--- In letterbox-usa@y..., "fred lorch" wrote:
[btw Jay, the Wyassup Lake box is in dire need of repair

A couple weekends ago I set out to collect two of the three stamps
in the Live and Breathe series. I found them easily enough (I've
never had any trouble following Drewclans cluesheets)But I also found
that the Gladware boxes they were hidden in are pretty much falling
apart. I pretty much decided at the time to include in my pack one or
two of the heavier duty Rubbermaid (or equivalent) boxes as part of
my letterbox repair kit. I'm finding that many of the older Gladware
boxes are split on the cover, and just become worse with each opening
and closing. The Rubbermaid boxes are a little more expensive, but
still affordable for most of us. I guess what I'm trying to get
across is that it would be nice for us to carry a letterbox repair
kit when we go out, to help keep some of the earlier placed boxes in
good health. It's the least we can do to help out all of those who
have taken the time to place these boxes for our enjoyment. I hope
you all will join me.
seeya on the trails,
Bob

I have wondered about what to do about letterboxes in need of repair. I
always carry the following with me:
Spare baggies to replace damaged or missing ones
Spare pens to replace damaged or missing ones
Extra copies of the "about letterboxing" sheet
A towel to dry and clean boxes

However I have wondered what the planter might think if I removed a box for
repair. If I removed one to repair it here are some questions I have:
If the stamp pad is missing how exact a match to the original color is
important? If the log is so soaked (as was the case with one I found) that
I can not determine the original color what do I do?
If the log is too soaked to return in the repaired box should I replace it?
How do I get the soaked one back to the planter?

I would not be comfortable removing a box someone else planted, even with
the good intention of repairing it, unless I knew the planter was
comfortable with my doing it.

I would be happy to assist in cases where I knew the planter would
appreciate it and where I could return the box in reasonable time however I
think I would want to post a message on the list immediately that I had
removed the box. Further more I would want to leave something in the hiding
place for others to let them know I had the box and they had found the spot.

Thoughts?

Keith

I personally do not think letterboxes should be removed for
repair at all. I'd rather find a damaged letterbox than
none at all -- for me, its about the clues and that link with
the hider and the verification you are at the right spot.
Carrying a repair kit, OTOH, seems like a good solution.

In the old days, it was ok to do this, I think. Now, there
are enough people in the woods, and plenty of antecdotes
about meeting other letterboxers on the trail, that I don't
think it is ok. It is no longer a remote possibility that
someone is 15 minutes behind you.

Also, there are other reasons, which have to do with certain
puzzles.

Cheers
Randy

--- In letterbox-usa@y..., Randy Hall wrote:
>
> I personally do not think letterboxes should be removed for
> repair at all. I'd rather find a damaged letterbox than
> none at all -- for me, its about the clues and that link with
> the hider and the verification you are at the right spot.
> Carrying a repair kit, OTOH, seems like a good solution.
>

Generally I agree with Randy. It is good to bring all the pieces to
repair a box but sometimes the weather or your schedule doesn't
permit you to take the time right there to make the repairs. I think
that you should use discretion and either contact the owner or only
take the box if you can quickly return it to its hiding spot.

Last winter, however, we found the Drew Clan's 1st Tribal Nation (CT)
box broken with the log book frozen in a block of ice. I knew that
Eric Eurto had planned to get a group together the following weekend
to find the boxes and felt that the log book was beyond repair. I
took the box home, replaced the log book, stamp pad and box and made
sure that it was back by the following weekend. I dried out the old
logbook (which had lots of visitors' stamps!) and sent it to Jay
Drew. Hiking in the winter with four little kids (not all mine) I
didn't want to take the time to make all the repairs necessary (nor
did I have all the parts) but wanted to make sure that Eric and
company would have something useful the following weekend.

Regards,
Trish

Randy.... I have mixed feelings about this subject. Back in December
I came across a "Mad Piper" box that had been completely ravaged. I
found two chewed ziplock bags, the wet frozen log, the container full
of ise, but no stamp. Best I can figure was a Raccoon carried off
the stamp. I retreived everything, put an alert on the clues and
posted two notes to the list to the Mad Piper. I never got a
response. So I took it upon myself to duplicate the stamp, rebuild
the log with the original dried pages and put everything back in
place. It was just two nice a spot to be abandoned.....

Jay C.
The Jolly G-Man

--- In letterbox-usa@y..., Randy Hall wrote:
>
> I personally do not think letterboxes should be removed for
> repair at all. I'd rather find a damaged letterbox than
> none at all -- for me, its about the clues and that link with
> the hider and the verification you are at the right spot.
> Carrying a repair kit, OTOH, seems like a good solution.
>
> In the old days, it was ok to do this, I think. Now, there
> are enough people in the woods, and plenty of antecdotes
> about meeting other letterboxers on the trail, that I don't
> think it is ok. It is no longer a remote possibility that
> someone is 15 minutes behind you.
>
> Also, there are other reasons, which have to do with certain
> puzzles.
>
> Cheers
> Randy