This blog contains posts about all of my letterboxing trips and events I have attended.

Friday, February 10, 2017

Letterboxing In Tucson on a Hot Winter Day

It is February 10th and the northeast part of the country had been getting blasted with snow and today I letterboxed in 80 degree weather in Tucson. I started my day at 8:15am at Tucson Mountain Park Robles Pass Section. My plan was to hike and look for 12 boxes that make up the Abscraps Series by FamilyTreeShaker. She has a blog post titled Abscraps Clues as One Hike that leads you from the parking area to each box in an organized fashion. There is also a Trail Map that you can print out to have with you. So I followed the clues taking the Camaro Loop Trail to the Boulder Belt Trail and then to the Flight Path Trail. Along the way I found Tilting at Windmills and Ode to a Grecian Urn. But the third box - Heart and Home, was missing, at least I think it is missing. I found a small cracked and broken container near where the clues sent me but there was no stamp or logbook. At this time I had hiked about two and a half miles. From the third box you retrace your steps back to the intersection of the Boulder Belt Trail and the Camaro Loop Trail. Before I started back from the third box I was already sweating profusely and it was getting warmer and I was already tired. It isn't a difficult hike but there is quite a bit of up and down so for me it was a moderate hike. When I got back to the intersection I needed for the next clue I decided to read the next three clues and follow them on the map to see where they would take me. I decided I couldn't do it - I was so hot and tired and had already done close to five miles. Thankfully, I did come prepared - I had a hat, sunglasses, hiking pole, plenty of water and snacks but the heat was just too much. My decision was to return to the car and go and get something to eat (it was 11:00am by this time) and decide what I would do later.

For my quick lunch I stopped at Jimmy Johns and had a Veggie Sub and Chips - perfect for a hot day. While eating I decided to head to Fort Lowell Park. Last year's annual event - It's 5 o'clock Somewhere!! Margaritaville Comes to Tucson was held here and there were quite a few boxes listed. So with clues in hand I headed to Ramada 7 where the clues started. Unfortunately, there were some people there so I had to figure out where to go to start for some of the boxes. I finally figured things out and found three boxes near the Ramada but away from the people - I found How a Pirate Looks as a Minion, It's On Me!!, and This Way to Margaritaville. Then there were a lot of clues that had you go past the volleyball pit and into a wash near a bench and labyrinth, then cross the wash and follow a trail southeast. I did that but encountered signs saying the area was closed due to construction so I never made it to the location where the other boxes started. So I returned to the Ramada but the people were still there. I did try to look for two other boxes but they were watching everything I did so I decided to call it quits. It was 3:30pm when I got back to the car. I was sweaty, hot and tired and decided that I was really done for the day. All I wanted was to take a shower and relax. On the way back to the hotel I stopped and got a milkshake to help cool me down. And now I am showered and relaxing and it is all good. I now need to figure out what I am going to do tomorrow.

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