We're Back From Philly!

Well we spent a week in Philadelphia seeing all the sights from our forefathers and got to see first hand the area where our country started as well as visiting Capitals and other States in the area.

The Liberty Bell

I got to do a lot of letterboxing and I found letterboxes in four new states bringing my total number of states I've letterboxed in up to 38. I was able to write a blog post for each day that we were in the Philadelphia area and that includes my trip to Delaware and Maryland and then my trip to Harrisburg and also my final trip to Trenton before Thomas and I spent the rest of our time in the city of Philadelphia. If you would like to read about this trip you can go to The City of Brotherly Love (and a Few Other Places) and that will give you all of the posts and the details of our trip. I really enjoyed this trip and would love to go back when it isn't so hot and spend time just wandering the streets.

We Are Heading to Philly

Well we are off on another trip (this year has been busy with traveling) to Philadelphia. Thomas is attending a leadership class and I am (as usual) tagging along. For three days - Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday - I am on my own.

The City of Brotherly Love

We leave early tomorrow morning and Thomas has a reception tomorrow night and then he is busy the entire time until the class ends on Thursday afternoon. I am planning on visiting some State Capitols and doing some letterboxing. Philadelphia is located in the southeast section of Pennsylvania making it very close to Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey. Putting the Capitols of these states within easy driving distance for a days adventure. This will also add four new states to my letterboxing map (I hope). I have lots planned to keep me busy and then when Thomas is done with his class we will spend time exploring Philadelphia and the history of the start of our country. If you want to read about the trip you can go to The City of Brotherly Love (and A Few Other Places). I hope to post something daily and keep up with all that I do.

'Moi'

ArnoldZiffel seems to be on a roll planting boxes around the state. I just found M

'Moi'

y Favorite Swine: Porky Pig the other day and then I printed out the clues for My Favorite Swine: Miss Piggy. I have had the clues for a couple of days now but I haven't had time to go and find this box. But today I had errands to run and in the middle of them I would be driving right by Santa Fe University of Art and Design where Miss Piggy is hanging out. I made a quick stop and was able to find the box quickly and stamp in while sitting in the car. I was also able to get the box back into place without a problem. There weren't any people around so it was a pretty easy find. I have to say I love the carve but Miss Piggy isn't one of my favorite characters but I did enjoy looking for this box - thanks ArnoldZiffel.

That's All Folks!

This morning I woke up and started doing things around the house, I didn't really have any plans for the day. But as we all know things change. I got on the internet to check emails and I noticed a new box in Santa Fe. So I printed out the clues for my Favorite Swine: Porky Pig and put them aside.

That's All Folks!

I went back to doing things around the house until I got a phone call from work. Someone had called in sick and they asked me to go in and help out - for time and a half. I decided since I didn't really have anything planned and they were going to pay me a lot of money that I would go in and help. So I changed into my uniform and left for work. The new box in Santa Fe just happened to be on the route I take to work so I grabbed my letterboxing bag and the clue and left home. This was an easy drive by and I had no trouble finding the box hidden at the dead end of Governor Miles Road. I took the box back into the car to stamp in. I was putting the box back into place when I noticed a couple of cars turning away from me from the nearby intersection - I got a little worried and hoped they didn't notice me. I think my car was kind of blocking what I was doing. Anyway I was the first to find the box - woohoo! Thanks ArnoldZiffel for a great stamp and for bringing back memories of Saturday Morning Cartoons and of one of my favorite characters - Porky Pig.

The Colorado Springs Trip Comes to an End

Well we made it home from our trip to Colorado Springs. Unfortunately it was because Thomas wasn't feeling well and we ended up coming home about a day and a half early so he could get to the dentist to have a toothache checked out. He tried to get through it and attended his conference but it just kept getting worse. So he saw the dentist and it is being taken care of, so hopefully he will be feeling better soon.

Even though the trip was cut short it was still a lot of fun. We letterboxed on the way up to Colorado Springs stopping in Raton, Trinidad, Aguilar, Walsenburg and Fountain. We also got to drive the road up to Pikes Peak. I took a drive along Hwy 24 to Leadville and back and found some letterboxes and visited some beautiful places. And I visited Paint Mines Interpretive Park and did a little letterboxing in Colorado Springs. It was a great trip and you can read all about it in detail at Letterboxing in the Shadows of America's Mountain.

A Trip to Colorado Springs

Well, we are off on another little adventure. Thomas is attending the WASHTO Conference in Colorado Springs this coming week and I am tagging along to do some letterboxing. It has been three years to the week since we were last in Colorado to do some letterboxing.

