Letterboxers & Geocachers Unite!
 

"Letterboxing is an outdoor hobby that combines elements of orienteering, art, and puzzle solving. Letterboxers hide small, weatherproof boxes in publicly-accessible places (like parks) and distribute clues to finding the box in printed catalogs, on one of several web sites, or by word of mouth. Individual letterboxes usually contain a notebook and a rubber stamp. Finders make an imprint of the letterbox's stamp, either on their personal notebook or on a postcard, and leave an impression of their personal stamp on the letterbox's "visitors' book" or "logbook" — as proof of having found the box and letting subsequent letterboxers see who have visited. Many letterboxers keep careful track of their "find count". (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letterboxing)

A few Letterboxing resources:
http://www.atlasquest.com
http://www.letterboxing.org

A few Geocaching resources:
http://www.geocaching.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geocaching

I've been an avid letterboxer and unofficial recruiter to the hobby for over 5 years. I frequently carry my letterboxing journal and personal stamp with me and if I'm in a new area, I always like to find a letterbox. I love spending time outdoors and exploring places I've never been. I also love a good treasure hunt! :)

Geocaching is a similar hobby, but I can't tell you much about it because I've never tried it. I would love to hear about it, though.

Any other letterboxers or geocachers out there?

~cara

Geocacher Here!
 

Geocaching is great fun either alone or in a group. I've been geocaching for several years now and it has taken me to some pretty cool places that I might otherwise have just driven past. Then there are the "city" geocaches that are usually pretty cleverly hidden to match their surroundings and involve the challenge of trying to get the cache without being spotting by the "muggles" in the area. There are puzzle caches, earth caches, multi-caches and so on. So far, I have geocached in Hawaii, California, Texas and New York. Caches are hidden EVERYWHERE, lol. Have fun with it folks!

Glynn

Another geocacher here! We've been caching for about three years now if. What I enjoy most is that it gets and keeps us out of the house. We learn so much about new places and learn more about places we think we know; just from seeking out caches. Each year we make some caching goals just for the fun of it. For example:
* year one: find 100
* year two: geocache in more states
* year three: hide and repair more of our own caches, get to 300 finds

We've run into a few letterbox/cache hybrids. That's always intrigued me.

We love making other caching friends and getting people involved with this fun hobby!

Thanks for beginning this thread!
:)

Awesome! Welcome, welcome!

Maybe when we're in Arkansas for the reunion, I can plan a geocaching/letterboxing excursion! Just a thought. I'd love to see a geocache and I always try to find at least one letterbox when I travel and visit somewhere. Would anyone be up for that?

We won't going to that one big park at dusk, though. What was the name of it again, Dusa? :|

:rofl:

:stillheart:

cara

I do a lot of geocaching, and have been even going to some of the local geocaching events around here since there is a very large caching community in my area.

I love going with friends though, one of my favorite caching trips was with Oiler and a few others on a weekend camping trip.

That sounds like fun!

I remember when you were just getting started. It's so cool to see that you're into it and doing local events, too. Awesome!
I know locally, I'd love to attend some of the geocaching events that take places. There's been a couple standing events that take place throughout the summer. This may be the summer we get to check 'em out. :)

YAY! A letterbox thread!

I did my first letterbox experience with Cara when she was here to visit several weeks back and it was pretty awesome!

Although I will say that we never did find the box under a certain creepy troll-bridge.

Picture this: Cara and I are searching for a letterbox out in the friggin WOODS at night by ourselves. There is but one teeny tiny light to guide our way. The box was supposed to be hidden under a bridge at one of the local state parks. So we find the bridge and trek over there to look up under it in the pitch dark. Talk about crreeeeeeeepy. It was by a creek and we envisioned alligators swallowing us.

Needless to say, we didnt find the box but as we crossed the bridge on our way back to the truck, both of us realized how creepy it was. Not wanting to be pansies, I said, "I'm not scared, I will KICK someone's ass!".
To which Cara replied, "I know karate!"

Almost deadpan as soon as we said it, we both hear a rumbling from behind us. It was BIG. It was SCARY.

We take off running.
*insert hysterical laughter as we run back to the truck and discover that it's locked*

Turns out, two bicyclists were rumbling across the bridge. It wasnt a big, scary monster after all.

Can't wait to do it again!

That was a great camping weekend and a whole lotta fun caching! Pup and I have found a few here and need to get out and get going on some more! You two should come visit us in Texas and we will do some caching here! My favorite ones though are ones up the side of a mountain,,,,remember? LOL

Glynn

Anyone been caching lately?

We just had an awesome day with a big group of friends and most all of them were new to caching. All the kids (like 12 of them) darted ahead of the adults and were totally into it. We found 5 total, and not one of them took the kids more than 5 minutes once we got to ground zero. The adults got to hang back and let the kids do the work for a change. What fun!!

I think we may have a few new addicts on our hands.

:)

I had a half heart attack reading the title thinking I was seeing stuff.

I may or may not be obsessed with said hobby involving a GPS ;)

The weather is starting to get nice out here, and it means I can get out more doing more caching!

Also I now have a geocaching app on my phone, so if I don't have my gps for some reason, I can still go grab some on my lunch break or something!

Letterboxing is fun... I need to get back into it...

Found some fun and interesting caches this weekend, and hiked a few miles in and around a beautiful gorge in the process. The best part was finding a couple hidden waterfalls! :)

Made my 50th find this week. I hit up a puzzle and a multi!

Still hungry for more :)

laters...