Personally, the only nasty creatures I've come across while letterboxing
were swarms of mosquitoes. How do you handle that? You become very
efficient about stamping in! Or if you were smart, you dipped yourself
in a vat of Deet before heading off.

As for other things, I've encountered snakes on trails, but just
stomping your foot on the ground nearby (but not too close) to the snake
usually moves them along. They generally just mind their own business
and don't want encounters with humans as a general rule, in my
experience.

Best regards,

Amanda Briles
The Paisley Orca

>...Does anyone have a specific example of how they encountered a particular
>nasty snake/insect/spider/whatever in their search for a letterbox?
>
>Kokopelli P0:F0
>
>
And also a broader question that I'd like to ask for the article I'm
writing about letterboxing: what is the hardest-to-find letterbox you've
ever finally tracked down?

Thanks for any help or stories.

Tim Brookes

Tim, are you planning on writing a book? Stories that
are told at gatherings....stories that come across the
listserve...how about ghosts that haunt the moors in
England? I am a full time educator that is trying to
break into print myself...I call myself a writer
wannabe. One day, I will be on a shelf in a bookstore
and and and...Anyway, let me know if you plan on doing
a book...if not, then I'd like to take on the
challenge. Loving Letterboxing, Linda of PetLinK

--- Tim Brookes wrote:
> >...Does anyone have a specific example of how they
> encountered a particular
> >nasty snake/insect/spider/whatever in their search
> for a letterbox?
> >
> >Kokopelli P0:F0
> >
> >
> And also a broader question that I'd like to ask for
> the article I'm
> writing about letterboxing: what is the
> hardest-to-find letterbox you've
> ever finally tracked down?
>
> Thanks for any help or stories.
>
> Tim Brookes
>
>
>


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>Tim, are you planning on writing a book? Stories that
>are told at gatherings....stories that come across the
>listserve...how about ghosts that haunt the moors in
>England? I am a full time educator that is trying to
>break into print myself...I call myself a writer
>wannabe. One day, I will be on a shelf in a bookstore
>and and and...Anyway, let me know if you plan on doing
>a book...if not, then I'd like to take on the
>challenge. Loving Letterboxing, Linda of PetLinK
>
Linda, I do write books but I wasn't thinking of writing one about
letterboxing; this is an article for the US Airways magazine. Consider the
field wide open!
Tim

--- In letterbox-usa@y..., "Kokopelli" wrote:
> ...Does anyone have a specific example of how they encountered a particular
> nasty snake/insect/spider/whatever in their search for a letterbox?
>
> Kokopelli P0:F0

Last weekend as I was hunting for a letterbox hidden within a stone
wall in Tobiasson Memorial Forest in Tolland, CT, I came upon a large
black and yellow snake (I would say it had a diameter of 1 1/4 to 1/2
inches) curled up under a stone.

Not long ago, someone who found one of my letterboxes in Wendell State
Forest, Mass., sent me an email about their adventure, which included
accidentally disturbing a hornet's nest and getting stung. There was
no hornet's nest near the box when I hid it several years ago, but I
can't vouch for what the hornets are up to this summer!

Just two examples...
Bonnie
P9 F18

Thanks for the info, Tim. It sounds like it has
potential! ;-) Linda

--- Tim Brookes wrote:
> >Tim, are you planning on writing a book? Stories
> that
> >are told at gatherings....stories that come across
> the
> >listserve...how about ghosts that haunt the moors
> in
> >England? I am a full time educator that is trying
> to
> >break into print myself...I call myself a writer
> >wannabe. One day, I will be on a shelf in a
> bookstore
> >and and and...Anyway, let me know if you plan on
> doing
> >a book...if not, then I'd like to take on the
> >challenge. Loving Letterboxing, Linda of PetLinK
> >
> Linda, I do write books but I wasn't thinking of
> writing one about
> letterboxing; this is an article for the US Airways
> magazine. Consider the
> field wide open!
> Tim
>
>
>


