Welcome to letterboxing! I wouldn't call myself and expert but I can
tell you what how I do things.

Thanks to Wisconsin Hiker and Martini Man, I bought one of those
backpacks that convert to a campstool. It holds all the things I need
(including box maintance/repair items) and I always have a place to
sit down and stamp in.

I learned the hard way that my logbook should have some properties
that the first one I made, did not have.

First, I like my logbook to open flat so when I make my logbooks now,
they always have a coil binding.

Second, there are very few smooth hard surfaces to stamp on in the
woods (duh!) so the pretty soft-cover log I made the first time was
beautiful -- but nearly useless. Now, the covers on my logbook are
always made from Matteboard the pages are blank 4x6 index cards. I got
my matteboard from the scrap box at Michaels in the picture framing
department.

I frequently box with a very good friend who uses a fanny-pack to
carry all her stuff. My daughter has recently been using a messenger
bag that she tucks an old vinyl tablecloth into for sitting on. (She
thanks Grandvilla and Mobiusklein, for that idea)

Like you, I also wear my compass around my neck. When I find the box,
I take myself a ways from the hiding spot, then from the front pocket
of the pack, I take out my little pack. The little pack contains my
logbook, 5 basic color markers, six mini stamp pads (I modified them
so the lids stay attached) plus several of those alcohol prep pads
(good for cleaning off fingers)and a quart size ziplock bag for trash.

Once I have my little pack out, I convert my backpack to a stool and
sit down. The open box can lay at my feet (or with one foot on it, if
it's windy) while I take out the parts I need to work with. Sitting on
my camp-stool, I'm comfy and can take time to enjoy reading the
logbook, stamping in and writing a note.

If the box needs maintance, I can always unzip the large compartment
and get out the supplies I keep in there. If it's drizzling, snowing,
sleeting, raining, ect. I have one of those flat-fold umbrellas in my
pack that I can prop over my shoulder while I work.

Due to some physical limitations, I'm not able to take long hikes any
more so I don't have to carry quite as many "what if -- just in case"
items, like we used to. Nowdays, the snacks I carry aren't packed with
an eye to an emergency overnight stay in the woods... they're usually
eaten by kiddo's as rewards for sticking with us while we go for "just
one more box" LOL!

Hope that helps.

Enjoy!
---Bindle Babe



Charlotte Schmotzer wrote:
> I'm a relative newbie...12 boxes in Sept when I started
> 2 in october (I was busy) and 12 yesterday.
> I have tried various systems to carry all the 'STUFF' needed for
me and then 'stuff' just in case the box needs help...
> so OLD TIMERS (this in not age related)
> how do you carry your stuff?
> how do you mark in? (sometimes it takes both my husband, me and a
nearby fallen tree to hold---log books, box, pen, 3 stamps, stamp
pads, baggies, papertowel wrap for stamp....etc.
> How do you manage all this stuff?
> just curious and wanting some ideas...my 12 yesterday were all in
one park, so i shoved my stamps pen and ink in one pocket, compass
around my neck and carried my book and a frisbee to hold the stuff
while i marked in. it was okay, but I still think i need some expert
advise....help please...

I'm also not an old-timer, but have been doing it long enough to have a
system that works for me.

For carrying things, I just use a plain old backpack, like you'd buy a
kid for school - one large pocket, one zipper pocket on the outside.
It's handy for carrying all that I need and keeping it out of the way
while I'm walking/searching. I have a large Ziploc that holds my
logbook, ink pad, stamps, pen - the ink pad and stamps are in their own
smaller baggie inside the larger one - and just pull the whole packet
out when it's time to stamp in. When I get to wherever I'll be
stamping, I use the baggies and the box and the box lid to hold the
various bits without dumping them into the dirt. I tend not to box in
the rain, but have boxed in the snow and found that this worked well.
The rain would complicate things with the need to keep everything
dry.......

Anyway, the backpack is large enough to carry everything from compass
to cellphone to snacks to whatever else I feel I need that day. The one
thing I will probably add next season is some sort of sitting surface -
I don't think I can carry a stadium seat, but maybe a bit of plastic
just large enough to keep the old tush from getting damp will be
enough. :-) I do like that my logbook has hard covers - makes stamping
a lot easier, both into my book and into the box' book since I have a
hard surface handy to place it on if it is soft-cover......

