Aisling asked:

<< I'm wondering how many people plant a second letterbox in the vicinity
of a first one, and then place clues to it in the first one, but not
online.>>

We've placed a purrrrrfectly obscure one near a straightforward box
containing the necessary directions...and we've been mildly surprised that
only a small number of finders look for the second box.
Of course, some very enterprising and dedicated seekers look twice or even
2.5 times...

Ruby Tuesday
Of Celticlions

Hi,

Oooh, that was a very intriguing reply! I love a mystery... must find
that first letterbox!

Cheerfully,
Ais
P9 X53 F20

On 6/4/05, celticlions wrote:

> We've placed a purrrrrfectly obscure one near a straightforward box
> containing the necessary directions...and we've been mildly surprised that
> only a small number of finders look for the second box.
> Of course, some very enterprising and dedicated seekers look twice or even
> 2.5 times...
>
> Ruby Tuesday
> Of Celticlions

Great to see a new topic!

This happens somewhat frequently and depending on who the placer is,
you have to watch for sly tactics (you CT people know who I am talking
about!) .

It is so much fun to find clues to another box in one you just found!

-Steve in CT

(No, my moderator hat is not on!)

--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, Eibhlin/Aisling
wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I'm wondering how many people plant a second letterbox in the vicinity
> of a first one, and then place clues to it in the first one, but not
> online. It's always a treat when I discover one of these wonderful
> letterboxes.
>
> Cheerfully,
> Aisling

I did that. It was simple. Just take a compass reading from the listed
box to find a tree where the unlisted box was.

Some newer boxers in my area did it, too--not sure if they got the idea from
my box or not, but it was fun, either way.

DebBee


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I have never found one of these, but I was thinking of doing one
myself.

Mummy & Bunny Boy =D


--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, Eibhlin/Aisling
wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I'm wondering how many people plant a second letterbox in the vicinity
> of a first one, and then place clues to it in the first one, but not
> online. It's always a treat when I discover one of these wonderful
> letterboxes.
>
> Cheerfully,
> Aisling

The best one, well, ok, the only one I have found was at the TLRE this year.
I met Droop in the parking lot. We were both looking for the same box, and
decided to look for this special TLRE box together. When we found it and
opened it up, however, we found clues to the "real" box. I just fell out!
What fun and what a sense of humor.


JOY

-------Original Message-------

From: Eibhlin/Aisling
Date: 06/04/05 11:08:10
To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [LbNA] clues in boxes

Hi,

I'm wondering how many people plant a second letterbox in the vicinity
of a first one, and then place clues to it in the first one, but not
online. It's always a treat when I discover one of these wonderful
letterboxes.

Cheerfully,
Aisling



Yahoo! Groups Links

To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/letterbox-usa/

To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
letterbox-usa-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Why, yes, cheerful Aisling...:-) I LOVE bonus boxes and learned
very early on in my "letterboxing career" (last year...) from a
couple of great CT letterboxing buddies of mine, "the art of the
bonus box", as I call it... ;-)
Sojourner






--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, Eibhlin/Aisling

wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I'm wondering how many people plant a second letterbox in the
vicinity
> of a first one, and then place clues to it in the first one, but
not
> online. It's always a treat when I discover one of these wonderful
> letterboxes.
>
> Cheerfully,
> Aisling

Like a bonus box? I call them Easter Eggs because like undocumented
features in software programs (aka Easter Eggs), they are pleasant
little surprises you find if you are looking carefully.

There are several boxes in West Michigan like that, some mine, some
not. In my haste to stamp in and be discreet, I have missed a couple
I learned about later. I've since become very careful to always look
at all of the stuff inside the box.

SpringChick


--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, Eibhlin/Aisling
wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I'm wondering how many people plant a second letterbox in the
vicinity
> of a first one, and then place clues to it in the first one, but not
> online. It's always a treat when I discover one of these wonderful
> letterboxes.
>
> Cheerfully,
> Aisling

I make a point of doing it! I think it's great fun and the second box always relates to the first. I don't want to say too much about specific boxes and spoil the fun...

Enjoy!