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Tim...I have been thinking.... if I were to decide to
put together a book of letterboxing stories, where
would I stand, in terms of using other people's
stories in a perhaps profitable venture? Would I need
to get their permission? If so, how binding would it
be? I am working on a fiction novel at this time, so
my stuff is my own. I'd love to do a letterboxing
book full of stories from those of us who may have had
an exciting, scary, whatever adventure while planting
and/or finding. However, I am wondering..... what are
your thoughts on this? Thanks, Linda

--- Tim Brookes wrote:
> >Tim, are you planning on writing a book? Stories
> that
> >are told at gatherings....stories that come across
> the
> >listserve...how about ghosts that haunt the moors
> in
> >England? I am a full time educator that is trying
> to
> >break into print myself...I call myself a writer
> >wannabe. One day, I will be on a shelf in a
> bookstore
> >and and and...Anyway, let me know if you plan on
> doing
> >a book...if not, then I'd like to take on the
> >challenge. Loving Letterboxing, Linda of PetLinK
> >
> Linda, I do write books but I wasn't thinking of
> writing one about
> letterboxing; this is an article for the US Airways
> magazine. Consider the
> field wide open!
> Tim
>
>
>


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>Tim...I have been thinking.... if I were to decide to
>put together a book of letterboxing stories, where
>would I stand, in terms of using other people's
>stories in a perhaps profitable venture? Would I need
>to get their permission?

Yes.

If so, how binding would it
>be?

I'm not sure what you mean by this.

I am working on a fiction novel at this time, so
>my stuff is my own. I'd love to do a letterboxing
>book full of stories from those of us who may have had
>an exciting, scary, whatever adventure while planting
>and/or finding. However, I am wondering..... what are
>your thoughts on this? Thanks, Linda

It sounds like a fairly straightforward act of journalism. You're simply
asking people if they'll tell you a story and give you premission to print
it. Some may ask for names to be changed. It's unlikely to raise any great
ethical issues, I'd say, as long as they are fully informed about what you
intend to do with their words. A lawyer would probably advise you to get a
signed release from all concerned, but frankly, if they don't want you to
use their story, they won't tell it to you.

Tim

How about a story where a serial killer lures his victims to remote areas by
clues to a web site game ? This should get some folks looking over their
shoulder the next time they're looking for a letterbox. Don


----- Original Message -----
From: Tim Brookes
To:
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2001 12:29 PM
Subject: Re: [LbNA] OK, I've read the disclaimer, but....


> >Tim...I have been thinking.... if I were to decide to
> >put together a book of letterboxing stories, where
> >would I stand, in terms of using other people's
> >stories in a perhaps profitable venture? Would I need
> >to get their permission?
>
> Yes.
>
> If so, how binding would it
> >be?
>
> I'm not sure what you mean by this.
>
> I am working on a fiction novel at this time, so
> >my stuff is my own. I'd love to do a letterboxing
> >book full of stories from those of us who may have had
> >an exciting, scary, whatever adventure while planting
> >and/or finding. However, I am wondering..... what are
> >your thoughts on this? Thanks, Linda
>
> It sounds like a fairly straightforward act of journalism. You're simply
> asking people if they'll tell you a story and give you premission to print
> it. Some may ask for names to be changed. It's unlikely to raise any great
> ethical issues, I'd say, as long as they are fully informed about what you
> intend to do with their words. A lawyer would probably advise you to get a
> signed release from all concerned, but frankly, if they don't want you to
> use their story, they won't tell it to you.
>
> Tim
>
>
>
> To unsubscribe: mailto:letterbox-usa-unsubscribe@egroups.com
> List info, archives, etc: http://www.letterboxing.org/list.html
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>

Don! My goodness...this is supposed to be a fun
hobby! What a riot. You have a great idea there,
though...how many letterboxers will get killed before
the rest of us stop boxing? Hundreds of years from
now, some unsuspecting soul will stumble upon a long
forgotten letterbox and it will begin again! Let me
at my keyboard! :-) Linda

