Keeping a Watchful Eye

For those of you who have found Ode to Charlotte, please be on the lookout the next few weeks. I have noticed signs that suggest some construction maybe about to take place in her vicinity.

I do not think the box is in harm's way, but you never know with these things. So, if you happen to be passing by and notice that she is in sudden jeopardy, please let me know, or, if there's no time, feel free to pull her yourself. Thanks for your help.

Ahistory

McMonkeys are Moving!

I have thought for a while now that is unfair to have so many great boxers here in the Columbia area and so few in other parts of the state. In an effort to share the wealth of knowledge I have decided to move. OK, not REALLY for that reason, but we are moving. My husband has accepted a job with KBLV 99.7 in Mission, Kansas. He will be leaving soon. The little monkeys and I will be here until around the first of July. We are excited about our new adventure. (Well, most of us are) I am pleased that we are already friends with The Outdoor Girls since we will be living near them. I have lots of family here in Columbia and will be back OFTEN. We will be arriving on The Hogwarts Express the first weekend in May and look forward to seeing everyone then. (Have you RSVP'd on AQ yet for this event? If not, please do so!) Talk to you all then if not before!

Happy Easter everyone

Just wanted to say Happy Easter to everyone. The weather is turning warmer and thoughts of letterboxing should be playing in everyone's mind. Now get out there and box!

J-Corn

CONTESTS! and other Gathering updates

CONTESTS:
In case you missed it the first time around, there will be two contests at the Spring Gathering.

The first is a Creatures in Myths and Legends Hitchhiker contest: Create a hitchhiker based on a mythical beast (dragon, unicorn, hippogriff, etc) or an ordinary beast about which a legend had been created (Raven, Coyote, etc).

The second contest is a Hidden in Plain Sight contest (HIPS). Create a box that can be hidden in plain sight at the spring gathering. An example would be an otherwise ordinary-looking cookie jar on the potluck table that contains a logbook and stamp instead of cookies.

Winners will be voted on and prizes award on Saturday afternoon of the Gathering.

CAMPING:
If you plan on camping at the regular campground, book your site now as there are only about five left. If you wish to camp in the primitive scout area (tents only), no reservations are necessary, but this campsite will be available to us only on Saturday night (not Friday).

Fox-fyr

Wild Cave Tour May 9.

I've set the date for the Letterboxers' Devil's Icebox Cave Wild Cave Tour. We were rained out the last two times, so cross your fingers for this spring. The date is Friday May 9 from 5 p.m. to about midnight. That's the Friday evening AFTER our spring gathering. I need a minimum of three people in order to make the trip happen, and can take a maximum of 10 participants and two assistant leaders (assistants must already be volunteering with the wild cave tour leader training program).

If you're unfamiliar with the tour, check it out at DI Wild Cave Tour.
There is a $25 fee per person. You will also need to provide some equipment. The minimum age is 14. This is a strenuous tour, and you must be physically fit. Preference will be given to those who signed up for the last two tours. A stamp, of course, is included.

Please RSVP in the comments if you're interested, or if you have any questions. I need to know by the end of March. If you're interested in other caving opportunities , let me know. I am the secretary of the local Chouteau Grotto caving organization, and we go caving on a somewhat regular basis.
--Fox-fyr

Where Eagles Dare

The clue for "Where Eagles Dare" has been made posted to letterboxing.org. Be sure to notify Drebbel if you find it... the game isn't quite over with this box.

Letterboxing on the Hogwarts Express

Check out the Event Posting on Atlas Quest for the Spring Gathering:
Letterboxing on the Hogwarts Express
Be sure to RSVP on AQ.
And if you're planning on camping, make your reservations soon as campsites are limited.

Be sure to check out the Hitchhiker contest for the Gathering. The theme is Creatures in Myths and Legends. Check out the link above for more details.

Lock n Lock, Rubbermaid, Gladlock oh my....

Now I have seen these discussions on the national discussion lists, etc, but I don't recall any local discussion about what works in these parts. So, what containers do you find best for letterboxing and why. Have you found some common ordinary household things that make great boxes? Have you used a container that just didn't cut it for letterboxing? These are the sorts of things that I would like to know. If you can, please list the advantages and disadvantages for some of the less common containers you have used. I think this would be great information for everyone.

