This message board is open for business! Enjoy!

Thanks for setting this board up Ryan. I am from Birmingham and seem to be the only LB'er in my area. I have embarked on a quest to get a large number of boxes placed here in the near future to spur some LB activity in the area. I would love to hear from anyone else in the area that has an interest in letterboxing.

Thanks for setting this board up Ryan.

You're welcome! =)

I am from Birmingham and seem to be the only LB'er in my area.

Wish I could help you out on that count, but I don't have any plans to move to Alabama anytime soon. =) However, as I suggested to the poor, lone poster on the Louisiana board, perhaps you could drum up interest locally by getting a newspaper to write an article about the subject. Take matters into your own hands!

Or just wait until people find it on their own, but that requires more patience. =)

-- Ryan

Hey Jason
Things will pick up one day. I've been boxing Since Dec 2000 and know how it is to read about everyones finds while the boxes you are finding are your own. If I could count everytime I checked up on my boxes my count would be over 100. It took 1 1/2 years before I found my first LB. In the mean while I planted a box about every 3-6 months. The good thing about being the first active AL LBr' is you'll get all the best spots. Some newbies here in Nawlins wanted to know what to do if all the good places were taken in the city? I told them first come first serve but they could plant in the same area if the park was big enough. I really prefer hiking boxes and not drive by's but I planted a few urbans so visitors to the city could get some finds. With swamps everywhere down here you have to drive pretty far north to get to high land and most visitors are here for Burbon St. As soon as I can I'll be back your way to plant and find, there just wasn't enough time to fit AL in.

Boxdn

You might try contacting the local alternative paper. They are the free papers that are put out once a week and have info on "Things to Do" in your area. Cinema reviews and Restaurant reviews and maybe an article about local politics. They have names like The New Times, Creative Loafing and City Paper. I don't know if your town actually has one...maybe The Black and White? They are usually looking for interesting story ideas especially about recreation in the area.

-Amanda from Seattle (who used to date a guy who wrote for one of those weekly rags)

Thanks for the input. I sent a request to the big paper a couple of weeks ago, but did not hear anything back. I am going to try some of the smaller ones soon.

I spent this weekend planting a series of 10 boxes for a new series called "Treasures of Tannehill". I am really excited about this series. Tannehill State Park was like a second home to me when I was a kid and I still enjoy spending time there now with my kids. I will get the clues posted by the end of next week.

My sons and I placed our first letterbox in Oak Mtn in April, 2003. We went to Oak Mtn today to check the box and am glad to say that the South Rim box is still intact and in place. We found the Shackleford Point box. I hope that we can make it out to Tannehill to do the series there soon. I'm glad to see that letterboxing is finally catching on in Alabama. We plan to place a few more boxes in Shelby county soon.

Almsbell

We will be cin Alabama this spring and will be doing a little boxing in between hitting Civil War sites. Recommendations would be welcome - this is a first time trip to Alabama and we could use the help.

Cheryl
Team Mad Dawg

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Recommendations would be welcome - this is a first time trip to Alabama and we could use the help.

I thought the rule in Alabama was that you should get anything you can because you'll be lucky if there's a letterbox anywhere you visit. Not enough boxes to start getting selective about which ones to pick. ;o)

-- Ryan

Hey Cheryl

I live so close but haven't landed any of the AL boxes yet. I do have some insight from other boxers. The Fort Morgan box is probally missing due to Hurricane Ivan hitting the spot head on. The boxes on Oak Mnt. (south rim and yellow hammer I think) are on the same trail but the road was closed at the end so you'll have to hike back the way you came doubling the distance. It may be fixed by now but worth checking out before the hike. I also hear Jasons Tannehill series is very nice (10). Hope this helps let us know when and where you'll be I'm sure a few of us could make the trip if we not at a gathering.

Boxdn

I was just wondering which ones are in place and the areas. Heck, ask the rest of the Mad Dawgs, I'm not picky about my boxes! Actually, I plan to take some to plant along the way, just to share the love.

