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Re: letterbox proximity
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #7656 by Katy
Aug 25, 2005 9:43am
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote I know the code of conduct on AQ says 1 mile, but that seems pretty far apart, especially for urban boxes.


Hmm.... I think the Code of Conduct says something about keeping them one mile apart if you hide it on the same trail as another letterbox, so that wouldn't apply to an urban box. This was also written back in the day when there were perhaps 2,000 letterboxes in the entire country--not nearly 20,000! I'd probably shrink the distance to at least a quarter-mile for boxes that are on the same trail. In an urban location, you could easily hide two or three boxes on the same block and nobody would say boo about it. =)

-- Ryan
Re: letterbox proximity
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #7656 by Katy
Aug 25, 2005 10:04am
Thread (disabled) Board
I would think it is whatever YOU are comfortable with (if you are the FIRST box placer).
I know of several boxes in, or about the same area. Any boxes close to mine, I have no problem with. It just brings more people to your box. I do know of someone else's box having one placed 30 yds or so from hers, but I don't really mind the proxy to mine. It's all good. It's what you are comfortable with, in my book.

-WINK

I also don't see a problem with letting another boxer know that you think it's too close to your box. Just mention it, if you feel "invaded" upon.
Re: letterbox proximity
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #7660 by Kaaren the Vampire Slayer
Aug 25, 2005 11:21am
Thread (disabled) Board
I've wondered about that as well. I plant in urban areas too, and that limits how far away boxes can be in certain parks. I'm not uncomfortable with them being a couple hundred yards away =/-. What I've learned is not everyone likes to have their "close proximity" box mentioned by the newly planted one. Some like the plug and others don't, so ask before mentioning close-by boxes by name in clues--especially if they are mystery boxes.
Re: letterbox proximity
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #7657 by Penguin Patrol
Aug 25, 2005 11:52am
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote I'd say 200 to 300 yards is far enough apart, or maybe 1/4 mile

I looked at the GeoCache Guidelines and this is their policy for Cache Saturation:

The reviewers use a rule of thumb that caches placed within .10 miles (528 feet or 161 meters) of another cache may not be listed on the site. This is an arbitrary distance and is just a guideline, but the ultimate goal is to reduce confusion that might otherwise result when one cache is found while looking for another.
Re: letterbox proximity
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #7661 by Green Tortuga
Aug 25, 2005 11:53am
Thread (disabled) Board
<<In an urban location, you could easily hide two or three boxes on the same block and nobody would say boo about it. =)>>

Please notice that the Urban Letterboxer is NOT saying, "Boo!"
Bring 'em on!
Re: letterbox proximity
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #7656 by Katy
Aug 25, 2005 12:03pm
Thread (disabled) Board
I know of two boxes in my area that are less than 50 yards apart and it took me three trips to find the second one. I think it might depend on the "hiding conditions" more than anything.

Shiloh
Re: letterbox proximity
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #7680 by The Wolf Family
Aug 26, 2005 4:43am
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote It's when letterboxes are near geocaches that there is a problem.


Although I have never had an issue with a geocache near my letterboxes, I have been playing around with the idea of planting my own geocache at the same time that I plant a letterbox so that the issue of distance won't arise. If I determine the location for each and plan it so that they are far enough away from each other that they may not get mistaken for each other if found and then register the geocache, maybe it will keep new geocaches out of the area of my letterbox. Just a thought, don't know how practical it is yet.

Jan of Team Little Dog
Re: letterbox proximity
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #7691 by Janila
Aug 26, 2005 6:04am
Thread (disabled) Board
Groan! I just got the notification of new geocaches in the area, and someone's put one in the same nature preserve where I had a letterbox. Trouble is, I've pulled that box for the rainy season, 'cause it tends to float away in heavy rains. I just hope they haven't chosen the same spot I had!

DebBee
Re: letterbox proximity
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #7691 by Janila
Aug 26, 2005 8:37am
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote:
"It's when letterboxes are near geocaches that there is a problem."

I recently found a letterbox that had been planted on top of a geocache in the same hollow of a tree! The geocache was in a black plastic container--very well-hidden--and at first I thought it might be a hitchhiker for the letterbox.

Apparently they have been coexisting peacefully since April of this year (when the letterbox was placed on top of the previously planted geocache). The geocachers have been removing the letterbox, realizing it wasn't their cache, then searching further to find their cache. Several finds had been logged in the cache since that date, and the letterbox logbook and contents have not been disturbed at all.

So, take heart! (Of course I realize that it only takes one uninformed or mean person to wreak havoc on a box....)

Booknut
Re: letterbox proximity
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #7696 by Booknut
Aug 26, 2005 8:45am
Thread (disabled) Board
Not only is that nice to hear, but uncommon too.

-WINK
Re: letterbox proximity
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #7696 by Booknut
Aug 26, 2005 12:11pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Warms the cockles of my heart to hear this story about a letterbox and geocache getting along in harmony.

:)
Re: letterbox proximity
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #7691 by Janila
Aug 26, 2005 12:16pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Being a letterboxer and geocacher I like this idea, especially if you find nice spots for both the cache and the box.
Re: letterbox proximity
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #7691 by Janila
Aug 27, 2005 9:44pm
Thread (disabled) Board
"If I determine the location for each and plan it so that they are far enough away from each other that they may not get mistaken for each other if found and then register the geocache, maybe it will keep new geocaches out of the area of my letterbox. Just a thought, don't know how practical it is yet."

That's an outstanding plan, if you are willing to maintain both objects properly. The geocaching (at least geocaching.com's) rule is a FIRM 528 feet. So if you plant a geocache, then plant a letterbox about fifty yards away, that still leaves over 350 feet of a buffer between the letterbox and the next nearest possible geocache.

Another possibility is to find a spot between 50-100 yards away from an existing geocache. The only downside is if that cacher decides to pull his cache, then the area opens up for the next cacher, who may wind up over near you.
Re: letterbox proximity
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #7661 by Green Tortuga
Sep 2, 2005 4:09pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Well, sometimes rules are more fun when they're broken...

Being mostly an urban guy, distance doesn't become a factor (unless you're within 10 feet of a geocache).

This summer, I liked a location of a box so much, and knew the letterboxer, that I planted an entirely different one about 5 feet directly above hers, but completely out of sight, and unlikely to be accidentally discovered.

She was cool with that. Our reasoning was that we wanted to attract more folks to to this really neat geologically unique spot.
Re: letterbox proximity
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #7869 by Paul in SF
Sep 2, 2005 8:12pm
Thread (disabled) Board
"This summer, I liked a location of a box so much, and knew the letterboxer, that I planted an entirely different one about 5 feet directly above hers, but completely out of sight, and unlikely to be accidentally discovered."

Hey, never let it be said that I won't let a guy be the top. :)

Seriously, the place is so cool and so easy to get to that I like sharing it with others. I figure more people to sign MY book as well! Besides, my stamp is so plain (since it was carved on the trail) that they deserve a better looking stamp such as yours for their trouble! lol

Little Falls actually has a lot of cool things going for it so it might be a nice place to have an event. Hey, did you ever make that Herkimer Diamond box?