Water Lily's Letterboxing Clues
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About Letterboxing
TransCanada Plants
Ontario Labyrinths
Hubcaps and RestStops
GreyBruce Random
Mennonite Quilt Blocks
Niagara Escarpment Series
Niagara Region
Around Alberta
HitchHikers
Carves ONLY
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Letterboxing ~ a low tech combination of art, treasure hunt and exploring nature.
About Letterboxing
What is letterboxing? Letterboxing is an outdoor (mostly) past-time that involves following a clue to find a small package containing a logbook and a rubber stamp. Often, stamps are hand-carved works of art. The letterboxer carries a signature stamp (also often hand-carved), that gets stamped into the logbook of the found box and the stamp from the box get stamped into the letterboxers passbook (or logbook). Thus, the box will retain a record of all boxers who have visited and the letterboxers passbook will have a record of all the boxes that the individual (or family) have found. Letterboxing takes you many interesting and varied places, some that you would never visit otherwise. There are a number of kinds of letterboxes (with more emerging as more creative people get involved in the sport). Traditional Letterboxes consist of a usually plastic container with a stamp, a logbook and sometimes an ink pad that is hidden in one spot and found by following the clues correctly. Clues can be fairly straight forward, or can be cryptic or complex as stories. Many clues are posted at AtlasQuest or Letterboxing North America. Some are WOM (word of mouth), or are listed on individuals letterboxing blogs.Hitchhikers are placed in other boxes (they are generally very small) and are moved from one box to the next by the finder. They also contain a stamp and a small log.Virtuals are posted and solved on the internet.There is a wealth of information about letterboxing to be found by visiting the above two websites and following the many links that are posted. I have found the on-line boxing community to be very welcoming and helpful if you have questions. Just check out the yahoo groups that can be found at the above. And most of all ENJOY ;) I also have a letterboxing BLOG on WordPress, where you can follow my personal letterboxing exploits.
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TransCanada Plants
Following the TransCanada ~ Ontario to Alberta
At the end of April 2010, I had the opportunity (last minute) to travel with a friend of mine who was moving from Southern Ontario to Saskatchewan. So I planned a bunch of boxes to plant along the way so other travelers would have the opportunity to box the Trans-Canada. Our route took us from Walkerton, ON, up Hwy 69 to Sudbury and across Hwy 17, through the Sault and Thunder Bay to the Man/ON border. Along this route are located a number of "Large Roadside Attractions". Many of these are located at Tourist Information Centres and are accessed quickly from the highway. I have included a couple in my LB route. Each night when we stopped, I would prepare and carve the images for the next day (which I had already chosen and printed) and stamp logbook images. Then as we drove, I would cover boxes (with duct tape for camouflage), install pockets for information, fold information pages, cut fleece for stamp protection and select and seal both stamps and logbooks into ziplock baggies. I was always ready before we reached the site of the next plant. (I had done all the planning of images, selection of sites, etc. in anticipation of the trip.)We crossed the Manitoba border (from Ontario) on the fourth day of travel, around 10a.m. At this point, the Trans-Canada becomes Hwy 1. By 1p.m. we were past Winnipeg. At Portage La Prairie, we turned north onto the Yellowhead Hwy... the northern Trans-Canada route. The Yellowhead Highway is named for a fur trader and guide Pierre Bostonais whose nickname in French was Tete Jaune (yellow head). He was a golden haired Iroquois Metis who worked for both the Northwest Company and the Hudson Bay Company at varying times. The highway travels through 5 national parks, 90 provincial parks and 3 national historic sites! It eastern point begins at Mile 0 The Forks in Winnipeg, MB, through Yorkton, SK, continues through Edmonton, AB and splits at Tete Jaune Cache. B.C. (a town) where it continues to Prince Rupert to the North and ends on the Queen Charlotte Islands and then to the South Hope, B.C. We crossed the Saskatchewan border around 4pm and finished off our trip at North Battleford the next day. Because the eastern portion of Manitoba and the area around Winnipeg already had a number of boxes, I planted only along or near the Yellowhead, between Portage La Prairie and North Battleford.Then in the spring of 2011, I planned my own trip across the country, this time following the TransCanada across to Vancouver Island. Turns out I didn't get that job, but I did get one in Calgary. As I already had the stamps carved and the boxes planned, it only made sense to plant as I travelled. I made two trips, driving from Southern Ontario to Calgary, one in early May with all our belongings in the UHaul and the second in mid-June with my family, including two dogs, two cats, 13 chickens, 7 pond fish and my perennial garden ~ a saga for another page. All of the boxes listed here can be accessed within a short distance from the Trans Canada Hwy (or the Yellowhead Highway). They are all drive-bys... meaning that you won't need to undertake a long walk to find these..... just enough for a short break along your drive. Individual clues are listed here.
