Hi All,

This morning my Dad and I went and planted my first letterbox, YEA!  It was really an unusual day with a rare summer storm that felt like Mexico City.  Certainly made the hike cool.  I apologize in advance for my weak creative writing.

Anyway here are the details.

The Enchanted Palos Verdes Letterbox

This is an easy hike (approx. 1 mile round trip) and easy clues.

Four young friends, Alex, Bobby, Carol, and Danny had heard stories all their young lives, about the Enchanted Tail.  They had heard that the Trail started at the VERY END (South end) of Crenshaw, a main North/South boulevard that starts North down on the flat lands (and has on and off ramps from the 405 Freeway).

Alex had just celebrated the first decade of life and got a beautiful bike from the folks.  In celebration of this milestone the friends decide to ride their bikes up to the Enchanted Tail and see what all the fuss was about.  They rode up the winding Crenshaw Blvd., ignoring the misdirecting signage and double yellow line, followed Crenshaw and found the trail head, a big metal gate that said "END".  They locked their bikes to the metal gate, read the caution sign about rattle snakes, and started down the Trail.

So far nothing seemed particularly enchanting.  They saw all the beautiful No-One-Can-Afford Homes lining the cliffs.  Listening to their foot falls as they started down the trail, Bobby started to sing..."Why should I work like other men do, Oh why should I work when the sky is so blue..." and they all joined in, "Hallelujah I'm a bum, hallelujah bum again, hallelujah give 'em a handout and revive us again."

Soon they notice all the prickly pear cactus hanging from the cliff above, and then a patch near by with a Yucca growing in the middle.  Soon they could see man-made artifacts along the trail surrounded by willowy-looking trees.  As they got closer they could see that the road takes a BIG bend.  They walked through the willowy trees, completely around the big bend and decided to walk up the narrow, fennel lined, black path to a knoll.  As Alex, Carol, Bobby and Danny stood in a line at the top of the knoll, looking at the beautiful view, took a deep fennel scented breath, simultaneously said out loud, "I wish I could look at this beautiful view every day".  In that instant they turned into 4 straight pine trees at the top of the knoll.  

You can help them IF they are tired of the view.  Say the magic word 3 times.  The magic word can my found in the Letterbox just steps from the pine trees/kids.

Standing in front of Carol (looking at the ocean view) there is a small trail leading off about 120 degrees.  Starting at Carol follow the path 52 paces (I'm short and take small steps) to a bush/tree whose trunk, closest to the ground, branches off in many directions.  You'll find the Letterbox there.

Face the kids and say the magic word 3 times loud and clear.  (Let me know if the kids change back so that I can make the appropriate changes to the clues.)

I Hope that it is a beautiful clear day so that you can see Catalina Island.  Happy Hunting.

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