a series of boxes to get planted as soon as I make a logbook and get the boxes finished. Hopefully before the end of the week.

A Celebration Lunch

Today I had lunch with Astro D, rubberpeace, Wronghat, semicolon and ArnoldZiffel at Harry's Roadhouse. We got together to celebrate Astro D's 10 year letterboxing anniversary. She found her first box on July 30, 2005 and that box was Santa Fe Trails by silvereagle. A few weeks ago Astro D emailed me and asked is I was available for lunch on Friday, July 31 and she said that she was inviting a few of the other boxers in the area to celebrate. I emailed her back with a 'yes'. Not long after this exchange I got an email from ArnoldZiffel and she had an idea to make a box for the occasion. She discussed this with Wronghat as well. After a little back and forth we came up with an idea. And this is what happened . . . me, ArnoldZiffel and Wronghat were going to carve a stamp based on images from a box or boxes of Astro D's that we liked. ArnoldZiffel then cut a circle from Speedy Carve (the pink stuff) and then she divided it into thirds. She mailed one of the thirds to Wronghat and one of the thirds to me.

Semicolon, ArnoldZiffel, Wronghat, lionsmane, Astro D & rubberpeace

We then designed our own image and carved the stamps. We decided that after the lunch we would plant this box somewhere in Santa Fe. ArnoldZiffel also made the logbook for the box and I made Astro D a little memento book. I included some pictures of Astro D with other boxers throughout her ten years of boxing and I even threw in some statistics . . . after 10 years she has found 1665 boxes, planted 94 boxes, has had 13 blue diamonds and 2 boxes of the week. With these statistics I included some scanned images of some of her boxes - highlighting some of my favorites of her carves. I put some blank pages in the book so that we could stamp in and wrtie her a note. We had a great time visiting and reminiscing about boxes we found and places we have been. Astro D and I are going to get together and plant the box on Tuesday of next week. Once that is done I will log the box in and it will be available for others to find.

Congrats Astro D and here is to 10 more years and lots of boxes!

A Mini Meet with AutumnsFolly

A few weeks ago I got an email from AutumnsFolly that she was going to be doing some work in Santa Fe and she wanted to get together for an exchange. So I got in touch with a few other letterboxers in the area and let them know and we eventually decided on meeting at a restaurant after work one day. I let AutumnsFolly know about it and she set up an AQ event called Hooray for Santa Fe and a mini meet was scheduled. We met at Bumble Bee's Baja Grill and had a nice meal and visit. There were six people that attended  . . . AutumnsFolly, Astro D, rubberpeace, trilla_marion, Highwayman and myself. After dinner and exchanges AutumnsFolly and trilla_marion wanted to do a little letterboxing in Santa Fe. So Astro D and I took them to Museum Hill. The four of us walked around the area so they could find the boxes in the area. We spent about an hour and finally had to call it quits when the sun started to set. It was a great mini meet and we really enjoyed having AutumnsFolly and trilla_marion in Santa Fe.

Lunching with Letterboxers and Finding Two Letterboxes

Today I met Astro D, rubberpeace and ArnoldZiffel for lunch at The Ranch House. We had a great visit and talked a little about trips we have planned. ArnoldZiffel is leaving soon for Eastern Europe, rubberpeace is going to Tucson, Astro D had plans for Truth or Consequences, Flagstaff and Sedona and I am leaving on Monday for the Sedona and Prescott areas. It was a good lunch and visit and it was nice to catch up with everyone.

After lunch I decided to look for a couple of boxes that were recently placed by ArnoldZiffel here in Santa Fe. My first stop was Travel Bug. This is one of my favorite spots - a travel book store and coffee shop. I went in and asked for the box at the counter. The woman knew exactly what I was asking for and I took the box to a table to stamp in. This box is called An American Pig in Paris and I loved the stamp. It was nice to be inside and have a table to use to stamp in - I got a great image of the stamp. When done I returned the box to the woman at the counter and was ready to get to the next box. I drove to Governor Miles and Nizhoni and parked. I read the clues in the car and was able to spot the area where the box was hidden. So I grabbed my things and headed out. I grabbed the box (called Revegetation - great stamps) from its hiding spot (which is wonderfully done) and took it to a spot where I could sit and stamp in. While stamping in someone came up and asked what I was doing - thankfully it was ArnoldZiffel. She lives just around the corner and was taking her dog for a walk. They continued on and I finished stamping in and then replaced the box.

