As one who prefers using a computer instead of a smart phone, and LBNA instead of AQ, I will post my thoughts here and hope some people still read it, even if they no longer post.  Live & Breathe XV was awesome and a unique experience, but not just because of the numerous boxes with creative clues and great carves.  For me, it was the people that made it memorable and fun, and I will treasure that experience for a long time.  I finally got to meet Jay Drew, which I have wanted to do for 11 years, and only wished I could have talked to him longer.  To show you how much this man means to me, after the Event Baby Bear and I climbed Mt Monadnock in the rain to find some of his boxes there.  Even though we only found 3 of his 11, there was no view at the top, and I slipped and cracked my ribs on the way down, it was still worth it! 

I also got a chance to get to know several other long-time boxers a little better after meeting them 4 years ago at the Back To Our Roots Event in Dover:  Der Mad Stamper, Silent Doug & Clueless, Mark & Sue, and Team Green Dragon.  Mr. Stamper is an amazing person and I treasure any time I get to spend with him.  Silent Doug is not so silent around me, which is great, and Clueless is probably the only person from New Jersey that this humble Texan knows and likes.  Mark & Sue are great people and I hope to go on one of there trips someday.  Team Green Dragon (Brian & Lori) kept me in stitches every night we were together and I am so glad they came.  I got to relive the "Toaster Story" from the Back To Our Roots Event and hear about many other ones from the early days of New England letterboxing.  The only sad thing I experienced is learning that many boxers do not know who these iconic letterboxers are.  As Brian would say:  Suspect!

I enjoyed meeting many new boxers, too, including two ladies from Toronto that looked familiar.  They thought Baby Bear and I looked familiar, too and we finally figured out where we had seen each other.  Earlier that day, Baby Bear and I were looking for an old Vermont Viking box in Shirley Center, MA when we noticed a local lady giving us the evil eye.  We were waiting to see if she would leave when two other ladies began walking toward us.  Suddenly, the local lady turns to them and asks what they are doing and they say they are just looking at historic sites, then they all go into an old church right by the box.  We figured it was a tour and quickly stamped into the box before they came out.  Well, it turns out the two ladies were the Toronto letterboxers and they had just made up the story about historic sites and ended up spending a long time in the church while we stamped into the box.  Without meaning to they covered our tracks and we thanked them while laughing at the whole incident. 

Baby Bear and I really hit it off with a group of Michigan boxers, and we spent many a pleasant hour boxing and trading pranks with them.  I felt like a kid again and it was great.  I even learned something new.  According to them, God lives in the Michigan Upper Peninsula and my best chance to see him is to visit there. 

So thanks to the organizers for allowing us to participate in this great Event.  I know us Texans always say everything is bigger in Texas, but Live & Breathe XV was the biggest in both spirit and fun and I'm already looking forward to Live & Breathe XX.  Maybe in Great Lakes area?

Silver Eagle

P.S. Baby Bear and I had a friendly competition during the Event that started with him beating me at archery.  I then beat him at Rock Wall climbing, setting the stage for a rubber match.  We never got the chance to compete again, but when Baby Bear won the raffle prize he claimed to have won.  I say, no way!  To be continued ...

 

As one who prefers using a computer instead of a smart phone, and LBNA instead of AQ, I will post my thoughts here and hope some people still read it, even if they no longer post.  Live & Breathe XV was awesome and a unique experience, but not just because of the numerous boxes with creative clues and great carves.  For me, it was the people that made it memorable and fun, and I will treasure that experience for a long time.  I finally got to meet Jay Drew, which I have wanted to do for 11 years, and only wished I could have talked to him longer.  To show you how much this man means to me, after the Event Baby Bear and I climbed Mt Monadnock in the rain to find some of his boxes there.  Even though we only found 3 of his 11, there was no view at the top, and I slipped and cracked my ribs on the way down, it was still worth it! 

I also got a chance to get to know several other long-time boxers a little better after meeting them 4 years ago at the Back To Our Roots Event in Dover:  Der Mad Stamper, Silent Doug & Clueless, Mark & Sue, and Team Green Dragon.  Mr. Stamper is an amazing person and I treasure any time I get to spend with him.  Silent Doug is not so silent around me, which is great, and Clueless is probably the only person from New Jersey that this humble Texan knows and likes.  Mark & Sue are great people and I hope to go on one of there trips someday.  Team Green Dragon (Brian & Lori) kept me in stitches every night we were together and I am so glad they came.  I got to relive the "Toaster Story" from the Back To Our Roots Event and hear about many other ones from the early days of New England letterboxing.  The only sad thing I experienced is learning that many boxers do not know who these iconic letterboxers are.  As Brian would say:  Suspect!

I enjoyed meeting many new boxers, too, including two ladies from Toronto that looked familiar.  They thought Baby Bear and I looked familiar, too and we finally figured out where we had seen each other.  Earlier that day, Baby Bear and I were looking for an old Vermont Viking box in Shirley Center, MA when we noticed a local lady giving us the evil eye.  We were waiting to see if she would leave when two other ladies began walking toward us.  Suddenly, the local lady turns to them and asks what they are doing and they say they are just looking at historic sites, then they all go into an old church right by the box.  We figured it was a tour and quickly stamped into the box before they came out.  Well, it turns out the two ladies were the Toronto letterboxers and they had just made up the story about historic sites and ended up spending a long time in the church while we stamped into the box.  Without meaning to they covered our tracks and we thanked them while laughing at the whole incident. 

Baby Bear and I really hit it off with a group of Michigan boxers, and we spent many a pleasant hour boxing and trading pranks with them.  I felt like a kid again and it was great.  I even learned something new.  According to them, God lives in the Michigan Upper Peninsula and my best chance to see him is to visit there. 

So thanks to the organizers for allowing us to participate in this great Event.  I know us Texans always say everything is bigger in Texas, but Live & Breathe XV was the biggest in both spirit and fun and I'm already looking forward to Live & Breathe XX.  Maybe in Great Lakes area?

Silver Eagle

P.S. Baby Bear and I had a friendly competition during the Event that started with him beating me at archery.  I then beat him at Rock Wall climbing, setting the stage for a rubber match.  We never got the chance to compete again, but when Baby Bear won the raffle prize he claimed to have won.  I say, no way!  To be continued ...