--- Gwen & Don Jackson
wrote:
> How about a story where a serial killer lures his
> victims to remote areas by
> clues to a web site game ? This should get some
> folks looking over their
> shoulder the next time they're looking for a
> letterbox. Don
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Tim Brookes
> To:
> Sent: Friday, August 17, 2001 12:29 PM
> Subject: Re: [LbNA] OK, I've read the disclaimer,
> but....
>
>
> > >Tim...I have been thinking.... if I were to
> decide to
> > >put together a book of letterboxing stories,
> where
> > >would I stand, in terms of using other people's
> > >stories in a perhaps profitable venture? Would I
> need
> > >to get their permission?
> >
> > Yes.
> >
> > If so, how binding would it
> > >be?
> >
> > I'm not sure what you mean by this.
> >
> > I am working on a fiction novel at this time, so
> > >my stuff is my own. I'd love to do a
> letterboxing
> > >book full of stories from those of us who may
> have had
> > >an exciting, scary, whatever adventure while
> planting
> > >and/or finding. However, I am wondering.....
> what are
> > >your thoughts on this? Thanks, Linda
> >
> > It sounds like a fairly straightforward act of
> journalism. You're simply
> > asking people if they'll tell you a story and give
> you premission to print
> > it. Some may ask for names to be changed. It's
> unlikely to raise any great
> > ethical issues, I'd say, as long as they are fully
> informed about what you
> > intend to do with their words. A lawyer would
> probably advise you to get a
> > signed release from all concerned, but frankly, if
> they don't want you to
> > use their story, they won't tell it to you.
> >
> > Tim
> >
> >
> >
> > To unsubscribe:
> mailto:letterbox-usa-unsubscribe@egroups.com
> > List info, archives, etc:
> http://www.letterboxing.org/list.html
> >
> >
> > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
> http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
> >
> >
>
>


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Don wrote:
---
>How about a story where a serial killer lures his victims to remote areas by
>clues to a web site game ? This should get some folks looking over their
>shoulder the next time they're looking for a letterbox. Don
>
>
---
Actually this is not a new plot. Some of us more paranoid types
(including me) have sincerely worried about (and discussed) the
possibility of some disturbed person booby trapping a letterbox since
the first days of US letterboxing. In fact, I believe there was an
article on the web I read once talking about the popularity of
geocaching and how it would come crashing down one day if that were
to happen with a geocache box. Not a pleasant thought and hopefully
one that will never come to pass. Personally I hope the fiction story
proposed is never written, it may bring unwanted attention from
disturbed individuals. But then, I am a forensic psychologist who
deals with disturbed criminals most every day and tend to worry more
about such things.
--
Regards,

Eric Mings

Letterboxing International: http://www.letterboxing.com
StoneStashing: http://www.stonestashing.com

I've been letterboxing for a little less than two
months now with my children (ages 12 and 16.) We have
been having enourmous amounts of fun. I think the
disclaimers are an important part of the sport. I have
learned to carry a complete first aid kit on even our
"quick" letterboxing trips and I use it about 50% of
the time. It could be the combination of excitable
kids and off trail rock climbing, or it could be that
they insist on wearing shorts and Tevas to hike in,
but whatever the reason I am running out of bandaids!
Another notable incident was stepping on a hornets
nest while determinately counting paces through the
woods. Then my kids will be quick to mention the time
Mom capsized her kyack in 1 foot of goose excrement
laden lake water while attempting the kyacking
letterbox( All were wearing life jackets)
Another use of the disclaimer is to promote heated
discussion among hikers about the best ways to prevent
bear attacks or treat rattlesnake bites.
I must admit I have a natural aversion to sticking my
hand in a dark crevice in a stone wall or hollow tree
and have perfected the "poke it with a stick" method
of finding a letterbox. ( Of course there is always
the "you get it this time" method).
Many thanks to the letterboxers who provided our
family with so much entertainment this summer
(especially to "Leader of the Pack").
Happy stamping!

