Letterboxers & Geocachers Unite!

cara · 11-04-2009, 01:38 PM

"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

dixie · 11-09-2009, 08:04 PM

I haven't tried either, but I would love to. It sounds kinda like a treasure hunt of sorts, with the clues. I'm gonna check to see if there are any locally.

SFFemmePrincess · 12-13-2009, 05:48 AM

Geocaching is similar in that there are containers hidden in various areas. I think the main differences is that there aren't really clues per say, the coordinates are placed on the geocaching website and then downloaded into a GPS. I guess the other difference is that there is usually stuff in the cache depending on the size and many times there are series of caches that are hidden by the same person and have some sort of purpose or point. It's very very fun! I know there are other cachers here...come out come out wherever you are...

hippieflowergirl · 12-17-2009, 09:32 PM

i started geocaching this year and was able to do 2 local dayhikes but dropped it due to a family emergency. i'm really looking forward to picking things up again. i didn't know about letterboxing. maybe that's more my speed since i don't have a car. i love treasure hunts and i love that there are local sites i can get to on foot and with my dog.

does anyone do bookcrossing or postcrossing?

Oiler41 · 12-17-2009, 09:56 PM

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

Darth Denkay · 12-26-2009, 08:52 PM

I haven't been geocaching before, but my girlfriend has and loves it so I think we're going to start doing it. I would LOVE to be able to do it in the mountains of East TN, but for now will stick to west TN.

Fancy · 05-23-2010, 04:40 PM

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.

Bad_boi · 05-27-2010, 05:47 AM

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

Logicaly · 05-30-2010, 02:19 AM

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!

Daryn · 05-30-2010, 04:57 PM

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

Fancy · 05-31-2010, 12:19 PM

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!

jelli · 08-01-2011, 11:36 AM

Geocaching is a real-world, outdoor treasure hunting game using GPS-enabled devices. Participants navigate to a specific set of GPS coordinates and then attempt to find the geocache (container) hidden at that location.

Has anyone gone on a geocaching adventure???

Here's a link to the site, but it is supposed to be temporarily offline for an update tomorrow.

http://www.geocaching.com/

DapperButch · 08-07-2011, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jelli

Geocaching is a real-world, outdoor treasure hunting game using GPS-enabled devices. Participants navigate to a specific set of GPS coordinates and then attempt to find the geocache (container) hidden at that location.

Has anyone gone on a geocaching adventure???

Here's a link to the site, but it is supposed to be temporarily offline for an update tomorrow.

http://www.geocaching.com/

I have thought more than once that this would be interesting to try.

Softly · 08-07-2011, 08:07 PM

oh my, this looks EXCITING!!!!
I would so do this!

Thank you for the link. If I decide to try it out, will post here about it!

I LOVE adventures

Oiler41 · 08-07-2011, 08:09 PM

I haven't been too much lately; it's just too dang hot, but here is another thread about Geocaching!

Give it a try and enjoy! It's a lot of fun!

Glynn

http://www.butchfemmeplanet.com/foru...hread.php?t=74

jelli · 08-07-2011, 08:11 PM

Thank you for the link to the other thread. I looked and looked and never found it. I wonder if Admin consolidates threads?

Slater · 08-07-2011, 08:18 PM

My ex and I did letterboxing a few times several years ago. It's similar to geocaching. Sometimes it was fun, sometimes frustrating. We didn't have a GPS at the time, so that made some of them harder.

And we did letterboxing with cara once, I had forgotten about that ... probably because I waited outside. It was a talk-to-someone one. I preferred the tromp-through-the-woods kind.