Cheryl

I'll confirm Yellow Hammer as being there on 1-16-05. Only had time for that quick sprint, so I don't know about the other ones at Oak Mountain.

The Tannehill series are planted throughout the site of a Civil War-era blast furnace. Lots and lots of history in this location. Two birds with one stone.

Hello everyone.
New fron Cullman, Al.
New plant just activated in Cullman = Wildflower Trail

Come check out the Letterboxing Southeast board. Lots of us from this corner of the country hang out there.

DebBee, from Florida

Welcome to the addictive world of letterboxing! We are always happy to have more people join the boxing world!

First have you visited www.letterboxing.org? If not, I would start there. They are really the mothership of letterboxing. Read over the getting started section (there are pictures here to which helps connect some of the lingo), the FAQ, and whatever else interests you. There are many more clues listed there.

For more information, right here on Atlas Quest, you can read about how to get started and check over the FAQ here.

Some very helpful and interesting links to me are:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/letterbox-usa/  The mail letterboxing talk list.

http://www.stampeaz.com/ The cheapest place to order a carving medium called PZ-Kut.

http://www.cafepress.com/letterboxing For letterboxing apparel.

http://www.letterboxing.info/ A very informative letterboxing veteran's webite.

All of the boxes I have planted are clearly labeled to be a letterbox, and not to discard. I have never asked to plant a box, I just do. Some go missing, others don't. It is a risk you take when planting. All of my boxes have been planted in rural areas. There are rules for national parks and state parks. Some people follow the rules, others find ways around them. Best to ask someone in the same state/area you are in for advice. Most city parks don't mind. Beware of private property areas.

Maybe this helps you. Please feel free to post as many questions as you want. Everyone here is usually eager to help!

Liz

of Penguin Patrol

One more very helpful link.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/newboxers/

The talk group for new letterboxers. Very, very friendly group. Great place to get expert advice from letterboxing veterans.

Liz

If we plant 3 boxes, is that 3 of the same stamp or 3 different stamps? Haven't seen that part explained anywhere.

Every box would have a different stamp. Ideally, you'd never see the same stamp more than once, though it does happen on occasion.

-- Ryan

On a side note, if you are planting 3 boxes in the same area, you could make them a series. 3 different types of flowers, 3 different types of fish, 3 characters from the same movie. See below for an examples of a series type clues. You can list the boxes all in one clue or you can list the boxes as seperate clues.

http://www.letterboxing.org/BoxView.php?boxnum=5430&boxname=The_Creature_of_Fountainhead_Park_-_Part_1_of_6

http://www.letterboxing.org/BoxView.php?boxnum=14427&boxname=The_Creature_of_Fountainhead_Park_-_Part_2_of_6

http://www.letterboxing.org/BoxView.php?boxnum=10976&boxname=Fric_And_Frac's_Family_Zodiac

http://www.letterboxing.org/BoxView.php?boxnum=14449&boxname=The_2_for_1_Bonus_Boxes

http://www.letterboxing.org/BoxView.php?boxnum=12593&boxname=I-95_N_-_"Get_Fuzzy"__-_Bucky_Katt

http://www.letterboxing.org/BoxView.php?boxnum=12595&boxname=I-95_S_-_"Get_Fuzzy"_-_Satchel_Pooch

Or you could just plant three boxes completely unrelated. Letterboxing is whatever you want it to be.

Liz

Mooky & Dipper had a great day of boxing Saturday July 16th. We planted a mystery box in Alabama (highpoint box), found Alabama's only other mystery box that we know of. (Cherokee Rose). Found 15 boxes around Birmingham, including 4 by DRGDLG. Great clues and locations. Treasures of Tannehill was a great hike, and highly recommended. Also released a new HH "Joe to Go" coming to a box near you.
Happy Hunting, Blue Skies,
Mooky& Dipper

I HAVE SLOWLY BECOME A VERY FRUSTRATED LBer. I HAD HIGH HOPES OF GETTING CULLMAN, AL ON THE MAP LETTERBOXING WISE, BUT I CANNOT SPARK ANY INTERESTS AROUND HERE. ANYBODY GOT ANY IDEAS... PLEASE?