I had a great afternoon visiting with letterboxers and finding letterboxes. I wish I could do that everyday. Thanks ArnoldZiffel for the new boxes and thanks to Astro D, rubberpeace and ArnoldZiffel for a nice visit.

A Letterboxing Day in Santa Fe

Yesterday I got an email from ArnoldZiffel asking if Astro D, rubberpeace and I wanted to meet for lunch. So we scheduled to meet today at 11:30am. I had a few errands to run today and I also had clues to two letterboxes to find in town. So I left home this morning with all my letterboxing stuff and my list of things to do.

Swine

So in between my errands I made a stop to find a letterbox/geocache hybrid. I parked at the Santa Fe Spa and went in search of Bit of a View S.F. placed by angel77ra. It was an easy find and I sat and stamped in enjoying the view. After stamping in I returned to my car and continued my errands. Once my errands were done I went in search of one more letterbox before meeting everyone else for lunch. I made my way to Letrado St. and found a parking spot near the box. The box I found here was ArnoldZiffel's NOT My Favorite Swine. I took the box back to the car to stamp in. I really loved this stamp and the concept. I won't say too much about the box because when you find it I think you will get a chuckle out of it and it will be a great surprise. I replaced the box and drove to Felipe's Tacos to meet ArnoldZiffel, Astro D and rubberpeace for lunch. We had a great visit and a nice lunch. I really loved my letterboxing day in Santa Fe.

A Mini Meet with ArnoldZiffel

When I started letterboxing back in February 2006 there was only one other letterboxer in Santa Fe and that was Astro D (who began letterboxing in July 2005). Then around August 2006 rubberpeace (and rbrhorno) appeared on the scene after taking a little class that Astro D presented. There were also a couple of other people that dabbled a little and then disappeared. Later (around August 2008) two other letterboxers appeared in Santa Fe - BlindSmiley (who still is involved a little) and High Desert Glider (who has fallen off the radar). For a while there were really no other new Santa Fe letterboxers, then in May 2010 a very enthusiastic letterboxer joined our ranks - Hi Desert. For almost two years (until she passed on in April 2012) Hi Desert reminded us why we all love this hobby. In April 2011 ArnoldZiffel appeared on the scene (and later her husband - Agent86 joined in). It has been so nice to have these two new boxers. They have added quite a few boxes in Santa Fe and I have enjoyed looking for their boxes.

ArnoldZiffel's Inspiration

Today, after almost two years I finally got to meet ArnoldZiffel. Astro D, rubberpeace, ArnoldZiffel and I met at The Ranch House for a great lunch and some letterboxing talk. It was such a pleasure to meet her and we all had a great visit. Since we have such a small community of letterboxers in Santa Fe it is easy for us to get together every now and then to talk shop. For almost a year now I have kind of laid low due to some pretty rude and obnoxious notes I have received complaining about some of my boxes and I was even accused to removing a box and returning it the next day. I had decided to just letterbox on my own and keep to myself. But after lunch today I realized how much I was missing. I hope to slowly get back and be more involved and add more new boxes to New Mexico. Thanks Astro D, rubberpeace and ArnoldZiffel for a great lunch and talk and for reigniting the letterboxing fire in me.

Lunch and a Few New Boxes in Santa Fe

While I was in Philadelphia a few new boxes popped up in Santa Fe and before I left for the trip I had planned lunch with Astro D and rubberpeace for today to celebrate rubberpeace's birthday. So this morning I got things ready and headed out to take care of some errands. I was meeting Astro D and rubberpeace at La Cocina de Doña Clara in the Santa Fe Village on Don Gaspar at around 11:30am. I was done with my errands early and got downtown with an hour to spare.