Donutz716

Eibhlin/Aisling wrote:
Hi,

I'm wondering how many people plant a second letterbox in the vicinity
of a first one, and then place clues to it in the first one, but not
online. It's always a treat when I discover one of these wonderful
letterboxes.

Cheerfully,
Aisling


---------------------------------
Yahoo! Groups Links

To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/letterbox-usa/

To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
letterbox-usa-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Bonus boxes are always fun to find, and I have planted some myself, but I
have seen it over done, too. Specifically, I have seen several bonus boxes
piggy-backed on one box's clues. The problem I see is that perhaps you have
planned a certain amount of time for a boxing trip or are prepared for a
short distance but not a long one...having to add on more distance or time
could be troublesome. Of course, if the clues are printouts you can take
with you and come back another time, that's fine.

So my vote is that they are fun in moderation. :-)

Cheers!
-Kim (Rustypuff )

-----Original Message-----
From: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com [mailto:letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com]On
Behalf Of Eibhlin/Aisling
Sent: Saturday, June 04, 2005 12:08 PM
To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [LbNA] clues in boxes

Hi,

I'm wondering how many people plant a second letterbox in the vicinity
of a first one, and then place clues to it in the first one, but not
online. It's always a treat when I discover one of these wonderful
letterboxes.

Cheerfully,
Aisling


_____

Yahoo! Groups Links
* To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/letterbox-usa/

* To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
letterbox-usa-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com


* Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of
Service .


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I have done one, but I placed a cryptic clue on LBNA, just in case they
*stamp without reading* the log book. Am I defeating the purpose??
'positive' feed back would be welcome..... ;-)

Mermaid Mom


--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, Eibhlin/Aisling
wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I'm wondering how many people plant a second letterbox in the vicinity
> of a first one, and then place clues to it in the first one, but not
> online. It's always a treat when I discover one of these wonderful
> letterboxes.
>
> Cheerfully,
> Aisling

I LOVE surprises like this! Really plays up the treasure hunting aspect
of LB'ing which is what appeals to me the most. Would a clue like this be
what is known as a "cuckoo clue"? OR do those float from box to box?



Mama Stork

aka Pam in Cinci



Hi,

I'm wondering how many people plant a second letterbox in the vicinity
of a first one, and then place clues to it in the first one, but not
online. It's always a treat when I discover one of these wonderful
letterboxes.

Cheerfully,
Aisling



_____

*



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Proceed with caution on cuckoo clues and other 'sequential' letterbox
series. I have often come across boxes that were missing/damaged that
contained (or known to have contained) cuckoo clues or clues to
sequential letterboxes in a series. If the letterboxes are hidden very
well then it may not be a problem but in the event entire series are
based upon the presence of clues within another box, any 'accidental'
discovery of a box within the series/host box by non-boxers may ensure
the entire series' demise.

Examples of sequential LB series where initial boxes
were 'discovered'/vandalized:

Sunday in the Park with George (Salem, OR)--box number one fell into
the wrong hands and the entire series was jeopardized
I think the Jerusalem Jones series (Lacey, WA) suffered a similar fate--
resulting in a vandalism spree
(there are others, I just can't recall off the top of my head without
reviewing my LB journals)

Box known to contain cuckoo clue that went missing:
Picea sitchensis (NW OR)--in this case somebody planted a cuckoo clue
in this box that we planted (never knew who put the cuckoo clue in
there just got info from another LBer that there was a mega cuckoo clue
in it)--the clue was quite big and didn't make closing the LB container
all that easy and subsequently the box was discovered and removed--
cuckoo clue is missing forever (unless the individual hid multiple
copies of cuckoo clues in other area letterboxes). Since I had no
earthly idea who planted the cuckoo clue or what the clue was, I
couldn't inform the planter directly that the host box went missing.
Fortunately, this cuckoo clue went to a box quite far away from
the 'host' LB so it probably wasn't vandalized. What may be a problem,
though, is if this cuckoo clue was the only copy of the cuckoo clue
that existed.

One thing that might help is making the cuckoo clue more difficult
to 'discern' than just a straightforward clue--that way if the 'host'
box disappears then the cuckoo clue within isn't necessarily toast
either. For example, encrypt the cuckoo clue with a simple cipher or
include multiple compass azimuths so the accidental finder must be
armed with a compass in order to find the cuckoo box or use some
bizarre botanical description so it might 'intimidate' folks who
accidentally stumble upon the clues that some 'work' might be involved
to find the future box--if they're in it simply to vandalize boxes they
might just leave it alone.

