> The poll with 39 votes is pretty straight-forward: Most people don't
> like hybrid boxes. It's a fact, pure and simple.

Ryan, I have to strongly disagree with this statement. Your poll, and
the related conclusion, is quite fuzzy.

The poll question:

>"Letterboxing and geocaching share some similarities and some people
combine the two into one box. If I HAD to choose one of these
answers, based on my experience
>I would:
> always combine the two if I can
> never combine the two I can
> only combine them in well-traveled places
> only combine them in seldom-traveled places
> only combine them in very remote places"

The only person who can make a choice of "combining" the hobbies
into one box is the person who places a box at a location and chooses
to write clues in a letterboxing format, a geocaching format, or
both. The rest of us can choose to go or not go to search for the
box, based on whether it's one, the other, both, or a myriad of other
factors. I believe your question doesn't solicit our views of what we
prefer to look for. It only asks about the boxes that we choose to
place. That's a significant difference, and it makes your conclusion,
that letterboxers dislike searching for hybrids simply because they
are hybrids, unreachable, at least based on this online poll.

I participate in both forms of this hobby and have no problem
looking for hybrids. But I don't expect to create one, based on the
type of letterbox clues that I plan to write (several mysteries
scouted and written, waiting for the trip to actually place them),
and the places where I plan to hide caches (off-trail, places where
I'm not creative enough to write a text description without the map
as a reference, so just mark the map with either a circle or the
lat/long).

Since lat/long will spoil any mystery clue, a hybrid's clue is
going to be straight forward. If your definition of a quality
letterbox requires something other than a straight forward clue,
hybrids are going to disappoint you. So will the majority of
letterboxes, since most clues are straight forward, regardless of
whether they are supplemented by lat/long. My definition of a quality
box is that it's where it's supposed to be, it and its contents are
in good repair, it's in a location where it won't be confiscated for
lack of landowner permission, and it's labeled and organized in a
manner that discourages vandalism and theft. There are quality caches,
letterboxes, and hybrids of all difficulties that meet this
definition. For a hybrid, part of a good box organization means that
the stamp is labeled clearly (perhaps a smaller box in a box) to
avoid it being traded out, and there is an explanation in the clues
and in the box, that the box is both a geocache and a letterbox.

I certainly appreciate the time and efforts that everyone puts
into placing boxes and caches. Some are better than others, but
that's a function of planning and materials for both types of
objects. Plant what you want. For me, there are plenty of factors
that will determine if I come looking for it, but specifically being
a letterbox or a hybrid will not be one of the factors.

Happy hunting.

Mike Brooks