My learning curve this year included the fact that I should wrap my
stamps up instead of just putting them into the baggie with the ink
pads. They were fine for a really long time, but ultimately, the ink
pads bumped against them enough that some edge detail was chipped off
and now I need to recarve. That solution is probably as simple as
wrapping each stamp in a bit of felt, though.

pezpam

On Sunday, November 20, 2005, at 01:57 PM, bindlestiff_boxer wrote:

> Welcome to letterboxing! I wouldn't call myself and expert but I can
> tell you what how I do things.
>
>
> Hope that helps.
>
> Enjoy!
> ---Bindle Babe
>
>
>
> Charlotte Schmotzer wrote:
>> I'm a relative newbie...12 boxes in Sept when I started
>> 2 in october (I was busy) and 12 yesterday.
>> I have tried various systems to carry all the 'STUFF' needed for
> me and then 'stuff' just in case the box needs help...

I started with a large mesh backpack two years ago and stuffed it with way
too much stuff, including a very large logbook (bought before I started).
I was always too hot with this on my back. For the past year I take the
minimum; my silent boxing partner will only carry the clues, his water,
and nothing more!

I bought a small lumbar pack (swissgear) that holds two water bottles.
The small outside zipper pocket holds my compass, extra pen, state park
pass, pocket knife and comb (never used). Inside the large pouch I have
two mesh pockets where I hold my 2 PTs and ink pads, extra baggies. the
rest of the pack is for my stamp and ink pens (I recycled a mesh bag from
kitchen spoons purchased and added a shoe lace to close it up), a small
spiral logbook, extra supplies and my snacks. I use a plastic bar soap
container and fold up a wet sponge cloth for cleaning stamps. This stuff
does fit, but sometimes I have to really pull it all out to find what I
need. It is compact and wearing this pack does not slow me down. I might
have to go back to something larger for winter to include space for
discarded clothing layers and floor tarp, but the heat factor won't be an
issue.

Our longest, single hike away from the car was about 4.5 hours. We eat a
hearty breakfast and my snack choice has worked well ... I love Ocean
Spray's resealable bag of Cranberries, almonds, peanuts and chocolate
chips.

My collapsable hiking pole has a carabiner and a whistle attached. And
the silent one sometimes carries a cell phone.

Hope this gives you some ideas,
speedsquare



__________________________________
Start your day with Yahoo! - Make it your home page!
http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs

Hey Newbie,
What park were you at and which boxes did you find ??....just curious
If you want to try some Kentucky Covered Bridges let me know.....I have
all 13 covered ...

John

Okay, I'm going to sound a bit like an infomercial here, but I love
these bags:
http://www.jerrysartarama.com/art-supply/catalogs/0060934000000
It holds our stamps, log books, containers, band-aids, and pretty much
anything else we think of and it opens up into a seat. This makes
stamping in so much easier. We can also pretend we are sketching or
having a snack if people come by and hide stuff quickly so we aren't
caught standing around with the contents of the boxes everywhere and
stamps in hand. Sometimes for quicker stops, we just use it like a
little table and it gives us a place to set everything.

The only problem is that the clips on the straps don't stay on well,
but we are going to replace ours with rings.

We keep all of our letterboxing supplies in backpacks in the trunk of
our car. Everything we need is ready to go, just add clues. Those we
have sorted by state and counties within our state.

We are a team of two. Grumpy stamps us into the letterbox log while
Grinch fills in our own logbook. Then Grumpy stamps the box's stamp
into our book. Whoever found the box hides it again while the other
puts everything back into the backpack.