Some fellow letterboxers out East recently turned me on to these potential boxes. At only $1.49 for a very sturdy and waterproof 4X3 inch container, they are hard to pass up. And they have a bonus nylon loop/clip increasing their placement potential.

Happy planting,
Ahistory

Music is in the air...

I know this is terribly late notice and that everyone has very busy social calendars, but if anyone is still searching for something really fun to do this Saturday evening (February 16th), then boy oh boy do I have a suggestion! Yes, tomorrow night Leela and Ellie Grace will be performing at Windsor Auditorium on the Stephens College Campus (1405 E. Broadway) in celebration of the release of their second album, "Where the Waters Run". The fun begins at 7:30pm (doors at 7) and is a family friendly event. The cost for admission is $10 for adults and $5 for the kiddos.

Astute letterboxers will recognize immediately the connection between these two local musicians and our dear hobby from the 'Favorite Music' PLB ring of last spring. Foxfire was kind enough to introduce our community to some of Leela & Ellie's beautiful music from their first album, and in doing so, introduce Leela and Ellie to letterboxing as well! I say we should continue this connection...as if hearing their phenomenal music live isn't enough motivation to come on out tomorrow night, I might add that I wouldn't encourage letterboxers to come to an "event" without a little extra incentive, if you know what I mean. So, here's what you do... visit Leela and Ellie's website or myspace.com page (follow the links at the end of this post), listen to a bit of their music online, and then come to the concert tomorrow night. Find me there (at an inconspicuous time, of course) and mention that you believe "Letterboxing is our Common Ground". You'll get a little something special for your collection and an evening full of great music! I can't think of anything better than that! Letterboxing and music?! What? I might faint. But I won't.

Follow these links for more info (myspace has music you can listen to):
http://www.myspace.com/leelaelliegrace

http://www.leelaandelliegrace.com/

Where Eagles Dare

Last week I found Drebbel's "Where Eagles Dare" box. It's the most memorable box that I will ever find, no contest. The clue is currently WOM, but will probably be made public shortly. I don't want to give away the box's secret, but if you get a chance, find the box and leave a note. And if you want, ask me for more of the story.

Letterboxing D.C. Redux

As many of you may remember I had planned to go letterboxing in D.C. last winter (2007) but due to some unforeseeable circumstances was unable to even attempt one box. So this year I was scheduled again to travel to the D.C. area and I was determined to make the best of it.

So as soon as I checked into my hotel I was off to find at least one letterbox in the fading light and succeeded in finding Orion the Hunter. As the Lady in Red mentioned in a post earlier this year, true urban boxing is quite a different sort of thing than we are used to in Mid-MO. There actually are only about 15 or so boxes located in the District of Columbia itself mainly planted by a longtime boxer named Scarab, who I met and will talk about more later. There are more boxes in the area surrounding D.C. but I didn't have the extra money to afford that kind of transportation so I resolved to focus on the ones in D.C. itself. Many of the older boxes are missing. In fact, they have a very interesting philosophy about urban planting. It was similar to the one C2B2 had for their "Now you See Them Now you Don't Contest." Scarab in particular will plant a box almost expecting it to go missing. he kept saying often he was surprised that several of his boxes have lasted so long. Also he has been able to recover quite a few of his missing boxes as well to his surprise. In short, he places boxes expecting them to be only fleeting and to disappear which avoids a lot the frustration one experiences when a box disappears. Instead of disappointment for a missing box, he is delightedly surprised that several of his boxes are still around for the logging.

On my first morning I got up early to make a breakfast mini meet with Scarab and two members of Kilroy who was up visiting D.C. from their home in Tampa, Florida. We didn't have too much time because Scarab had to work and I had to go to my conference (my real reason for being in D.C.) but it was nice to exchange stamps and stories if even only for a short time. We set up this meeting in advance largely so I could attempt "It's About Time" an extreme letterbox of Scarab's that has been in existence for over year with no attempts. When you learn of my instructions you may know why. Anyway me being a crazy Midwestern letterbox with a reputation for FFs, I just could not pass up such a opportunity.

Before Scarab left I was given directions to his building and told to go to the security desk and say I had an appointment with him. I would be told the rest in time and I had to trust him. He did stress one final thing, that NO ONE at any time other than he and myself would know what I was up to. At first I thought this to be silly advice since it is always applicable to any letterbox, but as I approached the building, an internationally renown law firm specializing in Supreme Court law, I began to grasp the gravity of the situation. Here is a picture of the place.

