At 11:27 AM 9/27/2007, you wrote:
>baby wipes (for cleaning stamps)

That's a big no-no -- the detergent in the wipes (even the
"unscented" variety) will transfer to the stamp and attract critters
who will chew open the letterbox and nibble on the stamp -- and thus
ruin one more letterbox....

SD


#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#
Silent Doug, P86 F1847 X220 E43
http://www.letterboxing.info
Get a Clue - Go Letterboxing!

While this is certainly apt to bring a newboxer into letterboxing the
article (like many before in other areas) fails to really cover the
stealth aspect of letterboxing.

I have no doubt that the letterboxers that were interviewed advised
the writer about the 'sneaky' part of letterboxing, but once
interviewed those that participate have no editorial control and
those that read the article may go off half cocked.

Hopefully there will be a sufficient number of folks that want to do
further research prior to going out to find their first letterbox.

We had a writer for the LA Times about 1 year ago contact several
members of the SoCal chatlist and I wrote the Times writer a note
advising 'why' I wouldn't participate. My letter stressed the
failures of other writers to really capture many of the nuances, and
particularly the stealth aspects of letterboxing. When the article
finally did get published I was pleasantly surprised that she took my
challenge and wrote and article that did emphasize secrecy and
stealth,and promoted doing further reseach prior to going out and
finding letterboxes.

So sometimes not being quoted works to your advantage.

Don

The article looked pretty good--better than most I've seen.

FYI As far as the list of things to carry... Well, markers come in
handy if the stamp you find requires multiple colors. SD already
mentioned that baby wipes are generally a no-no for cleaning stamps.
Please clean the stamps by using a damp paper towel. Save the wipes
for inky fingers. :-) Yes to leather/gardening gloves to protect your
hands from hidden dangers in holes. Many boxers are using the
camoflage duct tape on their planted boxes to help them blend in
better.

Thanks for the link.

Knit Wit

--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "E" wrote:
>
> There's a list of "essentials" which, frankly, I think is a bit
over
> the top....colored markers (I have *1* stamp pad), gloves (what
> for? Unless they're leather to help avoid snake/spider bites?),
and
> camoflauge duct tape? My bag has journals (the kids each have
their
> own so they stop fighting over who gets to stamp what where), a
> stamp pad, our stamp (modified store bought), a couple of pens, a
> compass, and baby wipes (for cleaning stamps). I need to add some
> baggies, and maybe leather gloves.
>

I had NO idea about baby wipes! I use them for dang near
everything and never even thought about critters smelling the
residue! I'll definately use wet paper towels from now on.

I love using multi-colored markers, but for a beginner, those
can be expensive...I guess that was my point, and I'd never
thought about leather gloves (seems like a "duh" moment now).
And the camoflage tape makes sense if you're PLACING a box, but
for someone just finding a box?

There is a small box with the article talking about being
discreet when searching, not giving locations away, and rehiding
the box well, but it wasn't stressed very clearly. And I wish
they hadn't included the quotes about geocaching. We've seen
what that debate can be like and there's nothing to be gained by
stirring it up!

All in all, though, I really liked the article. I think it
might help my friends and family understand just what I see in
this hobby.

MamaErica

--- ncginger2000 wrote:

> The article looked pretty good--better than most I've seen.
>
> FYI As far as the list of things to carry... Well, markers
> come in
> handy if the stamp you find requires multiple colors. SD
> already
> mentioned that baby wipes are generally a no-no for cleaning
> stamps.
> Please clean the stamps by using a damp paper towel. Save the
> wipes
> for inky fingers. :-) Yes to leather/gardening gloves to
> protect your
> hands from hidden dangers in holes. Many boxers are using the
> camoflage duct tape on their planted boxes to help them blend
> in
> better.
>
> Thanks for the link.
>
> Knit Wit
>
> --- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "E"
> wrote:
> >
> > There's a list of "essentials" which, frankly, I think is a
> bit
> over
> > the top....colored markers (I have *1* stamp pad), gloves
> (what
> > for? Unless they're leather to help avoid snake/spider
> bites?),
> and
> > camoflauge duct tape? My bag has journals (the kids each
> have
> their
> > own so they stop fighting over who gets to stamp what
> where), a
> > stamp pad, our stamp (modified store bought), a couple of
> pens, a
> > compass, and baby wipes (for cleaning stamps). I need to
> add some
> > baggies, and maybe leather gloves.
> >
>
>
>



____________________________________________________________________________________
Catch up on fall's hot new shows on Yahoo! TV. Watch previews, get listings, and more!
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At 12:47 PM 9/27/2007, you wrote:
>And the camoflage tape makes sense if you're PLACING a box, but
>for someone just finding a box?

