Another CT Town Celebrates Boxing Style!

First it was Ridgefield, now New Milford is celebrating their tercentennial with - you guessed it - letterboxes!

New Milford, CT has put out clues to 30 letterboxes located at historical sites and town parks. Please note that several are marked as being discontinued. Feel adventurous and want to get them all? A special commemorative coin will be your prize. The town's webpage related to it's 300th celebration letterboxes is located here.

OK - who's next???

Only A Month Away!

We can hardly wait - the 10th anniversary of letterboxing's We Live and Breathe Letterboxing event is less than a month away!

Based on several emails from Der Mad Stamper, posts we've read on line and just the general buzz about the letterboxing community, we are confidant that this event will be unlike any other previous. Knowing Mitch and the committee and their penchant for mystery and innovation, we can expect the unexpected! This event will truly be the gathering of the decade.

The official guest list was released the other day, but our theory is that it is incomplete. Might there be a surprise guest or two? Time will tell. As we said, expect the unexpected! If I can stay focused enough at the gather (those that know me realize that's a problem!) my intent is to record the reactions and impressions of some of the attendees and the recording will be forwarded to Jackbear for a future podcast. Again - if I can keep my wits about me!!!

Keep up-to-date with all of the latest We Live and Breathe news at the official event website.

After the non-stop action of the weekend gathering, Sue & I are headed out to Newport, OR and the beautiful OR coastline for some relaxing and boxing. Luckily, we came across a condo unit to rent for the 6 nights that is located across the street from the beach. We are spending Sunday night through Saturday morning there. I have already run off most of the boxes within a 25 mile radius of Newport - heading north, south and west. We probably won't have time to do them all but it's better to have too many with us than not enough!!!

So - that's the plan for our next adventure. We hope that you will also consider attending the gathering. It should be something for the record books - ah - logbooks!

A 300 Anniversary Boxing Celebration!

Sue & I heard about the tercentennial celebration going on in Ridgefield, CT this year at one of the early spring gatherings. "There are 22 special letterboxes" we were told to celebrate the town's 300th anniversary.

So I quickly sent an email to the committee's email address and received a nice email from Terry who is the head of the committee. She sent out a book of clues for the event and 4 weeks ago, Sue & I hit the letterboxes hard! We netted 14 of the 22 and thoroughly enjoyed the history and the locales that each box presented. Clever hides, interesting places, wonderful vistas. Ridgefield has it all!

This past Sunday, we finished the balance and sent an email to Terry and the committee for a job well done. I asked permission to post the info here for all of our readers who might be within a short trip to Ridgefield, CT which is on the NY border. Believe me, it's well worth the trip.


Ridgefield is a wonderful town with huge homes on well-manicured lawns. We were told about the location of the home of the owner of Priceline.com and our jaws dropped when we passed! It's the largest home we've ever seen - even larger than Buckingham Palace, I would guess!!! The town has very interesting terrain so you won't be bored - some large hills, lakes and such that keep the series very engaging.

These boxes are out until September 15 after which some may appear in a different form or place but you must get the complete series in situ. The town's website for the celebration is located here. To find out about the letterboxing portion of the celebration, go down the left side of the page and click on "Letterboxing."

Clue books (free of charge) not only tell the history and important facts about each of the locations but have a cool square where you may place the image. Our completed cluebook really looks great and we used our own markers to add some color to the images. Sue & I also stamped the images into our current logbook as well. If you venture to Ridgefield on the weekend, you may obtain a book at one of the following venues - some of which are open on the weekend:

Union Savings Bank, Danbury Road/Route 35
Squash's Office Supply, Main Street
Books on the Common, Copps Hill Common, Danbury Road/Route 35
Town Hall, Information Desk, Main Street
Chamber of Commerce, Bailey Avenue - just off Main Street
Ridgefield Historical Society, Sunset Lane - just off Grove Street
Conservation Commission Office, Town Hall Annex (old High School Building)
Neumann Real Estate, Main Street

One of our most favorite locations was the Weir Farm, a National Historic Site, that not only was the home of artist J. Alden Weir and his family, but served as a refuge and retreat for friends and fellow artists. The grounds are to die for - and was the spot we chose for a perfect picnic lunch respite from a long day of hiking and boxing. We suggest that you think about doing the same. The gardens are wonderful and the old stone walls really fascinated me.

So - that's the ticket! Get them before they are gone. I hope you make it there before September 15. Let us know how you liked the series and send an email to Terry and her wonderful committee from the website to let them know how much you enjoyed the series. The stamps, while commercially done, are originals that show both a consistency and a change for each location.

I think you'll find that it's time well spend in a beautiful town with much to offer in the way of history, hiking and boxing. A perfect trifecta!