Hamm

So I decided to get one of the boxes before lunch since it was hidden off of San Francisco St. at Moon Rabbit Toys. So I made my way to the store and asked for the box at the counter. The guy there at first didn't know what I was talking about, but after a short explanation he found the box. I took it out side the store to a bench to stamp in to My Favorite Swine: Hamm. It didn't take me long and then I returned the box to the store. I still had a little time to spare so I walked around the Plaza for a bit and then made my way to the restaurant. The girls were already there.

We had a nice lunch and talked about my trip and Astro D's plan for a trip to Texas. We also talked a little about rubberpeace's upcoming trip to Oregon. We barely talked about letterboxing and the lunch ended abruptly and quickly. Maybe I am being too sensitive but I felt that things were strained and I am not sure what happened. I hoped it wasn't something I said or did but I definitely didn't feel comfortable with the visit. So in less than an hour we left the restaurant and parted ways.

My next stop was at the LaFarge Library on Llano. I parked and followed the clues for My Favorite Swine: Wilbur. The clues took me down a short path towards an arroyo. I found the box at the base of a juniper and found a place to sit. I stamped in quickly and got the box back into its hiding spot without any problems. Time to continue on.

The Half-Blood Prince

I made my way to Governor Miles Rd. and parked at Pueblos del Sol Park. I crossed Governor Miles Rd. and followed the trail and the clues. Not far down the trail I found the landmark I was looking for. I was searching for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Series and the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Series. These are two series of three boxes each. I read the clue for the first box of The Half-Blood Prince Series and found it easily and stamped in - noticing that Astro D and rubberpeace had been there that morning (I wondered why I wasn't invited since we were all meeting for lunch anyway and decided I was just being paranoid).

The Deathly Hallows

I put the box back in place and then read the clue for box two and three of the series. The boxes were all right there within feet of each other. So I nabbed the other two and stamped in making sure to replace them to the correct spots when I was done. After getting my things together I made my way back to the trail and continued on to find The Deathly Hallows Series. All three of these boxes were placed near a culvert in a sandy arroyo. I found all three boxes quickly and used the culvert as a table to stamp in. Once I was done with all three boxes I made sure they were sealed well and also made sure they were all back in the right spots before heading back to my car.

It wasn't my best day of letterboxing - I just can't shake why they didn't invite me to letterbox with them. I hope I haven't done anything to offend them.

Farmington Letterboxing Trip - Part III

Today was our last day in Farmington and it wasn't a full day - we planned on doing some letterboxing and then heading back to Santa Fe by 11:30am. We all met for breakfast around 7:ooam and then we returned to our rooms to get our things and then we piled into the truck and it was time to letterbox.

Astro D and rubberpeace

Last night at dinner we planned out what we wanted to do today so we were ready to go this morning. Our first stop was Ricketts Park which is home to the Connie Mack World Series. There are two letterboxes here but only one available at this time. We looked for the one that is unavailable first - the box is Connie Mack World Series by Aspen. The clue states that the box is only available during the world series for a week in August but we noticed that there was a find logged in January of this year. So we thought maybe the box had been left in place but we didn't find it. Then we moved on to the next box - Baseball Reflections by RNR. This was an easy find and we took it to a picnic table to stamp in. I forgot to mention that it was a little cold this morning and the picnic table was aluminum so we got quite a little shock when our tushies hit the bench. Anyway we stamped in and enjoyed a great carve by RNR. We then rehid the box and headed for the next destination. We made our way to the Boys and Girls Club to find AAUGH! by BirchMoon. Another quick and easy find and we stamped in while sitting on a low wall. I love this stamp because it is from the comic strip Peanuts - one of my favorites. After we got the box back in place we got back to the truck and went to find the next box. This box is Arkham City Riddler: Box 2 by BirchMoon. I can't tell you where we went to find this one because it is a mystery. But is was a nice place, a nice stamp and a nice hide. Once the Riddler was back in place we made our way to Vietnam Veterans Park so that Astro D could find my Alphabetical New Mexico: F (Farmington) box and so rubberpeace could find The Lucky Box. Both boxes were found and they were stamped into and then we made our way to our last stop.

