I've just been lurking a little while, but I've already seen something that
I was sort of expecting. In urban areas, letterboxes seem to disappear
rather often. Does anyone have any tips for long-lived 'boxes? Is there
something you can write on a box, or other box prep techniques, to entice
people to leave it alone?
It must be kind of sad when a box is taken before the owners even have a
chance to check out the visitors' stamps. How often do people check their
letterboxen? Do you XEROX the pages in case the log disappears?
Just a curious newbie.
\|||/
-o o- hedge
.
"The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing."
-- Archilochus
urban letterboxes, letterbox lifespan
5 messages in this thread |
Started on 2002-07-19
urban letterboxes, letterbox lifespan
From: The Smart Hedgehog (hedgehog@letterbox.cc) |
Date: 2002-07-19 11:40:03 UTC-04:00
Re: [LbNA] urban letterboxes, letterbox lifespan
From: Ms. Alafair (ms_alafair@yahoo.com) |
Date: 2002-07-19 11:11:31 UTC-07:00
Hi Hedge,
Cool name! Letterboxers here in CT almost always insert a description of what Letterboxing is all about in a baggie in their boxes so the uninformed understand what they have come upon. You can find this on the LBNA site.
Also, IMHO, discretion when stamping in can help avoid bringing attention to any letterbox, though I can understand that in urban areas that might be difficult to do. I guess it is logical that the smaller and less obtrusive the container is, the easier it is to conceal it in its hiding place as well as while stamping in. Too bad Rubbermaid doesn't offer more "natural" colors (forest green?, beige? etc.) n place of the translucent containers with blue lids that many of us use.
Welcome to letterboxing, by the way. You didn't mention where you hail from.
Linda a/k/a Ms. Alafair
The Smart Hedgehog
I've just been lurking a little while, but I've already seen something that
I was sort of expecting. In urban areas, letterboxes seem to disappear
rather often. Does anyone have any tips for long-lived 'boxes? Is there
something you can write on a box, or other box prep techniques, to entice
people to leave it alone?
It must be kind of sad when a box is taken before the owners even have a
chance to check out the visitors' stamps. How often do people check their
letterboxen? Do you XEROX the pages in case the log disappears?
Just a curious newbie.
\|||/
-o o- hedge
.
"The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing."
-- Archilochus
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Re: [LbNA] urban letterboxes, letterbox lifespan
From: samanark (samanark@yahoo.com) |
Date: 2002-07-19 18:40:11 UTC
--- In letterbox-usa@y..., "Ms. Alafair" wrote:
Too bad Rubbermaid doesn't offer more "natural" colors (forest
green?, beige? etc.) n place of the translucent containers with blue
lids that many of us use.
I just found some really cute containers at the local Rite Aid drugs
(for $1.25 each) They are small boxes and come in white, and many
other colors---I bought out the green and orange ones!! I used the
Orange ones to hide boxes in the Virginia area just recently and I
discovered that they camouflaged quite nicely with the red clay and
dead leaves! I plan to use the green ones in areas in the Pacific
Northwest with lots of mossy green logs and evergreen firs!
Don and Gwen of California use colored duct tape to cover their boxes
to match the area they are hidden! I found a box of theirs that was
hidden in a rotted log. The box was covered with a beigy-brown tape
that totally matched the color of the rotten wood!! They have an
urban box that they used the silver duct tape on---so the box blends
in with the concrete area where it is hidden.
--Amanda from Seattle
Too bad Rubbermaid doesn't offer more "natural" colors (forest
green?, beige? etc.) n place of the translucent containers with blue
lids that many of us use.
I just found some really cute containers at the local Rite Aid drugs
(for $1.25 each) They are small boxes and come in white, and many
other colors---I bought out the green and orange ones!! I used the
Orange ones to hide boxes in the Virginia area just recently and I
discovered that they camouflaged quite nicely with the red clay and
dead leaves! I plan to use the green ones in areas in the Pacific
Northwest with lots of mossy green logs and evergreen firs!
Don and Gwen of California use colored duct tape to cover their boxes
to match the area they are hidden! I found a box of theirs that was
hidden in a rotted log. The box was covered with a beigy-brown tape
that totally matched the color of the rotten wood!! They have an
urban box that they used the silver duct tape on---so the box blends
in with the concrete area where it is hidden.
--Amanda from Seattle
RE: [LbNA] urban letterboxes, letterbox lifespan
From: Mischief In Wa (Mischief_wa@hotmail.com) |
Date: 2002-07-20 04:02:59 UTC
Yes, urban boxes have a higher mortality rate. Basically it comes down to
how much traffic the location has. The more traffic, the more likely I box
is to be discovered by a non-boxer, and as such a higher risk of
disappearance. Where as a box on the peak of Mt Foo is more likely to
survive because not as many people tromp around up there. Then of course
there are acts of nature to contend with.... floods, raccoons, etc. It's
all a part of the adventure.