Needless to say, I swallowed the frog in my throat who quickly joined the butterflies in my stomach and headed to the security desk. I had to present I.D. showing who I was and then given a visitor's badge and instructed to proceed to the 6th floor. Upon arriving at the 6th floor I was immediately overwhelmed by the impressive architecture and art in the lobby. The main hallways were lined with marble and the atrium above the reception area rose to the form the dome in the roof. I proceeded to check in with the receptionist and security gaurd there, where I was told to have a seat and given a hand written envelop from which I was to follow the instructions inside. Now I am not at liberty to discuss the rest of the hunt due to the secretive nature of it and I wouldn't want to spoil it for any brave boxers who may want to follow in my footsteps, thogh I may divulge more details over some good libations. But let me tell you, sneaking around city streets is one thing, but sneaking around the 6th floor of a strange office building within spitting distance of the White House, ducking into rooms that you really have no business being in and pulling envelops out from under desks to get your next instructions is something entirely different. You always have to be ready with an excuse for when you are accosted by that mosey employee wondering what the heck some stranger is doing poking around (which happened). It takes some confidence (the bad kind) and a little acting. Oh did I say that this hunt was "business casual dress required". I had a suit on so I blended in fairly well, but it was still very nerve wracking. When I finally had the box in hand I was so relieved but I got one final unplanned scare. It definitely was the most memorable hunt I have ever been on and I would highly recommend it for those without heart problems or pregnant.

I went on to find about 12 more boxes in D.C. while I was there. Several were missing and weren't well documented, but on average 60-70% of the listed boxes in the District were still around. I would highly recommend the following for anyone traveling that way or planning a family vacation for D.C. These are not in any particular order:

1. It's About Time
2. Pandemonium: the Fourth Estate
3. Radio Days
4. Orion the Hunter
5. UU & Rice (my favorite theme of any box I found in D.C.)
6. The Letterboxing Tour of Georgetown
7. The Possessed (which i missed even though I was right there. I completely forgot to look for it while searching for others).

It was a super trip that more than made up for last year. Even the return flight home was nice, because I met fellow boxer D.C. Stones for a post-security exchange at the airport while waiting to board my return flight. He works at Reagan International and this was the first time he had done an exchange "post security" so that was kind of neat. It was also the first time I actually looked forward to waiting for my return flight.

The one warning i will give about D.C. boxing is that you sure do a lot of walking. It was often just easier to walk than to try and figure out the cryptic bus and public transportation schedules/routes. My feet were pretty sore and blistered by the third day and I figure I was walking at least 8-10 miles a day. I walked 16 miles on the last day I was there, so you get a lot of good exercise , though walking on concrete isn't as pleasant nor as easy on the feet as trail walking. Next to the walking the biggest challenge was the homeless which D.C. has an awful lot of. We are not used to walking in the wooded parks of our city looking for boxes and finding lean-tos and make shift shelters. On my final day, I even met the police on the trail as they were transporting a homeless man from the place he had made in the woods. They were collecting all of his aluminum cans, destroying his shelter and hauling him off to who knows where. It is a sorry state of our social world that we rarely notice or are able to ignore in Mid-MO, but one you cannot avoid while boxing in D.C. I was thwarted on more than one attempt by the homeless. It sure does humble a letterboxer. I mean here I am out in the woods looking for art and plastic and these people are just trying to survive. It sure keeps you in perspective and makes you appreciate the things you have and are able to do.

All in all, I got to meet some great people, acquire some superb stamps following some exciting and rather vague clues. I also learned a heck of a lot about how to successfully plant and make attempts in true urban environments. I more than made up for last year and would highly recommend this area for anyone.

Happy hunting,
ahistory

Tips for letterboxing abroad (in the U.S. at least)

Walking around D.C. between the sights and the boxes got me thinking today about how great a trip this was (a complete account to follow when I return), but I thought of a few things that made this trip better (LB-wise) than in the past so I thought I would share them.

These are some simple suggestions that I will now ollow when I try to squeeze in some boxing in the down time on business trips. Lnd-Crzr is a pro at this so I would encourage him or any others of you to feel free to add your own tips to this list.

First, post a notice a few months in advance with a couple of reminder follow ups about the visit. Give the dates of your trip and ask if anyone would want to meet for an exchange.
Also ask what local boxes are a "must visit".

