My Fellow Letterboxers,

Block Island only has one town, New Shoreham. What I found really interesting about New Shoreham is that the total area of the town is 109.5 square miles. Now only 9.7 of that is land, the rest is water, mainly the ocean. Most of the beaches are too rocky or the current too fierce for swimming. Makes you wonder why people live here. True the surfing is good, nice hikes around the area, and there are two lighthouses, but I think the real reason is the painted rock. Where else can you paint a rock in a town and not get arrested?

The White Horse Tavern is the oldest operating tavern in the United States. Of course, I wasn't going to pass this one up. It is also haunted; every tavern should have a haunting or two. Just how many this establishment has is unclear. I can guarantee there are at least two spirits in the building.

Thanksgiving Day I was once more volunteering my services as master carver; this time at the Johnson & Wales University Providence campus. Serving over 1,000 pounds of turkey and 800 pies kept us busy. This year, after the meal, you could also get a flu shot, legal advice, and/or urgent medical care. You can draw your own conclusions.

Wickford is a small friendly fishing village in the town of North Kingstown. Even the shops and eateries are friendly; they set out dishes of fresh water for your pets. I saw Dude the Wonder Dog partaking of some refreshment in front of Casey's Grill & Bar. He told me he was in town to help his friend Squiggy. The Dude, being an accomplished typist, was working on a press release for the little fellow's 2009 on-line competition. Squiggy's photo shoot was touch and go for a while there, until the Dude showed him a picture of his owner (the famed H&H) in a tie dyed shirt. Squiggy opted for a nice conservative sweater. But, I did not come here to talk about rocks, ghosts, legal advice or dogs; I came to talk letterboxing.

There are about 350 traditional letterboxes in Rhode Island; mysteries are numbering about 45. Not too shabby for such a little state. Containers are sturdy and the letterboxes are well covered. Good job, Rhode Island! This state is not known to have poisonous snakes or dangerous wild animals; it does have deer ticks. Lyme disease and poison ivy are very real dangers. A good insect repellent, wearing light clothing, and tucking your pants into your socks are good preventative measures. Know your plants, especially the noxious variety. The best preventative measure for poison ivy is to avoid it.

Sincerely,

Investigator Francis Bacon