Plastic cracks, and camo duct tape makes for a nice repair tool out
in the field.

Come to think of it, duct tape often can be used to repair other
things, too, like, oh, I don't know, an enormous tear in the seat of
your trousers? I seem to recall that problem hounding a particular
hiker quite recently....

SD


#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#
Silent Doug, P86 F1847 X220 E43
http://www.letterboxing.info
Get a Clue - Go Letterboxing!

You are such a wordsmith, Sir Doug!

Mark

-------------- Original message --------------
From: Silent Doug
At 12:47 PM 9/27/2007, you wrote:
>And the camoflage tape makes sense if you're PLACING a box, but
>for someone just finding a box?

Plastic cracks, and camo duct tape makes for a nice repair tool out
in the field.

Come to think of it, duct tape often can be used to repair other
things, too, like, oh, I don't know, an enormous tear in the seat of
your trousers? I seem to recall that problem hounding a particular
hiker quite recently....

SD

#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#-#
Silent Doug, P86 F1847 X220 E43
http://www.letterboxing.info
Get a Clue - Go Letterboxing!




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

Thank you for sharing that article. I too get confused looks from
some when trying to explain this addiction.
--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "E" wrote:
>
> I was flipping through the paper this morning, before my coffee, a
> little bleary-eyed, when I read "The thrill of the hunt brings
> adventurous 'boxers' out to find handmade treasures that are
> personal - and romantic"
>
> Yep, the Salt Lake Tribune has an article in today's paper about
> letterboxing. Utah is a relatively small state, population-wise,
> and we've only got about 200 letterboxes, but my family has had a
> blast searching for them. I tell people about this "treasure
hunt,"
> and some of them just don't get it! Hopefully now some others
will
> be bitten by the bug! I'm going to beg, borrow, steal, and buy
more
> copies of the paper to show/send to friends and family.
>
> There's a list of "essentials" which, frankly, I think is a bit
over
> the top....colored markers (I have *1* stamp pad), gloves (what
> for? Unless they're leather to help avoid snake/spider bites?),
and
> camoflauge duct tape? My bag has journals (the kids each have
their
> own so they stop fighting over who gets to stamp what where), a
> stamp pad, our stamp (modified store bought), a couple of pens, a
> compass, and baby wipes (for cleaning stamps). I need to add some
> baggies, and maybe leather gloves.
>
> Anywho....here's a link to the article. You can access it for a
> week for free. After that, it becomes part of their subscription
> service.
>
> http://www.sltrib.com/outdoors/ci_7006800
>
> Oh, and ignore idiot commenters. Or make your own comments, but
> don't engage the negative people....most of them lurk on the site
> and say something snotty about EVERY story.
>

Silent Doug wrote:
> At 12:47 PM 9/27/2007, you wrote:
>
>> And the camoflage tape makes sense if you're PLACING a box, but
>> for someone just finding a box?
>>
>
> Plastic cracks, and camo duct tape makes for a nice repair tool out
> in the field.
>
> Come to think of it, duct tape often can be used to repair other
> things, too, like, oh, I don't know, an enormous tear in the seat of
> your trousers? I seem to recall that problem hounding a particular
> hiker quite recently....
>
> SD
>


I bet that took an awful lot of tape.

--
Nathan Brown

AKA Cyclonic
Penncoasters.com

The Insensitivity rolls on...

Bring back the rotory phone so we don't have to press one for English

--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "E" wrote:
>

>
> There's a list of "essentials" which, frankly, I think is a bit over
> the top....colored markers (I have *1* stamp pad), gloves (what
> for? Unless they're leather to help avoid snake/spider bites?), and
> camoflauge duct tape? My bag has journals (the kids each have their
> own so they stop fighting over who gets to stamp what where), a
> stamp pad, our stamp (modified store bought), a couple of pens, a
> compass, and baby wipes (for cleaning stamps). I need to add some
> baggies, and maybe leather gloves.

Lose the baby wipes, for numerous reasons.

