My Fellow Letterboxers,

The Grass Roots Garbage Gang in the Long Beach Peninsula cleans up the beach three times a year. I arrived in the Jeep Cherokee ready and able to do my part in the fight against litter. This January, 425 of us collected 15,660 pounds of trash. Think about this for a moment. In a 30-mile stretch there was 7-3/4 tons of garbage. To keep our trails and natural areas beautiful, join or start a clean up in your state.

The World Kite Museum is the leading authority of kites in the world. Kites have been around for 2,000 years. Not only a child's play thing, kites have been used to discover electricity, fight wars, deliver the mail, and bestow blessings. The exhibits are fun and informative, worth the trip. Sewsowbizzy, again thanks for the pocket money. The curator suggested you try the museum over in La Conner.

The Boulder River Trail near Darrington is a pleasant winter day hike. At least it was billed that way. Usually there is very little snow in this area. When I arrived, the road to the trailhead was inaccessible, with a foot of snow. Once on the trail there were numerous blowdowns and other debris. I made it to the first waterfall and relaxed on the bench before heading back. The waterfall was worth seeing and I would make the trip again.

Every February in Langley someone is murdered. This year the victim was found shot with two silver salmons across her chest. Over the weekend thousands of sleuths came together to examine the evidence and solve the crime. Not wanting to give away my identity, I stayed in the background and watched these amateurs bumble their way through the evidence. An interesting weekend, to say the least. But, I did not come here to talk about garbage, kites, blowdowns or salmon; I came to talk letterboxing.

Washington, are you copying Oregon? Your statistics are virtually the same, about 1,200 listed traditionals and about 65 listed mysteries. Again, am I missing something here? Letterboxing in Washington is in good shape: good containers, good clues, and good coverage. A good state to letterbox in. Winter hiking in Washington should not be taken lightly. Avalanches do occur, and can be deadly. Call the ranger station in the area you will be hiking and check on avalanche conditions. Always be aware of your environment no matter what the season.

Sincerely,

Investigator Francis Bacon