An Odyssey in Klondike

When I woke up this morning I thought it was really early because it was still pretty dark outside. But then I realized that it was just very overcast and it was lightly raining. I stood at the window and pleaded for the rain to go away so we could have a great event. So I got my things ready, had some breakfast and headed for Klondike Park for the 2011: a space odyssey letterboxing event. As I drove it was still drizzling but seemed to be on its way to stopping and by the time I arrived at the park it had stopped - thankfully. I arrived at the shelter and they were still setting up and only a handful of people were there. So I went for a little walk and took some pictures and then returned at 9:00 am to check in. I received a goody bag with clues (for about 50 boxes); a pin; some candy; a glove; an Altoid tin with a piece of rubber, a logbook and a pen; and some other miscellaneous things. I also got registered for the raffle. Then I went and stamped onto the event poster and then found the event stamp and got that stamp done. On the same table were a couple of other event stamps - one was called The Astronomer and was an incredible carving by roly-polies. I then started doing some exchanges and personal travelers where I got to meet Shorty. We have communicated by AQ mail quite a bit for LTC trades and for a stamp swap. I carved a stamp for him to hide in Illinois and he carved one for me to hide in New Mexico. The box I hid with his stamp is called Pin Up Stamp Swap 2: Tess and the one he hid with my stamp is called Pin Up Stamp Swap 2: Pirate Booty. Try to find these if you are in the areas - they are both great boxes. I met a few other people and then got to visit with Goofy Girl who I have met on two other occasions - at T.A.L.E 6 and at Movies at Murray.

Now it was time to hit the trails and find some boxes. {Before I get to that I want to say that when I first started attending events I felt like I had to do everything - get every exchange, find every box hidden in the park and get all the personal travelers. I have since mellowed. I try to do a little of everything and I don't worry anymore about trying to do it all.} So Goofy Girl and I headed out to find some boxes. Our first stop was Cabin C. The girls in that cabin (deniserows, Front Range Hiker, Dezert Ratty, rozebud, geckospot, Dizzy - I think that is all of them, may have added some extra ones or left out one or two - not sure, it just seemed like there were quite a few bodies occupying that cabin) had some boxes hidden around the outside of the cabin.. They had a box hidden there that we found and stamp into at the picnic table near the cabin. We also got to visit with Dezert Ratty and get her exchange and personal travelers. Then we were on our way again. The stamps for the even were hidden in groups on different trails. The trails were colored coded and given Sector names based on the color - e.g. Sector O for the orange colored trail which was the Lewis and Clark Trail. We started in Sector R - Red (Bath Path). At the end of this trail we had found three of four boxes (we later learned that some other group had found the box and took it somewhere else to stamp in). During our walk along this trail we caught up to Carry On Grandma and found the boxes with her and we also ran into deniserows on her way back to the cabin. Next we decided to do Sector Y - Yellow (Bluff Trail) and on the way there we joined forces with twofreetimers. By the time we finished that trail we had found five of five boxes. At this time Goofy Girl went back to the pavilion and had some lunch with her family and I continued letterboxing with twofreetimers. The three of us hiked Sector G - Green (Power Line Trail) and found six boxes, Sector P - Pink (Donjo Trail) and found four boxes, Sector V - Violet (Strip Mine Trail) and found five boxes and finally Sector T - Tan (Service Road) and found three boxes. Somewhere along this route (kind of toward the end) we were joined by deniserows and Front Range Hiker. It was around 4:00 pm when we finished and I was now hungry.

So I returned to the shelter and got some food and did a little more exchanging and getting some more personal travelers. I know I said earlier that I have backed off on trying to get everything then I listed all the trails we walked and how many boxes we found and it sounds like a lot, and it was but there were still about 30 boxes on five other trails. And there were about 100 attendees and I only got about 30 or so exchanges. See, I have learned to let go, a little. The weather cooperated most of the day. It stayed cloudy which was good because it kept us from getting too hot on the trail. There was also a steady breeze that helped to keep us cool most of the day. At about 6:00 pm I decided it was time to head back to the hotel and take a shower and relax. It turned out to be a great day and a fun event. Got to meet a lot of new people and see a few old friends. Need to rest now - meeting deniserows and Front Range Hiker at 7:00 am for a hike and a few more boxes.