Skip to Content
Register · Login
About Theme

A Letterboxing Community

Atlas Quest
Search Edit Search

Read Thread: newly retired boxes in Ithaca, NY

Re-Challenge of the Sprite
Board: State: New York
Reply to: #60943 by chadams
Jan 5, 2007 8:39am
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote he he wish I could have got these boxes.


Well, let's do it AGAIN, then! The original challenge came about when Turtle McQ, the Highlander and I were talking about how cool it would be to plant a box in one of those big stores like that particular one and we challenged each other to see how long a box in that place would last. We never picked up the torch here in WNY, but now there's TONS of megastores we could do this in! It's a little urban boxing insanity that would be AWESOME for those (soon to come, I hope) snowy days!

So, let's try again! The challenge is to try and hide a letterbox in a megastore near you to see how long it lasts. The box that lasts the longest will get...uh...SOMETHING good! :-) For this game, we'll define megastore as any store that has a built in restaurant/snack bar/someplace where the finder can sit down and eat while they stamp and still be in the store itself (ie. Big K, Wegmans', Super Wal-mart, etc.). Malls are okay, so long as the box is in the mall itself, not one of the shops.

(looks around with a sly grin) Alright...who's in?

The (disavowing all knowledge of your or boxing if you get caught) Sprite & the (disavowing all knowledge of the wife) Highlander
Re: newly retired boxes in Ithaca, NY
Board: State: New York
Reply to: #60958 by TurtleMcQ
Jan 5, 2007 8:44am
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote Look on the bright side, though - maybe someone else will now take up your challenge and we'll all be racing to Wegmans throughout the state and beyond to find them. Anyone game? It's not nice to deny the Sprite, you know.


We're already eyeing the Binghamton Weggies. Why didn't we think of it before?
Re: Re-Challenge of the Sprite
Board: State: New York
Reply to: #60961 by Sprite and Highlander
Jan 5, 2007 4:45pm
Thread (disabled) Board
We are up for it. Any special stamp? Or what we want.
Team Dakota
Re: Re-Challenge of the Sprite
Board: State: New York
Reply to: #61048 by Team Dakota
Jan 5, 2007 9:43pm
Thread (disabled) Board
We're up for it! Got some ideas brewin' already!!!

Mama Phoenix
Re: Re-Challenge of the Sprite
Board: State: New York
Reply to: #61048 by Team Dakota
Jan 6, 2007 8:36am
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote We are up for it. Any special stamp? Or what we want.


Any stamp you want...it's your box!

Should we name the boxes something similar to make sure everyone knows the Challenge boxes from the regular ones? Like include the word "challenge" in the box name?

The S & H
Re: Re-Challenge of the Sprite
Board: State: New York
Reply to: #61141 by Sprite and Highlander
Jan 6, 2007 8:41am
Thread (disabled) Board
Were in.
Re: Re-Challenge of the Sprite
Board: State: New York
Reply to: #61141 by Sprite and Highlander
Jan 6, 2007 9:05am
Thread (disabled) Board
Do they have to be in the western NY area? I follow this board becauseof our frequent trips to NYC to visit family and I would be up for the challenge in NH, too.
SixStars
Re: newly retired boxes in Ithaca, NY
Board: State: New York
Reply to: #60962 by bibliochique
Jan 6, 2007 11:55am
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote
We're already eyeing the Binghamton Weggies. Why didn't we think of it before?


Here are some helpful hints gleaned from my experience.

1. Be very aware of security cameras near the spot you're considering. Also, don't plant near any back room or office doors.

2. Watch the displays for a few weeks so you can get a feel for what changes frequently and what doesn't. My best hiding spot was under the doughnut case - a HUGE piece of shelving that I figured would rarely get moved, plus it was next to shelves filled with a variety of party napkins that people could pretend to browse through with their right hand while their left felt around under the case for the box.

3. Think about your containers carefully. I ended up using very small, very heavy duty ziploc-type bags. I put a few strips of both sides of velcro tape on the outside (attaching the soft side to the bag itself), then took the covering off the adhesive on the outer, grippier side when I was in my spot. I then pressed the bag with both sides of tape hard under the surface I'd chosen, and voila - the baggie was attached quite securely, and finders could rip the velcroed baggie off, leaving the grippier side permanently attached. I did consider magnetic boxes, but it was hard to find suitably permanent metal surfaces to hide things under/on.

4. Make it as easy as possible for people to retrieve/rehide the boxes without calling attention to themselves, and make your clues as clear as possible to help with this. If you want your box to last a long time, this is no time to be coy!

Only one of my three boxes went missing. I removed the other two just recently, figuring they had a good long run after almost two years and it was time to move on to other challenges. Can't wait to find some of the next generation!

TMcQ
Re: Re-Challenge of the Sprite
Board: State: New York
Reply to: #61144 by six stars
Jan 6, 2007 1:15pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote Do they have to be in the western NY area? I follow this board becauseof our frequent trips to NYC to visit family and I would be up for the challenge in NH, too.


