Today I set out to hunt for a letterbox that hasn't had a find logged online in over 3 years. The last attempt was logged in 2008. The box is over an hour from me one direction and there are no other boxes near it, so I haven't attempted it until today. Today, however, I was just itching to go letterboxing and I've already found everything else within 100 miles of me so I decided to try for this box.

The clues started out fine and with the help of the trail map at the beginning of the trail at this conservation area, I was able to get where I needed to go without the signs that were marking the trail as referenced in the clues. After I got to the first landmark, the clues didn't match up anymore. It referenced 2 downed trees, but there were downed trees all along the trail. I remembered that in 2008 we had our horrible ice storm and assumed the littering of trees was due to ice damage so I just continued on my way. The clues also referenced another landmark, which didn't match up to the clues anymore but I finally found it. Now I had to walk 30 steps off the path into the brush, which happened to be wild rosebushes (why is it that I always seem to find wild rosebushes wherever I go???). I got to the last landmark that I could figure out and ... I saw a rock. I was hesitant, knowing I would lift that rock and either get a huge sense of satisfaction or a letdown, but I knew going there that it was extremely possible that the box was missing long ago due to the lack of finds and the fact that the owner has been inactive for a couple of years.

The box was there! It was soaked inside but it was there! The box was a disposable type box so I was surprised it was still holding up... the seal wasn't very good but there were no holes. The baggies inside were soaked and the logbook had been put together with a metal clip which has since rusted. Incidentally, there was a silica gel packet in the box and clearly, they do not help because the logbook was moldy, too. I had my maintenance kit, as always, and got everything back in pretty good shape, including removing the rusted clip and replacing it with some plastic zipties. Knowing some people don't log online, I actually expected there to be more recent entries than 2007, but no, the last entry in the logbook was the same one that's online.

What fun to find a box that was long forgotten and has been sitting idle for over 3 years, just waiting for someone to come out and spruce it back up! Maybe with my find showing, more will go after it. Sadly it isn't listed on AQ so I couldn't comment about how the terrain has changed, but I did send a message to the planter. Maybe on some offchance, the planter will actually update the clues.

yay for you. sounds like a grand adventure. I keep driving past places and thinking "I bet there's letter boxes in there". or "I KNOW there's letterboxes over there" but haven't got out of the car yet. but some day... someday...

bbqchips

I loved this story!!! Thank you for sharing it, I was home bound today, doing chores, but it's fun to read of other peoples adventures.

Oh, I know that thrill when you lifted the rock! This past summer and fall I found 2 letterboxes that had not been found for 3+ years. It is such a wonderful feeling to see the box, then open it, then realize that there is actually a stamp and logbook in the box. Congratulations!

I'm feeling like letterboxing is many months away for me. Snow keeps a'coming here and I'm also many miles from the nearest box (that I know of). So I just keep enjoying the fun others are having...thanks for sharing!

That is awesome. Do you think there is a way maybe Choi could update the clues if the planter doesn't answer you? Is the box adoptable and would you want to adopt it?

I think that is so great. I'm glad your adventure turned out with the best outcome.

Dizzy,

Was it Crowder? I was going to try that one this last weekend... but I deemed it too cold to drag the kids out in it.

If it was - did you park at the 2nd parking area? After looking at the map, I was going to park at the THIRD one - looked like a straighter shot.

Let me know. I'll need to go looking for it. :)

Now I had to walk 30 steps off the path into the brush, which happened to be wild rosebushes

Sounds like an Otis box ;-)

Since I am afraid to venture out on my own I ***Throw confetti*** in your honor for doing that and then I am so happy you were able to help out a long lost/forgotten box that you need ****more confetti****.

GG
***Throws more confetti***

I'm waiting to see if I hear back from them. The box is not adoptable right now so I don't need to make that decision. When/if it comes up for adoption, I'll think about it. I'm not in that area of Missouri very often. I think in my 19 years of living here, that's only the 2nd time I've been in the area of that box.

Yes it was! I did park in the 2nd parking area, but you probably could park in the 3rd parking lot because that will take you to the spring also. You will find it! Have fun!

If there is any way you are able to take a fresh box, that would be great. I replaced all of the baggies and fixed the logbook, but I didn't have a spare box with me and the one that was used is a disposable kind and pretty warped. I keep a duct tape pouch with me but decided against using it because if even a little bit of dirt gets in the zipper it can be a problem and that box is sitting in dirt. If you aren't able to take a spare box, no worries... it's lasted this long. :)

Wow! That's fantastic!
Good for you for going to search for it!
We know that feeling too. It's great to find a box that hasn't been found in a long time.
They are just waiting out there for you to find them.
Sometimes they may be missing, but it's great fun to find out!
So happy for you and your find!
-TCC :)

Goofy Girl,

Do I need to send you all my BIA chads so you don't run out of confetti?? lol, aT

Funny ~ I've considered sending her mine as well. ;)

That's just amazing! I've had the same thing happen once, but the box wasn't missing 3 years, maybe a year. But that's just so cool! Thank you for going so far out of the way to save that box.

