Do any of you letterbox folks feel this way at times -- I know we do --- I'd
like to ask that when you hide a letterbox, your clues on finding it are as
clear as possible. YOU know where it is; WE don't. When you say its the
tree that looks like an aardvark 50 paces to the left of the big rock ----
well maybe the tree doesn't look like an aardvark to me and in a woodsy
setting there are 500000000000 rocks.
I cant tell you how many we have gone to find following clues like walk up
the road til you find a big tree with a branch that hangs low.
In nature preserves and parks there are a ton of trees with branches that
hang low.
Also, if you plant a box in the spring be aware that by august the weeds and
vines will grow and make it more difficult to find ---- if not impossible if
you have to cut thru vines and poison ivy etc to get to it,
Remember too that naturally occurring landmarks like trees or stumps or
whatever can be cut down or moved or blown over in storms ----- the tree or
log that may be lying across the stream in Nov may no longer be there next
April or May. The tree that looked like an aardvark may have blown over and
now looks like a dead hippo on the ground.
We really enjoy taking a nice sunny Saturday afternoon to get out and search
for these but many times our adventurous outing just turns to frustration
because someone has written "walk down the road til you find a stone wall
and the box is on the left of the stone wall" when it is actually on the
right. Across from the big white and yellow house -- when it actuality it
was not across from it but a half mile down the road and around a corner.
(Two clues from a recent letter box with details changed a bit to not point
to anyone specific)
I know the fun of letterboxing is the hunt but when it gets frustrating
because the clues are vague or just wrong it really does tend to put a
damper on the fun.
The Sleeping Puppies
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Concise Directions
132 messages in this thread |
Started on 2007-08-12
Concise Directions
From: Rusty Judd (r2judd@bestweb.net) |
Date: 2007-08-12 08:30:34 UTC-04:00
Re: [LbNA] Concise Directions
From: tony pecchia (anthony.pecchia@cox.net) |
Date: 2007-08-12 09:40:07 UTC-04:00
My favorite was the clue that said, (and this is inside a forest) "20 paces to a tree that's sticking out of the ground." As opposed to what, one that's hanging from the sky?
Tony
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Tony
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: Concise Directions
From: bret bridwell (dekulink69@yahoo.com) |
Date: 2007-08-12 14:36:36 UTC
i dont want to have to start a flame war, but come on. why dont we
just wait by the tree and hand you the letterbox so you can just
drive by without having to get out of your car???
this is what make letterboxing what it is. having to search for our
little gems that were created for us to find.
if you dont like having to search for the creations of others, then
join the postal groups and wait for them to come to you in the
mail..i dont have anything against postals. i have done many in the
past. and they are letterboxes to me too.
it just irks me when someone complains about someone elses hard work
and effort to create something special for us who are serious about
this sport/hobby/addiction. ya, we all dont find every letterbox that
is hidden. and yes sometimes nature does tend to get in the way with
growing things around our hiding spots. but thats what makes it
interesting.
and yes, sometimes the clues are off. so send the planter a message
and ask if they can help with the clues. or try from a different
direction or come back another day and try again with a fresh
perspective..
but to want the directions to lead you right to the exact spot
without any sense of searching/finding??? thats not letterboxing to
me. the thrill of the hunt/search is what does it for me. and the
little gem that was planted for me to find is the added reward. such
talent that we all have. carving images out of rubber. hiding plastic
boxes in the bushes that sometimes dont ever get discovered. and
taking me to wondeful sights that i might never have discovered
before.
thats my rant for the day. thanx for listening.
later,dragonrider
--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, Rusty Judd
>
> Do any of you letterbox folks feel this way at times -- I know we
do --- I'd
> like to ask that when you hide a letterbox, your clues on finding
it are as
> clear as possible. YOU know where it is; WE don't. When you say
its the
> tree that looks like an aardvark 50 paces to the left of the big
rock ----
> well maybe the tree doesn't look like an aardvark to me and in a
woodsy
> setting there are 500000000000 rocks.
>
> I cant tell you how many we have gone to find following clues
like walk up
> the road til you find a big tree with a branch that hangs low.
> In nature preserves and parks there are a ton of trees with
branches that
> hang low.
>
> Also, if you plant a box in the spring be aware that by august the
weeds and
> vines will grow and make it more difficult to find ---- if not
impossible if
> you have to cut thru vines and poison ivy etc to get to it,
>
> Remember too that naturally occurring landmarks like trees or
stumps or
> whatever can be cut down or moved or blown over in storms ----- the
tree or
> log that may be lying across the stream in Nov may no longer be
there next
> April or May. The tree that looked like an aardvark may have blown
over and
> now looks like a dead hippo on the ground.
>
> We really enjoy taking a nice sunny Saturday afternoon to get out
and search
> for these but many times our adventurous outing just turns to
frustration
> because someone has written "walk down the road til you find a
stone wall
> and the box is on the left of the stone wall" when it is actually
on the
> right. Across from the big white and yellow house -- when it
actuality it
> was not across from it but a half mile down the road and around a
corner.
> (Two clues from a recent letter box with details changed a bit to
not point
> to anyone specific)
>
> I know the fun of letterboxing is the hunt but when it gets
frustrating
> because the clues are vague or just wrong it really does tend to
put a
> damper on the fun.
>
> The Sleeping Puppies
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
RE: [LbNA] Re: Concise Directions
From: Maiden (maiden1974@verizon.net) |
Date: 2007-08-12 09:32:22 UTC-07:00
Here here Dragonrider!