Ebon · 08-07-2011, 08:45 PM

That sounds like fun especially if it's in the woods.

jelli · 08-07-2011, 08:49 PM

Cara has a great lil geocache thread going on...

http://www.butchfemmeplanet.com/foru...hread.php?t=74

11-04-2009, 01:38 PM	#1
cara Senior Member How Do You Identify?: Queer/lesbian femme Preferred Pronoun?: She/her Relationship Status: Married to my love 08.15.15 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Snohomish County, Washington State Posts: 3,401 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 11,994 Thanked 13,254 Times in 2,724 Posts Rep Power: 21474854	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

12-13-2009, 05:48 AM	#3
SFFemmePrincess Member How Do You Identify?: Femme Lesbian Princess Preferred Pronoun?: Female Pronouns Relationship Status: Single but also non negotiably non monogamous Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Bay Area Gal! Posts: 142 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 47 Thanked 270 Times in 77 Posts Rep Power: 687705	Geocacher Here! Geocaching is similar in that there are containers hidden in various areas. I think the main differences is that there aren't really clues per say, the coordinates are placed on the geocaching website and then downloaded into a GPS. I guess the other difference is that there is usually stuff in the cache depending on the size and many times there are series of caches that are hidden by the same person and have some sort of purpose or point. It's very very fun! I know there are other cachers here...come out come out wherever you are...

12-26-2009, 08:52 PM	#6
Darth Denkay Member How Do You Identify?: Butch Preferred Pronoun?: I'm good with whatever Relationship Status: in love and loved Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Tennessee (Memphis, from Chattanooga) Posts: 315 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 456 Thanked 463 Times in 150 Posts Rep Power: 891934	I haven't been geocaching before, but my girlfriend has and loves it so I think we're going to start doing it. I would LOVE to be able to do it in the mountains of East TN, but for now will stick to west TN. __________________ Darth

05-30-2010, 02:19 AM	#9
Logicaly Member How Do You Identify?: Transgender Male Preferred Pronoun?: Male Relationship Status: She is the gamer girl to my gamer boy Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: California, Bay Area Posts: 683 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 395 Thanked 1,744 Times in 513 Posts Rep Power: 8641137	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! __________________ ~Logicaly~ Geeky guy extraordinaire Always and Forever

08-01-2011, 11:36 AM	#12
jelli Member How Do You Identify?: Femmilicious Preferred Pronoun?: she Relationship Status: And you said I wasn’t your type!!! Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: SC Posts: 836 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 1,758 Thanked 1,079 Times in 377 Posts Rep Power: 16588547	Geocaching Geocaching is a real-world, outdoor treasure hunting game using GPS-enabled devices. Participants navigate to a specific set of GPS coordinates and then attempt to find the geocache (container) hidden at that location. Has anyone gone on a geocaching adventure??? Here's a link to the site, but it is supposed to be temporarily offline for an update tomorrow. http://www.geocaching.com/ __________________ “Sometimes we make the right decision; sometimes we make the decision right.” “Every conflict is a lesson in self-discovery for both of us. Sometimes it's only hindsight that makes it worth it. For you, I would do it all again.“

11-09-2009, 08:04 PM	#2
dixie Infamous Member How Do You Identify?: I usually just poke it with a stick. Preferred Pronoun?: Bitch Relationship Status: Intertwined deeply Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: We're all a little mad here. Posts: 6,627 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 10,972 Thanked 21,385 Times in 4,808 Posts Rep Power: 21474857	I haven't tried either, but I would love to. It sounds kinda like a treasure hunt of sorts, with the clues. I'm gonna check to see if there are any locally.

12-17-2009, 09:32 PM	#4
hippieflowergirl Member How Do You Identify?: ~ Preferred Pronoun?: ~ Relationship Status: ~ Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: ~ Posts: 424 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 461 Thanked 466 Times in 176 Posts Rep Power: 274205	i started geocaching this year and was able to do 2 local dayhikes but dropped it due to a family emergency. i'm really looking forward to picking things up again. i didn't know about letterboxing. maybe that's more my speed since i don't have a car. i love treasure hunts and i love that there are local sites i can get to on foot and with my dog. does anyone do bookcrossing or postcrossing?

12-17-2009, 09:56 PM	#5
Oiler41 Member How Do You Identify?: Human Preferred Pronoun?: He/Him Relationship Status: Happily Single! Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Nunya Posts: 1,225 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 2,355 Thanked 2,574 Times in 790 Posts Rep Power: 18276166	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

05-23-2010, 04:40 PM	#7
Fancy Senior Member How Do You Identify?: Femme Preferred Pronoun?: She Relationship Status: N/A Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NY Posts: 3,742 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 7,696 Thanked 7,097 Times in 2,322 Posts Rep Power: 21474853	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.