BIA chads

That is a confetti making machine isn't it? :)

Shiloh

Great story! I've gone on a lot of adventures in the last year for forgotten or retired boxes. Usually I come up empty handed, but the few I do find make all the effort worth it.

The latest one I found had been retired by the owner after they got a report it was missing in 2009. The last find in the logbook was from March, 2007! They were no longer active, so I didn't expect a reply to my find report, but a couple weeks later they sent me a note that they had logged in for the first time in a while and were excited that I found it. They accepted my offer to adopt it, so hopefully it will start getting some new finders.

Kelsung

The thing about hunting long-lost boxes is that you must be prepared to get dirty. I mean really dirty! That pleasant little hiding place under a few leaves when planted is now probably completely buried under a mass of rotting vegetation. And the last couple of attempts weren't by people who just walked by on the trail and reported it missing; it's buried deep! Bring gloves and a shovel.

Shovels aren't too stealthy but I do caarry a trowel. Easier to hide.

teacup-who has had to use the trowel to loosen a box from ice.

Personally, I go looking for every letterbox prepared to get dirty. It's a Missouri thing, I think, but if it's on a trail in Missouri, even for a couple weeks, it's DIRTY. Give it a month or two and it already has vegetation consuming it. It's fairly difficult to plant in Missouri and expect the location to be reachable within a year... I planted one that was in a nice area with a few bushes and inside a hollow tree once and when I went back to it a couple years later, the few bushes had turned into MAJOR bushwhacking and it took me 20 minutes just to get the 10 feet to the box just because of how wrapped around the vines had gotten!

What do your carry in your pack for a MAINTENANCE kit for damaged letterboxes

I know you asked Dizzy, but I'm feeling chatty this morning!

I carry what I consider the basics:

damp paper towels
dry paper towels/napkins
spare baggies--snack and sandwich size
small replacement logbooks
small plastic grocery bag to put the trash in; otherwise it rides in my backpack--ick!

When I am organized, I might have small pieces of cloth to serve as stamp cozies, but usually have to rely on my stash of fast food napkins

May people carry extra double zip baggies, toweling to dry things out, duct tape (mine is usually black or camo), a spare box or spare camo pouches. Tape is handy because you can repair someone's broken box instead of carrying the bulk of a spare, until they can get back to change it out. Same with pouches; lite weight and a good temp fix in an emergency. Sometimes a owner may decide to just leave the pouch there. Double zip baggies (I carry mostly pint size) are the item I use most.

In my letterboxing bag I have a school box that I got as a freebie at one point. The school box has my maintenance stuff.

Zipper baggies (Target Brand for the double zip) in snack
Ziploc freezer bags in pint size
Zipper jewelry baggies in 3 different sizes
Wet ones
Alcohol swabs
Mini adhesive runner (yep, I've had to re-glue logbook pages for people)
Small zipties
Neoprene gloves
2 extra blank logbooks
Binder rings
A pencil with several rubber bands and a length of duct tape about 10 feet long wrapped around it

Also in the pack but not in the schoolbox:
Outdoor scent free wipes
An old washcloth to wipe things down
A spare Planter's Pouch in case the box is destroyed when I get to it
A small first-aid kit
A small "office supply" box with tiny tape, notepad, stapler, staples, and tiny titanium scissors (from Target scrapbooking section)
LED flashlight
compass
- as well as my normal letterboxing stuff like sig stamps, logbook, ink pads, markers, etc.

I carry on my person:
nice pocket knife with several blades
another compass
bandana

In my trunk, I have a big picnic basket with full boxes of every size baggie in my pack, maps, more notepads, more logbooks, more Planter's Pouches, rain ponchos (one nicer one and several dollar store ponchos), more alcohol swabs, more Wet Ones, a couple more washcloths, a few dollars in cash (because I end up spending it if it's inside my car), spare lock 'n locks, some wal mart sacks for trash.

Sounds like I carry a lot, but my letterboxing bag is a miniature backpack (about 11" tall). I just have it packed pretty well. I also have as much as I can in miniature form.

Another thing to keep in mind.. repairing and maintenance for damaged boxes is fantastic and encouraged but please do NOT change someone's box just because you think it would be better with a different box or a different log book, or whatever. We've had people do that around here.. decide that the box wasn't the right container so they put it in a pouch instead.. when there was nothing wrong with the box.

Hugs,
Maiden

agree maiden, When I talk about replacing or repair I mean boxes that are broken and can't keep out water. sometimes just some tape will do it.

I couldn't agree more. I carry my things to maintain damaged boxes but it is extremely rude to change someone's box. Do unto others...