Letterbox Maintenance on the Hyde Park Circle Trail

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

Letterboxing Along the Freedom Trail

Today Thomas had some meetings to attend at his conference so I decided to head out and visit the Boston African American National Historic Site and then walk the Freedom Trail. And along the way I would do a little letterboxing. So I left the hotel and walked down Congress Street and went back to the Boston Children's Museum to replace the stamp I found last night. After getting that done I continued along Congress Street. This route took me to Post Office Square where I looked for MSPCA-Angell by Parhelia. This box was hidden like the one I found yesterday, just the stamp on a magnet under a bench. A quick and easy find and a nice, beautiful stamp. After stamping in and replacing the stamp I continued my journey. If you want to read about the entire trip you can go to A Visit to Friends and Walking the Freedom Trail. While I was our walking Thomas called and said his meetings were done and he was going to come and meet me. So he took a taxi and met me at the African American NHS.

The next box we looked for was The Little Prince by Haptotrope. It is a bit of a mystery - you have to answer a few questions to get to the actual location. I had figured it out at home so we just headed to the location. The box is an indoor box and I was a bit leery about looking for it because the clue didn't state whether or not anyone there knew about the box. We eventually did ask because I didn't want to be digging around and look suspicious. Thankfully someone did know about the box and we ended up talking to four of the staff and had a great conversation about Boston and about letterboxing. They were extremely friendly and helpful. The clues for the box are clever and once I felt comfortable looking around I easily found the box. I took it to a table and stamped in while Thomas kept talking to a couple of the staff. After replacing the box we continued on our walk.

We looked for one last box at the end of the day (by that I mean 'as it was getting dark'). We made our way to the Old North Church to find The Patriot by Yumgirl. The box is hidden in the garden area around the church. The clues were a little vague but as I walked around they made more sense and I eventually found the box. It was getting darker and I noticed that the gardens were surrounded by fences and gates and I became concerned that I might get locked in. So Thomas went and stood near the front of the church in case anyone came around to lock up and then he could come and get me. I took the stamp to a bench and stamped in. As I was finishing stamping and putting things away a tour guide and five other people came out of a door right near where I needed to be to get the box back in place. Thankfully, they ignored me and went on with their tour and I was able to get the box back in place without a problem. Then I went and met Thomas and started heading back to the hotel.

It was a great day and I loved the letterboxes I found. There were some nice stamps and some of the clues were interesting. Thanks to all the people who placed boxes in Boston. And you can read about the entire trip at Boston, Leominster and Boston.

A Tiny Stamp

Thomas and I spent yesterday and this morning with our friends in Leominster. Around 11:00am we took the train back to Boston and then went and did some sightseeing in Charlestown. Afterwards we started walking back in the direction of our hotel. Along the way we stopped for some dinner and I realized we were close to a letterbox. So after dinner we left the restaurant and walked along the Harborwalk to the Boston Children's Museum. The clues for the box said to face the entrance and then look left past the bike racks and go to the bench between the second and third light posts. So I followed the directions and sat on the bench and reached under it and I found a tiny stamp glued to a magnet stuck to the bench - no logbook and no box. the box was Boston Children's Musuem by West Dover Quidditch Team and the stamp was carved by Ariadne (and I think she did an excellent job). I think that is a perfect way to hide urban stamps. It was dark by this time and cold so I decided to take the stamp back to the hotel and then return it in the morning. It was a quick and easy find and an incredible carve. The stamp is only a half inch square and nicely detailed. Happy to find my first letterbox in Boston. If you want you can read about the entire trip at Boston, Leominster and Boston.

Letterboxing - Maintaining and Finding

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

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

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

Hiking Stats:

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

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

Calories . . . . . . . . 3084

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

Aspens and an Aspen Box

October seems to be passing by quickly. It has already been a week since we got back from France. We wanted to drive up Hyde Park Road (aka The Santa Fe National Forest Scenic Byway) to see the aspens last weekend, but with just getting back from our trip we didn't have the time. So this morning we decided to take the drive hoping that there would still be plenty of color with the aspens. Also, I wanted to get a letterbox that had been planted up there while we were on vacation.

