Extinct (3)

Letterbox #1 THE LAST DINOSAUR

Scientists have eventually come to the conclusion that the dinosaurs all died out at roughly the same time approximately 65 million years ago. This marked the end of what experts call the Mesozoic Era. What could have caused the sudden death of so many apparently successful and flourishing species all over the world? Paleontologists and other scientists have pondered this mystery for the past 150 years. The demise of these magnigicent creatures can be expressed by the following quote:

"I returned and saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong...but time and chance happen to them all."

However...there is one who still remains...One dinosaur....Here in the wilds of Orange County...
Fellow paleontologists, decode the following secret message to find your first clue.

ABCDEFGH I JKLM (*hint A=N & N=A)
NOPQRSTUVWXYZ

GNXR CPU GB WNZOBERR TB FBHGU PEBFF BIRE OEVQTR BAGB ONYOBN VFYNAQ

....continue going straight. Turn right after the prehistoric Mrs. Flinstone's patio. Park at the very end of the street. There you will find a boardwalk. Head North. The beast resides at the corner of the boardwalk and the street named after it's skin color. The creatures tail poins in the direction of the letterbox. Follow the low planter wall until it ends. BE CAREFUL MANY EYES MAY BE UPON YOU!! There you will find a small grate. LIFT, AND YOU WILL FIND THE LETTERBOX!

Letterbox #2 THE OLD RED CARS ~REPLACED 1-27-08~

For more than 30 years, the famous Red Cars connected Balboa & Newport Beach to the rest of Southern California, long before getting stuck on the freeway became part of the daily grind. The first Red Car reached Balboa in 1906. Balboa was envisioned as a future nexus for commercial shipping, but after the arrival of the Red Car Balboa's path changed. After the Red Car began bringing car loads of people to Balboa it began to be promoted as a hot spot for vacation and leisure. From then on the tourists kept coming, and Balboa became the wonderful place we know and love now.
Sadly, the Red Cars stopped coming to Balboa in June of 1940. 21 years after that they went EXTINCT! The Red Cars played an important part in Balboa's history. To find the letterbox that commemorates them, just travel along and follow these clues:

Hop back into your car (or walk about 1/2 mile) and drive down the same street. continue along this street until you get to the following place. It is the only one of it's kind on this Island: SOLVE THIS HOMONYM PUZZLE to find the spot you're looking for.
*Hint: It's a three letter word _ _ _

To stop from entry,
A sandy band;
A word for "the courts,"
"Sweet" for gourmand

~Once you have reached this spot. Look directly across the street and you will find the home of the only current "Working Large Red Car" within 3 miles.
~Cross the street, and walk along the north edge of the "Red Car's" home. Continue walking until you come to an alley.
~Cross the alley and stop when you hit the white water receptacle on your left. From there you will see a low wall with a plaque on it.
~Walk along the back side of the wall until you reach the first corner.
THERE YOU WILL FIND THE LETTERBOX!

Letterbox #3 ONE FOR THE FARMERS ~Replaced 1/28/08~


Orange County got it's name from the once abundant orange groves. Now those groves are completely gone. Very few fields for farming ramain. Many believe that farmland in Orange County will soon become EXTINCT. This box is hidden for all you farmers still out there.

As the story goes, on Little Island there was an "ODDD LOCAL MAN" who had a farm. Unscramble the anagram in quotes to find his name.
_______ _______________

In a famous song written about him, there are many mentions of vowels. After crossing onto Little Island find the first street in which every other letter is a vowel.

Once you find this street make a right and mosey down the road. His farm will be on your left a few houses down. Stop to admire his apples, and cabbage. Take the time to meet his animals. You'll see Betsy the cow, and Red the rooster. You won't see the farmer. He's out looking for his prize pet, Rudy Pig. Thank goodness you've come along. You can help find him! Continue to mosey down the road till you find Rudy Pig's initials in the cement at the sea wall. Once you've found them turn left.

Head south, and pass Betsy the cow's pasture. Round the bend and follow the picket fences on your right. Rudy Pig often travels this way to admire the "HOG" in the window just across from the second picket fence (It is sometimes right in front of the large window, and sometimes hard to see).

Keep goin' past the quiet ducks on the left. Continue on to Rudy Pig's favorite shady spot to hide. Look carefully under the base of the public dock where it meets with the sea wall. You will find Rudy snuggled CLOSE to the sea wall.

Please make sure to wedge the letterbox firmly into it's EXACT hiding spot. I wouldn't want the tides to take him away.

THAT'S ALL FOLKS!