Ontario Labyrinths
Labyrinths
I have recently become interested in labyrinths and was surprised to find that there are a significant number of them in Ontario, many of which are open to the public. A list can be found here. I have chosen a number of these sites to be the locations for this series.[NOTE: They are numbered as they are planted, not necessarily in any logical order for searching].A labyrinth is an ancient symbol that relates to wholeness. It combines the imagery of the circle and the spiral into a meandering but purposeful path. The Labyrinth represents a journey to our own center and back again out into the world. Labyrinths have long been used as meditation and prayer tools.A labyrinth is not a maze. It has only one path. It is unicursal. The way in is the way out. There are no blind alleys. The path leads you on a circuitous path to the center and out again. A labyrinth is a right brain task. It involves intuition, creativity, and imagery.Each persons walk is a personal experience. How one walks and what one receives differs with each walk. Some people use the walk for clearing the mind and centering. Others enter with a question or concern. The time in the center can be used for receiving, reflecting, meditating, or praying, as well as discovering our own sacred inner space. What each person receives can be integrated on the walk out. Your walk can be a healing and sometimes very profound experience or it can be just a pleasant walk. Each time is different.Follow the path of the labyrinth from its entrance to the centre. Walk at a pace that feels comfortable to you.Pass others on the path if you need to and move around walkers coming toward you.Stay in the centre as long as you wish.Follow the path back to the entrance of the labyrinth.Whatever your purpose, I would encourage you to visit with enough time to walk each labyrinth before or after you stamp in.There are 12 currently planted (with a couple more on hold). Individual clues can be found here.
Hubcaps and RestStops
Rest Stops and Roadside Picnic Areas
On my many travels around Southwestern Ontario, I have noticed a plethora of small, appealing looking Picnic Rest Stops around the country. This series will give travelers the opportunity for a quick stop, a bathroom break and perhaps even a picnic break. (NOTE: Many of these rest stops are closed for the winter. This means that picnic tables will be stacked and outhouses either gone or closed. There may even be gates across the entrance. However, you could still park on the road and walk in to retrieve). The only significance of the number is that it matches the jpg from the website www.hubcaps.com. I have recorded the brand of vehicle but not specific models. (It would be possible to look them up if you are so inclined.). Individual clues are listed here.
GreyBruce Random
GreyBruce Area - Random
Grey Bruce comprises two large municipalities in Southwestern Ontario that represent a wide variety of landscapes and ecological areas. The Niagara Escarpment slashes across the counties which include ski hills, farm land and several significant urban areas. These clues represent random letterboxes planted in a variety of locations around the area.
Mennonite Quilt Blocks
Mennonites of Ontario and Quilt Blocks
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Mennonites are an extremely diverse group of individuals united only in their ancestry in the Anabaptist movement in Europe in the 1500’s. Since then, their paths have diverged (and occasionally merged again). Today you will find Mennonites wholive in closed communities wearing plain clothes and farming like their ancestors (the Amish are the most extreme example) all the way up to jeans wearing, tattooed and bejeweled young people who attend school just like your kids, and every variation in between.In common, is their commitment to God, to social justice, pacifism and creation care ~ although these may express themselves in a variety of ways among the different groups. This series will explore the variety of Mennonites in Ontario, mainlycentred around Waterloo county and invite you to discover their rich history and their present reality by visiting a number of sites around Waterloo County.Twenty hand carved, unique individual quilt blocks make up this series. (NOTE: They are numbered randomly ~ in the order they are in my logbook ~ and not necessarily in the order you would wish to find them). Pieced quilts were traditionally made from old material (recycled clothing, etc.) or bits and pieces left over from other projects. Small squares, triangles and diamonds were pieced together to form squares. Then a number of squares would be sewn together to form a quilt top to fit the bed. A solid piece of material would make up the quilt bottom, with quilt batting (traditionally wool or even cattail fluff) in the middle. The two pieces were then stretched on a frame and sewn together with the batting in the middle. The stitches could either follow the topper patterns or they could be as elaborate as flowers, leaves and vines ‘over’ the entire quilt. The purpose of these stitches would be to hold the ‘stuffing’ in place so it didn’t shift to one corner or side of the cover, especially when it was washed. Mennonite quilts are famous throughout North America for their detail, colour, workmanship and creativity ~ not to mention price. Here is an example of some of the variation that can be made using one quilt square pattern arranged differently with differing colours. This is a Scrappy Split Nine Quilt Square Pattern.You have a couple of choices in how to “record” your quilt block stamps…. Note: Each quilt block is 1 1/2 inches square. These are fairly simple patterns (stamps). The beauty and creativity of these quilt squares will be determined by the colours and arrangements that you choose to use when stamping in. Coloured markers are highly recommended. i. log the quilt blocks individually in your book as you find them ii. make a 5 x 4 pattern of identical quilt blocks to form 20 different quilts in your book (only if you have a large log book with lots of space) iii. make a 5 x 4 grid in your book and put a different quilt square into each one ~ this is called a “sampler” quilt (this is how I have logged them in my book). Good luck and have fun!! Individual clues can be accessed here.
