Letterboxing USA - Yahoo Groups Archive

LONG BEACH, CA--- RANCHO LOS ALAMITOS

1 messages in this thread | Started on 2001-06-25

LONG BEACH, CA--- RANCHO LOS ALAMITOS

From: Gwen & Don Jackson (foxsecurity@earthlink.net) | Date: 2001-06-25 16:21:07 UTC-07:00
Box placed:  June 24, 2001
At:            :  Rancho Los Alamitos, Long Beach, California (Los Angeles County)
Placed by :   Don & Gwen   
Name:      :   Rose at the Ranch
 
Directions:  From the 405 Freeway, take Palo Verde exit south to the end of the street to the Bixby Hill Homes.  Tell the gate guard you are visiting the Rancho.
 
The Rancho is part of the Bixby Ranch holdings and is an oasis of old California life surrounded by expensive home sites. This location is adjacent to CSULB and thus within walking distance of 2 other letter boxes. The Rancho is open from 1-5 daily and is closed holidays.  Dogs are not permitted.  Plan on an hour or so to join the docent led house tour and 30-45 minutes for the self guided ground's visit. There is no admission fee but donations are welcome. Maps are available on site.
 
Clues:  After you tour the home and are ready to start your box quest, walk down the circular drive past the barns and caretaker cottage, past a couple of old pepper trees to a narrow stairway and down towards the rose garden.  Ten steps down to the Ramada where you can contemplate the beauty of the charming garden, then down several more steps to the old sundial, then left.  Continue east down the Oleander shaded aisle, crossing the small flagstone court to the statue of a child clutching flowers.  Take the second left past the statue and step through the old wooden gate to the Cutting Garden.  Have a rest at the blue bench and wait for other visitors to leave.  Generally east beyond the Queen Anne's Lace, Fox Glove, and daisy's is a big round stucco fountain. The box is hidden behind the trellis, 4 1/2 paces north of the fountain behind the 3 ft. high stucco wall that surrounds the semisunken garden.  Look into the last opening in the trellis before the east exit from the garden.  The stamp is in a circular container behind a near rock.  Take a green and a pink or red stamp pad with you to get the stamp's full effect.