Shepard Girl

We arrived at San Juan College and began our hunt for three boxes. The first box we looked for was San Juan College. We read the clues and started looking where we thought the box might be but we came up empty handed and we also felt that the clues didn't really match the area we were looking in. So we moved on to the next box. Astro D found the box quickly and we sat at a table and stamped in to Kanji Series #2: To Study (appropriately hidden at a college). After getting this one back in place we wanted to find the Bookstore and look around. We entered into the Student Union and began our search for the Bookstore (and I used the word 'search' because that was what it turned out to be). We went upstairs and followed signs until we came to one that pointed for the Bookstore downstairs. We gave up on the Bookstore and went in search of Zodiac #1: Aries by BirchMoon. We had to find a statue in front of the Little Theatre and then follow the clues to the box. Once we finally located the Little Theatre and the statue it was a quick and easy find for the box. We stamped in while sitting on a low wall and then put the box back in place. Now we had to figure out how to get to the Bookstore and look for San Juan College again. We returned to the Student Union and followed signs again but no luck - we then asked three people for directions before we finally arrived at the Bookstore. And once we arrived there the clues to San Juan College got a little clearer. So we looked for the box. But we still didn't find it. So we decided to call it quits and go into the Bookstore. While Astro D and rubberpeace looked around I decided I wanted to try one more time for the box. So I left them in the Bookstore and went out to find the box - and I did just that. When they came out to meet me they found me sitting at a table stamping in. I found out that they had completely given up on the box and had just thrown away their clues.

Cuban Cafe

This same thing also happened yesterday when we searched for Desert Discs at Lions Wilderness Park. Anyway, after stamping in and laughing a bit we put the box back in place and headed for the truck.


It was time to say goodbye to Farmington and head back to Santa Fe. We made the drive to Cuba where we stopped for lunch at the Cuban Cafe. We had a great lunch which included the best homemade chips and salsa. We also had a great talk about the trip and all the great boxes we found. Then it was time to make the last bit of the drive home. Astro D and rubberpeace dropped me at home and our trip came to an end. We would like to thank BirchMoon, Wronghat, RNR, huginn and Aspen for all the wonderful boxes they have placed in the Farmington area. We would also like to thank Kaw and BirchMoon for meeting us for dinner - we had a great visit. You all made this a great trip to the Farmington area.

Oh, and today I hit another milestone. When we found the Kanji Series #2: To Study letterbox it marked my 500th letterbox I have found in the state of New Mexico. WooHoo!

Farmington Letterboxing Trip - Part II

So it is day two in Farmington and we had a lot planned. After breakfast at the hotel we gathered our things and piled into Moby (Astro D's Land Cruiser) and we headed out for a day of letterboxing. Our first destination - Crow Canyon.

Crow Canyon

We headed east from Farmington to a little past Blanco on US 64 and then turned south on Co Rd 4450. We drove a little over 20 miles to our destination at Main Petroglyph Panel in Crow Canyon. We walked the short distance from the parking area to the petroglyphs. There are two letterboxes here - Aspen's Crow Canyon and my Alphabetical New Mexico: C (Crow Canyon). Astro D and I found Crow Canyon on a previous trip but rubberpeace needed to find that one. And both Astro D and rubberpeace needed to find my box. We walked along the trail and we all took pictures with Astro D and rubberpeace taking a break to find the boxes and stamp in. I really love this place. It is a bit of a drive and out in the middle of nowhere but it is so beautiful and peaceful the drive is worth it. After all the pictures were taken and the boxes back in their hiding spot we made the trip back to civilization. We drove to Bloomfield and stopped for lunch. We ate at Triangle Cafe. It was a nice lunch and it gave us time to plan out our afternoon letterboxing.