I've have 3 boxes go missing... one was blatantly vandilized and the other
two just disappeared. It was quite a bummer as I didn't see any of the
logs. The 2 that disappeared were part of a series of 3 (Snoqualmie Falls),
so I took the one remaining log home and scanned all the pages into my PC so
as to have a personal archive (I returned the log the next day).
I check my boxes as often as I can... but not nearly as often as I like. I
particularly like when I hear that someone has been to one of my boxes.
That way I know it's still there and seeing activity. =)
~ Mischief ~
http://pub8.ezboard.com/bmischiefsletterboxes
-----Original Message-----
From: The Smart Hedgehog [mailto:hedgehog@letterbox.cc]
Sent: Friday, July 19, 2002 8:40 AM
To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [LbNA] urban letterboxes, letterbox lifespan
I've just been lurking a little while, but I've already seen something that
I was sort of expecting. In urban areas, letterboxes seem to disappear
rather often. Does anyone have any tips for long-lived 'boxes? Is there
something you can write on a box, or other box prep techniques, to entice
people to leave it alone?
It must be kind of sad when a box is taken before the owners even have a
chance to check out the visitors' stamps. How often do people check their
letterboxen? Do you XEROX the pages in case the log disappears?
Just a curious newbie.
\|||/
-o o- hedge
.
"The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing."
-- Archilochus
_________________________________________________________________
Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com
how much traffic the location has. The more traffic, the more likely I box
is to be discovered by a non-boxer, and as such a higher risk of
disappearance. Where as a box on the peak of Mt Foo is more likely to
survive because not as many people tromp around up there. Then of course
there are acts of nature to contend with.... floods, raccoons, etc. It's
all a part of the adventure.
I've have 3 boxes go missing... one was blatantly vandilized and the other
two just disappeared. It was quite a bummer as I didn't see any of the
logs. The 2 that disappeared were part of a series of 3 (Snoqualmie Falls),
so I took the one remaining log home and scanned all the pages into my PC so
as to have a personal archive (I returned the log the next day).
I check my boxes as often as I can... but not nearly as often as I like. I
particularly like when I hear that someone has been to one of my boxes.
That way I know it's still there and seeing activity. =)
~ Mischief ~
http://pub8.ezboard.com/bmischiefsletterboxes
-----Original Message-----
From: The Smart Hedgehog [mailto:hedgehog@letterbox.cc]
Sent: Friday, July 19, 2002 8:40 AM
To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [LbNA] urban letterboxes, letterbox lifespan
I've just been lurking a little while, but I've already seen something that
I was sort of expecting. In urban areas, letterboxes seem to disappear
rather often. Does anyone have any tips for long-lived 'boxes? Is there
something you can write on a box, or other box prep techniques, to entice
people to leave it alone?
It must be kind of sad when a box is taken before the owners even have a
chance to check out the visitors' stamps. How often do people check their
letterboxen? Do you XEROX the pages in case the log disappears?
Just a curious newbie.
\|||/
-o o- hedge
.
"The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing."
-- Archilochus
_________________________________________________________________
Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com
Re: [LbNA] urban letterboxes, letterbox lifespan
From: (mohmers@aol.com) |
Date: 2002-07-20 09:06:36 UTC-04:00
HI hedge hog, we keep the original clues for all of our boxes at home...that
way we can give someone a copy if they are interested in trying out the hobby.
Some of our urban boxes have lasted a while and some are very short lived.
My best tip would be "hide it well!" Also, choose areas of the park that
are not well groomed. Our smaller boxes have lasted the longest. We have
had one box, however, in the middle of a park that has lasted a couple years
with no problem but it is in a hole in a tree.
Hope that helps.
:o)
Happy Hunting,
Mohmers
In a message dated 7/19/02 8:46:10 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
hedgehog@letterbox.cc writes:
<<
I've just been lurking a little while, but I've already seen something that
I was sort of expecting. In urban areas, letterboxes seem to disappear
rather often. Does anyone have any tips for long-lived 'boxes? Is there
something you can write on a box, or other box prep techniques, to entice
people to leave it alone?
It must be kind of sad when a box is taken before the owners even have a
chance to check out the visitors' stamps. How often do people check their
letterboxen? Do you XEROX the pages in case the log disappears? >>
way we can give someone a copy if they are interested in trying out the hobby.
Some of our urban boxes have lasted a while and some are very short lived.
My best tip would be "hide it well!" Also, choose areas of the park that
are not well groomed. Our smaller boxes have lasted the longest. We have
had one box, however, in the middle of a park that has lasted a couple years
with no problem but it is in a hole in a tree.
Hope that helps.
:o)
Happy Hunting,
Mohmers
In a message dated 7/19/02 8:46:10 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
hedgehog@letterbox.cc writes:
<<
I've just been lurking a little while, but I've already seen something that
I was sort of expecting. In urban areas, letterboxes seem to disappear
rather often. Does anyone have any tips for long-lived 'boxes? Is there
something you can write on a box, or other box prep techniques, to entice
people to leave it alone?
It must be kind of sad when a box is taken before the owners even have a
chance to check out the visitors' stamps. How often do people check their
letterboxen? Do you XEROX the pages in case the log disappears? >>