Hope you find these ideas helpful,

dvn2r ckr

> One thing that might help is making the cuckoo clue more difficult
> to 'discern' than just a straightforward clue--that way if the 'host'
> box disappears then the cuckoo clue within isn't necessarily toast
> either. For example, encrypt the cuckoo clue with a simple cipher or
> include multiple compass azimuths so the accidental finder must be
> armed with a compass in order to find the cuckoo box or use some
> bizarre botanical description so it might 'intimidate' folks who
> accidentally stumble upon the clues that some 'work' might be
involved
> to find the future box--if they're in it simply to vandalize boxes
they
> might just leave it alone.
>
> Hope you find these ideas helpful,
>
> dvn2r ckr

Yup, cryptic clues, compass, math, knowledge of trees, and lots of
paces deters those who don't like a 'mystery'!
The clues to my *bonus* box are only in one box, and as soon as it is
reported *missing* I will post true clues to its location. after all,
it is a 'bonus' only until it becomes a solo box.
Mermaid Mom

I have a couple of boxes that have bonuses after the last box. One of them
the only clue is written on the last page of the log book. I figure it's a
bonus for those that are willing to sit and look through the log book and
take some time at my box. Those that are in a hurry, oh well!

Maiden

_____

From: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com [mailto:letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of chunna21
Sent: Saturday, June 04, 2005 3:16 PM
To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [LbNA] Re: clues in boxes



I have done one, but I placed a cryptic clue on LBNA, just in case they
*stamp without reading* the log book. Am I defeating the purpose??
'positive' feed back would be welcome..... ;-)

Mermaid Mom




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Have you had problems with people "stealing the clue? That happened in a
local box. The bonus clue was nicely laminated and clearly marked with
instructions to COPY the clue and leave the original, yet someone walked
off with it. Very frustrating for those who came after..



I love the idea of sequential clues and bonus boxes etc. and am just
wondering how to make them most effective. Nothing is idiot proof, I know.



Mama Stork

aka Pam in Cinci

_____

From: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com [mailto:letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of melanie
Sent: Sunday, June 05, 2005 11:43 AM
To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [LbNA] Re: clues in boxes



I have a couple of boxes that have bonuses after the last box. One of them
the only clue is written on the last page of the log book. I figure it's a
bonus for those that are willing to sit and look through the log book and
take some time at my box. Those that are in a hurry, oh well!

Maiden

_____

From: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com [mailto:letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of chunna21
Sent: Saturday, June 04, 2005 3:16 PM
To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [LbNA] Re: clues in boxes



I have done one, but I placed a cryptic clue on LBNA, just in case they
*stamp without reading* the log book. Am I defeating the purpose??
'positive' feed back would be welcome..... ;-)

Mermaid Mom




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]




_____

Yahoo! Groups Links

* To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/letterbox-usa/

* To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
letterbox-usa-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com


* Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo!
Terms of Service.



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

We placed one in Waterford CT that has an interesting "poem" in it. I
made about 50 copies (its about 6 lines or so) and stocked up the box
well and have no problems. My suggestion is to somehow affix a copy
of the clue into the log book.

We've seen the clue hand written in the log several times and this
certainly works. Others include multiple copies of the paper in the
box with works well with poems, lyrics, and other literary feats. If
you choose to include copies we'd suggest gluing a copy to the back
cover of the logbook so that people can find the bonus clue should
all loose copies get taken.

-Steve and Heidi in CT

--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "pkleingers" wrote:
> Have you had problems with people "stealing the clue? That
happened in a
> local box. The bonus clue was nicely laminated and clearly marked
with
> instructions to COPY the clue and leave the original, yet someone
walked
> off with it. Very frustrating for those who came after..
been removed]

--How about "stealing the entire bonus box???" That has happened to one
of my boxes twice, so I just yesterday took the clues out of the box
and will not be replacing it. The bonus mircobox was so well hidden, I
know that someone couldn't have just "seen it". Very odd.

LindaFay