Yesterday I spent an entire afternoon searching for one box. I loaded my
family into a boat, powered across two rivers, and landed on a beautiful
beach. We then proceeded to see a beautiful heron, several large boats,
watch the jet skiers, swim, dig in the sand, watch the hermit crabs scuttle
across the beach, and watch the kids play on their "wake board". I didn't
find the box. I searched and searched. I found poison oak, stinging nettles,
and blackberries. My legs, arms, and head were all bleeding before I gave
up. Was I upset that I didn't find it? Nope. Disappointed slightly? Yes. But
you know what? It was an amazing day and I thanked the placer for sending me
to such a wonderful location.
It's about the journey, the stamp is simply the physical memory!
Maiden
_____
From: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com [mailto:letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of bret bridwell
Sent: Sunday, August 12, 2007 7:37 AM
To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [LbNA] Re: Concise Directions
i dont want to have to start a flame war, but come on. why dont we
just wait by the tree and hand you the letterbox so you can just
drive by without having to get out of your car???
this is what make letterboxing what it is. having to search for our
little gems that were created for us to find.
if you dont like having to search for the creations of others, then
join the postal groups and wait for them to come to you in the
mail..i dont have anything against postals. i have done many in the
past. and they are letterboxes to me too.
it just irks me when someone complains about someone elses hard work
and effort to create something special for us who are serious about
this sport/hobby/addiction. ya, we all dont find every letterbox that
is hidden. and yes sometimes nature does tend to get in the way with
growing things around our hiding spots. but thats what makes it
interesting.
and yes, sometimes the clues are off. so send the planter a message
and ask if they can help with the clues. or try from a different
direction or come back another day and try again with a fresh
perspective..
but to want the directions to lead you right to the exact spot
without any sense of searching/finding??? thats not letterboxing to
me. the thrill of the hunt/search is what does it for me. and the
little gem that was planted for me to find is the added reward. such
talent that we all have. carving images out of rubber. hiding plastic
boxes in the bushes that sometimes dont ever get discovered. and
taking me to wondeful sights that i might never have discovered
before.
thats my rant for the day. thanx for listening.
later,dragonrider
--- In letterbox-usa@
yahoogroups.com, Rusty Judd wrote:
>
> Do any of you letterbox folks feel this way at times -- I know we
do --- I'd
> like to ask that when you hide a letterbox, your clues on finding
it are as
> clear as possible. YOU know where it is; WE don't. When you say
its the
> tree that looks like an aardvark 50 paces to the left of the big
rock ----
> well maybe the tree doesn't look like an aardvark to me and in a
woodsy
> setting there are 500000000000 rocks.
>
> I cant tell you how many we have gone to find following clues
like walk up
> the road til you find a big tree with a branch that hangs low.
> In nature preserves and parks there are a ton of trees with
branches that
> hang low.
>
> Also, if you plant a box in the spring be aware that by august the
weeds and
> vines will grow and make it more difficult to find ---- if not
impossible if
> you have to cut thru vines and poison ivy etc to get to it,
>
> Remember too that naturally occurring landmarks like trees or
stumps or
> whatever can be cut down or moved or blown over in storms ----- the
tree or
> log that may be lying across the stream in Nov may no longer be
there next
> April or May. The tree that looked like an aardvark may have blown
over and
> now looks like a dead hippo on the ground.
>
> We really enjoy taking a nice sunny Saturday afternoon to get out
and search
> for these but many times our adventurous outing just turns to
frustration
> because someone has written "walk down the road til you find a
stone wall
> and the box is on the left of the stone wall" when it is actually
on the
> right. Across from the big white and yellow house -- when it
actuality it
> was not across from it but a half mile down the road and around a
corner.
> (Two clues from a recent letter box with details changed a bit to
not point
> to anyone specific)
>
> I know the fun of letterboxing is the hunt but when it gets
frustrating
> because the clues are vague or just wrong it really does tend to
put a
> damper on the fun.
>
> The Sleeping Puppies
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Yesterday I spent an entire afternoon searching for one box. I loaded my
family into a boat, powered across two rivers, and landed on a beautiful
beach. We then proceeded to see a beautiful heron, several large boats,
watch the jet skiers, swim, dig in the sand, watch the hermit crabs scuttle
across the beach, and watch the kids play on their "wake board". I didn't
find the box. I searched and searched. I found poison oak, stinging nettles,
and blackberries. My legs, arms, and head were all bleeding before I gave
up. Was I upset that I didn't find it? Nope. Disappointed slightly? Yes. But
you know what? It was an amazing day and I thanked the placer for sending me
to such a wonderful location.
It's about the journey, the stamp is simply the physical memory!