No, it won't matter a bit! We'll make an official "must be planted by" date. Once we have, just let us know it's there and we'll include it in the count. Whichever boxes lasts the longest wins!
Re: Re-Challenge of the Sprite
Board: State: New York
Reply to: #61166 by Sprite and Highlander
Jan 6, 2007 5:15pm
Thread (disabled) Board
SO I will definitly plant one. I probably won;t at my Wegmans though. As much as I would love to bring people to my store I am trying to become a manager there and if the box were to be found and it were to be traced back to me it probably wouldn;t be good. I have told everyone at my work all about this hobby so they would point the finger at me pretty quick But I have an idea brewing! Oh yes Oh yes!
chadams
Re: Re-Challenge of the Sprite
Board: State: New York
Reply to: #61166 by Sprite and Highlander
Jan 7, 2007 1:05pm
Thread (disabled) Board
if we were to bring it into a store that sells containers perfect for letterboxes, do we have to buy it or can we just grab it and use it? LOL!

i'm guessing that we are not to tell the store anything about the planted letterbox!

had been talkin about a challenge here at home for some time!
david (team new hampshire)
http://teamnewhampshire.blogspot.com
Re: Re-Challenge of the Sprite
Board: State: New York
Reply to: #60961 by Sprite and Highlander
Jan 7, 2007 1:13pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Can I be in on it?

D5 Mama
Re: Re-Challenge of the Sprite
Board: State: New York
Reply to: #61315 by Smimle
Jan 8, 2007 2:32pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote Can I be in on it?


Absolutely!
Re: Re-Challenge of the Sprite
Board: State: New York
Reply to: #61311 by Team New Hampshire
Jan 8, 2007 2:35pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote if we were to bring it into a store that sells containers perfect for letterboxes, do we have to buy it or can we just grab it and use it? LOL!

i'm guessing that we are not to tell the store anything about the planted letterbox!


As my dad used to say "Just get in as much trouble as you think you can stand, okay?" :-) And. right, no cheating. It the store knows and keeps it safe, that defeats the whole purpose.

Quote had been talkin about a challenge here at home for some time!


Go for it! The more the merrier!
Re: Re-Challenge of the Sprite
Board: State: New York
Reply to: #61578 by Sprite and Highlander
Jan 8, 2007 2:55pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote As my dad used to say "Just get in as much trouble as you think you can stand, okay?" :-)


Ooooh! Good motto!

-- Kirbert
Re: Re-Challenge of the Sprite
Board: State: New York
Reply to: #61587 by Kirbert
Jan 8, 2007 3:02pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Ooooh! Good motto!

Knew you'd like it...came straight outta Tallahassee, Florida (via Alabama!)! ;-)
Re: Re-Challenge of the Sprite
Board: State: New York
Reply to: #61577 by Sprite and Highlander
Jan 8, 2007 9:39pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Awesome...I scoped out the potential plant site tonight...and even found the perfect microbox while I was there! Woohoo!

Uh...yeah...not TOO excited about a challenge or anything!

D5 Mama
Re: Re-Challenge of the Sprite
Board: State: New York
Reply to: #61711 by Smimle
Jan 9, 2007 6:12am
Thread (disabled) Board
when is the plant by date? and it has to have the word challenge in the title? any other "rules" I should know? I'm up for placing one here in arizona

night writer
Re: Re-Challenge of the Sprite
Board: State: New York
Reply to: #60961 by Sprite and Highlander
Jan 9, 2007 5:34pm
Thread (disabled) Board
I am game for this challenge!!! What are the rules?

LtW
Re: Re-Challenge of the Sprite
Board: State: New York
Reply to: #61905 by Lighting the Way
Jan 9, 2007 6:39pm
Thread (disabled) Board
i was thinking of this today!
it hurt!

we probably shouldn't ever mention anything about letterboxing on the container!
it may make us look bad or make someone go out and distroy some boxes in the area.
my box will say nothing about letterboxing.
i'm not taking the chance!

but i have the perfect place to put it!
you all ready to lose!

rockin and rollin in the granite state
david (team new hampshire)
http://teamnewhampshire.blogspot.com
Re: Re-Challenge of the Sprite
Board: State: New York
Reply to: #61917 by Team New Hampshire
Jan 9, 2007 6:43pm
Thread (disabled) Board
I've stopped listing the sites and give up my email address if they want more info. This way, only that one box is exposed to a muggle..rather than a roadmap to all the boxes out there on the major sites. The truly interested/curious ones DO contact me...as do boxers who find a wet logbook or something.

You still might find the site addresses in a few of my older boxes, but that's it.

LW PhD
"Nice Counts"
Re: Re-Challenge of the Sprite
Board: State: New York
Reply to: #61920 by Lock Wench
Jan 9, 2007 8:13pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Both very good ideas. I just set up a "letterboxing only" email address today. I didn't want to give out my personal address to just anyone ya know? *GRIN*

D5 Mama
Re: Re-Challenge of the Sprite
Board: State: New York
Reply to: #60961 by Sprite and Highlander
Jan 12, 2007 9:10am
Thread (disabled) Board
A little late on this.... but does my Barney and Noble count?
Re: Re-Challenge of the Sprite
Board: State: New York
Reply to: #62642 by FALLING LEAVES
Jan 12, 2007 11:50am
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote A little late on this.... but does my Barney and Noble count?


Ummm...(thinking this over) yeah, I'd say it counts, especially if it's one of the big ones with a music store and a coffee shop. We'll accept those, too!

The S & H