05-27-2010, 05:47 AM	#8
Bad_boi Member How Do You Identify?: Transman (male) Preferred Pronoun?: He, Him, His ect. Relationship Status: Handsome bastard. Tournaments Won: 1 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Seattle Posts: 727 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 122 Thanked 1,824 Times in 499 Posts Rep Power: 0	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

05-30-2010, 04:57 PM	#10
Daryn Timed Out How Do You Identify?: genderqueer leaning male Preferred Pronoun?: he/ze Relationship Status: open to persuasion..... Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: OR Posts: 185 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 209 Thanked 280 Times in 81 Posts Rep Power: 0	Letterboxing is fun... I need to get back into it...

05-31-2010, 12:19 PM	#11
Fancy Senior Member How Do You Identify?: Femme Preferred Pronoun?: She Relationship Status: N/A Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NY Posts: 3,742 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 7,696 Thanked 7,097 Times in 2,322 Posts Rep Power: 21474853	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!

08-07-2011, 08:07 PM	#14
Softly Member How Do You Identify?: femme Relationship Status: Married Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Seattle Posts: 655 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 465 Thanked 701 Times in 253 Posts Rep Power: 3646035	oh my, this looks EXCITING!!!! I would so do this! Thank you for the link. If I decide to try it out, will post here about it! I LOVE adventures

08-07-2011, 08:09 PM	#15
Oiler41 Member How Do You Identify?: Human Preferred Pronoun?: He/Him Relationship Status: Happily Single! Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Nunya Posts: 1,225 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 2,355 Thanked 2,574 Times in 790 Posts Rep Power: 18276166	I haven't been too much lately; it's just too dang hot, but here is another thread about Geocaching! Give it a try and enjoy! It's a lot of fun! Glynn http://www.butchfemmeplanet.com/foru...hread.php?t=74

08-07-2011, 08:11 PM	#16
jelli Member How Do You Identify?: Femmilicious Preferred Pronoun?: she Relationship Status: And you said I wasn’t your type!!! Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: SC Posts: 836 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 1,758 Thanked 1,079 Times in 377 Posts Rep Power: 16588547	Thank you for the link to the other thread. I looked and looked and never found it. I wonder if Admin consolidates threads? __________________ “Sometimes we make the right decision; sometimes we make the decision right.” “Every conflict is a lesson in self-discovery for both of us. Sometimes it's only hindsight that makes it worth it. For you, I would do it all again.“

08-07-2011, 08:18 PM	#17
Slater Member How Do You Identify?: Butch Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Seattle area Posts: 147 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 41 Thanked 796 Times in 129 Posts Rep Power: 14631968	My ex and I did letterboxing a few times several years ago. It's similar to geocaching. Sometimes it was fun, sometimes frustrating. We didn't have a GPS at the time, so that made some of them harder. And we did letterboxing with cara once, I had forgotten about that ... probably because I waited outside. It was a talk-to-someone one. I preferred the tromp-through-the-woods kind. __________________ Slater Last edited by Slater; 08-07-2011 at 08:35 PM. Reason: Because I remembered that we letterboxed with cara

08-07-2011, 08:45 PM	#18
Ebon Senior Member How Do You Identify?: With my souls eyes. Preferred Pronoun?: He Relationship Status: lol Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Here Posts: 3,476 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 10,524 Thanked 11,144 Times in 2,755 Posts Rep Power: 21474854	That sounds like fun especially if it's in the woods. __________________ In Lak'ech Ala K'in I'm a Soul Rebel http://wannabereverend.wordpress.com/ Spirituality is not a belief system or ideology, it is the surrender of one's ego to the infinite wisdom and knowledge that is the universe.

08-07-2011, 08:49 PM	#19
jelli Member How Do You Identify?: Femmilicious Preferred Pronoun?: she Relationship Status: And you said I wasn’t your type!!! Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: SC Posts: 836 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 1,758 Thanked 1,079 Times in 377 Posts Rep Power: 16588547	Cara has a great lil geocache thread going on... http://www.butchfemmeplanet.com/foru...hread.php?t=74 __________________ “Sometimes we make the right decision; sometimes we make the decision right.” “Every conflict is a lesson in self-discovery for both of us. Sometimes it's only hindsight that makes it worth it. For you, I would do it all again.“