Letterboxing!! My newest addiction!! (I can do it along with geocaching)

For what ever reason I was unable to post these on the day that I found them due to what I think was site maintenance!!  Although this site was unavailable for almost 2 days ---- hmmmm. . . . . .

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OK, so your trying to figure out what Letterboxing is?!!

Well, it's a lot like geocaching, but no GPS and no tradables. As in geocaching you find a hidden 'box' in this case they call them 'letterboxes'. Instead of using hints and GPS co-ords. You go directly from the planters directions, which I have found to be very informative. But still had to do some looking -- so it can be a bit of a challenge too!!

Letterbox items



My Angel Siggy Stamp!

Now when you find a geocache you sign the log and if its big enough you trade some tradable items. In 'Letterboxing' you pick out a signature stamp ie as in a rubber stamp, (looks like a lot of the people make their own) I used an angel stamp that I have used in the past as a siggy stamp,---> and then you stamp the log book in the 'Letterbox' with your signature stamp and date it!!

<-----The 'Letterbox' will contain a logbook for the 'box' and a custom made stamp representing that 'Letterbox' for you to stamp into your own logbook - See the coyote for the 'Coyote Overlook Letterbox' decribed below!! How cool is that?!

So Wednesday I went out looking for 3 local 'Letterboxes' at Lake Mendocino Dam. Found 2 of them, I think I needed to go a little further down the trail for the last one -- I guess that will be a trek for another day!!

So. . . what did I find? The 'Letterboxes' actually looked a lot like geocaches . . . . LOL

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#1: Coyote Overlook - found at Lake Mendocino Dam

a view of the Lake from atop the dam

I must say I looked and looked for this one, guess if I had better knowledge, or at least used the knowledge I do have of how to use a compass, I would have found it sooner. But I did finally make the find!! So here's what I found:

The picture above is this actual 'Letterbox' and it's contents. 

Logbook with my siggy stamp!

'Letterbox' in hiding!!

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#2: Manzanita Blossum

Manzanita Blossum stamp!!

So I finished crossing the dam and followed the directions to the second 'Letterbox' which I did not find :( -- but did notice that I might have tried to look for it a little too soon, so will have to go back another day and try to find it as this was quite a trek for me and I am sooooo out of shape, my legs were a-hurting when I got home!!!  Had me a nice long soak in the bathtub with the jets running on the aching muscles!!



The correct Manzanita Blossum



So for the next 'Letterbox' that I did find - I continued to follow the trail and instructions -- here's where it's important to follow the instructions!!  I took a quick look at them and pocketed them, then headed up the hill and towards what I thought the instructions had said.  Wondered around for quite awhile in the manzanita brus, going from one large manzanita tree to the next.  Finally decided to headback to the top of the trail and pull out the instructions again.  Low and behold when I followed the directions I was led directly to the correct spot and found the 'Letterbox' right away!!! 





Letterbox in hiding!



Signed logbook!

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Heading to Hopland tomorrow evening for 'Thirsty Thursday'  I think I need to head over early and catch the four 'Letterboxes' that I found listed there!!

Happy 'Letterboxing' and 'Geocaching'!!!!!