My Fellow Letterboxers,

I drove into Cincinnati, turned in the Ford Taurus, and boarded a big silver bird headed for the Big Apple. My newest rental, a 2007 Corvette Convertible (LeMans Blue Metallic with Cashmere Two Tone interior), was waiting for me when I arrived.

I headed west to Jamestown, New York, the birthplace of Lucille Ball. It is also where you can find the Lucy-Desi Museum and the Desilu Playhouse. Everything you ever wanted to know about the famous couple is in one of these two buildings. Costumes, the cello, personal scrapbooks; there are even scale replicas of the Ricardo's apartments from New York and Hollywood. The only thing missing was Lucy herself.

I returned to the city to explore the sights and prepare a presentation for the summer Private Investigator Course at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. The preparation was easy as it was a subject I am quite familiar with: An Overview of the Private Investigators Principles and Responsibilities. Basically, Sleuthing 101. As SpeedSquare had expressed an interest in the class, she was invited to attend. Unfortunately after a long winter of TV crime story watching, she found it too difficult to leave the couch.

With classes over and the graduates (of which SpeedSquare was not one) sent on their way, I was able to continue my own journey. I was off to Allegany State Park for a two-day backpacking hike on the Conservation Trail. I will not tell you of the beauty of this area; you must experience it yourself.

I returned to New York City to continue exploring its history and sights. Central Park, however, might be more of New Jersey than it is Manhattan. The 843-acre park is entirely man-made, lakes and all. The soil was so poor that 500,000 cubic feet of topsoil was brought in from New Jersey just so that grass and trees would grow. Central Park has quite a history of decline and rebuilding, crime and safety. Today it is on the upswing; let's hope it stays that way. The Macy's July 4th fireworks is a display of spectacular proportions. Watching from the 102nd Floor Observatory of the Empire State Building was an evening to be remembered. But, I did not come here to talk about Lucy, TV, backpacking or fireworks; I came to talk letterboxing.

New York: home of over 2,000 letterboxes and only about 120 mysteries. Nice to see that the majority of the stamps are hand carved. Letterboxes in New York seem to be very well taken care; obvious they are being maintained. Urban boxing can be tricky; please do not attempt a box if you are going to be seen. Not fair to the planter or future finders. When hiking, stay on marked trails and do not cross barriers where trails are closed. There is usually a reason the trail is closed. A hiking stick is a good idea, not only does it help you maintain your balance it can also alleviate shock to your knees. As always be aware of your environment.

Sincerely,

Investigator Francis Bacon