I learned a valuable lesson when I was looking for one of my earliest boxes.
I drove well out of my way to reach the Golden Spike, in Northern UT. I
spent hours that day overturning rocks trying to find an elusive box. I was
frustrated because I drove a long way out, and spent forever looking in a
spot that I felt was a little dangerous. The compass readings, that I knew
I had correct took me off trail a bit onto the side of a shale covered hill
in very slippery terrain. I ended up searching forever and even narrowly
avoided stepping on a rattlesnake. This was all under hot desert sun, and I
came home with several cuts on my arms.

With some encouragement from A-bear, who had found the box, I went back
later that month and tried again. I was horribly embarrassed to realize
that I, as a newbie, had set my compass correctly, lined up the arrows, and
followed them in exactly the opposite direction I should have. I didn't
line the red up with red. I found the box in about 10 minutes when I
returned.

I am now proud to have that stamp in my box. It is a historic letterbox,
the first placed in UT, placed by a historic letterboxer (Der Mad Stamper).
It was also the first box that I found that had any other stamps in it, so I
was thrilled to read the comments from other letterboxers.

Had I placed a remark in the database, I would have discouraged anyone else
from going out to this great spot in US history-actually world history-where
the first transcontinental railroad ever was joined. I was lucky that I was
encouraged on list to keep looking.

I respect Mahjong for his work and effort. I don't want to start a flame.
I just have a real problem with people being able to turn off others from
finding my boxes. I myself was convinced I was following the clues
correctly that day in UT. The wrong direction still lined up with a rock
that sounded like the one he described in the clue. If I hear there is a
problem with my boxes. I post it or investigate it. I know that not
everyone does this, but even though I didn't have success that day at Golden
Spike. I still enjoyed all of the history that I learned more about and I
had an invigorating hike. It's not just about getting a stamp.

When we have such an everchanging body of letterboxers, I know that things
will change inevitably. One of those changes that happens so often is for
new things to just be accepted as a matter of course gradually. I worry
about just saying a database posted on one of the official sites is just a
matter of choice, when I am sure that it will gradually become accepted as
the norm and those that don't feel it is fair will be looked down on as not
participating in all of the full "steps" for finding a box.

I like the system as it is. It really doesn't take that long to search the
history of a box in the list archives or to post a new letter asking about a
box. I know that not everyone uses the list, but that is a non issue in my
eyes-if they aren't using a list, they aren't going to be able to get to an
archive of that list. With the new system on LBNA, we will gradually be
able to contact any placer personally too. This very issue has been a
matter of debate for a long time and most that have been doing this for a
while have seemed to have agreed that it wasn't fair to the boxes to take
away the control of reporting their status. I would prefer to not have a
database suddenly placed on an official site without more consensus from
the group. And as for knowledge about the hiking and terrain, if there
isn't a good description in the clue, you can easily ask the list, check in
a guide book, or look up the area online. It is not hard to find out how
difficult the terrain of an area is.

Well, there's my 2 cents. I'm finding that I am less and less inclined to
jump in when a topic turns into debate on this list, but this one I felt was
important in that it could affect me personally, so I decided to post. I'm
not trying to upset anyone, but I feel that there are valid concerns and
reasons that the webmasters have not put a database such as this up before
even though someone occassionally requests it.

Thanks,
Cadenza


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