View Full Version : Letterboxing



kayaking loon
10-03-2009, 01:41 PM
I'm not into letterboxing but yesterday when I was on the Kennebec Rail Trail, near Mapachi's Abby's Cache, I saw a Tupperware container out in the open, box here, light green top there, and a rubber stamp and ink pad elsewhere. Does anybody know who that might have belonged to? It's by the bench on the main trail before you turn to go to Abby's Cache. I thought the ower might like to retrieve it.

hollora
10-03-2009, 05:24 PM
I'm not into letterboxing but yesterday when I was on the Kennebec Rail Trail, near Mapachi's Abby's Cache, I saw a Tupperware container out in the open, box here, light green top there, and a rubber stamp and ink pad elsewhere. Does anybody know who that might have belonged to? It's by the bench on the main trail before you turn to go to Abby's Cache. I thought the ower might like to retrieve it.

What did the stamp look like and was it hand carved? No book/log? I will research the sites I know of where they are published.

hollora
10-03-2009, 05:44 PM
I have sent an email to a boxer who has a letterbox in Vaughn's Woods in Hallowell. If I hear from them I will let you know.

squirrelcache
10-03-2009, 09:02 PM
That has been there in the open for about a month now, that I know of and I have no idea who it belongs to.....or what will come of it.

kayaking loon
10-05-2009, 05:03 PM
What did the stamp look like and was it hand carved? No book/log? I will research the sites I know of where they are published.


Just a purple ink pad, stamp wasn't hand-carved, a wreath with something for writing around it. Maybe it was somebody's lunch?? LOL.

hollora
10-05-2009, 06:11 PM
Probably not a lunch but I haven't heard back from the boxer in Hallowell. I actually feel letterboxes are not as well maintained overall compared to caches.

Now, I am sure there may be boxers who don't agree - but I can think of a few, found like the one you found kayaking loon - which just are a mess. And try to conact them - it doesn't work. It is hard to search out who may own them, etc,

I will say, however, their events - well those are something quite elaborate and very upscale. Tons of detail and a lot to do.

Guess everything just has something to offer. It's all different and you pick what works for you.

Thanks KL for trying to rescue this lost - well, whatever it really was.

squirrelcache
10-05-2009, 06:57 PM
Now you know why I didn't do anything about it way back when......... I also have had No Luck in getting in touch w/letterbox owners. You're lucky if you can find the listing of it.

hollora
10-05-2009, 07:51 PM
Now you know why I didn't do anything about it way back when......... I also have had No Luck in getting in touch w/letterbox owners. You're lucky if you can find the listing of it.

It is another world and one which you are welcome into but definitely different. I will say this - want to see a place to go, quality and awesome event for details - go to a letterboxing event. The 2 pirate quest events here were modeled after them.

Having had friends who run a wildlife refuge discover an animal muggled letterbox on their property and then - helping them find the owner and try to fix things..........I know how elusive (yes, that is the word I would use) these folks may be. The letterbox had been in place on the property for many years (long before the caretakers I knew) but not placed with permission. Therein lies a major problem. The land owners didn't even know what letterboxing was - but the caretakers knew about geocaching so inquired of me when the parts and pieces were found. Fortunately, maybe, I was able to put everything together.

In this case we got in touch with the box owner, but because of a move and a ton of other stuff, there was little done. The property owners have taken possession of a lovely hand carved stamp in this case and will not give it up. At this point - they are not even willing for me to use it as a letterbox hybrid but I will work on this.

Until something is a bit different - letterboxes are not welcome on this land but we have a few geocaches there. Sort of sad.

I find boxing hard - hard to do in the rain, cryptic clues, mysteries to solve and a bunch of other stuff. Nice folks, like what they do like we do - but its done on a different plain, a different way...........just a different game.

If the box mentioned doesn't have a hand carved stamp - well, probably that is the reason they don't care. Folks who hand carve the very ornate stamps usually care.

Now - I may work on one for ???? Time will tell.

Ekidokai
10-06-2009, 10:03 AM
I have found two. Both full of water. Literally full of water. The containers just weren't meant to be outside. I brought them, home carefully separated the pages and dried them. Nothing much left in either. The stamps were not home made. I have made several inquires and pestered the people about them. It has been 6 months and now everything has been thrown out. Too bad to place stuff out in nice places then have it become trash.

hollora
10-06-2009, 12:46 PM
I have found two. Both full of water. Literally full of water. The containers just weren't meant to be outside. I brought them, home carefully separated the pages and dried them. Nothing much left in either. The stamps were not home made. I have made several inquires and pestered the people about them. It has been 6 months and now everything has been thrown out. Too bad to place stuff out in nice places then have it become trash.

You are very right about putting stuff out and it becoming trash. I do like the letterbox hybrid component of geocaching. A geocache with a letterbox stamp for those who box.