Maiden
_____
From: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com [mailto:letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of bret bridwell
Sent: Sunday, August 12, 2007 7:37 AM
To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [LbNA] Re: Concise Directions
i dont want to have to start a flame war, but come on. why dont we
just wait by the tree and hand you the letterbox so you can just
drive by without having to get out of your car???
this is what make letterboxing what it is. having to search for our
little gems that were created for us to find.
if you dont like having to search for the creations of others, then
join the postal groups and wait for them to come to you in the
mail..i dont have anything against postals. i have done many in the
past. and they are letterboxes to me too.
it just irks me when someone complains about someone elses hard work
and effort to create something special for us who are serious about
this sport/hobby/addiction. ya, we all dont find every letterbox that
is hidden. and yes sometimes nature does tend to get in the way with
growing things around our hiding spots. but thats what makes it
interesting.
and yes, sometimes the clues are off. so send the planter a message
and ask if they can help with the clues. or try from a different
direction or come back another day and try again with a fresh
perspective..
but to want the directions to lead you right to the exact spot
without any sense of searching/finding??? thats not letterboxing to
me. the thrill of the hunt/search is what does it for me. and the
little gem that was planted for me to find is the added reward. such
talent that we all have. carving images out of rubber. hiding plastic
boxes in the bushes that sometimes dont ever get discovered. and
taking me to wondeful sights that i might never have discovered
before.
thats my rant for the day. thanx for listening.
later,dragonrider
--- In letterbox-usa@
yahoogroups.com, Rusty Judd
>
> Do any of you letterbox folks feel this way at times -- I know we
do --- I'd
> like to ask that when you hide a letterbox, your clues on finding
it are as
> clear as possible. YOU know where it is; WE don't. When you say
its the
> tree that looks like an aardvark 50 paces to the left of the big
rock ----
> well maybe the tree doesn't look like an aardvark to me and in a
woodsy
> setting there are 500000000000 rocks.
>
> I cant tell you how many we have gone to find following clues
like walk up
> the road til you find a big tree with a branch that hangs low.
> In nature preserves and parks there are a ton of trees with
branches that
> hang low.
>
> Also, if you plant a box in the spring be aware that by august the
weeds and
> vines will grow and make it more difficult to find ---- if not
impossible if
> you have to cut thru vines and poison ivy etc to get to it,
>
> Remember too that naturally occurring landmarks like trees or
stumps or
> whatever can be cut down or moved or blown over in storms ----- the
tree or
> log that may be lying across the stream in Nov may no longer be
there next
> April or May. The tree that looked like an aardvark may have blown
over and
> now looks like a dead hippo on the ground.
>
> We really enjoy taking a nice sunny Saturday afternoon to get out
and search
> for these but many times our adventurous outing just turns to
frustration
> because someone has written "walk down the road til you find a
stone wall
> and the box is on the left of the stone wall" when it is actually
on the
> right. Across from the big white and yellow house -- when it
actuality it
> was not across from it but a half mile down the road and around a
corner.
> (Two clues from a recent letter box with details changed a bit to
not point
> to anyone specific)
>
> I know the fun of letterboxing is the hunt but when it gets
frustrating
> because the clues are vague or just wrong it really does tend to
put a
> damper on the fun.
>
> The Sleeping Puppies
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
RE: [LbNA] Concise Directions
From: Maiden (maiden1974@verizon.net) |
Date: 2007-08-12 09:33:02 UTC-07:00
_____
From: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com [mailto:letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of tony pecchia
Sent: Sunday, August 12, 2007 6:40 AM
To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [LbNA] Concise Directions
My favorite was the clue that said, (and this is inside a forest) "20 paces
to a tree that's sticking out of the ground." As opposed to what, one that's
hanging from the sky?
Tony
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
RE: [LbNA] Concise Directions
From: Maiden (maiden1974@verizon.net) |
Date: 2007-08-12 09:33:57 UTC-07:00
One of my favorite letterboxing "rules" is "if there's doubt, keep walking,
the "real" spot is probably just around the corner.
Maiden
_____
From: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com [mailto:letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of tony pecchia
Sent: Sunday, August 12, 2007 6:40 AM
To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [LbNA] Concise Directions
My favorite was the clue that said, (and this is inside a forest) "20 paces
to a tree that's sticking out of the ground." As opposed to what, one that's
hanging from the sky?
Tony
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
the "real" spot is probably just around the corner.
Maiden
_____
From: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com [mailto:letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of tony pecchia
Sent: Sunday, August 12, 2007 6:40 AM
To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [LbNA] Concise Directions
My favorite was the clue that said, (and this is inside a forest) "20 paces
to a tree that's sticking out of the ground." As opposed to what, one that's
hanging from the sky?
Tony
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
RE: [LbNA] Re: Concise Directions
From: Mark Pepe (mjpepe1@comcast.net) |
Date: 2007-08-12 12:41:20 UTC-04:00
I agree with Dragonrider. No one ever said this is easy.
If you get discouraged, maybe this hobby isn't for you.
Different placers use different clue techniques - whether on purpose or not.
We should be thankful for their efforts.
Mark
-----Original Message-----
From: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com [mailto:letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of bret bridwell
Sent: Sunday, August 12, 2007 10:37 AM
To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [LbNA] Re: Concise Directions
i dont want to have to start a flame war, but come on. why dont we
just wait by the tree and hand you the letterbox so you can just
drive by without having to get out of your car???
this is what make letterboxing what it is. having to search for our
little gems that were created for us to find.
if you dont like having to search for the creations of others, then
join the postal groups and wait for them to come to you in the
mail..i dont have anything against postals. i have done many in the
past. and they are letterboxes to me too.
it just irks me when someone complains about someone elses hard work
and effort to create something special for us who are serious about
this sport/hobby/addiction. ya, we all dont find every letterbox that
is hidden. and yes sometimes nature does tend to get in the way with
growing things around our hiding spots. but thats what makes it
interesting.
and yes, sometimes the clues are off. so send the planter a message
and ask if they can help with the clues. or try from a different
direction or come back another day and try again with a fresh
perspective..
