Brackenridge Park and Go Spurs Go!

I have been trying for several months to get back to San Antonio to replace my Go Spurs Go! Box. I finally had the oppertunity on Monday 11/05/07. It is now back in place and ready for new stamps to grace the logbook. I was able to place it near the original spot but a little safer (I hope). We attended an event inside The Alamo Dome the home of the Spurs!

Our time was limited, but I did get to stamp in a series by the Planecake family: A Rainy Day Series. Nice park and fun boxes. We even saw a deer that day.
It was nice to get away and enjoy Brackenridge Park.



Then, it was back to East Texas and work the next day.

Oh what a beautiful day!

Now that fall is here, it is much easier to get on the trail and stay a while. Saturday was the perfect day to head out early and find some boxes. I left for Jim Hogg Historical park in Rusk. JB kokopelli’s November Series was recently planted there. This is a nice park with great trails and very family friendly. There is a playground for the kids to take a break and several time period buildings to explore and take pictures. There is also a small family cemetery there with a historical marker that is a must read.



With clues in hand, I headed to the trail. It was so peaceful and quiet. The sun was streaming through the trees and was just the perfect day to be on the trail.







I hiked to the placement of the first box, trying to find the location. I searched for at least 30 to 40 minuets to no avail. I decided I had the right place just could not find the location of the box. I moved on down the trail to stamp in the other four boxes. I took my time just enjoying the day and the beauty of the outdoors. I was the only one on the trail, I was listening to the birds and rustling in the bushes knowing there were animals out and about enjoying the cool fresh morning also. I was on the trail about 2.5 hours. I did not intend to stay that long, but It was so nice and I took the wrong trail at one point which caused me time also, which was alright as I was not in a big hurry.

After finding my way back to the entrance, I took a few minuets to determine which direction to go next. I always print out more clues than I will have time for so, I decided to head north to Jacksonville to stamp in a box between Rusk and Jacksonville. I found the location of the box at the Cherokee County Airport, but there was too much activity there for me to feel good about getting the box. That one will have to wait for another day.

My goal was to box in Rusk, Jacksonville, Athens and Brownsboro. Monarchtrailer has placed several boxes that I have wanted to find. In Athens, I found :

TVCC Cardinal

We Remember

Hornets Hive

I tried for “Scuba Dude” but, again, I did not feel safe exposing the box. I will be back for that one!

Thomas the Tank Engine

A couple of weeks ago, Rusk Park (formerly known as Rusk State Park), had a special event: Thomas the Tank Engine was there. I decided it would be a good time to check out some of the changes that had been made at the park since it had been sold. I picked up Roarin' Lion and headed out to see what was going on at the park. The people were very friendly and helpful. but I found it kinda sad that this was no longer a state park. It was the site of the first gathering that I attended hosted by Silver Eagle and Baby Bear and somehow it just wasn't the same. Lucy Locket and I had been there a couple of weeks before that and checked on my "Crush" box which needed a new logbook. I hope they keep the trails open. Roarin' Lion had a good time, and was thrilled to see Thomas. I will say, the attraction brought a LOT of people to see the train and take a ride. Hopefully, our boxes will be safe for a while longer.



When we left The park , we headed over to Hogg Pek to pick up a box by Boots Tex titled "Native-Born:Texas Governor Series". We had fun finding the box and exploreing the creek while we were there.

Reasons I love Letterboxing

As I sat her this afternoon catching up on all the news in the world of letterboxing, I decided to check my email. Here is what started me thinking about how much I love this hobby and the memories it has created for me.

Message:
OMG!! We just found your letterbox! It's our first and we were soooooo
excited! It is still safe and sound. Thanks for the fun!!

It is really nice when someone finds your box and it is their very first find! I emailed them back with some web sites and a big thank-you.

Then I started thinking about some adventures I have had. First, Letterboxing takes me to some amazing places!



There is a scenic drive in Southeast Oklahoma through the Ouachita Mountains. Lucy Locket and I had driven this
highway before on a letterboxing trip but, this particular picture was taken when I took my special Aunt on a trip there. I knew she loved the mountains as much as I did and wanted to share this beautiful location with her. There are about 17 "Scenic Views" along the way, with historical markers and we stopped at everyone of them! She is a cancer survivor and I wanted to do something special for her for all that she has been though. She and I have talked a lot about letterboxing, so she wanted to experience it with me. We had fun finding a few boxes, and we both enjoyed the hikes and the time spent together.



There are many more reasons I love this hobby:
1. Spending time with Lucy Locket, Roarin' Lion and Stinky Monkey.
2. Boxing in a city of 2.14 million people, and finding a lovely manicured lawn on the banks of Buffalo Bayou (with a very special Llawnmower)
3. Finding my 100th box...The Texas Tour Bus.
4. On Christmas Eve, walking a Labyrinth on the grounds of a beautiful church with Lucy Locket.
5. Meeting people from all over the state of Texas who by far are the nicest people I have ever met.
There are so many more wonderful memories, but I will save some for another day. Sometimes a walk down memory lane puts things back in perspective. thanks for taking a walk with me today :)