| Tales
from the Trail My poor attempt at blogging |
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| Index 2009 May 21 2008 December 31 2007 December 11 |
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| 1000?
- At least by my rough count May 21, 2009 |
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| So,
about a month ago I did a rough count of my letterbox finds. I
don't often, but sometimes it is interesting to see how many I really
have found. Or at least how many I remember and fit the standards
of what I consider to really be a letterbox. It is amazing how
much grey area has developed over the last few years that make you
wonder.
Anyway, I finally looked over my logbook on AQ, axed ones that I didn't think were really letterboxes in my eyes and added some I did. I came out with a number in the 980's "Hmmm," I thought. If I really plan things right I could make something special out of my 1000th find. Then, Becky and I were biking the W&OD trail out towards Vienna. We went past an area called Clark's Crossing. "The first letterbox I ever actually found was out there." She says to me. "Is it still there?" "I don't know, it is an old box." So I went looking for clues, and found them in the letterboxing.org basement. That meant the clues had been basically abandoned on the site, and there was no telling if the box was still there as it is no longer being maintained. Well, that has never stopped me from looking. I worked my way up to 999. I managed to find a bunch of mystery boxes over the last few weeks, and Becky and I went out a few times as well. Last Friday, although I was very ill, we decided to go looking for the box on the way out to get dinner since we had some extra time. It was a warm afternoon, none the helped by my own raging fever, and humid. The trail was very muddy and the bugs were biting, but the woods were pleasant and I none the less enjoyed the walk with Becky. When we finally reached the final part of the very straight forward clue we were not sure we were in the right place, but I peered around the tree I thought it was and sure enough, there is a giant pile of twigs hiding a massive, old rubbermaid container. The box was soaked inside, but the contents were sealed well in bags and somewhat dry. There was a separate box inside that had the logbook archives, which were wet but can be saved. We plan to restore the box and see about getting it out of the basement to encourage others to enjoy it. I do love these old boxes, to look back on who has visited over the years. Not only way it Becky's first box, but also Scarab's first so many years ago. I would love for these boxes to last forever, but I also love to see them stay as they are, and not replaced if they do go missing. This box is a great piece of local letterboxing history, and I am glad to find it and see it still where it was originally placed over nine years ago. |
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| Feedback - I know, I said I wasn't counting - Email me | |
| Grocery
Store Wars - I
miss where I used to shop May 12, 2009 |
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| I
know, it has been a while since I have written, I've been busy and this
blog has been a bit low on the priority list, but I figure I should take
some time every few days to say something, anything, so here we go,
again.
I hate those shopper cards the grocery stores have. Really, please, I just want to buy what I put in my cart, I want it at the sales price they list, and I don't want to have to carry some stupid card around and be on a mailing list. Is that so hard? Not for some places, they get it. Up in Pennsylvania, Giant food stores, not to be confused with the stores of the same name down here, have a shoppers card but have no problem if you don't want one. They ring it through with a smile and never an argument about it. Same with Acme. Redners, which I dearly miss, doesn't even have one and they advertise as such. Here, I have two very close stores, within walking distance. Both have the shoppers cards. The Safeway is a nice large store that has everything. The store is well stocked, has a deli and bakery that is decent. It is a bit more expensive then the close by Bottom Dollar, but the Bottom Dollar only has the basics. Here is the big difference to me. At Safeway I go to the register and they refuse to ring a card through for me, telling me they cannot, it is against company policy. I walked out of the store, leaving a basket full of groceries the other night because of this. Bottom Dollar, on the other hand, seems to have no problem that I don't want a card, as I found out tonight, and I thanked the cashier and told her this is just why I will prefer to shop there over the Safeway. I don't understand what it is that Safeway doesn't get? It is simple, if it doesn't cost the company anything, and it will make a customer happy, then you do it, because they will come back. I will be going back to Bottom Dollar, but will be avoiding the Safeway from now on. |
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| Feedback - Email me | |
| A
Handyman in Me - Lots
of work done, but much more ahead January 6, 2009 |
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 I
have lots of work with the house to do, and it seems the list gets
longer and more expensive each day. I guess it is a "Welcome
to home ownership" type of thing. But, I did want a project,
and as I get things done, I have been happy with the results.