Mama Bear and Cubs



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--- In letterbox-usa@y..., Mary Covello wrote:
> I've been letterboxing for a little less than two
> months now with my children (ages 12 and 16.) We have
> been having enourmous amounts of fun. I think the
> disclaimers are an important part of the sport. I have
> learned to carry a complete first aid kit on even our
> "quick" letterboxing trips and I use it about 50% of
> the time. It could be the combination of excitable
> kids and off trail rock climbing, or it could be that
> they insist on wearing shorts and Tevas to hike in,
> but whatever the reason I am running out of bandaids!
> Another notable incident was stepping on a hornets
> nest while determinately counting paces through the
> woods. Then my kids will be quick to mention the time
> Mom capsized her kyack in 1 foot of goose excrement
> laden lake water while attempting the kyacking
> letterbox( All were wearing life jackets)
> Another use of the disclaimer is to promote heated
> discussion among hikers about the best ways to prevent
> bear attacks or treat rattlesnake bites.
> I must admit I have a natural aversion to sticking my
> hand in a dark crevice in a stone wall or hollow tree
> and have perfected the "poke it with a stick" method
> of finding a letterbox. ( Of course there is always
> the "you get it this time" method).
> Many thanks to the letterboxers who provided our
> family with so much entertainment this summer
> (especially to "Leader of the Pack").
> Happy stamping!
>
> Mama Bear and Cubs
>
> Thanks Mama Bear & Cubs - Leader of the Pack
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Make international calls for as low as $.04/minute with Yahoo!
Messenger
> http://phonecard.yahoo.com/

Eric, I more than appreciate your concern. There are
a lot of creepy people "out there." I am not a horror
or mystery writer. Heck, I haven't even been
published! (yet;-) I wouldn't be able to do that
genre justice. However, I would dearly love to do a
collection of letterboxers' stories. That would be
such fun. The idea is incubating in my brain at this
point, but if I thought that I could gather enough
bits and pieces to pull it off, I would love to give
'er a go! What are your thoughts? I have also
wondered about gathering stories from the points of
origin of this hobby. A trip to merry old England
would be a great diversion! AND, think about how my
"F" number would increase! :-) Linda

--- Eric Mings wrote:
> Don wrote:
> ---
> >How about a story where a serial killer lures his
> victims to remote areas by
> >clues to a web site game ? This should get some
> folks looking over their
> >shoulder the next time they're looking for a
> letterbox. Don
> >
> >
> ---
> Actually this is not a new plot. Some of us more
> paranoid types
> (including me) have sincerely worried about (and
> discussed) the
> possibility of some disturbed person booby trapping
> a letterbox since
> the first days of US letterboxing. In fact, I
> believe there was an
> article on the web I read once talking about the
> popularity of
> geocaching and how it would come crashing down one
> day if that were
> to happen with a geocache box. Not a pleasant
> thought and hopefully
> one that will never come to pass. Personally I hope
> the fiction story
> proposed is never written, it may bring unwanted
> attention from
> disturbed individuals. But then, I am a forensic
> psychologist who
> deals with disturbed criminals most every day and
> tend to worry more
> about such things.
> --
> Regards,
>
> Eric Mings
>
> Letterboxing International:
> http://www.letterboxing.com
> StoneStashing: http://www.stonestashing.com
>


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>>...Does anyone have a specific example of how they encountered a
particular
>>nasty snake/insect/spider/whatever in their search for a letterbox?
>>
>>Kokopelli P0:F0


On Friday I was at Ninigret in RI and found the Perfect Summer Day box.
When I was getting ready to stamp in I was swarmed by bees! No matter where
I went or how fast I tried to run, 2 or 3 never wanted to leave. Being
somewhat allergic, I have to say my heart was racing! Still a great place
and a great box.