Farmington Lake

The afternoon was busy and windy. One minute it was cloudy and the next the sun was out, one minute it was warm and the next we needed jackets. But no problem, we are letterboxers and we persevered. We really had a great day and a lot of fun. We letterboxed around a lake and in parks. We perused all four seasons, learned a little Japanese and studied local trees. We hunted horcruxes, spent time with frisbee golf and cheered for Women's basketball. We even found some Easter Eggs while letterboxing in Lions Wilderness Park - I guess they didn't count the eggs before they left.

We found the following boxes this afternoon - Le Quattro Stagioni Series, Kanji Series #1: Child, Juniper, Road Apple Rally, He Strikes, Harry Potter Horcrux Series #3 - Salazar Slytherin's Locket, Desert Discs, Sandalwood, Women's March Madness 2012 Series, Lion's Pool, Pinon and The Green Man. Some really great boxes were found today but we all agreed that Juniper was our favorite find. I can't really say why because it would give things away but it was worth hunting for. We took a break for dinner at Three Rivers Brewery (yes the same place we ate last night - it was really good) and after finding a few more boxes we headed back to the hotel. Tomorrow we will do a little letterboxing in the morning before heading back to Santa Fe.

Farmington Letterboxing Trip - Part I

We are at it again. Astro D, rubberpeace and I are off on another letterboxing trip. A couple of months ago we took a letterboxing trip to Gallup. You can read about that trip at To Gallup and Back (Part I) & (Part II). This time we have headed a bit further north and will be in Farmington. It has a been a couple of years since we have been here and there are quite of few boxes for us to find. We will see how we do over the next three days.

Wildflowers

Astro D and rubberpeace picked me up at a little after 8:00am and we started our trip. We drove south on I25 to Bernalillo and then took US 550. This is where our letterboxing began. Our first stop was about 13 miles up US 550 at Big Chief. This is a defunct gas station/store. There is an historic marker there for the New Mexico Historic Women Marker Initiative - this one honors Trinidad Gachupin Medina. Near this marker we found Big Chief New Mexico by ArnoldZiffel. This was an easy find and a quick stamp in and then we were on our way. We drove only a short distance and then turned into the Ojito Wilderness and White Mesa Bike Trails so that rubberpeace could find Wronghat's Wind Down at White Mesa. It was a short but nice walk to the box. And while rubberpeace stamped in I took pictures of the area. From here we had a great view of Cabezon Peak. After this box was back in hiding we continued on our trip. The next stop was at the Perea Nature Trails, again for rubberpeace to find a box. This box is Black Mesa Inbound. Another quick stamp in and then it was time to hit the road again. [Astro D and I had found both these boxes on earlier trips.] Still on US 550 and just a short drive up we stopped for Stone Faced by RNR. This was placed near a mesa that has a profile resembling a rhinoceros. We all needed this one so we took the short walk and nabbed the box. We sat and stamped while the wind started getting worse. Once we were done and the box was back in place we continued our trip. We made it to Cuba a short time later and stopped at the Visitors Center to find another Wronghat box - Calder in Cuba. This was a quick and easy find and we stamped in at a picnic table near the box. By the time this box was back in place it was time for lunch. We had a really good meal and a nice visit at El Bruno's. Their sign said "Excellent Mexican Food" and I agree - we had an excellent lunch. Now that we were full and rested it was time to get back on the road.

Angel Peak

Our drive to the next box was a little longer than the ones we did this morning but soon enough we arrived at Angel Peak Scenic Area. At this stop it was Astro D that needed a box. We arrived at the Cliffs Picnic Area and she found my box - Angel Peak. The wind was still blowing pretty hard but she managed to stamp in while getting some cover from the juniper where the box was hidden. Once back at the car we returned to US 550 and drove up to Bloomfield. Here we stopped to find Wronghat's Promenade. We found the box at Verde De Rio San Juan Park. It was a short walk along the river to the box and we stamped in at a nearby picnic table. After stamping in and rehiding the box we made our way to the next one. We drove to the starting point for Juneau Alaska NW N.M. but then things got sketchy. We weren't sure where to go and we had some trouble understanding the clues. So we decided not to worry too much about this box and we headed out. We drove up to Aztec and stopped at Riverside Park. Here Astro D needed to find Maine Quarter (rubberpeace and I already had this one). Another quick and easy find and it was on to another box in the same park. That box was PAC-12. This was planted near a walking bridge by the river. We sat and stamped in and then rehid the box.