A new cartridge in the bathtub stopped the slow dripping it was doing. That was a job as well, as that thing just did not want to come out. Becky had simply tried to change the light bulb in the bathroom and that fixture fell off the wall. So it got replaced too. My current project is the master bedroom. It was wallpapered and then painted over, twice. So I am stripping, though just two walls. The other two and going to be meeting the business end of a sledge hammer within a year, so no sense in stripping them, I will just paint them a third time for now. Well, just two weeks to her birthday party, and I think we are already seeing light at the end of the clean-up tunnel for this thing. |
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| Feedback - Email me | |
| Movin'
In - We
are finally home! January 5, 2009 |
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| Well,
we are finally in! Moving day came and went, and it went very
well.
I should start with our first night in the house, New Year's Eve. We decided to stay at home, enjoy some beer and play some pool. I got the radio going and we danced and had a really nice evening. Next door they were having a party, a good one from the sounds of it. At about ten after midnight, though, the power goes out, with lots of shouts coming from the party. Seconds later it was back on, only to go out for good minutes later. We decided, after fumbling around to find a flashlight, that it was time for bed, but it will be a first night to remember. On Saturday we got a gang together to get Becky moved. She and I stayed in Arlington that night to do some last minute packing. Becky has soooo much stuff, lots of cloths and boxes and boxes of shoes. Well, I guess she is a woman! Anyway, Karen came over and we got things ready to go. We picked up the truck and I started to load the little stuff while waiting for her cousins John and Tom to get there. By noon we had everything out and loaded, and off to Sterling we went. Tom had the wise idea to order ahead for pizza, and Becky stopped to pick it up so we had it when we got there. I already had a ton of beer in the fridge. Karen had to leave, but we were aided in Sterling by General Judy who said she had never hired movers to help her. She was a big help getting things into the house and situated. Within just a few hours we were all unloaded. Now to just figure out where to put everything. |
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| Feedback - Email me | |
| Fear - But
with that there is also joy December 31, 2008 |
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 I
really don't know how else to say it. I have just made a huge
change in my life, one that I know is for the better, and it scares the
hell out of me.
Becky and I have finally bought a house and are moving in together. We settled on December 30, and the first thing we did was drive to the house, carry our new pool cues and balls in, and played a game. She was thrilled that the owner left the pool table for us. It is not the best table, but it works, and eventually we can get a nice one. As she says, we just paid 270 grand for a pool table, but it came with this cool house for free. We are very excited by the prospect, and very much looking forward to it. The house is a nice place, but it also needs work, and we have decisions to make about what needs to be done. While I would like to do some major renovations, I think we are going to just start out with some painting and just cleaning up. Neither of us like wall paper too much, and the house is covered in it, so that alone is going to be a big project. But at the same time, it will be fun to pick out colors and figure out what we want to do with different rooms.
Out back is a very large deck, below which is a screened in porch. It has a nice front yard and a smallish backyard that is covered in ivy.
We are excited, but it is a huge undertaking, and is very scary at the same time. I have left my job in Philly, as well as my home there, and am transplanting myself in DC now. I never thought I would do it, to be honest, but she is just such a wonderful woman, I just have to be with her, I love her so very much. Becky is worth the change, and in the end I know it will be better. She is taking on a huge new responsibility herself, home ownership. The mortgage is vastly more then her rent, and while we can afford it, she has to carry us for a little bit while I get settled in and get some work. Then there is the emotional toll. I don't want to feel like I am leaching off her. She is stressed out over the mortgage, electric, the move, and the holidays all at once. But we both know that in the end we both love each other far too greatly to let these things get in the way. The the fear of owning that new home will be over come and we will be better off in the long run for it. We have a lot of work to do to truly make it our home, but we will face it together and have fun while doing it. |
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| A
Gloomy Morning - There
are dark clouds on the horizon November 5, 2008 |
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| Thomas
Paine wrote in "The American Crisis" that "These are the
times that try men's souls." He was writing of the most
difficult days of the American Revolution. The days when it seemed
that all hope was lost, that America would lose in its fight for independence,
and that the ideas of the enlightenment would die. It truly was a
time of crisis, but his words brought hope, hope that the spirit of
America was still shining brightly through the dark, gloomy morning, and
that the forces of the monarchy and tyranny would eventually fail.
