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Author Topic: Have you ever gone Geocaching or Letterboxing?  (Read 8654 times)

mouser

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Have you ever gone Geocaching or Letterboxing?
« on: April 24, 2013, 08:44 AM »
Many people here have probably heard of Geocaching.  It's like a treasure hunt where you use a GPS device to navigate to a specific set of coordinates where someone has buried some treasure, and i guess usually a logbook that you sign when you find (dig up) the treasure.  You then replace it for the next person.

But the main point of this post was that I just read about another similar thing called "Letterboxing", which sounds more interesting to me.

220px-WorldWideLetterBox016.png

In letterboxing you are not locating something using GPS coordinates, but rather by following some clues that guide you to a secret spot (you will start out knowing the general region, like in a specific park, and then follow clues posted by someone online for how to find the exact spot).  A big difference with letterboxing is that what is hidden is a unique carved ink stamp and a log book, and you will be carrying around your own custom-carved ink stamp.  So when you find it you will make an impression of YOUR stamp in the secret hidden logbook you've discovered, and make an impression of the secret stamp inside your own logbook.  In this way you have a unique set of stamps like a passport to show your journey.

I love the idea of letterboxing and how the stamps are unique and hand made and are like passport stamps showing where you've traveled.  I'm going to get my niece a stamp carving set and see if it's something she might be interested in.

Letterboxing web pages:

Have any of you done any geocaching or letterboxing?

CWuestefeld

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Re: Have you ever gone Geocaching or Letterboxing?
« Reply #1 on: April 24, 2013, 12:08 PM »
I've been doing geocaching for years. It's a great excuse to get out of the house and get some exercise. And being into photography, it's also a way to introduce me to new areas to photograph.

kyrathaba

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Re: Have you ever gone Geocaching or Letterboxing?
« Reply #2 on: April 24, 2013, 04:52 PM »
Sounds like a lot of fun. :)

40hz

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Re: Have you ever gone Geocaching or Letterboxing?
« Reply #3 on: April 24, 2013, 07:44 PM »
Sounds like a good way to get stopped by the police.  ;D

B000GU4NE8-1.jpg

"Hey Charlie? What are all those weirdos with GPS units doing in the park over there? Oh look, they found something! Probably a drug drop! Better get this on video - and radio for some backup. I wanna find out what these jokers are up to."

----------

Actually, it reminds me a little of a game we used to play in college where the goal was to hunt down the secretive and elusive Paranoids Anonymous organization. Clues would be given during the month that would start you on a trail. The trail led to a sequence of clues. If you completed the trail and figured out all the puzzles successfully, you'd eventually figure out where Paranoids Anonymous was meeting that month. (The 'meeting' was actually a really good private party.) If you could find the meeting place (which could be anywhere in RI, MA or NH) - you automatically became a member.

Kinda like the much later 'rave' parties, except ours weren't so heavy on sex, drugs or general weirdness.

 :Thmbsup:
« Last Edit: April 24, 2013, 08:00 PM by 40hz »

Tinman57

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Re: Have you ever gone Geocaching or Letterboxing?
« Reply #4 on: April 25, 2013, 07:10 PM »
Kinda like the much later 'rave' parties, except ours weren't so heavy on sex, drugs or general weirdness.

  Gee, but what's a party without drugs and general weirdness?  Oh, I know, a "meeting".   :P

barney

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Re: Have you ever gone Geocaching or Letterboxing?
« Reply #5 on: April 25, 2013, 08:11 PM »
Kinda like the much later 'rave' parties, except ours weren't so heavy on sex, drugs or general weirdness.

  Gee, but what's a party without drugs and general weirdness?  Oh, I know, a "meeting".   :P

I don't recall too many meetings with overt sex - although there were some where folk might get screwed  :o.

Ike Roberts

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Re: Have you ever gone Geocaching or Letterboxing?
« Reply #6 on: May 28, 2013, 04:01 PM »
I did a little letterboxing about 50 years ago in Easton,PA along the Delaware Canal. The boxes are still there. You will need more logical skills than geocaching requires.

4wd

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Re: Have you ever gone Geocaching or Letterboxing?
« Reply #7 on: September 07, 2014, 09:47 AM »
S5007851.JPGHave you ever gone Geocaching or Letterboxing?

What has this got to do with letterboxing?

Inscription
In Memory Of
James Perrott
Who Died May 23rd 1895
Aged 80 Years
Also Mary His Wife
Who Died March 12th 1898
Aged 79 Years


Answer
He was the guide from Chagfordw that started letterboxing by installing the first letterbox at Cranmere Poolw.

The History of Letterboxing:
The year was 1854, and a Victorian guide named James Perrott placed a bottle in the wildest, most inaccessible area on Dartmoor, England, along the banks of Cranmere Pool. In it, he included his calling card so future visitors could contact him and leave their own calling cards. Little did anyone know, this small act would be become the hobby we now know as letterboxing.

His grave is in St Michael's Church, Chagford.

I thought it may be of interest to someone - the cottage we're staying in, in Chagford is named after Cranmere Pool.

At some point I'll work up the energy to walk to it (~6km) ... or not  :)

« Last Edit: December 29, 2015, 11:07 PM by 4wd »