So we left home and headed up the mountain. We took our time as there was an inordinate amount of traffic. We didn't make any stops until we got up to the top at the Santa Fe Ski Basin. Here we got out and walked around a bit and then returned to the car and headed back down the mountain. We made our next stop at the overlook at MM15. Here we took some pictures and enjoyed the views. Continuing on our way down we drove past Aspen Vista since there was nowhere to park - the area was packed and cars were parked all along the road. We next stopped at a pull out and took more pictures. Then we passed Big Tesuque and we started watching the odometer. About a half from Big Tesuque we stopped at another pullout. This is where Mosaic Butterfly planted Quaking Aspen, the box we were looking for. We followed the clues and easily found the box. I found a nice log to sit on to stamp in. When I was done I replaced the box and walked around a bit and took some more pictures. The stamp and box were perfect for this weekend. Thanks, Mosaic Butterfly.

D-Day Letterboxing

We are still on our Viking River Cruise and the ship is docked in Rouen. Today we took a bus from the dock to visit the beaches of Normandy. This is the site of the June 6, 1944 D-Day Invasion. When planning the trip I found a clue for a letterbox planted at the American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, France. I was hoping we would have time to look for the box and I also hoped that it wouldn't be too far away since on most of our excursions we don't have a whole lot of free time.

After attending a ceremony and walking around the cemetery we had about 30 minutes to go in search of the box. {You can read about our entire day at D-Day: June 6, 1944 [A Visit to the Beaches of Normandy].} Thankfully the letterbox was hidden outside the cemetery between the parking area and the entrance to the cemetery. It was still a large area but definitely doable in the time we had. When we had entered the area from the parking lot I noticed a couple of four foot high, white, square posts. So when I read the clues I immediately thought that we needed to start there. But you know what they say about assuming. So after some searching around we found another set of posts exactly like the ones I saw when we entered except that the second set I found wasn't in plain site. You had to go past a building and around a slight curve. The good news was that I found the box and with time to spare - except that I also wanted to plant a box. A small detail that I had forgotten until Thomas reminded me. Time now was getting short so Thomas and Dave went and hid my box while Deanne and I stamped into Normandy by AFD 13. We were the first finders of this box as it had only been planted at the beginning of September. When we completed stamping in we got the box back into its hiding spot and then Thomas and Dave returned from hiding my box. It wasn't too far from where we were so I went and looked at where it was hidden and then jotted down some clues and took pictures. So if you are in Colleville-sur-Mer, France and are visiting the American Cemetery please take time to look for Battlefield Cross. Once all of this was done we headed back to the bus with only minutes to spare. I am glad I found the box today and now I can say I letterboxed and found a box in France.

Giverny Letterboxing

Today we were in Giveny visiting Monet's House and Gardens. Before we left for our trip (Viking Cruise - Paris & the Heart of Normandy) I looked for some clues for boxes in the areas we are visiting. While looking for clues I came across two boxes in Giverny, both hidden at the local church and cemetery (Eglise Sainte-Radegonde). One of the boxes had two attempts but I felt since we were there I could look for it anyway. First, we looked for the box that was still marked as active. The clues started with us finding Monet's grave and then walking up a small hill, turning right and then searching in some box hedges. Well, Dave and I spent quite a few minutes searching every inch of the hedges and came up empty handed. As the picture shows we really did a good search. So we decided to head to the next box. We weren't hopeful about finding it but the cemetery is small so we gave it a try. We didn't find that box either. We still had a great time walking the cemetery and hopefully at one of our other stops we can find a box. I would love to find at least one box in France so I will keep my fingers crossed that this will happen. You can read about the rest of the day at Giverny, Claude Monet and Vernon.

I think we did a thorough search!!!