Letterboxing in the Bluegrass

I just recently returned from a business trip to Lexington, Kentucky. The weather was great and everything is green (well blue-green) and blooming. While there, I managed to find a few letterboxes and one hitchiker. Lexington seems to have a nice little collection of boxes to choose from.

The boxes I chose to search for had simple clues (I didn't have time to do much ciphering). I did not find all I searched for, but the attempts were worth it. There was one box I just had to give up on due to the really nice weather causing a large infestation of muggles in the box area.

My favorite search was in a city park on a disc golf course (I went in the morning that time). The box was supposed to be in a hollow tree. I found the tree, but I think the box was either gone or had slipped down too far in the hollow for my arm to reach (the hollow's mouth was about shoulder height). Had I only had BBQ tongs, I might have been succesful. I let the placer know of my trouble, but also my enjoyment of the search.

My biggest disappointment was a "ziplock baggy box" that had leaked. The logbook, which was in its own ziplock, was soaked and the prior stamps were unreadable. I did not have any repair or replace materials, but I took some paper towels and dried out the bags as much as possible and then contacted the placer. I was able to get the stamp in my logbook as well, so it was not all bad.

My favorite stamp was that of a box near Martin Castle (plug in Martin Castle Kentucky into Google for photos and history). Yes, there is a castle right amongst the horse pastures. The stamp was very tiny and a very fair depiction of the castle itself. I found a name and stamp in there from Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Moe, who some of you may recognize from the newboxers chat list. The bonus was my very first hitchhiker that I have found in a box. It is called Imagine and the stamp is a caricature of John Lennon. It started in Georgia.

It is nice to have a hobby that travels with you. Also, if you don't have time to spend half or even a whole day boxing, and you have 1/2 an hour or an hour, you can sneak a box or two in.

See you on the trail (or not, if you're stealthy),

J-Corn

Don't miss the train!

Be sure the jump aboard the Hogwarts Express for the 4th Annual Mid-Missouri Spring Letterbox Gathering May 3-4, 2008. All boxes and activities will be based on a Harry Potter theme. Those of you who have signed up on AtlasQuest.com's event page (under the toolbox drop-down menu) should have received a pre-trip packet via e-mail. Those people include Outdoor Girls (2), Ahistory, McMonkeyMom (3), One Mean Green Bean, The BHunters (4), Lnd-Crzr (2), J-Corn (3), C2B2 (2), SpankyKC (2), MO UR4Me (6), Apple (3), Craw and Joey (3), and Dragonfly2 (2).

If your name is not on this illustrious list but you would like it to be, be sure to sign up for the event or drop me an e-mail via difoxfire@gmail.com so that I mail send you a pre-Gathering packet of information.

The event will be atBinder Park in Jefferson City May 3-4, 2008. It starts at 10 a.m. Saturday and continues through 5 p.m. on Sunday. Highlights include Hunting for 20+ boxes, Hitchhiker Contest, Boxes Hidden in Plain Sight(HIPS), Raffle, Craft Actvities, Hayride and, of course, the famous mid-Missouri POTLUCK.

If you have ITEMS TO DONATE FOR THE RAFFLE or PRIZES FOR CONTEST WINNERS, please contact me. These could include first-finders clues to new boxes, carving materials or tools, homemade logbooks, lock-and-locks and other containers, camouflaged duct tape, ink pads, compasses and other letterboxing supplies. Hiking, camping,and other outdoor items are also appreciated. Some of the Gathering decorations may also be raffled off, so don't forget to bring your spare change. All proceeds will go to teward off-setting the cost of the event, so please donate to your favorite local charity (the Mid-Missouri Letterboxign Society).

Morels Spring Forth

Once more, that most sought after fungus, the morel has sprouted forth heralding spring. If you happen to find some while you're out on the trail, or if you get the fever like me and hunt them down, remember to take a picture and send me a description of where you found them to be rewarded. Just like last year, I will offer a special stamp to anyone who finds any mushrooms in my wild mushroom series and sends me the required photo and info. So keep your eye out on the trail and perhaps you'll get a reward for your logbook and your stomach.

Happy hunting.