BirchMoon, Kaw, rubberpeace, Astro D

We decided to head to our hotel and get checked in. The hotel we are staying in is the Towne Place Suites by Marriott. This is a pretty new hotel and the rooms are really nice. We all went up to our rooms to get washed up and put our things away then we headed out again to find a couple of more boxes and then meet some other letterboxers for dinner. We stopped for Frolick in the Garden at Gateway Park. I was the only one that needed this box. I found it easy enough and stamped while sitting on the wall where it is hidden. Once done here we headed to the All Veterans Memorial to find Harry Potter Horcrux Series #6 - Harry Potter by BirchMoon and ArnoldZiffel. The area was quiet and it was a quick find - we grabbed the box and found a spot to sit and stamp in. Once that box was in place it was time to head to the restaurant for dinner.

We met Kaw and BirchMoon at Three Rivers Brewery. We did some exchanges and had a great visit and a wonderful meal. It was a perfect way to end the day. Tonight I need rest, tomorrow will be another full day that is going to start with a drive out to Crow Canyon.

Six Year Letterboxing Anniversary

In my posts about our trip to Gallup I forgot to mention that the trip was done in part to celebrate my six year letterboxaversary. I found my first letterbox back on February 16, 2006 - it was Silver Eagle's Santa Fe Microbox. Every year since then I have made sure to do some letterboxing on that day. So Astro D and rubberpeace decided to help me celebrate and thus the Gallup trip was born. I had a great day in Window Rock and Gallup and on the drive home and what better way to celebrate than with letterboxing friends. I found Superman Canyon thus fulfilling my goal to letterbox on my anniversary. But, last night while logging in finds I noticed a new box in Santa Fe. And to be truthful I had no plans to go and find it. While I was taking my things out of the car and bringing them into the house I got the urge. So I printed out the clues and drove to the park (which is pretty close to my house). This box is Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and is actually a series of three boxes. The walk to find the boxes was on a paved trail and from the clues, didn't seem long. So I hit the trail and found the first box - Ford Anglia. I stamped in, put the box back in place and headed for box number 2. I found the box and started stamping in and began to realize that the temperature was dropping and the light was fading. I stamped in to The Whomping Willow quickly and got it back in place. On to box 3. I was now walking fast - trying to out run the cold and the dark. By the time I found Aragog my fingers were turning blue and it was hard for me to see what I was doing. But I got the stamp and replaced the box. My walk back to the car was fast and I was thankful for the paved trail and by the time I got to the car it was really dark. The things we do for letterboxes - risk of hypothermia and stumbling in the dark - oh what fun. But seriously I was happy to do it to add a few more boxes to my six year celebration. I am looking forward to the next year of letterboxing and celebrating my seventh year.

To Gallup and Back (Part II)

Well we had a great day yesterday and I probably stayed up too late logging finds and writing this blog but I was still able to get up by 6:00am. I got all my things packed and loaded in the car and then met Astro D and rubberpeace in the lobby for breakfast. After a leisurely breakfast they gathered their things and we all piled into the car for another day of letterboxing.

The morning was cold and so we decided to take a drive up to Window Rock so that they could find my Navajo Code Talker box. The box is hidden at the Navajo Code Talkers Memorial. We arrived in Window Rock about 35 minutes after leaving Gallup and found only a couple of people near the Memorial. They followed the clues and found the box in no time. This was exciting for me because the box was placed way back on October 28, 2010 and I had not received any notifications on the box. I wasn't sure if someone had found it or if it had gone missing. So when Astro D pulled it from the hiding spot I was excited. They were the first finders and they both got a Navajo Code Talker Medal as a prize. So while they stamped in I walked around and took some pictures and then we headed back to the Memorial and took more pictures. After about 10 minutes of walking around we got cold and headed back to the car for the drive back to Gallup.

