FYI - When I wrote my Midlife crisis story, I put it in a Word document
along with the scans for my own use and records. I only wanted to share the
text with the group. When I copied and pasted I didn't initially realize
that the images came over too, until it was too late. I'm equally concerned
about not publishing the images unless the placer chooses to do it himself.
Displaying the "Stone Needle in NJ" mystery box would give away the
location. Sorry!

As for the off road time, I still think it's not a problem to at least
specify the following categories:

1. Driveby (DB): meaning: Very near the road or parking area.

2. Short walk (ShW): Less than an hour

3. Long walk (LW): 2 to 3 hours

4. Extended hike (EH): 1/2 day plus

Another angle has also occurred to me. It's just as important to let the
searcher know that they'll always be close to the car as not. I'm updating
Stone Needle to include the statement that the searcher should never be more
than a few minutes from a parking lot. If there's a clue that only says to
look for a landmark with no distance, a searcher may miss and go in a long
direction.

As I already stated, I knew the chances I was taking and my little adventure
on Saturday was no one else's fault but my own. That was the whole "Midlife
Crisis" connection. However, my plea is one of compassion for the
greenhorn. Just because your right isn't going to bring a hypothermia
victim back to life. Also, from my business law courses, I know that
disclaimers are not always foolproof. They have their limitations. If
you're the worse driver in the world, plastering your car with signs that
say, "Not responsible for any accidents that happen with this car" isn't
going to do you much good. If somebody perishes in the woods while
searching for a box with your name and address in it or with clues from your
website on their person, see what good those disclaimers will do for you! A
good lawyer can drill holes through any disclaimer.

Government land managers are very hypersensitive about liability. If a
casualty or accident occurs with the with the slightest connection to
letterboxing they will hunt them down and destroy them. They will also fine
anyone they catch doing it. I alluded to this in April in the "Letterboxing
in National Parks" Thread. I just heard a story about a man who was walking
through the Gettysburg Monument with his head down watching where he was
going. A Park Ranger accused him of looking for artifacts and gave him a
$100 fine. Don't think, it isn't possible for letterboxing to be declared
an incompatible activity. Remember, Government agencies and their law
systems are the hardest of all to fight.

I was YCC camp director at a state park one summer. We had a very
liability-conscious superintendent. You'd be surprised at all the seemingly
harmless activities that were curtailed because of it.

Ever since I wrote my suggestions for letterboxing on public lands, I've
seen nothing concrete come of it. Just some "warm fuzzy" lip service. If
you're looking for a hobby the requires no accountability, you should
consider collecting postage stamps and not the ones in letterboxes.

HEED MY WARNING!!!!!

Forester



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