but to want the directions to lead you right to the exact spot
without any sense of searching/finding??? thats not letterboxing to
me. the thrill of the hunt/search is what does it for me. and the
little gem that was planted for me to find is the added reward. such
talent that we all have. carving images out of rubber. hiding plastic
boxes in the bushes that sometimes dont ever get discovered. and
taking me to wondeful sights that i might never have discovered
before.
thats my rant for the day. thanx for listening.
later,dragonrider
--- In letterbox-usa@
yahoogroups.com, Rusty Judd wrote:
>
> Do any of you letterbox folks feel this way at times -- I know we
do --- I'd
> like to ask that when you hide a letterbox, your clues on finding
it are as
> clear as possible. YOU know where it is; WE don't. When you say
its the
> tree that looks like an aardvark 50 paces to the left of the big
rock ----
> well maybe the tree doesn't look like an aardvark to me and in a
woodsy
> setting there are 500000000000 rocks.
>
> I cant tell you how many we have gone to find following clues
like walk up
> the road til you find a big tree with a branch that hangs low.
> In nature preserves and parks there are a ton of trees with
branches that
> hang low.
>
> Also, if you plant a box in the spring be aware that by august the
weeds and
> vines will grow and make it more difficult to find ---- if not
impossible if
> you have to cut thru vines and poison ivy etc to get to it,
>
> Remember too that naturally occurring landmarks like trees or
stumps or
> whatever can be cut down or moved or blown over in storms ----- the
tree or
> log that may be lying across the stream in Nov may no longer be
there next
> April or May. The tree that looked like an aardvark may have blown
over and
> now looks like a dead hippo on the ground.
>
> We really enjoy taking a nice sunny Saturday afternoon to get out
and search
> for these but many times our adventurous outing just turns to
frustration
> because someone has written "walk down the road til you find a
stone wall
> and the box is on the left of the stone wall" when it is actually
on the
> right. Across from the big white and yellow house -- when it
actuality it
> was not across from it but a half mile down the road and around a
corner.
> (Two clues from a recent letter box with details changed a bit to
not point
> to anyone specific)
>
> I know the fun of letterboxing is the hunt but when it gets
frustrating
> because the clues are vague or just wrong it really does tend to
put a
> damper on the fun.
>
> The Sleeping Puppies
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
If you get discouraged, maybe this hobby isn't for you.
Different placers use different clue techniques - whether on purpose or not.
We should be thankful for their efforts.
Mark
-----Original Message-----
From: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com [mailto:letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of bret bridwell
Sent: Sunday, August 12, 2007 10:37 AM
To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [LbNA] Re: Concise Directions
i dont want to have to start a flame war, but come on. why dont we
just wait by the tree and hand you the letterbox so you can just
drive by without having to get out of your car???
this is what make letterboxing what it is. having to search for our
little gems that were created for us to find.
if you dont like having to search for the creations of others, then
join the postal groups and wait for them to come to you in the
mail..i dont have anything against postals. i have done many in the
past. and they are letterboxes to me too.
it just irks me when someone complains about someone elses hard work
and effort to create something special for us who are serious about
this sport/hobby/addiction. ya, we all dont find every letterbox that
is hidden. and yes sometimes nature does tend to get in the way with
growing things around our hiding spots. but thats what makes it
interesting.
and yes, sometimes the clues are off. so send the planter a message
and ask if they can help with the clues. or try from a different
direction or come back another day and try again with a fresh
perspective..
but to want the directions to lead you right to the exact spot
without any sense of searching/finding??? thats not letterboxing to
me. the thrill of the hunt/search is what does it for me. and the
little gem that was planted for me to find is the added reward. such
talent that we all have. carving images out of rubber. hiding plastic
boxes in the bushes that sometimes dont ever get discovered. and
taking me to wondeful sights that i might never have discovered
before.
thats my rant for the day. thanx for listening.
later,dragonrider
--- In letterbox-usa@
yahoogroups.com, Rusty Judd
>
> Do any of you letterbox folks feel this way at times -- I know we
do --- I'd
> like to ask that when you hide a letterbox, your clues on finding
it are as
> clear as possible. YOU know where it is; WE don't. When you say
its the
> tree that looks like an aardvark 50 paces to the left of the big
rock ----
> well maybe the tree doesn't look like an aardvark to me and in a
woodsy
> setting there are 500000000000 rocks.
>
> I cant tell you how many we have gone to find following clues
like walk up
> the road til you find a big tree with a branch that hangs low.
> In nature preserves and parks there are a ton of trees with
branches that
> hang low.
>
> Also, if you plant a box in the spring be aware that by august the
weeds and
> vines will grow and make it more difficult to find ---- if not
impossible if
> you have to cut thru vines and poison ivy etc to get to it,
>
> Remember too that naturally occurring landmarks like trees or
stumps or
> whatever can be cut down or moved or blown over in storms ----- the
tree or
> log that may be lying across the stream in Nov may no longer be
there next
> April or May. The tree that looked like an aardvark may have blown
over and
> now looks like a dead hippo on the ground.
>
> We really enjoy taking a nice sunny Saturday afternoon to get out
and search
> for these but many times our adventurous outing just turns to
frustration
> because someone has written "walk down the road til you find a
stone wall
> and the box is on the left of the stone wall" when it is actually
on the
> right. Across from the big white and yellow house -- when it
actuality it
> was not across from it but a half mile down the road and around a
corner.
