We spent some time renewing our aquaintance with the incredible town
of Essex, CT, which seems to come right out of a Hollywood movie set
or a "Beautiful New England" calendar. Check out:

Fab Four (5)
http://www.members.aol.com/_ht_a/drewclan/fabfour.htm

Zoom Zoom Zoom
http://www.members.aol.com/_ht_a/drewclan/local4.htm#Zoom

Hope you enjoy!
Jay and kids
P280F154X31

Here's one for the kids in New London. Hope you enjoy!

http://www.members.aol.com/_ht_a/drewclan/local10.htm#Gamelan

xoxox, Jay

If your whimsy fancies a walk
To a place they call Watch Rock
An add-on you'll find
Just hurry your behind
And stamp in before the whole flock

We've been back to the charming little Watch Rock conservation area
in Lyme, CT and added a couple of letterboxes to "Whimsy Walk." Hope
it gives you an excuse to return to the mouth of the Connecticut
River to see the tail-end of bird migration season:

---------------------------------------------------------------
Date placed: 12/01/01
Title: Whimsy Walk
Lyme, New London County, CT
Authors: DrewClan

Whimsy Walk

Three letterboxes on an easy 1/2 mile hike in the tiny, jewel-like
Watch Rock Nature Preserve in Old Lyme, CT. Bring the children and a
painted rock! From I-95 take exit 70 (and if southbound, follow the
156 signs past a shopping center and turn left to pass back under the
freeway), and follow CT Rte. 156 East 1.4 miles. After crossing over
the railroad tracks, turn right on unmarked Noyes Rd, then
immediately right again on Caukins. At the end, go left-right onto
Joel Rd and into the parking area. Hike into the preserve and explore.

Watch Rock Letterbox
Down in the southwest corner, find a wooded point overlooking
spartina grass and wild rice with a jutting outcrop of rocks in oak
and cedar. A tumbled stonewall crosses the river front. Standing on
the highest point of rock, the largest oak is almost due south: the
Whimsy Walk Letterbox is in rocks at it's base on the southern side.

Pine bench Letterbox
In the sanctuary grove find a plank between trunks.
Sit facing the sunrise and look over your off shoulder
Just to the left of the trunk.

Northwest Point Letterbox
Lives an oak, blown down, and
To the east on slightly higher ground
Lives a low ledge of rock behind bramble.
Find the deer path that loops around
To the southeast side.

Dedicated with love to MPf

------------------------------------------------------------------

Happy autumn!
Jay and family

During the holiday break we planted a few new boxes in CT. Enjoy!

Traveler with a Twist was set free on 12/31/01... I know it was already
picked up by Dan and Melissa (and Max too!)

We also placed a box along the Pachaug Trail in Griswold, CT:
Maggie's Box
Directions: Park in the dirt turnout marked with the blue Pachaug Trail
sign, north of the intersection between CT Rt 201 and CT Rt 183.
Length: no more than an hour.
Clues: Follow the VERY well marked blue trail for about 20-30 minutes. This
will follow the edge of a woodland marsh before turning left and heading
uphill. Eventually you will see a fence post sticking out of a cairn on your
immediate right. At 280 degrees from the post you should see a ledge with an
opening that is bigger than a nook and smaller than a cranny. Hidden in this
is Maggie's Letterbox. You might want to poke it with a stick before
reaching in... Its a good hiding spot for critters!

Placed by Steph and John (and Maggie too!)

On 6/11 the Drew Family placed the three letterbox series "Flower
Drum Song" in East Haddam, Middlesex Co, CT. Enjoy!

http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/drewclan/flower.htm

Flower Drum Song

Set in the house of traditional Chinese patriarch Wang Chi Yang in
our beloved hometown of San Francisco, "Flower Drum Song" is one of
our favorite Rogers and Hammerstein musicals. This is a wonderful
comedy with a subject dear to our hearts; the generation gap between
Old World immigrants who cling to traditional values and their New
World progeny, who see themselves as Americans and adopt Western
values and lifestyles.
Since we couldn't place this series in San Francisco as we first
intended, we have opted instead to create a walking tour of a
beautiful Connecticut River town with a well-regarded theater.
Like the young picture-bride Mei Li and the Westernized Sammy Fong in
the musical, you must find your way to a distinctly American place:
in your case it will be East Haddam on the Connecticut River. This
walk covers about 1 miles and will take less than an hour to
complete, for three operatic letterboxes.
Park south of the Goodspeed Opera House in the main lot by the river.
Look east to a gazebo. From its' Rotarian center, the Goodspeed Opera
House Letterbox is under the footing at 075.
Now return to the river and turn north over the footbridge and up the
stairway between the theater and Gelston House. Walk north up the
main road and bear left on Rte. 149. You'll soon find the Nathan Hale
Schoolhouse up a small hill on your left. From the Spencer Memorial,
find the East Haddam Letterbox under flat stone in the shade of a
large oak at 132.
Walking back down Rte. 149 to the corner overlooking the Opera House,
turn left and walk up Rte. 82. Just opposite Ray Hill Rd you'll find
a lovely arched bridge on the left that spans Succor Brook. Cross
over, and then take about twenty steps along your left to a pile of
rocks and the Succor Brook Letterbox.
Like all good musical comedies, Flower Drum Song has a happy ending.
We hope your search was also a theatric success!