Note: I took all of these photos just at Weir Farm as we walked the property, enjoyed our picnic lunch and hiked to the box.

Bed & Boxing Signups Now Being Accepted!

Now is the time to make your reservations for the Bed & Boxing event - our next Pinecone Adventure - that takes place the weekend of November 14 to 16.

We've set up a special webpage that details the 3 participating inns, room categories and pricing. Also included is the menu for the special Friday night Welcome Buffet and more.

You don't want to miss this event! Be sure to phone the inn of your choice by September 1 and make your deposit. Call now to ensure that you obtain the room category you desire. Click here to be taken to the official Bed & Boxing page!

Hope to see you all there!

A Message from the Silver Texan!

We're glad to report that Silver Eagle and family are safe.
The following is a portion of an email we received this afternoon:

"Well, Edouard has gone by and thankfully it was a dud. It ended up coming ashore about 30 miles east of us and we only got a little rain and very little wind. It is amazing how close you can be to a Tropical Storm without feeling the full effects if you are on the "good" (west) side of it. Just last month when Hurricane Dolly came ashore in South TX, we felt some effects over 400 miles away to the east. However, this Tropical Storm was not that bad even to the east, so bottom line I think most people are ok. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers. Silver Eagle"

We're Keeping an Eye . . .

As Hurricane Edouard sets it's eye on Texas, the boxers and residents there are in our thoughts. Resident boxers include Silver Eagle and Barefoot Lucy.

After an email to them last night, we were informed that Barefoot Lucy is above the Houston area but Silver Eagle is right in the preliminary path of the storm. We have asked them both to let us know when the storm has past. We'll keep you informed as soon as we do.

Please keep them in your thoughts the next few days.

It's Over!!!

That's right - our hiatus is over!

We've been away on the Bermuda Letterboxing Cruise and since we've returned it's been so hot and humid here in Pineconeville that we haven't made it up to our non-air-conditioned computer room except for short periods of time.

With this newest cool front that moved in today, we're typing and ready to go!

Where to begin . . .

* The First Ever Letterboxing Cruise!!! was a huge success (if we say so ourselves!) Great weather except for a few rocky days at sea. Our 3 days in Bermuda were sunny and warm. The boxes planted on the ships were very creative in nature - both in hiding places, carving and clues.

Many of the 37 passengers want to do this again so Pinecone Adventures is looking into The Second Ever Letterboxing Cruise!!! to take place in 2010 with possibly Alaska as our destination. We're just starting to research that and will invite the whole letterboxing public once the cruise line, dates and itinerary are chosen. Alaska is a place Sue & I have wanted to travel so we'll see how the cruise develops.

Watch this blog for more of our Bermuda cruise trip later.

* We begin work now on our next Pinecone Adventure - the Bed & Boxing weekend event that will take place the weekend of November 14 to 16. I will begin working on a webpage with all of the rates and inns as well as the itinerary for the event. Look for that later this week.

Our original deadline for reservations was August 1 but you can't register without info, right? Our new deadline for calling the inns will be September 1. You must call the inn of your choice and pay 1 night's deposit to be included in this event. At the time of this story, there are 68 people scheduled for this event. We hope you will join us for this special weekend of boxing where you will be pampered at one of 3 historic inns with your favorite people - letterboxers!

Plans are underway for some great new boxes that will debut that weekend by some of the most creative people in this pastime.

* Sue & I are pleased to announce the engagement of our son, Steve, to Katie! You've read about Steve and Katie in many of our blog stories relating to VT. Katie's parents, letterboxers know as The 2 Putts, came on the Letterboxing Cruise with us and were our constant companions, along with travel partners Deanne & Dave. Sue & I got a great opportunity to spend some quality time with her parents and really get to know them. Katie's mother really got to know me but that's one of those embarrassing moments that can't be shared here!

We're thrilled to have Katie as part of our family and her parents as well. We look forward to many adventures with the 2 Putts as well as the fun of watching the wedding plans unfold.

* We're signed up for the weekend Murder Mystery Boxing at Austin Hill Inn from August 15 to 17. Austin Hill Inn is located in beautiful West Dover, VT - only several miles from our VT home. I contacted the owners when I noticed that they were advertising letterboxing weekends. After meeting with them and tons of emails, these series of events came about.

While you may not know them, Debbie & John, owners, are very much into letterboxing. John has done extensive research and we've helped and advised wherever needed. They are making sure that letterboxers receive the handout created by Sojourner that gives a nice overview and some Do's & Don'ts about letterboxing along with some terms and definitions.

This will be a fun weekend to attend. Just a few weeks ago, they sent us a preview of 5 special boxes that will premiere at the event. The clues are good and the locations are some of our most favorite! We hope you have the time to attend one of these events. One took place in July, there's the one we'll be attending in August and one more scheduled for September.