> (Two clues from a recent letter box with details changed a bit to
not point
> to anyone specific)
>
> I know the fun of letterboxing is the hunt but when it gets
frustrating
> because the clues are vague or just wrong it really does tend to
put a
> damper on the fun.
>
> The Sleeping Puppies
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: [LbNA] Concise Directions
From: ruhlette (ruhlette@yahoo.com) |
Date: 2007-08-12 09:44:22 UTC-07:00
I, for one, never expect to find all directions as clear as possible, and
I would never demand it of others. When we set out to find a letterbox,
we don't have an expectation that we will find it, but we hope we will,
and we hope to see something outstanding or interesting in the pursuit.
If you see the clues indicate an aardvark (or in my clues, a crocodile),
it would be wise to look up an image before you start your hunt. I also
make a mental note of the plant date before I give up looking, for
precisely the reasons you state. My Dorf der Turmspitzen has not be
"found" yet, and when I went to check on it, there was no way I was going
to confirm it. The area was overflowing in poison ivy. I will check
again come winter. Landscapes can change quickly and planters don't
naturally check on boxes daily.
In a perfect world, you could notify the planters when you plan to hunt
for the letterboxes, giving them enough time to check on it and report
back to you that "it's there!" If you are looking for guarantees, you may
be disappointed more often. As far as accuracy in writing clues, we can't
always be 100% perfect. When I find myself scratching my head, I laugh
and think, "they aren't going to make me give up THAT quickly. Now let's
figure it out. I'm responsible how I feel about the experience, and I
don't blame planters or woodland critters or previous finders if I feel
cheated.
~speedsquare
____________________________________________________________________________________
Pinpoint customers who are looking for what you sell.
http://searchmarketing.yahoo.com/
I would never demand it of others. When we set out to find a letterbox,
we don't have an expectation that we will find it, but we hope we will,
and we hope to see something outstanding or interesting in the pursuit.
If you see the clues indicate an aardvark (or in my clues, a crocodile),
it would be wise to look up an image before you start your hunt. I also
make a mental note of the plant date before I give up looking, for
precisely the reasons you state. My Dorf der Turmspitzen has not be
"found" yet, and when I went to check on it, there was no way I was going
to confirm it. The area was overflowing in poison ivy. I will check
again come winter. Landscapes can change quickly and planters don't
naturally check on boxes daily.
In a perfect world, you could notify the planters when you plan to hunt
for the letterboxes, giving them enough time to check on it and report
back to you that "it's there!" If you are looking for guarantees, you may
be disappointed more often. As far as accuracy in writing clues, we can't
always be 100% perfect. When I find myself scratching my head, I laugh
and think, "they aren't going to make me give up THAT quickly. Now let's
figure it out. I'm responsible how I feel about the experience, and I
don't blame planters or woodland critters or previous finders if I feel
cheated.
~speedsquare
____________________________________________________________________________________
Pinpoint customers who are looking for what you sell.
http://searchmarketing.yahoo.com/
RE: [LbNA] Concise Directions
From: (letterbox@comcast.net) |
Date: 2007-08-12 16:52:58 UTC
Oh how true!!!
SC
-------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "Maiden"
> One of my favorite letterboxing "rules" is "if there's doubt, keep walking,
> the "real" spot is probably just around the corner.
>
>
>
> Maiden
>
>
>
> _____
>
> From: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com [mailto:letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com]
> On Behalf Of tony pecchia
> Sent: Sunday, August 12, 2007 6:40 AM
> To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [LbNA] Concise Directions
>
>
>
> My favorite was the clue that said, (and this is inside a forest) "20 paces
> to a tree that's sticking out of the ground." As opposed to what, one that's
> hanging from the sky?
>
> Tony
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
SC
-------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "Maiden"
> One of my favorite letterboxing "rules" is "if there's doubt, keep walking,
> the "real" spot is probably just around the corner.
>
>
>
> Maiden
>
>
>
> _____
>
> From: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com [mailto:letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com]
> On Behalf Of tony pecchia
> Sent: Sunday, August 12, 2007 6:40 AM
> To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [LbNA] Concise Directions
>
>
>
> My favorite was the clue that said, (and this is inside a forest) "20 paces
> to a tree that's sticking out of the ground." As opposed to what, one that's
> hanging from the sky?
>
> Tony
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: [LbNA] Concise Directions
From: (letterbox@comcast.net) |
Date: 2007-08-12 17:10:13 UTC
I can certainly understand your frustration, we have all been there, hunting under every big rock in a field of big rocks, taking the indicated bearing at every other tree along the trail because the clues said to head 243 degrees at the oak tree... all the while cursing the placer for not being more precise -- but that is all a part of the game. I for one, find it much less fun and far less gratifying when a set of clues lead me straight to a letterbox, with no questions or doubts as to how something should be interpreted or which one-eyed tree was the indicated landmark.
Letterboxing is a hunt. You aren't supposed to just be able to follow the directions straight to the box. Think about treasure hunts of old -- people looked for years to find hidden treasures and loot that had been buried and marked on hastily drawn maps.
Many people make their clues vague intentionally to create a challenge and make the finder think a little (hooray for creativity!). Admittedly in some instances it is a true case of a typo or wrong direction (i.e. particularly when the planter writes the clues going backward), but even then as a finder you should always try every possibility you can think of -- if the box is not in the roots of the big tree on the left, perhaps it is on the right; if there is no fork in the trail at 90 degrees, perhaps they mean the fork at 270 degrees.
