There's still a half hour left by the ol' AQ clock for Plant a Letterbox day, but this is what I can tell you know. You blew through last year's record listings already! As of this minute, there have been 634 boxes planted today, compared to 479 listed last year. 474 of them are traditional boxes. And the numbers continue to grow....

One view some people might enjoy is the Google map to see where all the letterboxes are. Truthfully, it's not even a complete list. The map chokes after 100 letterboxes, so only the first 100 letterboxes today can fit on it. =) Click here to see today's map.

Please note, though, in a half hour, you'll want to look at yesterday's map to see the Planting Day results.

That box out there in England looks kind of lonely, don't you think?

You can zoom into areas in the United States to see more details of the box locations.

Happy trails!

-- Ryan

That box out there in England looks kind of lonely, don't you think?

It does look lonely, but it isn't. I planted two that aren't showing, and Wild Women and Lily planted 3 not showing. Google obvioulsy choked on England ;-)

YT

I planted two that aren't showing, and Wild Women and Lily planted 3 not showing. Google obvioulsy choked on England ;-)

Two of the English boxes look like they're mysteries, and it's tough to map mystery boxes so that would be one reason those aren't showing up.

Very rarely does the map max out with letterboxes, though. It's kind of fun to see the maps so with many markers on it!

-- Ryan

I planted two that aren't showing, and Wild Women and Lily planted 3 not showing.

It's not showing mine either. In fact it's not showing any in Arkansas. Google choked on Arkansas. :)

Shiloh

How would I get to see a list of all 634 (more of less) boxes and where they were planted? I'm trying to find out how many of my fellow letterboxers were busy up here in Maine. Thanks..

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Google choked on Arkansas. :)

Can you blame it?!?

LOL just kidding. :>

I'm sad that most of the local people that signed up here didn't plant. I was hoping to actually have a nearby box to go to!

Maybe they're just running a little late.

Google choked on Arkansas. :)

Can you blame it?!?

LOL just kidding. :>

I knew it was comming I just didn't know from who. :)

Shiloh

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The map chokes after 100 letterboxes, so only the first 100 letterboxes today can fit on it.

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Please note, though, in a half hour, you'll want to look at yesterday's map to see the Planting Day results.

All,

If you want to see your state mapped without it choking, click on Ryans Hyperlink to Yesterday's Map. Then click "edit search" and change the "COUNTRY" field to United States and the "STATE, PROVINCE, DISTRICT, ETC." field to your state and re-execute the search. Then Click "Map Results"

Larry

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I knew it was comming I just didn't know from who. :)

Just remember, no matter how bad it seems, you still can hold your heads high there when folks are discussing Mississippi *grin*

Google didn't see CO either - and I know of at least three planted here (I know, I know, nothing in comparison to 31 - but we do our part right Murmur & Front Range Hiker). :)

Good job planting everyone! That is a pretty incredible number!

AGJ

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Google didn't see CO either - and I know of at least three planted here

Mine showed up right after I posted it but I think that the crush of new boxes pushed them off. Pre is planting some more over the weekend, so our number should grow even more.

What an amazing number of boxes planted!!

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That box out there in England looks kind of lonely, don't you think?

*pouting* Google doesn't like Alaska

Great job everyone. Woot Woot. Now get out there and box.
deniserows
*still pouting*

Ryan,

Is there a link to automatically look at "today's map" in the pull-downs?

Thanks!

KuKu

How would I get to see a list of all 634 (more of less) boxes and where they were planted?

If you click on "What's New?", you can edit the search to show just yesterday's boxes, and even just boxes that were planted in Maine. =)

-- Ryan

Is there a link to automatically look at "today's map" in the pull-downs?

No. That seems too specific for using in the pull-downs, but there is a link to it on the main AQ page where I announced the "new" Google Map feature (even though it's not so new anymore).

-- Ryan

The states with the largest new LB listings are...


Washington: 54
New Hampshire: 46
Montana:37
Texas: 34
New York & North Carolina: 28

Wow!

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The states with the largest new LB listings are...


Washington: 54
New Hampshire: 46
Montana:37
Texas: 34
New York & North Carolina: 28

Ironically, we're leaving for two weeks in NH next week, and upon checking for new boxes I find there are only three or four in the areas we will be visiting. The vast majority of the new boxes seem to be close to the heavily populated areas (which we will be avoiding like the plague), which I suppose makes sense when people are trying to see how many boxes can get planted in one day.

Yet another reason, IMHO, to denounce this Plant A Letterbox Day idea. Take it from a geocacher: More boxes is not better, or at least the time isn't too far off when it won't be better. Quality over quantity is what we should be encouraging, not maximum numbers of boxes.

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More boxes is not better, or at least the time isn't too far off when it won't be better. Quality over quantity is what we should be encouraging, not maximum numbers of boxes.

Stop the presses! I agree 100% with Kirbert about this (has that happened before?). I would like to encourage people to improve the quality of their boxes and not just plant to plant: try a new carving technique (or start carving), make your own logbook, make sure there's a reason to plant where you do, don't crowd existing letterboxes, have fun with the clues, etc.

I still like Plant a Letterbox Day though. A lot of people need a nudge to finally plant their first box, and PAL day is a good way to encourage that. And, honestly, I think there's a fun community spirit to everyone placing boxes all across the country at the same time. I like to be a part of that.

dewberry

This doesn't have anything to do with PAL Day.