Melissa

>Eric, I more than appreciate your concern. There are
>a lot of creepy people "out there." I am not a horror
>or mystery writer. Heck, I haven't even been
>published! (yet;-) I wouldn't be able to do that
>genre justice. However, I would dearly love to do a
>collection of letterboxers' stories. That would be
>such fun. The idea is incubating in my brain at this
>point, but if I thought that I could gather enough
>bits and pieces to pull it off, I would love to give
>'er a go! What are your thoughts? I have also
>wondered about gathering stories from the points of
>origin of this hobby. A trip to merry old England
>would be a great diversion! AND, think about how my
>"F" number would increase! :-) Linda
>

Linda,

I think a collection of stories would be interesting. For several
months I have had a topic on my Letterboxing International site for
people to submit their stories if they wish. So far only Dennis
Williams has submitted a story. Anyone is welcome to do so at any
time. Perhaps you may have more response than I have seen thus far.
Best wishes.
--
Regards,

Eric Mings

Letterboxing International: http://www.letterboxing.com
StoneStashing: http://www.stonestashing.com

--- In letterbox-usa@y..., "Melissa Harvey" wrote:
>
>
> >>...Does anyone have a specific example of how they encountered a
> particular
> >>nasty snake/insect/spider/whatever in their search for a
letterbox?
> >>
> >>Kokopelli P0:F0
>
>
> On Friday I was at Ninigret in RI and found the Perfect Summer Day
box.
> When I was getting ready to stamp in I was swarmed by bees! No
matter where
> I went or how fast I tried to run, 2 or 3 never wanted to leave.
Being
> somewhat allergic, I have to say my heart was racing! Still a
great place
> and a great box.

So glad they weren't there when the Cowboy and I visited that box. I
too have an aversion to bees after a nasty meeting years ago.
>
> Melissa

Thanks for replying, Eric. I will give it a try. If
I get no electronic responses, I will have to see what
I can gather at meetings (I have not been to one yet).
It may not fly. The fiction buffs have been having
fun with the notion, though! :-) Linda

--- Eric Mings wrote:
> >Eric, I more than appreciate your concern. There
> are
> >a lot of creepy people "out there." I am not a
> horror
> >or mystery writer. Heck, I haven't even been
> >published! (yet;-) I wouldn't be able to do that
> >genre justice. However, I would dearly love to do
> a
> >collection of letterboxers' stories. That would be
> >such fun. The idea is incubating in my brain at
> this
> >point, but if I thought that I could gather enough
> >bits and pieces to pull it off, I would love to
> give
> >'er a go! What are your thoughts? I have also
> >wondered about gathering stories from the points of
> >origin of this hobby. A trip to merry old England
> >would be a great diversion! AND, think about how
> my
> >"F" number would increase! :-) Linda
> >
>
> Linda,
>
> I think a collection of stories would be
> interesting. For several
> months I have had a topic on my Letterboxing
> International site for
> people to submit their stories if they wish. So far
> only Dennis
> Williams has submitted a story. Anyone is welcome to
> do so at any
> time. Perhaps you may have more response than I have
> seen thus far.
> Best wishes.
> --
> Regards,
>
> Eric Mings
>
> Letterboxing International:
> http://www.letterboxing.com
> StoneStashing: http://www.stonestashing.com
>


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> I will give it a try.

The potential here is unbounded. Like a coffee table book
about coffee tables that is in fact a coffee table itself,
one could imagine stories about hunting real letterboxes
that cleverly unravel into real letterbox clues themselves,
and so on and so on ...

Cheers

--- Randy Hall wrote:
>
>
> The potential here is unbounded. Like a coffee
> table book
> about coffee tables that is in fact a coffee table
> itself,
> one could imagine stories about hunting real
> letterboxes
> that cleverly unravel into real letterbox clues
> themselves,
> and so on and so on ...
>

A wonderful thought!



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