I am ataching clues to the new letterbox series, The Hills Are Alive (7)
along the South Kingtown Bike Path in Rhode Island.

Laurette

The Hills Are Alive Letterbox Series (7)
South Kingstown Bike Path
West Kingston, RI

The clues to this adventure will take you along the South Kingstown Bike Path
so that you may choose to ride, rollerblade (bring shoes) or walk on this
excursion. The bike path is about 4.5 miles one way. There are seven boxes
hidden along the sides of the bike path or a very short jaunt (no more than a
couple hundred feet) into the woods, so if you ride be prepared to get on and
off your bike. This series can be broken down into smaller segments.
Perhaps dividing 2-2-3 or 4-3. Some of the locations are slightly exposed to
pedestrian traffic so please use discretion.

Driving directions: The adventure begins at the parking lot to the Kingston
Train Station in West Kingston on Rt. 138(midway between the junctions with
rt2 and rt110). From 95 take exit 3 to 138E. Follow 138 about 8 miles to
the train station on the right. From the North - take Rt 1South to 138West
past URI to the train station on the left. Park your car in the Southwest
corner of the lot where the bike path begins.

Clues: Begin your journey on the bike path near the railroad tracks. After
crossing Liberty Lane, the wooden rail marking the approach to the road ends
and there's a short path on the right which leads to a pine needle strewn
clearing. Stand at the edge of the clearing and take 20 paces at 270 to a
large white pine with several trunks. On the far side, a small rock has a
secret to reveal. Reemerge back on the bike trail and continue on your way.
After the sign for the Great Swamp, you will cross the Chipuxet River
Bridge.
Stand on the left side of the path at the end of the rail. Take 20 paces at
70 and claim your prize in an old stump.
Continue on your way across Ministerial Road and (the minute) Larkin Pond
Road. After crossing White Horn Brook you will soon cross a culvert. Look
to the ridge on the left where there are some white pines. A big boulder and
a rhodedendrum mark the start of a wide path at the top of a small hill. Go
up the hill and enter. Take a quick right after the rhodedendrum on to a
smaller path then immediately veer left towards a stone wall. Follow the
stone wall to the left then around its corner to Historic Cemetery 17. Stand
at the Historic Marker and take a compass heading of 300. Find what you
seek low in the wall behind the 2 trunked tree. Return to the bike path and
continue on your journey. If you have an odometer take a reading. The next
box is about .6 miles.
You will pass a large grassy hill on the left that leads to a housing
development. Take note of the right rail. The 2nd section of right rail
ends. Continue past the scattering of boulders on your right for about 1/10
of a mile to find 3 knee high boulders sitting along the right side of the
path. Opposite there is a small white pine (possibly newly planted) and a
tree whose roots make a hollow at its base. Sit on the largest of the knee
high boulders with your feet toward the bike path. Reach under the anvil
shaped rock on your left . Lo and behold!
Forging onward, cross over South Road, pass the 3 mile marker and stop to
find a trail on the left. Take it down the hill and go left again over the
bridges. Go up the hill and continue to where there is a convergence of 3
orange stones, 4 maple trunks and a path to the left. Stand on the smallest
orange stone and take a compass sighting of 115. Find a young sapling with
2 trunks that looks different from the others (grey birch?) about 25 feet off
the trail. The prize is in the roots of that sapling.
Return to the bike path and continue your quest.
Cross Curtis Corner Road and keep on across Asa Pond Road. After passing
a big corrugated metal building, there will be a stairway down the hill to
the left leading to Tri Pond Park. Go down the stairway and across the
planks. Stand on the end of the last plank and look to the left. At that
point there is a hollow in the stone wall with a secret to share. Return to
the bike path and journey onward.
You will come upon a culvert marked by railings on both sides of the
trail. Go over the culvert then leave the bike path on the white blazed
trail to the right. Follow the white blazed trail over a first stone wall
and to a second. Stop at the second stone wall. Look north along the wall
to a fallen log. Midway between the log and the path in the eastern side of
the wall (about 5 feet away) your cup will runneth over.
Your quest is now complete. Head back to the bike path. Turn left to go
home.