The Nail Family took a trip to Oregon over the Thanksgiving
Holiday and took advantage of the trip to visit a few boxes.
Thanks to Funhog who recommended the Silver Creek Falls
State Park series. We took all 7 Nails plus Nailhead's sister (Le
Ongle) and 4 of his teen aged cousins along for the trip. All the
newbies designed and carved their own Sig stamps prior to
departure and all had a great time in the hunt.

Due to Nailhead's poor navigation (Ryan didnt say to take the
Canyon Trail or the Ridge Trail), we bypassed the first 2 boxes
and ended up at Double Falls (box in great shape). Other folks
on the trail were just a little curious about this group of 12 people
gathered around a Glad Ware container placed on a large rock.
A group had gathered below us on the bridge traversing the
creek and were spying us with camera and binoculars. We all
turned toward them and waved and they sheepishly waved back
and quickly left the area.

Since newbies who wear Doc Martins dont handle hiking well,
we backtracked to pick up the Lower South Falls box and the
South Falls box, both in good shape too. (Too bad about the
Lower North Falls box sliding away with the stump, we passed
by that area on the way to Double Falls) Ryan does make very
nice stamps :)

In our haste to depart from Washington to get to our family
gathering in Oregon, we didnt take the time to go to the link
Funhog provided to translate the clues to Frenchie Falls from
French into English. Nailhead figured that his high school
French from 20 years ago would suffice to figure it out. NOT!
We joked as we came up the canyon that we could always just
start asking passersby if they spoke French. Nailhead got up the
nerve and asked a young couple and what a surprise, they were
Quebec'ers transplanted to Oregon. The woman was very
gracious in helping us with the clues and we had the opportunity
to share the sport with them. They seemed very interested so
we gave them the web address of the LBNA and encouraged
them to check it out. With our sketchy translation hastily written
down on the trail, we headed up to find the Frenchie Falls Box.
No luck :( Either we didnt get all the translation correct or we
missed an important clue but we could not find it for the world.
By this time we (all 12 of us) were getting tired and footsore. We
decided to call it a day (a good day, I might add with 3 found
boxes, 5 new recruits, and a possible 2 more met on the trail)
and head back home to eat more pumpkin pie.

Next morning we headed north again from Salem with a mind to
swing by the Beaverton area to try our luck at a few spots there.
We stopped by at a local high school to see one of our young
relatives play in a basketball tournament. After the game, the
young player and a couple of the new boxers went with the Nail
Family to the Jack in the Box on Farmington and Jamison. The
folks thought we were crazy counting tables, lights, windows and
ceiling tiles! Gotta head back down that way and check out the
other 2 restaurants so we can get the box!

Next out to Tualitin Hills Nature Park. Box #1 appears to be
missing. Got #2, but #3 is also missing. Tried and tried but
could not find #4. Nailhead and not-so-Happy Mom got into an
argument over paces versus steps and decided to quit! ..... Who
knows what the condition is of the other 4 boxes. Must do that
one again some time.

Moving right along, we made one last stop in Oregon before
heading back to Olympia. BCostley had posted a week or so
ago that he was going to pull his Movie Letterbox due impending
rains and flooding in the area he placed the box. We send a
message to him expressing our dissapointment and he said
that he could replace the box for the weekend so that we could
visit it. Since we didnt have a laptop we had to go from memory
of the movie. Nailhead redeemed his navigation reputation and
took the 7 Nails directly to the box (never mind that wrong turn on
the trail that cost an extra 5 minutes looking around). Got the box
and even picked up a little bee named Buzz that has traveled to
Western Washington and last we heard was tied up in court and
appearing before a county judge.

A great and memorable weekend with family and letterboxing.
Thanks again to Funhog for inspiring and confusing us, Ryan for
running us around in circles (very long circles) and making our
legs feel like noodles, and BCostley for making our side trip
sweeter than honey!

Glad to be home
The Nail Family