Pikes Peak

I looked back at my blog and my finds and noticed the last time we were here visiting Thomas' brother and his family was July 2 - 6, 2009. You can read about that trip at A Holiday Weekend in the Centennial State. As for this coming trip I have been trying to come up with a title but was having a little trouble. And while looking for letterbox clues I stumbled onto a couple of clues for boxes hidden at Focus on the Family and I joked to Thomas about using this title - A Liberal Letterboxer in Conservative Colorado Springs. After a lot of laughing I decided I shouldn't use that one. So if you want to read about my letterboxing adventures for this trip to Colorado Springs go to Letterboxing in the Shadows of Americas Mountain. For this trip I will mostly be in Colorado Springs and hopefully will get a chance to drive up Pikes Peak - for letterboxing and for the drive. I am also planning a day trip to Leadville via Hwy 24 and do some letterboxing along the way. We will see what happens though, because as many of you may remember the area we are traveling to had a very recent and very bad fire - the Waldo Canyon Fire. I am not sure how this will affect the trip and I am planning to play it by ear and I am going to be very flexible and take each day as it comes. I have plenty of clues so that I can make other plans if an area is not available. Well gotta go - we leave early in the morning.

Hot Letterboxing

Today I had plans to pick up some friends from the airport so I decided to make a day of it and get some letterboxing in as well. Last night I got all my things together and all the clues I needed. I left Santa Fe early because I was hoping to get a hike in and I wanted to start early while it was cool. I drove to Carnuel and parked at the trail head for the Three Guns Trail. My car said it was 68 degrees. I grabbed my letterboxing bag and my clues and headed up the trail in pursuit of four boxes - Native Flora and Fauna series by trilla marion. The first box was only a short way up the trail and I tried to follow the clues (which were a mixture of words and pictures). I had a difficult time and I walked this part of the trail (from trail head to the forest land border) four times (about two miles) before I finally found the box. After stamping in I continued on my hunt for the remaining three boxes and by this time it was already getting warm and I had eaten up quite a bit of time.

View from Hawk Watch Trail

Once on forest service land I took the Hawk Watch Trail. Not far down this trail I came to a wash and followed the next part of the clues. This box I found easily. I stamped in and I did this quickly because there were a bunch of little gnat bugs flying around and the longer I sat the more of them that gathered around me. I got the box back in place and continued on the trail. From here I had a longer distance to travel and I was also gaining quite a bit of elevation at this time. I realized how out of shape I was and I had to take a bunch of rest breaks as I climbed higher. Finally I reached the third box and again I had no problems finding it. I stamped in and put it back in place. I took a few pictures before I continued upwards and while I did so a woman passed by and said hi. This woman was at least in her 70's and she was hoofing it up the trail. This made me feel really bad since I was huffing and puffing my was up the trail. Anyway I continued on and I had lost the woman from site. A little ways from the top of the trail and the last box the woman was on her way down - we had a short conversation and I complimented her on her health and energy. Then she continued down and I continued up. I finally reached the top and found the box. I stamped in and took a much needed rest and enjoyed the views. Now it was time to head down (and I was happy about that). I got down the trail past the third box and then had a little trouble finding the trail. I ended up off the trail and it took me about 10 minutes to reconnect and I am not sure I was on the right trail at this point, but I continued down. A second time I lost the trail and this time I couldn't find it. Luckily, I had located and a landmark close to the parking area and I was able to scramble over the landscape and eventually make my way back to my car. By this time I had drank about 32 ounces of water and I was still very hot and sweating profusely. I started my car for some air conditioning and noticed the temperature was at 99 degrees. I started my hike at 7:00am and it was now 10:50am. Almost four hours and a 31 degree temperature change during a five mile hike. All I can say is I am glad I found all the boxes and I really need to get into shape.

Statue at Rose Garden

Once I had cooled down and had more water and an apple I made my out of the parking area and back to Albuquerque. My next stop was the Albuquerque Rose Society Rose Garden at the Tony Hillerman Library. I let my Garmin do the work so I didn't have to navigate - I just followed the directions and hoped that Nimrag wouldn't get me lost. Fortunately I made it to my destination. I searched for and easily found Desert Rose. I sat on the bench were it was hidden and stamped in. I made a quick job of this because it seemed to be getting hotter. I then put the box back in place and returned to my car and the cold air. I sat here debating on what to do next - there were still two boxes I wanted to look for but the heat was getting to me. After 15 minutes I decided I didn't want to do any more letterboxing in this weather so I opted to go to Baskin Robbins and have a vanilla shake and do a little reading until it was time to pick my friends up at the airport.
It was a nice day but way too hot. I will have to hold off for the other Albuquerque boxes until the weather cools down a little.