Niagara Escarpment Series
Niagara Escarpment ~ Georgian Bluffs & Bruce County
The spectacular Niagara Escarpment traverses farms, recreation areas, sweeping scenic vistas, 1600 foot cliffs, clear streams, wetlands, pebbled beaches, rolling hills, pristine waterfalls, wildlife habitats, historic sites and urban areas. It slashes across Southern Ontario, a masterpiece of living art, recognized as a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve successfully balancing conservation and preservation with surrounding development. The escarpment is composed of magnesium-rich limestone (dolostone) and shale. The dolostone erodes at different rates than the shale, resulting in the very dramatic and rugged landforms that we see today. It is the most diverse region in the province and home to an astounding assortment of flora and fauna. The Bruce Trail follows the Escarpment from Queenston to Tobermory. In fact, the escarpment arcs across Manitoulin, St. Joseph's and Mackinaw Islands and defines the western shores of Lake Michigan. This series of 20 stops invites exploration of a number of natural areas spread along the escarpment between Meaford in the east and Tobermory, on the Bruce Peninsula and encompasses some of the most spectacular scenery in Ontario. All areas visited have parking fairly close, so you could complete a number in one day with scenic drives in between. Stay at one of the many area B&B or campsites for an extended visit. All stamps are hand-carved. If you are interested in further exploration of this area (or others along the Niagara Escarpment), the Bruce Trail Guide Book (with very detailed and accurate topographical maps) can be purchased at www.brucetrail.orgIndividual clues can be accessed here.
Niagara Region
Niagara Region
I grew up on a farm in the Niagara Region (near Stevensville, centred between Fort Erie, Niagara Falls and Welland). Here is where my family history lies... and that is what these boxes celebrate.
Around Alberta
Alberta Bound
Alberta ~ our new home province. While we lived in Alberta (Sundre ~ NW of Calgary about 1 1/2 hours) from 2001 - 2002, I wasn't a letterboxer back then. So all those potential plants went unplanted!!Now we are back, this time in Water Valley, about 1/2 hour south of where we used to live. I travel regularly between home and Calgary, and around the city. There are many potential hiding spots (and themes) around this beautiful province. From the prairies in east, through the badlands, among the coulees and sloughs and then into the foothills. And finally, the jagged Rockies in the Western skyline. All of it just waiting to be explored and populated (with letterboxes, of course!) Over the next months and years, more will be added, beginning with the Green Meadows and Green Forest series in Calgary proper (within the city limits) and then out and beyond. Travel the back roads of Alberta with me, on a search for hidden treasures. Clues are located here.
HitchHikers
Hitch Hikers
...are small letterboxes that travel from one Traditional Letterbox to another, with the help of a letterboxer individual. When found, they are logged in both the Traditional LB logbook as well as the personal logbook of the letterboxer. Then the letterboxer takes the HH with them on their travels and leaves it in the next letterbox that they find (after stamping into the logbook of the found box.) Hitchhikers can travel around the world, and be found by a myriad of letterboxers during their lifetime. I have carved and released two series of hitchhikers. My first HH was a shepherd boy that was headed for Oregon (to join the manger scene ~ at this point, I don't think it has yet arrived). Then I carved six autumn leaves that have made their way around Ontario and beyond. The latest was a set of eight Christmas themed stamps that began their journey around Christmas last year. Most of them are still making the rounds around Ontario. Here is the link if you want to follow their journey (at least when they are logged).
Carves ONLY
Carves ONLY
These are boxes for which I carved the image and then sent away to someone else for planting. I do not OWN these boxes, so the links send you back to AtlasQuest for clues and updates. However, I list them here just to complete the record of my contribution to the hobby of letterboxing.