They did fail, and the soul of the American spirit thrived. It sputtered along the way, lost ground here and there, but continued on. Americans continue to fight for that hope of liberty, hope of freedom from the tyranny of government, and the belief that the individual man, without government intervention, can do right for his family and his nation. We have lost a great battle in this struggle last night. The morning dawn revealed dark clouds on America's horizon. The march of socialism, the belief that not the individual man, but government, will do right by you and your family, continues to plague this great nation. But there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon. Sometimes man must be taken through a dark storm to realize just how bad things can be. When he goes into his workplace and finds that he no longer has the right to a secret ballot. When he opens his pay and finds that the government has taken much of what he has earned. When the airwaves are silenced so the opposition to the government cannot be heard. When the state no longer has the ability to make laws to serve their own people and federal law supersedes all. When the government forces him to serve, watches over him at the point of a gun, takes his home so that those that have not earned it may have it. When a man can no longer arm himself to protect him and his family. Those are the dark days, the storm that is hovering over America. Those will be the days that will try men's souls, and those are the days that will lead to the true hope that our founding fathers had for their fledgling nation over two hundred years ago. The war of ideas is still being waged, and America will survive. It will be long and hard, but America will be free again. |
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| Feedback - While you still can - Email me | |
| A
Truce? - There
was a war and I missed it? October 16, 2008 |
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|
First, let me set the record straight on my involvement on the newboxers list. I had been a member of that list for about three years, and in that time I had made just 120 postings, hardly many, by any standard, for that time. None of those posts have been derogatory towards other members of the list. Most often I have posted helpful information, though sometimes I have disagreed with things that have been said. Many times I have totally bitten my tongue, preferring not to say anything that would lead to an argument. I also feel there is a fundamental problem with the list. It is great that there is a place for folks that are new to the hobby to go and post questions that otherwise would be very, very repetitive in other places. I think this was the goal of the list from the start, but I think it has also turned into a place for the elitists to groom new folks to their style of boxing, and I think this stifles creativity. I do not think that the more veteran letterboxers should be posting topics of the week, discussing office politics or initiating discussion, that should be left to the new boxers themselves to do. The veterans should simply sit back and answer questions that arise in an objective manner. And objectivity is something that is needed when a list or forum of any type is being moderated. That is not something that you seem to get with the newboxers list. It is clear that I had done nothing wrong, and if there were complaints, which now I wonder if that is true, then they should have been brought to me first, not simply moderating and then minutes later banning me. I have always conducted myself well on that list, and that is what Mark Pepe should have told those who have complained. Instead, he let his own feelings get in the way and. Further, he lied and tried to cover up for what he did, and for his own hypocrisy. dear cyclonic, This is called covering up, and it is not for the betterment of my reputation, but for the betterment of that of Mark Pepe's and Don's reputation. If they were truly sorry then Mark would have personally apologized for his actions and he would have removed himself as list owner and moderator. Instead he has a poll to see if I should be allowed back, and then ignores it when the majority of the respondents say yes I should. That list is not a place I would recommend for new boxers, they are better off with their local groups, such as the Mid-Atlantic list or the Great Lakes list. There they can be welcomed, grow in the hobby, and see what it is truly about, not what some people want them to think it is about. I wish no part of that list, and every time I see it recommended to a new boxer I will advise against it. Further, I hope that other list owners who have Mark Pepe as a moderator take into serious consideration as to if he is someone who can actually do the job correctly and not be calling members names behind the scenes. Finally, I would like to thank all who have sent me their overwhelming support. It is greatly appreciated, and shows that I am not alone in thinking this is truly a travesty. The many comments have all been added in the feedback section of the last entry. |
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| Feedback - You are allowed to disagree with me - Email me | |
| Banned!
- Guess it is wrong to have a disagreement
with the elitists. October 14, 2008 |
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| So,
I guess when you think one of the elitists is wrong you are not allowed
to say so.
Don posted on the new boxers list: How many mystery boxes are
listed, linked, or filed here? I took that to mean he would like to know no who posted a box, or where it was posted, but simply how many were listed. I also felt that was something he should learn for himself. So I replied: Is that not something you should figure out for yourself? I think that is reasonable, and I thought I got a reasonable response: Actually Nathan the
question was meant to try to get newboxers thinking OK, I get it. Dense me didn't see his question that way, but I probably was not the only one. I would have been more straightforward, but hey, I get it now. Evidentally others thought I was being mean somehow and complained about me. Perhaps even Don. First I get a note from Mark saying that I was being put on moderation due to complaints. I am confused, I don't really understand what there is to complain about, so I ask what kind of complaints? his attitude This is the response I get. OK, what was I angry about? Before I can pose the question it is posted on the newboxers list that I have been banned: Hi boxers, What? What message. Then it posts to my email:
What more can I say? What more needs to be said? I post a simple one line reply and get banned, while Mark posts this to the list. Well, I don't think that is a list I need to be a part of anyway. But this should be a warning to all out there. Don't disagree with the elitists, they are always right. Always heap praise upon them, tell them how wonderful all of their ideas and plans are. Hold your tongue should you think they are wrong, for they will get you too. |
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| Feedback - You are allowed to disagree with me - Email me | |
| pepe la
pue!