The great thing about letterboxing is that there is something for everyone. There are enough boxes whose clues do lead you straight to the box that if that is more your style, you can choose to do those (you can usually tell just by reading through the clues how precise or vague they are).
Not every box is for every person -- not every hike is for every person, not every clue is for every person... and you're not going to find every box you look for.
SpringChick
-------------- Original message ----------------------
From: Rusty Judd
> Do any of you letterbox folks feel this way at times -- I know we do --- I'd
> like to ask that when you hide a letterbox, your clues on finding it are as
> clear as possible. YOU know where it is; WE don't. When you say its the
> tree that looks like an aardvark 50 paces to the left of the big rock ----
> well maybe the tree doesn't look like an aardvark to me and in a woodsy
> setting there are 500000000000 rocks.
>
> I cant tell you how many we have gone to find following clues like walk up
> the road til you find a big tree with a branch that hangs low.
> In nature preserves and parks there are a ton of trees with branches that
> hang low.
>
> Also, if you plant a box in the spring be aware that by august the weeds and
> vines will grow and make it more difficult to find ---- if not impossible if
> you have to cut thru vines and poison ivy etc to get to it,
>
> Remember too that naturally occurring landmarks like trees or stumps or
> whatever can be cut down or moved or blown over in storms ----- the tree or
> log that may be lying across the stream in Nov may no longer be there next
> April or May. The tree that looked like an aardvark may have blown over and
> now looks like a dead hippo on the ground.
>
> We really enjoy taking a nice sunny Saturday afternoon to get out and search
> for these but many times our adventurous outing just turns to frustration
> because someone has written "walk down the road til you find a stone wall
> and the box is on the left of the stone wall" when it is actually on the
> right. Across from the big white and yellow house -- when it actuality it
> was not across from it but a half mile down the road and around a corner.
> (Two clues from a recent letter box with details changed a bit to not point
> to anyone specific)
>
> I know the fun of letterboxing is the hunt but when it gets frustrating
> because the clues are vague or just wrong it really does tend to put a
> damper on the fun.
>
> The Sleeping Puppies
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Letterboxing is a hunt. You aren't supposed to just be able to follow the directions straight to the box. Think about treasure hunts of old -- people looked for years to find hidden treasures and loot that had been buried and marked on hastily drawn maps.
Many people make their clues vague intentionally to create a challenge and make the finder think a little (hooray for creativity!). Admittedly in some instances it is a true case of a typo or wrong direction (i.e. particularly when the planter writes the clues going backward), but even then as a finder you should always try every possibility you can think of -- if the box is not in the roots of the big tree on the left, perhaps it is on the right; if there is no fork in the trail at 90 degrees, perhaps they mean the fork at 270 degrees.
The great thing about letterboxing is that there is something for everyone. There are enough boxes whose clues do lead you straight to the box that if that is more your style, you can choose to do those (you can usually tell just by reading through the clues how precise or vague they are).
Not every box is for every person -- not every hike is for every person, not every clue is for every person... and you're not going to find every box you look for.
SpringChick
-------------- Original message ----------------------
From: Rusty Judd
> Do any of you letterbox folks feel this way at times -- I know we do --- I'd
> like to ask that when you hide a letterbox, your clues on finding it are as
> clear as possible. YOU know where it is; WE don't. When you say its the
> tree that looks like an aardvark 50 paces to the left of the big rock ----
> well maybe the tree doesn't look like an aardvark to me and in a woodsy
> setting there are 500000000000 rocks.
>
> I cant tell you how many we have gone to find following clues like walk up
> the road til you find a big tree with a branch that hangs low.
> In nature preserves and parks there are a ton of trees with branches that
> hang low.
>
> Also, if you plant a box in the spring be aware that by august the weeds and
> vines will grow and make it more difficult to find ---- if not impossible if
> you have to cut thru vines and poison ivy etc to get to it,
>
> Remember too that naturally occurring landmarks like trees or stumps or
> whatever can be cut down or moved or blown over in storms ----- the tree or
> log that may be lying across the stream in Nov may no longer be there next
> April or May. The tree that looked like an aardvark may have blown over and
> now looks like a dead hippo on the ground.
>
> We really enjoy taking a nice sunny Saturday afternoon to get out and search
> for these but many times our adventurous outing just turns to frustration
> because someone has written "walk down the road til you find a stone wall
> and the box is on the left of the stone wall" when it is actually on the
> right. Across from the big white and yellow house -- when it actuality it
> was not across from it but a half mile down the road and around a corner.
> (Two clues from a recent letter box with details changed a bit to not point
> to anyone specific)
>
> I know the fun of letterboxing is the hunt but when it gets frustrating
> because the clues are vague or just wrong it really does tend to put a
> damper on the fun.
>
> The Sleeping Puppies
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[LbNA] Re: Concise Directions
From: Brian, Ryan & Lori (teamgreendragon2003@yahoo.com) |
Date: 2007-08-12 17:37:34 UTC
It's the thrill of the hunt for me. The more obstacles thrown in the
mix the better. None of the best boxes I've found have been easy. Sure
following some easy clues to a so-so box is a great way to kill an
afternoon and does get me out in the woods. I do appreciate these but
they in no way compare to the thrill of overcoming the challenge of a
good mystery. I'd rather spend a day climbing a mountain or two just
to verify that they are not the place I need to be to find a Mapsurfer
box any time.