Now that we were back in Gallup we made our way to the High Desert Trail System's West Trail Head on the west side of Gallup. We parked and read the clues for Pinnacle Puma and then we tried to follow the trail to the destination - a sculpture of a mountain lion silhouette high up on one of the mesas. After a little discussion we decided to scrap the hunt for this box because of snow and mud on the trail and because it seemed really far away and really high up. So back in the car we headed to the east side of Gallup. After what seemed like a long time we arrived in Superman Canyon to find Superman Canyon. The road was pretty muddy and where the box is planted there is a curve and we didn't feel safe just parking there. So Astro D stopped at the box and I jumped out and grabbed it and took it back to the car. We drove up a little further and found a better place to park while stamping in. When it came time to rehide the box Astro D again stopped in front of the hiding spot and I jumped out and put the box in place. While I was getting the box situated Astro D pulled up a little further to get out of some slippery mud. I was then walking up the road to the car when a truck came from behind me and blew his horn and then cut right in front of me missing me by inches and then he drove past Astro D. I swear some people are so rude and impatient. I got back in the car and we headed for our next destination - Red Rock Park to find and check on my Red Rock box. About a month ago I got a notice it was missing. And we when got to the spot I was able to confirm that it is definitely missing and is now retired.

We were done with hunting for letterboxes in Gallup and it was time to start our journey back to Santa Fe. Instead of heading onto I40 we decided to take NM 602 to NM 53 (the way we actually drove to get to Gallup). As we left Red Rock Park I was looking at a travel guide for Gallup and noticed a map for some murals in downtown. So the girls indulged me and we parked and took a walking tour and saw about 15 murals. I took pictures and we took a detour to get some coffee and then stopped in at the Chamber of Commerce for some brochures on the murals. Now it was time to really head out. The main reason for taking the back route was so that we could eat at Ancient Way Cafe. Yesterday when we drove through it was closed (yes, closed on Wednesdays). This time we called ahead and made sure they were open. We got there and loved the ambiance right away. And the baked goods and the list of specials on the board hooked us. Astro D and rubberpeace split a brisket sandwich (I think) and some 7 bean soup. I had a grilled cheese and the 7 bean soup. We then split a black bottom cheesecake cupcake. Yummy! Astro D and rubberpeace left with a piece of tart cherry pie and I went home with a black bottom cheesecake cupcake and a 7 layer cookie.

The rest of the drive was pretty uneventful and we made only one other stop at a rest area to check on a letterbox. I had noticed that it was marked 'retired' and we just wanted to check and confirm - yep! it is gone. We made it home around 5:00pm and I really enjoyed the trip. We found some great places and I am already planning some trips back to the area. Thanks Astro D and rubberpeace for a great time and thanks to all the letterboxers who placed boxes for us to find.

To Gallup and Back (Part I)

A while back rubberpeace, Astro D and I had talked about getting together once a month to go letterboxing and I mentioned that my letterboxing anniversary was in February (this is not my AQ anniversary but the day I actually found my first letterbox) and somehow a trip to Gallup came up and it was given to me to plan the trip. My anniversary is February 16 (tomorrow) so we decided to do a road trip to Gallup to find boxing along the I40 corridor. So I made some plans and talked to rubberpeace and Astro D, we made hotel arrangements in Gallup and everything was good to go.

Yesterday there was a little snow in the state and there was questions about whether I40 would be open heading west. This morning I got up early and put on the news to see what was happening around the state. There was snow in the direction we were going and the schools in Gallup were closed for the day. Thomas checked with the NMDOT in Gallup and they said that by the time we got there the roads would be good and at the time there were no road closures. Well, rubberpeace and Astro D arrived at my house around 8:00am and once the car was loaded we were on our way. I25 between Santa Fe and Albuquerque was clear and not much traffic and the same held true for I4o from the Big I interchange headed west.