nathan, |
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|
Sweetie! I An official
SOB and banned! I am so proud. |
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Nathan, |
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Just saw that you have felt the heavy hand of the post police. Some of us Ohioans have been privately snickering at Don & Gwen for sometime for certain snotty comments he sends to folks. That was the main reason I carved the 'Cry babies' stamps a couple weeks ago, a direct dig at the post police. -Anonymous |
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Sorry you've been given
the boot from the PC police. Since you seem to not be able to see
the follow-up argument and posts, here's what's posted for your perusal
(including mine): |
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Hi Nathan, |
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Dear Nathan |
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I just want to say that
while I may not always agree with you, I think the whole post on the new
boxer list about the SOB and running you off the list and then banning
you was a little uncalled for. I really didn't see anything wrong
with your question. So after reading my email with all the newboxer
posts and reading your blog(to which I'm subscribed) I decided to leave
the Newboxer list. I really didn't want to be on a list where people get
banned for trying to get other people to think. Like I said I
don't always agree but you definitely make me think about stuff from
other angles. Just remember to get out there and BOX!!! |
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|
Weirdly, my first
thought was that y'all were taking those fake potshots at each other
that happens every so often under "Isn't it funny...they'll never
know" bs that rears its ugly head every so often, makes onlookers
not in the know uncomfortable, and passes along with the long-timers all
slapping themselves on their backs,laughing all the way. -Patsy |
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|
From past experience
with Mark Pepe, I do not believe he received a single complaint about
your post. I personally believe the man is lying and made it up.
Here's why -- - |
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| Drive-by
Dilemma
- So many drive-bys, and they are boring! October 9, 2008 |
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| Someone
recently posted on AQ about the dumbing down that seems to be happening
with letterboxing (I would say it was Don, and that it was on the
Premium Members board so I can't link directly, but some folks would
probably get mad at that). Mr X had taken their planting record
and reordered it according to the most recently found. He found
that 32 of the last 50 of his boxes found were drive-by boxes he had
planted, and he plants a full variety of box types.
This got me to thinking, and everyone knows how dangerous that can be. Becky and I went to Charlotte last month and I planed out a whole series of drive-bys to get. I figured we would want to get the most boxes we could in the least amount of time. Well, after that weekend we assessed what we had found, what we liked and didn't like, and found that with the exception of one of the drive-bys, we didn't really enjoy any of them. We found more pleasure in the boxes we had to hike to, even if it was a short distance. Clues and location are just as important as the stamp and box itself, and turn a good box into a great box. So what was wrong with the drive-bys? Well, most were not in particularly nice locations, and the clues were lackluster. Some had no real reason for being, while others did but were just poorly executed. I don't know, but if you are planting a box in honor of one of your favorite restaurants, why plant it in the parking lot? Why not get permission to plant it inside, so people have to go in and see the place, maybe even eat there? Give it a clever hiding spot and clues that people have to actually think about. Some of the best boxes are those that are hidden in plain sight, with only the person finding it knowing about it. What drive-by did we like? Well, it was one that was just as I just described, Dilworth Coffee Shop. Even with this box, more could have been done, but the clues were clever, and the owners of the small shop loved having us there. It is just like Becky's own Beanetics box. It is hidden in a local shop to her and the owner, Amy Starr, loves having it. She loves meets folks from all over as they come in and search around the shop for the box. Further, the box is not a box at all, but a mug with a fake mound of beans on it (I won't tell where she got that idea, or who built it). It has clever clues and a neat hide, and is what I love to see in not only an indoor box, but also a drive-by. Boxes that are indoors have the opportunity to be truly creative and do more then you can do outside, and they should because they don't usually have the walk involved. I can only hope that planters are sparked to be creative in their planting, and not just plant a box for the sake of having one there. |
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| Feedback - Go ahead, hit me with a drive-by! - Email me | |
| Phallfest
Phun - Knoebels
Rocks October 7, 2008 |
|
 Boy,
has it been a while since I have written. I really have been
meaning to, but have had myself so busy I just have not sat down and
really done it. This past weekend has been no different, though it
proved to be a fun yet relaxed weekend.