Brian
TeamGreenDragon
[LbNA] Re: Concise Directions
From: azobox (jparkerg@yahoo.com) |
Date: 2007-08-12 18:07:50 UTC
Perhaps some seekers are expecting directions and all they're given
are clues.
azobox
are clues.
azobox
Re: [LbNA] Re: Concise Directions
From: Randy Hall (randy@mapsurfer.com) |
Date: 2007-08-12 13:14:57 UTC-05:00
> i dont want to have to start a flame war,
Don't worry, you didn't. It is quite possible for
reasonable people to talk about this without doing so.
It seems interesting to point out a couple of things,
at least on the surface, that seem true --
It is easy for hunters do decide which clues to do after
reading them; OTOH, tho possible, it is much more difficult
for cryptic clue writers to choose their hunters. Just
a thought.
Antecodal evidence (or at least what I hear, from my limited
hole), is that clue writers make more mistakes than hunters :)
Be all that as it may, don't people see the beauty in the
semiotics of letterbox clues? Here you have a platonic,
real location, with zero information loss at the time and
place of planting. Then, thru the map of the writer and
time decay from time of planting 'til time of reading,
you have three points of information loss (the time decay,
the writer's map, and the role of the reader against that
map). IMHO, all art in our world, whether it be music,
poetry, whatever, is what it is because of the dissonance of
information loss between the concept, artist, and artee (for
lack of a better word), and isn't that "Ah!" when we connect
with the artist's perception of the platonic concept really
cool? (that is, clearing away the grime of this dissonance;
what Jim Morrision, or was it Huxley, called "The Doors or
Perception"). That "oh, I get it" feeling. I'm in this,
for that. People who aren't will find this post quite bizarre,
and I respect that opinion, just don't flame me for mine --
agree to disagree.
And to think yoyos like you and me can do this thru something
as simple as letterboxing clues. And that doesn't even count
the hike, the journey, or the thrill of the hike, even if
somebody put in under the wrong rock (like who cares, once
you get thru the fun part. Turning over rocks is boring
and bad for my back anyway :)).
JMHO.
BTW, I think it can be fun to do boxes with errors. It is an
extra line of puzzle to try to figure what error the placer
made when you think you are correct. And how do you know its
an error anyway? You don't until you find the box, and even
in that case, someone may have moved it. With so much badness
in the world, I think people should be grateful for free
art and entertainment in these clues.
Cheers
Randy
RE: [LbNA] Re: Concise Directions
From: xxxxxxxx (BrighidFarm@comcast.net) |
Date: 2007-08-12 13:42:58 UTC-05:00
And think of all the Buried Pirates Treasure that would no longer be buried
if pirates had actually written out turn-by-turn directions. My word, we
might have actually found some of it and destroyed the romantic quests!!
Where would the Holy Grail be if it could be found? Horrors!
I heard that mapquest was invented by a guy who went down to the Caribbean
searching for a buried pirate's chest filled with jewels and gold coins but
the lousy pirates had been lazy and and all they had done was draw out this
stupid vague map. When the guy found the map in an old abandoned shack he
was livid and vowed that all islands, coves, and roads would henceforth be
named and CONCISELY mapped out. And he made his fortune on mapquest so his
Caribbean vacation turned out fine in the end anyway.
And where would today's top chefs be (aka our grandmothers) if they had to
follow recipes with concise directions? On the other hand, some of my
grandmother's greatest recipes wouldn't now be buried with her brain. (But
then it's not grandma's fault that nobody in the family thought for a moment
to get concise until well after grandma had died.)
~~ Mosey ~~
P.S.: I think the reason concise directions wouldn't appeal to me anyway is
because I'll manage to get lost even with the most concise of directions.
That's why I'm a closet cartographer -- emphasis on the word "closet" --
because I'd hate for anyone to know that I actually should know what I'm
doing with a map. And getting lost sometimes ends up being the best part of
the day.
-----Original Message-----
From: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com]On Behalf Of azobox
Sent: Sunday, August 12, 2007 1:08 PM
To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [LbNA] Re: Concise Directions
Perhaps some seekers are expecting directions and all they're given
are clues.
azobox
if pirates had actually written out turn-by-turn directions. My word, we
might have actually found some of it and destroyed the romantic quests!!
Where would the Holy Grail be if it could be found? Horrors!
I heard that mapquest was invented by a guy who went down to the Caribbean
searching for a buried pirate's chest filled with jewels and gold coins but
the lousy pirates had been lazy and and all they had done was draw out this
stupid vague map. When the guy found the map in an old abandoned shack he
was livid and vowed that all islands, coves, and roads would henceforth be
named and CONCISELY mapped out. And he made his fortune on mapquest so his
Caribbean vacation turned out fine in the end anyway.
And where would today's top chefs be (aka our grandmothers) if they had to
follow recipes with concise directions? On the other hand, some of my
grandmother's greatest recipes wouldn't now be buried with her brain. (But
then it's not grandma's fault that nobody in the family thought for a moment
to get concise until well after grandma had died.)
~~ Mosey ~~
P.S.: I think the reason concise directions wouldn't appeal to me anyway is
because I'll manage to get lost even with the most concise of directions.
That's why I'm a closet cartographer -- emphasis on the word "closet" --
because I'd hate for anyone to know that I actually should know what I'm
doing with a map. And getting lost sometimes ends up being the best part of
the day.
