New Poll Ready!

After reading our story below, we hope you will vote in our new Poll. We're wondering if you agree with our stance that the history and the people who started letterboxing lead to a greater understanding and letterboxing experience.
So - please vote!

You know where it is, right?
Right hand column near the bottom of this main page.
Just get out there and vote!!!

Do You Know From Where We've Come???

I mean our rich letterboxing history!

Many new letterboxers, and even some vets, may not have taken the time to read the old archives of the LBNA talk list - what we call "the big list." These archives contain wonderful bits of history and all of the specifics about what those early letterboxing pioneers encountered when they began this hobby in the US.

These posts, by what should be familiar names to you, are almost like being there. You can imagine what it must have been like when Erik & Susan Davis, Mapsurfer, Tom Cooch, Daniel Servatius, Der Mad Stamper, Jay Drew and others decided to go national with this dream of theirs.

What about the history of where it all began? Across the pond in Dartmoor - the wild land where UK prisoners were sent! This frontier land was the location of The Hounds of Baskerville and home to the very first letterbox in the world, Cranmere Pool.

In this instant gratification society, many of us might be apt to skip the history and "just get out there & box!!!" We humbly suggest the more informed, educated approach - read, learn, ask questions. By doing so, we feel that your experience will be that much more rewarding and it will make you a better boxer - something to which we all strive!

So - "just get out there & box" but first, be sure to "just get out there and learn!"

"Whaddya Gonna Do?"

That's all we can say in our best mobese.

The series finale of The Sopranos was far from the hit fest everyone imagined. While this last episode had it high points like Phil Leotardo finally emerging from his hiddy hole and getting wacked by a pair of Soprano henchmen, the last scene left us somewhat disappointed.

Sure - the producers left open the question of the status of the Soprano family as they ate onion rings in some Jersey greasy spoon. There have been rumors of a big screen Sopranos movie. I think the producers opted for the ending that would allow them the most revenue.

Still - this series in its 8 years has been groundbreaking and probably one of the best series to come along in many, many years. Do we wish there was more? Sure

But . . . .

Whaddya gonna do?

Maybe have another sangwich?
Faggetaboutit!

Where's Mark?

I'm here but busy as a bee!

We've been working on our Letterboxing Cruise for June of 2008. Contact with Norwegian Cruise Lines has allowed us to put aside some additional cabins until next February, so if you are interested, let us know. Details of the cruise can be found on our cruise page. Come and be a part of letterboxing history!

Speaking of letterboxing history (great segue, eh?), we have sent out our initial round of questions to boxing pioneers Don & Gwen from CA and to Daniel Servatius of MN. While several weeks away from completion, we are excited about adding to this popular series (our last interview was January of 2006!) and the honor of adding these new interviews to the growing list of boxing pioneers on our Interview Series.

Plans are coming together for our Dartmoor trip with the Moor Tor-ists to take place late September. One of the special attractions to our trip is a suggestion of ours for a side trip to Land's End and a visit the town of Penzance. That day we will plant a new multi-box series entitled the "Pirates of Penzance" with contributions from all of our travelers. Look for clues to be posted once we return from that trip, along with another diary similar to our 2004 Dartmoor Trip Diary.

And, we've just finished running off clues for our VA Beach vacation coming up beginning June 30. We've even managed to register for a gathering there, VA Beach Meet & Greet - a great way to begin our week and meet some local letterboxers over a great seafood meal while watching the ocean . . . . and exchanging!

So, you see why we haven't been posting much - so much to do; so little time! Have a great weekend!

What Happened to the Thrill of . . . .

It seems society wants instant gratification and they want it NOW! Normal restaurants wasted too much time of our time so fast food restaurants sprung up and took millions of our food dollars. Then they weren't fast enough so the drive-in window came to be. We really don't want to wait for anything. We want it now and at times, we're willing to pay for it!

Letterboxing started with the "no frills" LBNA.org; then Atlas Quest came to be with bells and whistles. Boxers still weren't satisfied and virtual letterboxes came on the scene so letterboxers didn't have to get out in the air and on the trails anymore - they could surf for boxes in their pajamas in front of the computer screen! More of the "I want it now and easy" mentality.

Such is the letterboxing world and the plight of Inspector Bacon. Some of you have written us from the Newboxers list. People are getting antsy - they want to know what this is all about. They want to know now! Why not sit back and enjoy something that reads like a serial novel with clever repartee and double entendres? Is that asking too much? What happened to the thrill of discovery?

One woman who was with our Newboxers group for only a few weeks, unsubbed in disgust that "there was too much back-stabbing going on in this group." She then gave me the name of the posts so I could look into them and they were the inital posts of Ms. Emily Post and Inspector Bacon that are located in a post below. Apparently she didn't take the time to read the links and the history of this game. And me not knowing what was going on in my group? She wanted to jump in, feet first, without researching or doing her homework. Thus, instead of enjoying (or deleting) a group of messages that might have helped educate her, she left the group because on the surface, things got nasty.

I wrote back immediately to tell her that these posts were not what they seemed and were relevant to letterboxing. If she followed them through, eventually the light would come on over her head. If not, I mentioned that the "delete" key is a powerful tool. Why leave the group for something that was part of the game? Stay and learn. I offered her the opportunity to sign up again, knowing that these weren't 2 boxers fighting with each other, but I never heard from her.

Guess she was on to her next favorite thing . . . .

Simply Stupendous Stamping Supplies!!!

No - we're not being paid by Webfoot or her Stampeaz business . . . .
Sue & I have long been a fan of this carving media and website long before Webfoot took the reins of power last year!

We love the PZ Kut material - the white stuff - so much that we even stole some from DMS but that's a story for another day! Ryan has offered Webfoot some space on Atlas Quest with easy links to the products that are highlighted with great pictures and descriptions.

Besides the white PZ Kut material, we're wild about the Staedtler Mastercarve Tool Set pictured at the left. The turquoise ribs are gentle on your fingers for those hours spent whittling away at your next creation.

We suggest you take a look at Webfoot's new AQ area and you place an order for some of her letterboxing supplies. Check it out by clicking here. You won't be sorry.

New Poll for Your Voting Pleasure!

We've updated our Letterboxing Poll which is located in the lower right column of this webpage.

This Poll deals with the question that was asked earlier this week on one of the talk lists as to what website boxers use to house their personal letterboxing clues. So now you can vote your preference below.

As you all know, Sue & I have our clues listed here, on the pinecone blog, but link to both LBNA & Atlas Quest. We feel this provides the maximum exposure for those clues that we want public. Other clues are just hidden on this website.

Oh - you didn't realize? There are at least 10 clues hidden in the over 100 pages of this website just waiting for you! As in all things with letterboxing - nothing is as it first appears!

Don't Bogart That Box!

Our good buddies, Silent Doug and Clueless, have just planted a series of new boxes in their adopted home of CT. These two boxes are aptly called Bogart and Bacall after one of Hollywood's most famous and glamorous couples from movie's Golden Years.


Please go out and find these two boxes - and do it quickly! Doug feels that CT residents are not into finding their boxes. Is it because many are on longer hikes or are mysteries?

Let's show Doug & Clueless a little old fashioned CT boxing love - and just get out there & find their boxes - this one especially. They'll be happy and I can hold over their heads how much influence I have with the CT boxing community! :-)

Time for SOMEONE to Stop Copying?

Nothing really here to post -
just wanted to get Ryan back for copying our posting headline.

Ryan - na na na na na!