Becky and I headed up to Knoebels this weekend for Phoenix Phall Phunfest. It looked to be a very nice, yet cold, weekend, though we ended up getting a little rain which prevented us from getting a bike ride in to find the Natalie Miner's series.
So I placed some clue cards in some of the boxes I found and also left one for Princess Lea and Amanda From Seattle, who were staying in Lancaster for a convention. I then headed north, meeting Becky at Memorial Lake State Park where we got the local boxes and then headed for Knoebels.
That evening we went into Bloomsburg to find some dinner and the Wal-Mart. We never made it to Wal-Mart, but we had dinner at Kristen's Pub, a nice little place in downtown Bloomsburg. The food was very good, and while we thought the entrees were pretty expensive, my sandwich and her salad were very good and inexpensive. They had a nice tap too, but I decided I had plenty of stuff back at the campground. The next morning we woke to a drizzle, which turned into a rain that lasted for about an hour or so. We did not expect the rain, and so were putting up the tarp in the rain to cover the site. A good thing we did as it would rain again Saturday night. We went into the park for breakfast and then headed to the Wal-Mart.
The clues for the series stated the the first box had been in place for a while and the rest would be in by October 11. So after finding the first box we decided, since the next box was only a few blocks away we would go see if it was there. Sure enough, we enter the shop and there it is on the counter. We continued to find the rest of the boxes in the wonderful series. It offered a nice walk around the town and through the campus of Bucknell. I really regret not carrying my camera with me, as there were some great chances for some really nice photos, including a bride and groom walking down Market Street toward the theatre for pictures. It was just a great small town scene.
It also is the only event I know of where you can ride in costume so long as that costume doesn't interfere with the operation of the ride. I brought out the horrible sharkman costume, complete with dorsal fin and mermaid like tail. Becky was a purple flying thing, we never did really come up with a name for it, but she was very, very purple. My costume is a lot of fun, defiantly weird, but does limit what I can ride easily. For some rides I had to take part of it off to fit in, and I never did ride the Flyers, I wasn't sure how I was going to get up in them.
Sunday we hung out at the park the whole day, rode some more and checked out the festival further, especially the food. There is no set checkout time in the campground in the fall, so we left everything up through the day so that it mostly dried out, and broke down, finally hitting the road at around 6.
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| Feedback - Email me | |
|
... immediately reminded me
of the character Arty in the decidedly bizarre book "Geek
Love". We read it early this year for a book discussion
group. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to anyone else, but
found it oddly interesting. You can get an idea of what this
strange, grotesque story is about with a glance at the Wikipedia entry: |
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| Do
You Get It?
- What is the point to it all? August 27, 2008 |
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|
I posted this early this morning
to the Premium Members board on AtlasQuest,
but I really think it bares repeating here, in a more public
place. I think I really get into some of my more recent thoughts
on some of the public forums and how people seem to more and more perceive
what letterboxing is and is not. I am not saying my thoughts on
it are the right thoughts, but rather there really are no right
thoughts, no right way, and that far too many people spend far too
much time talking about doing things rather then actually doing them
and being concerned about what others think of what they do.
Does that make sense? Maybe I worry too much myself?
Well, here it is: Hey, you're catching on! Basically, the way I look at it, there is only one rule, do no harm, or at least, no irreparable harm. If someone is padding
their logbook, that is something, that, in their own minds, they are
going to have to come to terms with. I see lots of folks posting event
boxes as traditional boxes, even when they are nothing more then table
toppers. Sure, it messes with searching for real boxes in the location
of the gathering, and it falsely adds to their total plants, and it may
even get a blue diamond when it is not really a traditional box, but
those folks must have come to terms with their decision, and that is on
them. |
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| Feedback - Email me | |
|
I so loved this post. So
many don't get it. Suppose to be fun and not "you must agree
to my ways or I will not share my clues" or "you do not have
enough experience for my boxes", etc, etc. (ad nauseam). Oh well.
Guess I'll remain clueless.... |
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| Boxing
the Brandywine
- What took so long? August 26, 2008 |
|
 I
know, what took me so long to box the Brandywine?
In the past week I have been down there actually boxing twice, and a third time to meet with Sheba and Moon Owl. Brandywine park is just a spectacular example of an urban park, with a great landscape, bridges, canals, and five wonderful boxes (two of which are mysteries).