Second, do thorough research. Usually you can't find the location of thye box but you can pinpoint the starting spot. Have complete directions including maps of the area if possible. Also, contact all owners asking about the status of the boxes you are considering attempting. You often find out that some clues are outdated or the boxes missing. This can help you narrow down choices and avoid some dissapointment especially if you are on a limited time visit. Also, it lets some boxers who dont read the AQ and yahoo message boards of your visit and they may want to meet for an exchange. Which bring me to my next suggestion:

Last, meet for exchanges early and often. Other than the obvious reason to meet more boxers and swap enthusiasm and stories, you'll often get tips on boxes to avoid and other boxers to contact and try to meet and maybe, if you are lucky, a few word of mouth clues.

I find if you do these general things you end up with a much more memorable time and your learn not just more about the history of the place you visit you learn about the letterboxing history and culture there as well.

Event planning

I sent out Google "invitations" to use the planning form on Goggle Docs. But if you haven't received it or can't figure it out, you can go directly to the document here. Until you sign on as a collaborator, though, you can't write in the document.

Didn't get an invite but want to carve a stamp or otherwise help with the spring event? Email me at clyde.bentley@gmail.com

Clyde (half of C2B2)

Post Gathering...Gathering

After the Gathering this Saturday at the library, a few of us will be heading downtown to Shakespeare’s for slices’ of Columbia’s best pizza pie and inevitably share stories of Letterboxing glory and adventure. Enjoy a good pie and endless yarns of snatching LnL from the mouth of dragons? Then come along and join us!

Lnd-Crzr

Bad news, good news

A nasty end to one our our favorite boxes came with a great lesson that all who merely observe letterboxing are not "muggles."

I received a message on this board as a comment from on a very old post:

"I found a destroyed letterbox at the end of Wilson Street near the University of Missouri campus and at the beginning of the Rock Hill Park trail.The letterbox was left by C2B2.If you would like this letterbox returned call Eric..."

If you have searched for the Rocking and Crocking series in Rockhill Park, you may be familiar with the substantial stone monument to Mayor Clyde Wilson at the end of Wilson Street. Last week a fellow in a chemically altered state of mind barreled down Wilson at a high rate of speed, smashed the stone monument and disappeared way down the hill. The driver was not injured (apparently he was already numb) but in the debris from the wreck in front of his house, Eric Fritz found the smashed pieces of the smallest crock in the series.

Eric said he has never letterboxed, but he knew what it is and found this blog on the Web. And the rest is good history.

A tip of my hat to Eric Fritz. I'll invite him to our gathering or at least quaff a mug of rootbeer in his honor.

C2B2

Jim is back

Jim the Wonderdog had a wonderful letterbox to match his memorial in Marshall, MO. But some curr napped it.

You can't keep a good dog down. A new stamp, a new box and ... well, just check the clues.

C2B2

Brrr...

Zowie! Are you as chilly as I am? I am not fond of the deep freeze that has grabbed us. I was wondering though, what is the MOST extreme weather that you have boxed in? I personally know three crazy boxers that went out today. Did I mention that the high temperature today was 18 degrees? (Ask them HOW cold the wind was!) I chose to snuggle up on the couch and ignore the logbooks that were waved under my nose upon arrival home. I WAS WARM! That was all that mattered.

I hope that you will all come out for the gathering on Feb 2nd. I will venture out then and look forward to seeing you then!

Winter Tea Time and Dumbledore's Army

It's finally time to break the winter cold spell with a little letterbox Gathering.

Saturday, February 2, 2008
Columbia Public Library, Conference Room B, 1st floor
1:30-5 p.m.

Schedule (see details below):
1:30 Dumbledore's Army Plotting Session
2:30 Break for Tea and Stamp Exchanges and Contest Voting
3-5 Arts and Craft Session

In the tradition of English Tea Time, we will have an afternoon Gathering at 2:30 p.m. and drink a little tea, eat a few snacks (kudos to anyone that actually bring crumpets) and do a little letterboxing arts and crafts show and tell. You will have the opportunity to demonstrate, teach or learn letterboxing-related crafts such as making aged paper, creative logbooks, intricate box containers, stamp carving, etc. This will also be the time for the traditional exchange signature stamp images and meeting new people.

Also, as promised, the winner of the Short Sweet and Sassy contest will be voted upon and a prize awarded. If you have not yet found the boxes related to this series, now is the time to go hunt for them so you can make an informed vote.