-----Original Message-----
From: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com]On Behalf Of azobox
Sent: Sunday, August 12, 2007 1:08 PM
To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [LbNA] Re: Concise Directions
Perhaps some seekers are expecting directions and all they're given
are clues.
azobox
Re: [LbNA] Concise Directions
From: Kirbert (PalmK@nettally.com) |
Date: 2007-08-12 16:05:20 UTC-04:00
ruhlette wrote:
> I, for one, never expect to find all directions as clear as possible,
> and I would never demand it of others.
I've been fortunate in that finders consistently compliment me on how
clear my directions are. They apparently really love clear
directions.
To my mind, there's a difference between directions that are tricky
and directions that are unclear or confusing. Tricky is good,
unclear or confusing is not.
Fortunately, I have a wife who is good at testing clues for me. I
hand them to her, if she can understand them, anyone can.
-- Kirbert
> I, for one, never expect to find all directions as clear as possible,
> and I would never demand it of others.
I've been fortunate in that finders consistently compliment me on how
clear my directions are. They apparently really love clear
directions.
To my mind, there's a difference between directions that are tricky
and directions that are unclear or confusing. Tricky is good,
unclear or confusing is not.
Fortunately, I have a wife who is good at testing clues for me. I
hand them to her, if she can understand them, anyone can.
-- Kirbert
RE: [LbNA] Concise Directions
From: Kirbert (PalmK@nettally.com) |
Date: 2007-08-12 16:05:20 UTC-04:00
Maiden wrote:
> One of my favorite letterboxing "rules" is "if there's doubt, keep
> walking, the "real" spot is probably just around the corner.
Yeah, the one where the clue says "turn left and walk to the orange
sign" and it turns out that the orange sign is 8 miles away.
The one that bothers me more is the one that says "turn left" and
then in the next paragraph says "walk all the way to the orange sign"
and the orange sign is about ten feet from where you turned left. By
the time you read the next paragraph, you've already passed the sign.
Then you hike 8 miles looking for an orange sign.
Back in the day, I participated in some road rallies. The directions
were always a trip. One time there was a set of instructions that
read:
**********
Pass a left.
Pass 2nd left.
Turn left.
**********
That means you take the 4th left. Y'see, the rules say that each
instruction is independent. "Pass 2nd left" means that, after
passing a left, you then pass two more lefts. There were a lot of
very miffed competitors that day!
-- Kirbert
> One of my favorite letterboxing "rules" is "if there's doubt, keep
> walking, the "real" spot is probably just around the corner.
Yeah, the one where the clue says "turn left and walk to the orange
sign" and it turns out that the orange sign is 8 miles away.
The one that bothers me more is the one that says "turn left" and
then in the next paragraph says "walk all the way to the orange sign"
and the orange sign is about ten feet from where you turned left. By
the time you read the next paragraph, you've already passed the sign.
Then you hike 8 miles looking for an orange sign.
Back in the day, I participated in some road rallies. The directions
were always a trip. One time there was a set of instructions that
read:
**********
Pass a left.
Pass 2nd left.
Turn left.
**********
That means you take the 4th left. Y'see, the rules say that each
instruction is independent. "Pass 2nd left" means that, after
passing a left, you then pass two more lefts. There were a lot of
very miffed competitors that day!
-- Kirbert
Re: [LbNA] Concise Directions
From: (davyschris@aol.com) |
Date: 2007-08-12 16:44:41 UTC-04:00
Well, here's my take on it:
They're clues, not directions. See what I mean? Some boxes are very very
simple to find. Others are a bit of a challenge. That's why we hunt them, we
search them, we try to find them. There are some boxes I've had to return to a
couple of times because I just couldn't find them. There are ones I still
haven't been able to find, despite looking for them a few times.
I'm not going to lie to you; I love a good driveby from time to time, but
they're not all supposed to be super easy. How fun would this actually be if it
was so simple every time? I have a box in California that cracks me up,
because every other report I get is found, attempted, found, attempted. Sometimes
people ask me to clarify the clues for them. It's not that I don't want to,
but I don't live out there, so I can't go back and check around and see what
else is there that I can use as a landmark. But obviously, they're good enough,
because a lot of people do find it.
I'm pretty sure we can leave it up to the planters when it comes to how many
landmarks and how much they want to feed us. That's the challenge that makes
this game so fun!
Brandy
**************************************
Get a sneak peek
of the all-new AOL at http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour
They're clues, not directions. See what I mean? Some boxes are very very
simple to find. Others are a bit of a challenge. That's why we hunt them, we
search them, we try to find them. There are some boxes I've had to return to a
couple of times because I just couldn't find them. There are ones I still
haven't been able to find, despite looking for them a few times.
I'm not going to lie to you; I love a good driveby from time to time, but
they're not all supposed to be super easy. How fun would this actually be if it
was so simple every time? I have a box in California that cracks me up,
because every other report I get is found, attempted, found, attempted. Sometimes
people ask me to clarify the clues for them. It's not that I don't want to,
but I don't live out there, so I can't go back and check around and see what
else is there that I can use as a landmark. But obviously, they're good enough,
because a lot of people do find it.
I'm pretty sure we can leave it up to the planters when it comes to how many
landmarks and how much they want to feed us. That's the challenge that makes
this game so fun!
Brandy
**************************************
Get a sneak peek
of the all-new AOL at http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour