Dorky? Probably. Yes, I know.
Letterboxing: 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". - Wikipedia
My husband's family gathered to celebrate his mom's birthday this past weekend. My totally awesome sister-in-law brought along a clue to a local letterbox. While the men prepared dinner... which is often served HOURS later than expected... the women and kids went to look for the letterbox.
Unbeknownst to us, this letterbox was super-amazing... because it had a hitchhiker.
Hitchhiker: A letterbox with no permanent home. A hitchhiker is carried by a letterboxer from one box to another, where it is left for the next visitor to find. Hitchhikers are recorded as finds in a letterboxer's PFX count. Hitchhikers sometimes have their own plastic boxes and are hidden on top of or next to an existing letterbox, while others travel in a plastic zip lock bag and are meant to be stowed inside the host letterbox. - www.letterboxing.info
Since my sister-in-law recently found and rehid a hitchhiker, she let me take this one with me. Gracias!
Here is the picture of the hitchhiker. I blurred out the stamp... because that ruins the fun.
So, now I have this little hitchhiker in my posession and I need to find a home for it.
Winter Project
The best time to look for letterboxes is in the warm weather. Take time this winter to get your stamps and logbooks together so that you are ready for letterboxing this Spring.
The best letterboxing sites are:
Atlas Quest - this is the best site actually. This is a great letterboxing community... you can get clues... log finds... and so much more...
Letterboxing.org - you can find letterboxing info here too... along with a tutorial on making your own stamp.
Letterboxing.info - this site is new to me. I recently ran across it when I was trying to find an easy definition for hitchhiker.
I located a nearby park that has 3 letterboxes. I hope to visit soon.
1 comment:
I would love to go letterboxing again but have to have company.. Somebody to stick their hand in those strange places!! That was so much fun..
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