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 :)