Don, I was wondering how much you noticed the sidebar. I thought this
reporter still mentioned more about respecting the boxes location and
not giving it away than most other articles I've read. The repack and
hide section especially talked about being discreet and not giving away
a box's location as well as rehiding it well so it won't be discovered
by others. Most articles I've read don't even mention this kind of
stuff, but she has a whole sidebar on letterboxing etiquette. I found
that encouraging.

Here's the text of the sidebar:

"They say in letterboxing that the only rule is that there are no rules,
except for respecting the box and its owner," said Ogden letterboxer
Judy Wagnon.
But there are a few guidelines from Wagnon and others that you can
follow to ensure you and future finders have fun.
* IT'S POLITE to contact box placers through one of the
letterboxing Web sites to let them know if a journal is full, an ink pad
is dry or the box is missing. Or you can just let them know how much you
enjoyed their handiwork.
* IF YOU TAKE YOUR DOG along, be sure to clean up after it.
* RESPECT THE LAND when hunting and hiding. Don't place a box in a
dangerous or environmentally sensitive area. Warn seekers of possible
hazards. If you have any doubts about placing a box, ask the landowner
or manager for permission.
* DON'T PUBLISH or retransmit other people's clues or stamp images
without their permission.
* REPACK AND HIDE the thing as well as or better than it was when
you found it, in the exact place you found it. Try to be discreet when
stamping up and rehiding it. Don't give away the location to passersby.
* DO NOT POST clue solutions on the Internet. That spoils the fun
for everyone else.
* DON'T VIOLATE THE LAWS, rules, customs, and people or property
rights wherever you conduct any activities.
Sources: Judy Wagnon, www.letterboxing.org, www.atlasquest.com



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

Hi Cadenza

I read the sidebar but most folks will just cruise right through the
article and may not read other stuff. The LA Times article I
mentioned did cover the stealth/secrecy/sneakiness part of
letterboxing much better. I'm of the opinion that there can never be
enough coverage on the stealth part of letterboxing, but then again
that is just my opinion. It is very difficult for anyone just coming
into letterboxing to figure everything out so there is always a
reason for redundancy.
I would like to see a change in the process for folks to access clues
both at AQ and LbNA. That change would be for them to read and sign
off on a updated liability waver and read and sign off on a
guidelines info page. Now I realize that many folks might just record
their sign off and go about accessing clues, but without a method to
sign off on those aspects of letterboxing there is no way to put this
info in front of their noses.

Don


--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "cadenza74"
wrote:
>
> Don, I was wondering how much you noticed the sidebar. I thought
this
> reporter still mentioned more about respecting the boxes location
and
> not giving it away than most other articles I've read. The repack
and
> hide section especially talked about being discreet and not giving
away
> a box's location as well as rehiding it well so it won't be
discovered
> by others. Most articles I've read don't even mention this kind of
> stuff, but she has a whole sidebar on letterboxing etiquette. I
found
> that encouraging.
>
> Here's the text of the sidebar:
>
> "They say in letterboxing that the only rule is that there are no
rules,
> except for respecting the box and its owner," said Ogden letterboxer
> Judy Wagnon.
> But there are a few guidelines from Wagnon and others that you
can
> follow to ensure you and future finders have fun.
> * IT'S POLITE to contact box placers through one of the
> letterboxing Web sites to let them know if a journal is full, an
ink pad
> is dry or the box is missing. Or you can just let them know how
much you
> enjoyed their handiwork.
> * IF YOU TAKE YOUR DOG along, be sure to clean up after it.
> * RESPECT THE LAND when hunting and hiding. Don't place a box
in a
> dangerous or environmentally sensitive area. Warn seekers of
possible
> hazards. If you have any doubts about placing a box, ask the
landowner
> or manager for permission.
> * DON'T PUBLISH or retransmit other people's clues or stamp
images
> without their permission.
> * REPACK AND HIDE the thing as well as or better than it was
when
> you found it, in the exact place you found it. Try to be discreet
when
> stamping up and rehiding it. Don't give away the location to
passersby.
> * DO NOT POST clue solutions on the Internet. That spoils the
fun
> for everyone else.
> * DON'T VIOLATE THE LAWS, rules, customs, and people or
property
> rights wherever you conduct any activities.
> Sources: Judy Wagnon, www.letterboxing.org, www.atlasquest.com
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>