I handmade a logbook, planted in a spot for a reason, tooke time to carve a stamp based on original artwork...

That's how it should always be done. PAL Day shouldn't encourage people to whip up crappy boxes, you start carving a box for that day long before and just PLANT it that day.

I'm sure that's what most people do.

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Quality over quantity is what we should be encouraging, not maximum numbers of boxes.

I agree also.
One of my resolutions for 2007 was to plant fewer letterboxes and maintain the boxes that I have already planted! Including carving better stamps for some of them!!

I vote that we implement a "Maintain a Letterbox" day! Since PAL is at the beginning of summer maybe the Maintain a Letterbox Day could be towards the end of Summer near Labor Day weekend.

A Day to go out and fix all those letterboxes that you've been getting reports on...they are missing or the logbooks are full or the boxes are damaged, the clues have changed. One day to fix all those little nagging problems.

I need to ask Ryan if he tracks the number of letterboxes that have "first aid" icons. It would be a day to try to get rid of all the first aid icons!!

-amanda from seattle

This is a fun idea... I would go for it now that I have my first "first aid" icon on one of my boxes! lol

I'm so bad about checking these message boards and so, I've gone and missed PAL... next year.

I like this idea, but this would definitely have to be more than one day for some people... and at least on a weekend! You can always plan to plant in a convenient area, you cannot plan where the first aid will be needed! =o) Of course... who says we have to maintain only our own boxes! =o)

Cheers!
Rhea
*who currently has no little first aid symbols =o)*

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A Day to go out and fix all those letterboxes that you've been getting reports on...they are missing or the logbooks are full or the boxes are damaged, the clues have changed. One day to fix all those little nagging problems.

Now this is a very good idea.

I really depend on the kindness of others who come prepared to help me maintain my boxes properly. It's really hard to get out there and do maintenance...I always want to go somewhere I've never been before!

dewberry

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I always want to go somewhere I've never been before!

Exacty!! I am the same way!! I have several letterboxes right here in Seattle that I keep putting off maintaining! Just because I don't want to slog down the same trail again when I can go someplace new! :-)

I have a replacement box ready to go for a missing one and I need to replace a logbook, but I haven't gotten around to it. Although, I carved and scouted and hid two new boxes for PAL day!!

-Amanda from Seattle

Just remember, no matter how bad it seems, you still can hold your heads high there when folks are discussing Mississippi *grin*

Our state motto is " Thank goodness for Mississippi"

(to all you Mississippi folks, just kidding it's all in fun. All states get kidded about something)

Shiloh

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One of my resolutions for 2007 was to plant fewer letterboxes and maintain the boxes that I have already planted! Including carving better stamps for some of them!!

Yeah, see, I always feel conflicted about that last one. If I replace a lousy stamp with a better carving job, yeah, I've improved the box. But now what do I tell the boxers who have already found the box? That they have to come back and revisit it to get the image of the new stamp? Is that supposed to count as another find?

If at all possible, I prefer the idea of pulling the box entirely and installing a completely new box in a different place. If the point of the box is to bring you to see some nifty park or whatever, it would be a different hide in the same park. That way there's no question, those who found the original box will score another find if they come find this box, even though they've seen the park before.

There are also those who insist you should leave all your boxes, even the lousy ones, if for no other reason than so finders can see what your early work was like. I've given in to that thinking in some cases, but when one of my boxes was really bad, I pull it anyway.

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I vote that we implement a "Maintain a Letterbox" day!

Hear, hear! Good idea!

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maybe the Maintain a Letterbox Day could be towards the end of Summer near Labor Day weekend.

i was thinking more like just after the spring thaw, when lots of boxers are re-activating their boxes anyway.

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It would be a day to try to get rid of all the first aid icons!!

Excellent plan! Statistics could be posted on how many first aid icons were listed before the day and after.

We could probably get rid of a lot of those first aid icons right off the bat by whompin' on some members who continue to use them to tell you to bring along bug spray.

Perhaps we could also have a "Replace a Letterbox Day" when owners are asked to choose their very worst letterbox, pull it, and replace it with a better box. If, one day a year, each owner was to pull their worst box and hide a new box, I'll bet the average quality of the letterboxes out there would skyrocket.

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Of course... who says we have to maintain only our own boxes! =o)

Gee, I was kinda thinking it'd involve maintaining only other people's boxes! Maintaining your own boxes is what you do the other 364 days a year!

On a more pragmatic note, I've got boxes in Maine, California, and Texas -- and I live in Florida. If one of them needs maintenance, I'm not gonna hop a jet to go work on it on that particular day. The whole point of the first aid icon is to ask someone else to please provide a little maintenance when they're in the area. Maintain A Letterbox Day could be exactly that -- do a search of the boxes in your vicinity, see which ones are displaying the first aid icon, and go fix one of them!

Yes, all states get kidded about something.

Contrary to popular belief, we do not ride horses to the store or work in most cities in Oregon, unlike Bonanza. We actually have cars. Admittedly, we may have more pickups per capita than many other states.

One joke that we have in Oregon is that when the wagon trains hit the Pacific Ocean, there was a sign that said Oregon to the right and California to the left. Those that could read went right . . .

KuKu
Who lived in California for 3 years and married a Californian

I'm all over this idea--I think it's a wonderful one!

I'll have to add some code so people can do searches that return only boxes that need first aid and add to the statistics about how many boxes need first aid.

I'll get right on that. =)

-- Ryan