Brandywine Park is part of the Wilmington State Parks and also has Delaware's only zoo, the small Brandywine Zoo. As for the boxes, I really enjoyed FishMan's Fish of the Brandywine boxes. The clues were very clever, you actually had to imagine that the park was underwater to follow the flow of the clues. They took you to some less visited sections and trails on the park, which is something I really enjoy. And the stamps were phenomenal. I enjoyed the park so much that
I decided I needed to return with Becky, The museum itself is very nice, and free on Sundays. We wandered around a little bit, but not long, before finding the box. I would like to return and actually tour the museum at some point. The box was excellent though.
We ended up getting to the
bottom of the series and found a way to cut through to the neighboring
Brandywine Park. A trail is proposed to do this, I certainly hope to return sooner, rather then later, to find the boxes I have missed, and maybe visit the zoo. I managed to take a bunch of picture on my two visits. far more then can be placed here, so feel free to visit the gallery. Thanks to Fishman for the great boxes and allowing me to post some images.
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| Feedback - Email me | |
| Still
Got It - I
guess I was just in a funk August 18, 2008 |
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| Yup,
I've still got it. Lately I have been feeling in a funk. I
would go out boxing and just have trouble finding anything. I've
not had my head about me, not reading clues right, and just not with it.
Well, Becky and I biked to brunch on Sunday in Shirlington. It is about a five mile ride down the W&OD Trail and the Shirlington trail to get to a Mexican restaurant that she likes. We enjoyed a great brunch on the patio, it was a perfect day, lots of people about so I enjoyed some people watching, another pass time of mine, and generally enjoyed each other's company. On the return we went for a box, the W&OD Trail Letterbox. Becky had found it several years ago, and was not totally sure it was still there. She also was not feeling too well at this point, and was pretty tired. So, she rested at a pavilion in Glen Carlin Park while I went to find the box. It was not far. I rode down the trail. There was supposed to be a sign directing you to the nature center that I was supposed to follow, but it was gone, so I figured out what trail it was and followed it. Next I was supposed to follow a fence to the end, but there was no fence in sight, gone. I did find the next landmark, a metal culvert, but a storm drain that was supposed to be there was gone, so I was not sure I was in the right spot. I then looked up the hill and there it was, the tree. It had to be it, it was large and looking like it could well hide a box. I set my bike aside and headed up the hill. I walked to the left around the tree, no hole, no hole, and then there it was, a big hole in the tree and a box totally exposed in it. That moment of triumph is what I so enjoy about boxing. The joy of finding a box that is difficult or you think is not there is truly a feeling I get with no other activity. It is this joyous, almost euphoric reaction. All the counting, the clever gimmicky boxes, the kids crap, all that stuff doesn't come close to making me as happy as I am when I am in the woods, just me, Becky, and the clues, looking things over, working them out, and finding the box. I think that is what it is really all about, and I got it back! |
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| Feedback - Email me - Have you still got it? | |
| Something
to Ponder - And
other odds and ends August 4, 2008 |
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|
Here is something interesting that I thought worth thinking about: "But isn't the clue
what the clue is? It will never change, or at least it should never
change. Things being what they are nowadays, what with every Tom, Dick
and Harry who can write code changing the game, people feel the need for
there to be an online record of what box has been found when and by who.
Isn't the whole essence of a treasure hunt the overcoming of the
degradation of the clue over time? With out doubt things in nature will
change, should I change my clue to keep up with these changes? I think
not, let the hunter figure out what might have changed and what they
need to do to overcome the obstacles presented to them. I got some
feedback on one of my boxes that said that rattlesnake's had taken up
residency in the rock formation the box was hidden in. All I could think
was "Awesome!! Have fun with that people." If a park makes
changes to it's trail system in the time between me writing my clue and
someone reading that clue, should it be up to me to make sure that info
is passed on? Again, I think not. Get an old map if that is what it
takes to find the box, or not, I could care less either way. I didn't
place the box so that I could enjoy you finding it, I placed it for you
to enjoy finding. If you find it or not means very little to me." Now Brian is an old school letterboxes, and I don't buy into all of his thinking, though I do totally understand and agree on his wondering for the need for folks to have to log everything in some online database. But, I digress, and the matter at hand is really if clues should be updated to reflect changes. Personally, I think they should, within limits. If there has been a dramatic change, one that totally effects the finding of the box, then yes. Otherwise, I am agreeing with Brian here. Letterboxing, in its essence, is still a treasure hunt. You are still looking for something in the woods, and part of the joy of it is figuring through the clues to find it. While clues can be frustrating, the point where you finally figure it out, the "Ah ha!" moment, it the moment that is worth it for me. And, sometimes you fail, and that is an important lesson to learn as well. Just recently there was discussion as to why the National Park Passport cancellations are not posted on AtlasQuest. After all, they are stamps, the writer says. But, they are not letterboxes, and that idea was pretty well thrown out, which is a good thing. But, does everything have to be logged online? Does anything? In the end, does it all really matter. I record my finds so I can better keep track of what I have and have not found, but I have pretty much stepped away from logging anything else, except hitch hikers. Why? Because it doesn't really matter to me. Event stamps, cooties, personal travelers, there are so many that it, in the end, does not make a difference. And as for the date, again, it does not matter. We had dinner with Wisconsin Hiker and Martini Man a few months back. She said something about letterboxing that I found pretty profound. "Letterboxing is not a kids game," she said, "it is an adult's game that kids can learn to play. I'll leave that one with the reader until next time. |
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| Feedback - Email me - Give me something more to ponder | |
| Another
Weekend - The
more I see her, the more I love her July 14, 2008 |
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 It
is true, the more I see her, the more time I spend with her, the more I
love Becky.