I'm down in Prattville and very new to it all but hope to make it to the boxes up in Cullman with my Scout troop this spring. I only wait as one is on the Wildflower Trail and I'd like to see it in bloom :) Try to contact the local Girl Scout council and see about doing a workshop there. With the new Letterbox/Geocache badge out, you may see some enthusiasm with that as the starting point and it could work it's way out from there! :)

frettchen

My Aunt lives in Cullman and I would certainly look for boxes there, unfortunately I only get there every couple of years or so.
Corazon

I recommend you plant a handful of letterboxes in/around your favorite spots. Mix up the 'type' of boxes you create--historical, kid oriented, location based, park/botanical themed, animal oriented. Create unique and informative clues that aren't straightforward but aren't excruciatingly difficult either. Make sure they appeal to folks from all different persuasions (birders/hikers/artists/kids/adults/historians,etc). You never know when someone will 'google' something in your area and stumble upon clues to your letterbox about a particular subject in which they're interested!!! All it takes is a spark! Get creative--outdoors, parks, libraries, used bookstores, favorite coffee shops, local 'small' museums (like historical societies & such--THEY LOVE extra customers), kitschy 'public art' places or near those giant fiberglass hot dog (donut/cowboy hat/boweevil statues/etc) advertised businesses that everybody around town knows about... You just never know!
...
When you're with friends you think may be interested but aren't that 'into it' when you explain it to them, don't talk about it directly but rather send them a card with a pithy quip on it about 'follow this clue to a surprise' or a link to the clues. I've found that if you tell people directly about letterboxing, they don't always 'get it' and often don't see the point. If you 'help' them to 'discover' it themselves, the more they'll get excited about it. Go ahead and create a mystery box or two in your area and that might spark some interest, too.
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Another thing might be to visit your local 'outdoor' store and try to introduce the staff to the hobby. They might be interested. If not, post a letterboxing 'business card' on the bulletin board at the outdoor store to let someone else discover it. I've also been known to randomly pull out the Letterboxers Companion book by Randy Hall in bookstores or outdoor stores and leave it laying a bit 'exposed' in the hopes that someone might randomly 'discover' it that way. You just never know...
...
The mantra "if you plant it, they will come" truly rings true with this hobby. It might not happen overnight but it will blossom in time. When I introduced my sister in Boise to letterboxing there was 1 box near Boise. In a couple of months another one showed up. Then she started planting them around the town. Within a year or two she's got a couple hundred letterboxes from which to choose in her area. It's just a matter of finding 1 or 2 people who are interested in finding AND planting that will change your area's letterbox drought in time. ;)
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I've found letterboxing appeals to: rubberstampers/outdoors people/orienteerers/ artists/ ex-athletes/hikers, writers, people who loved National Treasure/travel/puzzle solving, etc. Might want to focus on introducing it to folks with those interests.

Enjoy the adventure,

dvn2r ckr
'diagonally located on the contiguous US map from your neck of the woods in the evergreen 42nd state'

Also, try arranging a gathering if you're up to it. One gathering at Stone Mountain in GA created a mecca for boxing here. Other gatherings in large parks around here have done the same thing. Plant "seed boxes" to start, plan a one day gathering or a weekender, and announce it on the boards. The worst thing that can happen is you cancel it because of lack of interest...

I planted a couple of boxes in the Birmingham area where there appears to be a good number of them.

Thanks for the input and encouragement. I have only planted 1 but I have plans for others. I will plant a few more this week and just be patient. Thanks again. I realize now how important it is to be patient... some things just take time to develope.

Hurrah! :) I'll be watching for them. I've got a few ideas for our area and one box almost ready to go. As I'd not carved a stamp before ever I tend to throw away more than I keep but I think this one is ok enough to put in a box and hide. Hopefully they'll be several new boxes and boxers over the new year!