Prior to the 2:30 Gathering time, if you wish to help plan the annual Spring Gathering (and/or find out how you can volunteer to help), join us at 1:30 for a gathering of Dumbledore's Army (a fitting title considering the Harry Potter theme of the Spring Gathering). We will be planning and making preparations for the spring event which is traditional the largest Gathering event of the year. I expect we will draw up to 75 people this year and so some coordination, planning and volunteers will be a must for this event. If you have not yet marked your calendars for the Spring Gathering, it will be all day Saturday and Sunday May 3-4 at Binder Lake Park in Jefferson City.

If you have questions or need information, please reply in the comments section or contact me directly through www.letterboxing.org
--Fox-fyr

A question or two

Hello all! I'm Clyde and Cecile's daughter, Gillian. My husband and I have planted a few boxes around Columbia that you may have come across in the past and although we no longer live in Missouri (we're now in Charlottesville VA) I've been following along with your blog and with updates on your gatherings from my parents.

I'm working on an article about Letterboxing in Missouri and I wondered if anyone would be interested in giving me a mini interview. you can respond (comment, I guess is the official term) or email me directly at briton@grimm.com

So here are my questions, and please feel free to add anything else you think might be interesting!

1. First, I know there have been some articles about letterboxing that have been somewhat dissapointing, so tell me what you would like to see in an article about it. What have you felt was missing in the past?

2. Tell me about a place that you discovered because of letterboxing, somewhere you would otherwise have never known about and what your reaction to finding it was. (That's always been my favorite part!)

3. Tell me what your favorite part of letterboxing is, what drew you to it and what keeps you at it.


Thanks in advance for any and all help I get. Since it's not a commissioned article, I obviously don't know if or when it would be published but I'm hoping!

If you're ever out Virginia way give us a holler!

Thanks

Gillian

Letterboxing Green - 2008 Contest

Happy New Year everyone. I have been quiet of late because I am finishing my masters thesis and don't have much time to letterbox until summer. So in my absence I figured I would give you something to do. With the new year, it is time for a new challenge, so here you go.

This challenge is fairly straight forward. As more and more of America is starting to focus on going green (hopefully this is not just the latest fad), I thought it might be time to think about sustainable letterboxing. In that spirit, I would like to challenge everyone to think reduce, reuse, and recycle in future plantings. So here are the rules.

1) try to use nothing new - you do not have to use entirely recycled materials ( I understand that recycled glue can be hard to come by) but the more of your box that is recycled (i.e. logbooks, the box itself, even stamp materials) the more it will count toward the contest. Bonus points for people who use materials that have been recycled more than once. For, example I often use old MU stationary paper for logbook pages. This stationary from the early 90s was made from 100% recycled paper to begin with, hence when used for logbook pages it is kind of being double recycled (if there is such a thing). Anyway the more generations of recycling you can employ the better.

2) leave no trace - special emphasis should be focused on placement. Placement should consider detrimental effects to the location and be done in such a way to limit the environmental impact or footprint left behind by the finders. One easy way to meet this goal is to try and place the box in a place near paved trails or sidewalks/roads. Thus I encourage all boxes to be handicap accessible, though this is by no means a requirement. Another part of reducing impact is limiting the number of boxes in any one area, so I ask that all entries be placed in locations where there are no existing boxes within a close distance. Other tips might include requiring public or non-motorized transportation in the clue or anything that reduces the impact a letterboxer would have during a hunt.

3) environmental theme - I think everyone (myself included) could use a good dose of education on sustainability and other green practices, so I ask that the all entries have some sort of environmental theme. Extra points will be given for those who address topics with creativity, such as using Dr. Seuss's the Lorax to educate about global warming. The more creative the bigger the impression and the more longer lasting the lesson, so extra kudos for those who tackle environmental issues in new and fun ways.

That is pretty much the how of it. Boxes should be placed anytime in the first six months of the year (Jan. - July 2008) though there is some leeway for late entries. We will hold a judging at the fall or winter 08 gathering. The winner will receive an urban camouflaged box, similar in idea to Charlotte but of a different design. Boxes may be located anywhere in Mid-Missouri (I may even accept contest entries from outlying areas such as K.C. or St. Louis, so contact me if you aren't in Mid-MO for more details) Please let me know if you have any questions and good luck. I look forward to finding some super entires.

Happy planting,
ahistory