This weekend could be summed up as wedding planning weekend. I worked Saturday morning, well, all night actually, and knew I would be in no shape to drive down to Becky's after work. So, I took the train. I have been wanting to make the train work, save fuel and some wear and tear on both the car and myself, but the schedules just would not work for me. I finally figured it out though. I could park at Sheba's house and walk to the local SEPTA station. From there I could get to Wilmington in time to get an early Amtrak train to DC. Reverse to get home, and I still get back in time for work. With the cost of fuel I almost break even, it costs a bit more, but saves me from actually have to drive all that distance. That was, until they raised the fares on the train I need to take. The train an hour before, which makes the same stops, is $17 cheaper. I would like someone at Amtrak explain to me how they are encouraging people to take the train if they don't at least make it comparable? Well, I digress, it was still a good ride down, and I could sleep, so even better. I was greeted at the gate by my Becky. She seemed to be shimmering in the light from the station as I walked through the door, wearing the very pretty strapless blue dress she had gotten the week before. She looked stunning. She was holding some flowers she picked up for me. This is a kind of role reversal, since I usually leave her flowers on my desk when she comes up here to Philadelphia. I promptly presented her with the flowers with a smile. We met with the caterer that afternoon and spent some time on the planning. We made some changes to the servers and what we will be needing, and also the park is charging the caterer a smaller fee, so we were able to knock about $2000 off the bill, which is huge. Further in the good news department, her cousin John gave her a call the next morning and said he talked to a photographer friend of his and she can do the wedding, and he is going to pay for it as a gift. Becky was ecstatic, as looking at photography it was looking to be really expensive, even though we really didn't want to do anything elaborate. So things in the wedding department keep looking up.
We did, however, get to talk to the carousel operator. My parents have offered to rent the carousel for an hour so guests can ride. It also gives us a chance to get photos on it, which Becky is very excited about. We asked a few questions about the carousel and what can be done for the rental. I asked about the band organ, and if I could request certain music to be played if they had it on rolls, which we could. Becky was hoping to have some swing music on it, and we were lucky in that he had a special roll for it made up, and it was loaded that day. A few minutes later, swing started playing on the organ, which was perfect. The organ can be loaded with two rolls, each plays for about 25 minutes, so one will be the swing roll, and I would like the other to be something patriotic.
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| Feedback - Email me | |
| She was "shimmering" in the train station? Damn, bro--you start getting that lyrical, it better be concealing clues to a box again.... Glad you guys had a good weekend! -Sheba | |
| Floating
Apartments - I am
not the strange one here. June 30, 2008 |
|
 A
few weeks ago Becky says to me she left my house, looked down the
street, and saw an apartment building floating by.
"Huh?" I asked. She knew it was really a ship going down
the river and was amazed the first time she saw it. And they truly
are amazing. The freighters that move up and down the river are
massive, and as they are passing they basically fill the entire opening
to the river and wharf at the bottom of the street. I was
astonished the first time I stepped out and saw one too.
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| Feedback - Email me | |
| Time
To Fly - Sorry, not
the Flying Turns June 23, 2008 |
|
 While
I wish I could be writing about a ride on the Flying Turns, which seems
to have hit a snag, I am instead referring to another Flyer which has
been a long time in coming, the Ravine Flyer II at
Waldameer Park in
Erie.