If we are hiking, we each take a pack. Grumpy has the primary
letterbox supplies. Grinch carries replacement materials and new
boxes as well as snacks. Grumpy Grinch

> so OLD TIMERS (this in not age related)
> how do you carry your stuff?
>
>
>
>
>

John,
from Ohio, but we get around. we were at Huntington beach set in Ohio.
listed as "Who's afraid of ghosts...there are 13 plus a bonus there, and one that's listed separtely as well as in this series is HUNTINGTON #1. so 14 were possible but I only got 12 because we had a set of older (6 weeks older) clues that have been updated. nice park. included one on the beach of lake erie.
I LOVE visiting covered bridges. that would be so cool and the weather would/could be milder there making winter runs more doable?
would love to know about them. send on the info and thanks!!!
char

motofranz@webtv.net wrote: Hey Newbie,
What park were you at and which boxes did you find ??....just curious
If you want to try some Kentucky Covered Bridges let me know.....I have
all 13 covered ...

John



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

We have a special backpack that has lots of pockets just for
letterboxing. All our supplies are there so we just have to grab it
and go...
Travelin'moores
--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, Charlotte Schmotzer
wrote:

> How do you manage all this stuff?
help please...
> charpezt
>
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Yahoo! FareChase - Search multiple travel sites in one click.
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

I have a small "tackle" type box that I use to keep my letterboxing
supplies in. The dividers are removeable, so I can customize the
compartments for my stamp, pens, and stamp pads, replacement ziplock
bags, diaper wipes (to clean hands, not stamps), tissues, etc...(Yes,
I'm anal!) I keep my log book in the bottom part of the box.

Then I put that inside a backpack. I use the kind that is really for
computer equipment. It's padded and really cofortable. There are also
lots of little pockets for snacks, water, disposable rain poncho,
sunscreen, first-aid kit. (I try to use the trial sizes of most
things to cut down on the size.)

I keep my compass and a really loud whistle (for emergencies) on a
string and loop it around the top part of one shoulder strap. (I've
found this is the best place for me to keep the compass. If I hold it
in my hand, my hands aren't free to hold clues or poke around inside
things. If I carry it in my backpack, then I have to stop and dig it
out when I need it. If I wear it around my neck, I will eventually
take it off and put it down somewhere and forget to get it for my
next excursion. If I keep it on the shoulder strap of my backpack, I
can reach it easily to check my directions, and it's ALWAYS there. I
also keep the whistle there because I letterbox alone sometimes and
if I fall I can easily get to the whistle to call for help. The
whistle I have takes little effort to blow loudly and can be heard
easier than a human's voice.)

If it is a long letterboxing vacation, I put all the clues in a 3
ring notebook, divided up by state, or city. I try to get as much
information about the location as possible. I almost always google
the park name to see if I can get a park map and an address, then I
can mapquest the address to get a better idea of where I'm going. I
print off anything I find that is helpful and put it behind the clues
in the notebook. I take along a plastic sheet protector to put the
clues in while I'm out on the trail. This way if it starts to
drizzle, the clues don't get too wet.) I also have a little plastic
pencil pouch in the notebook to keep park fees/passes in.

Of course, if I'm just going after a few local boxes, I just print
the clues and run out the door, leaving behind the notebook.

Ok...I think that was more than 2 cents, but I hope it gave somebody
so ideas.

If not, the only thing left to mention is the kitchen sink...

Backpack. I usually carry our logbooks & stamps (& first aid kit),
and Bruce carries the "repair kit" which is an extra of everything
plus a bunch of ziplock bags. We use hydration packs from EMS -- the
kind with a water bag & drinking tube built in.

When we bring my daughter's dog, Cleo, she carries the trash we pick
up in her pack. She also carries a small shovel, trashbags, and a
tennis ball. She drinks when I squirt water from my pack, so we don't
need to carry extra water and its not a major production to get drinks.

Just remember: a heavy pack will make you stronger! Just make sure it
fits right.

~ Aili
(of Aili, Bruce, Erin & Cleo)

Oh -- in action: I stamp into the box, and Bruce stamps the box into
our logbooks. We just spread things out on our laps. If it's wet, we
are usually wearing rain pants or we get a little damp.

Aili

Never thought of bringing a Frisbee.
I've been using a largish fanny-pack, but recently upgraded to a
CamelBack pack with the water-thingy for longer hikes. I downgrade
back to the fanny-pack, or even jacket pockets, for drive-by boxes,
and am thinking of something like a courier bag for urban ones to
blend into the crowd better. I keep a box of supplies in the back of
the car and pack up as needed for any given box.
Aud