Now that we were on the road and everything seemed copesetic we were ready to find some letterboxes. We exited I40 to NM 117 and headed south to La Ventana Arch to find Twinville Trekkers' Beatles Series #12 "From a Window". This drive is beautiful and it didn't take long to get to the area. We parked and headed down the trail following the clues and being a little careful and the area was covered in snow and ice. Luckily it wasn't very deep. Astro D read the clues while I took some pictures and before I knew it she had found the box. We found a rock that we could use to stamp on. The bad thing was that this rock was in shade and it got pretty cold while we were standing there. So we quickly stamped in and then Astro D replaced the box. I really enjoyed the area, it was beautiful and serene. We then made our way back to the car and headed back to Grants. Once we were in town we drove to the New Mexico Mining Museum to find Harry Potter Horcrux Series #4 - Helga Hufflepuff's Cup by BirchMoon and ArnoldZiffel. This was a quick drive by and we found a nice sunny place to sit and stamp in. After this we made a quick stop at the NW New Mexico Visitors Center and picked up a few brochures before continuing our trip.

Back on I40 (but only for a short distance) we drove to Exit 81 and headed south on NM 53. Our plan was to stop at the Ancient Way Cafe for some lunch. When we got there it was closed and we learned that they are closed on Wednesdays. So instead of lunch we had some snacks and continued the short distance to El Morro (Inscription Rock). Here we walked the short Inscription Trail and found Twinville Trekkers' Beatles Series #18 " Shiek of Araby". We stamped in sitting on the trail and then replaced the box. We then continued along the trail so that Astro D and rubberpeace could find my Alphabetical New Mexico: I (Inscription Rock) box. I took some pictures while they stamped in. We got the box back in place and continued the loop back to the visitors center where we got some postcards and then headed to the car. By this time we were all hungry and the rangers at El Morro told us about another cafe in Ramah called Stagecoach Cafe. So we stopped there and had a nice meal. They had huge portions and we left with doggie bags. We continued our drive along NM 53 to NM 602 where we headed north to Gallup. Along NM 602 we stopped at a sign for Zuni Pueblo so that Astro D and rubberpeace could find my Alphabetical New Mexico: Z (Zuni Pueblo) box. They found the box quickly and brought it back to the car to stamp in and once they were done they ran back out to rehide it. It was a real drive by and we were on our way again. NM 602 took us in to Gallup and after a quick stop to fill the car with gas we made our way to the Church of the Holy Spirit to find CoVicars' Holy Spirit box. We had a little trouble finding the box because the rock we were looking for was covered with a branch from a bush and the branch was covered with snow. We had to read the clues and follow the directions about three times before we noticed the rock. We grabbed the box and stamped in while sitting in the car. I rehid the box and on to the next one. Next we found On the Run! - Astro D had already gotten this one so rubberpeace and I stamped quickly and we continued to the next box. On the way to the next box we made a quick stop to check on another box - Tiny Tooter. We noticed it was in the LbNA basement and wanted to double check on it. We didn't find it so we moved on to BirchMoon's Get Your Kicks. We misread the directions and stopped to soon but quickly found our mistake and got to the area. A quick dash from the car and I had the box in my hands. We all stamped in while sitting in the car and I was glad to be in the car because the box is hidden near a soccer field that is next to a Waste Treatment Plant and there was a definite smell in the air. After stamping in and rehiding the box we had one last box to look for. We drove to the Mentmore Rock Climbing Area and looked for The Lost Texan Series #10. Astro D and I had already found this one but rubberpeace hadn't gotten it. We followed the clues but unfortunately we didn't find the box.

We had a fun and a long day so we decided to head to the hotel. After we checked into our rooms we freshened up and then headed out for a little dinner. We ended up at Camilles' Sidewalk Cafe after trying two other places that didn't seem right. We were all glad we stopped here - it was a good, light dinner to end the day. Tomorrow we continue our trip and head back to Santa Fe.

Celebrating 100 Years and Moms

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

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

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

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

Lunch and a Letterbox

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

Letterboxing and Celebrating

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

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

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

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

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

Meeting Hi Desert

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