After more then a decade of litigation with a neighbor, Waldameer park was finally able to build this spectacular new coaster that sits on the edge of Lake Erie high above Presque Isle State Park. Becky and I finally got to ride it a few weeks ago after Coaster Mania at Cedar Point. At first I was not sure I was going to make the trip. Becky is not too good with long car rides, and we would be going for Sandusky to Erie to Pittsburgh that day after a very long day at Cedar Point. But a few weeks before hand I saw a POV posted and decided I have to get up there and give it a ride. Both of us were glad we did because it turned out to be the best ride of the trip. Yes, it was better then anything Cedar Point had to offer! In fact, I would venture to say it is the best Gravity Group coaster I have ridden, being more fun then either Hades or Voyage. The key to this ride is rerideablity, which this ride has loads of. It is just plain fun to ride, with a great variety of elements that don't try to do too much. Becky and I got to the park early. I didn't think it was early, it was afternoon, but I had forgotten from a previous trip that the park doesn't open until 1PM, which is pretty late. We had just limited time, and did not want to stay long, but ended up staying longer then planned, and could have stayed all day, the park is just that nice and fun. We got our wristbands and walked around a bit. We played some DDR in the arcade (Becky is good at it, I am terrible) and finally headed over the new coaster, getting in line to wait for it to open. The wait was interesting. There were some kids behind us who had never ridden a large wooden coaster before. It was fun to listen to their fascination over every aspect of the ride. It made me feel fresh again as well, getting some butterflies while anticipating the ride, a feeling I have not had in some time. I was actually very excited and thrilled to get on this coaster, and it has been a very long time since I was very excited about any coaster. We got into the station and headed to the frond seat. There was no line for it as they had an attendant at the entrance to the station directing people where to go, but not doing a very good job at it, and we just kinda ignored her and got into the front seat queue behind one other couple. The ride itself, well, it is just amazing. You get to the top of the lift and are treated to a fantastic view of Lake Erie, which you almost feel as if you are going to dive right into as you make a turning drop down the ravine and across Peninsula Drive. On the other side is an upward turnaround with a real rib cracking snap back down and over the drive again before the ride heads into a twisting mixing bowl behind the station that includes another nice drop into the ravine. The ride is not too too long, just the right length, and it packs a punch with loads of airtime and some nice laterals, including a 90° banked turn for good measure. I turned to Becky on the brake run, who is beeming, "Wanna ride again?" A big head rattle is her response. The coaster is very enjoyable and you can ride it over and over again. It does not have the power or intensity of some of the larger coasters out there, but it is just plain fun, and I think that is the most important factor of any ride.
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| Feedback - Nothing like taking flight - Email me | |
| Sky
Meadows - There
is a reason they call it that June 12, 2008 |
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We were presented with a choice for the end of May. We could go to Campin 'n Stampin, which is what we really wanted to do, or we could go to her family's reunion, which we really had to do. So we choose the later, figuring if we are going to be getting married, it might be a good idea for the family to get to know me. Well, we are still working on that part. We even considered doing the reunion and then driving the three hours to Tuckahoe State Park for the gathering, but thought that may be a bit much and instead decided to camp at Sky Meadows State park and do some hiking the next day.
We first stopped by Shenandoah River State Park. Becky planted a few boxes a few weeks before and wanted me to check on her clues before she posted them. As it turned out, the trail the boxes are on is now closed due to the construction of some cabins nearby. In fact, most of the trails in the park were closed. I noticed a flyer about a class on geocaching the next day, and said we should go and ask about if permits are needed for geocaches, which would also translate to letterboxes. As it turned out, permits were not needed, and the park simply asked to know where the boxes were, and were delighted to have them there. So the stop was not a total loss. We had no luck finding Lake Arrowhead, but we did check out the picnic pavilion nearby where someone was preping for a wedding. It looked very nice and they were happy for us to have a look around. We had better luck with Carillon in Luray. Becky actually found this one a few weeks earlier, and loved Daughter of the Stars a little bit out of town next to the old Katharine Furnace. We left the box just in time to miss a heavy storm that came rolling in.
We hiked in, got camp set up, and collected wood and got a fire going. After some coals were laid down I fixed dinner, prepared tin foil dinners, which hit the spot perfectly. The night was prefect, not a cloud in the sky, and we spent some time just enjoying the stars and each other's company. The next morning we did not break camp right away, but instead headed out for breakfast, finding a nice little diner not too far away. We then collected our clues to do some of the boxes in the park, as well as check on one of her boxes.
We managed to dislodge the snake and finally got on the trail. We first found her box, Mystic II. The stamp was broken in half but the logbook looked great, but full. We would later return with a replacement stamp and a fresh logbook, leaving the old for folks to enjoy.
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