MixtMedia@aol.com wrote:
> Orphans (or is there another name for a box like this?:
> I'm just wondering how many of our letterboxes are
> orphan letterboxes.... that is, placed with no intention
> of following up on its condition etc.
> Should we know before looking for it that it is an orphan?
> That is, if the box is listed on the L-USA site should it
> be designated as orphan online and searchers could take
> extra supplies to replace full journals, etc.? How long should
> an orphan box be listed? If no one has ever found it or looked
> for it, how will we know it's still there? Since most letterboxes here
> are few and far between so far, it makes sense to me that there
> be some kind of policy in place for listing them.

These are all really good questions, worth thinking about I think.
I think personally, I am going to keep the number of boxes I place
to a minimum of about 3 or 4 and I will make sure they are not so
far away that I cannot check on them easily. Or else, (here's a
good one, I think) I would try to have a contact or fellow
letterboxer who I know of who is near the remote ones. Does that
make some sense? I just don't think its a good idea to have lots
of letterboxes listed as though they are there when, in fact, they
may not be. I hope this is not a bad time to be bringing this up.
Actually we did talk about this last year early in the game. But
I think the recent enthusiasm of planting boxes has preempted most
other considerations. Its something at least to think about.
Perhaps while in Greenland you could find a kind soul at the pub
who might live close by to where your box will be hidden and will
be willing to go out say, once every 6 months to see if its still
there? I'm just thinking off the top of my head head here...

At one time I thought, well... it would be enough if every person
(who decides to plant a box) just plants one in his or her own
neigborhood... Again, just thinking off the top of my head...
I don't want to limit the hobby. I know some of the people in
Dartmoor have dozens of boxes out, maybe more. But like I've
said all along we have a unique case here geographically, culturally,
and taking into consideration the media for clues sharing it
presents us with opportunities aplenty to evolve in a different
direction. What about the corner pub, library, grocer, mall,
or parking lot? Do we have to hide them in grass, dirt, logs
or moss or under rocks or in crevices? What about the back
seat of an old Edsel? I think the important thing is to make
it fun, respect the land and property of others, and make it
safe. But certainly we don't want a lot of boxes that may be
orphaned. That might sour people if they get clues, go out
and look, realize they have the spot precisely located and
realize there is no letterbox. On the other hand, perhaps the
unwritten code would be as Deborah mentioned, to keep supplies
on hand to sort of readopt the letterbox. But what would happen
if say, you think its missing but you're really at the wrong spot?
Would you ever know for sure if you should readopt it? Only
the hider or someone else who has been given an exact location
would know for sure where the box should be. Lots of things
to consider hear...

> More semantics:
> Is there an official Dartmoor word for putting a letterbox
> out? I have always used the word "place"; I notice that
> others use "plant".... just curious.

Plant, place plop, salt, spot, locate, put, throw out, hide, plug...
etc., etc., etc...

> It would be fun to have a "letterbox lingo list" ~ to introduce
> and define words like "stamping up", etc.
> Deborah

I thought you were working on that. If anyone does such a list
I will put it on the site, prolly on the getting started page.

Dan'l

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