Changes in Platitudes

After a work week of drudgery and recovering from a summer cold in the family we found ourselves shifting gears a few times. First was what I liked to call the Buffett Buffet. Jimmy Buffet impersonator, Tom Watt, gave a performance at our local Toftrees resort. It was a mellow evening chillin' by the pool wit a bunch of self purported Parrotheads and food and booze.

The next day we escaped to my very favorite little slice of paradise. Although there were no cheeseburgers there, sorry, we built up a fire and sat around shooting the breeze all day at Alan Seeger Natural Area. Sure there is a letterbox there. :)


Today has us visiting Ravenboy's former ballet instructors who are currently his local employers. He has enjoyed a couple of weeks of giving back to his hometown what he has been learning as a pro. We will have an evening of being entertained by the hosts and their 6 kiddos, all well versed in all of the performing arts. Along with the promised Italian meal, we will most certainly be treated to a variety of song, dance and merriment.

Heat Shield Stonehenge

Summer offers an added bonus with the heat and rain contributing to ongoing rusting. I am really excited at the progress I am making with my heat shield project! Let me know if you would like to contribute.

Across the Universe

It's only going on a year and a half since we hid it but Across the Universe is our only letterbox which has not been found. I am not saying that folks don't have ideas where it might be but, as far as I know, no one has gone looking for it yet. This is kind of exciting. I don't need to have all of our boxes found but when one is, it confirms that they are findable and not just trash in the field.

The Mustard Ultimatum

We were trying to find out just how far we could push it at the drive-in movie; we brought our own snacks. How much spicy mustard we could get through in one evening?

The pretzel bag was just opened when a series of unforeseen catastrophes thwarted the efforts of the characters in the movie and the snackers in the car. Mustard was all over the front seat of the car and not one pretzel had been dipped as a sniper zeroed in on the main characters. Studied yet casual camo pants and a very classy shirt from a hoity toity SoHo shop were covered in bright yellow mustard as Matthew Bourne ran helter skelter across the screen. Napkins were rushed from the snack bar just as the hero seemingly escaped catastrophe.

Calm ensued but a surprise attack came from the assassin on the screen and the same mustard found it's way onto the back seats of the car and onto my sneakers and pajamas. Frantic clean up efforts echoed the giant cinematic figures looming over our car hood. As they escaped again, we settled down to watch the rest of The Bourne Ultimatum with the distinct and pungent aroma of vinegar in the air.

Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire

Ravenboy is home for the month and we love reliving good old times. Really old times in this case, this family and Dabralady spent the day in Mt. Hope at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire. Set in 1601,the entire festival celebrates the end of the Spanish Threat to English sovereignty and to the glory of the colonies in the New World. You can spend an entire day, 11:00 am - 8:00 PM, within the festival grounds and not see even half of everything that is going on. Shows included bands playing period instruments, vocalists with tawdry song and dance, and Shakespearean plays all performed on outdoor stages. Many performers are not miked so it makes it hard with untrained and noisy audiences attending.

From as far away as West Virginia, Maryland and New Jersey revelers travel to Mt. Hope and join many locals in period garb to fully experience the day. Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire has been established for over a quarter of a century and falls mostly during the month of August weekends so it is very difficult to avoid the heat. We went on a beautiful day and did our best to seek the shade of some of the old growth trees on the grounds. It was hard to avoid the sun though as we sat at the edge of Bosworth jousting field to watch the royal falconer give his show.

Dabralady found a lovely ring of silver filigree in one of the many fine shops along the merchant's row. RGBisMe and I were glad to try some fine Honey Mead and ended up purchasing a couple of bottles. Ravenboy was glad to be able to attend the acrobat's performances. He has a friend who was blowing fire in a performance at Arlington racetrack pretty much at the same time as we watched another young lady accomplish the feat.

If you have attended this faire in the past you may not realize how much is has grown. Yes, the mud pit, beggars and Sir Walter Raleigh are still on the scene but they now utilize so much more of the enclosed grounds that had been stretches of open grass before. There was something going on everywhere I looked and although I was tired and over-stimulated by the end of the day I was also very satisfied and felt I had gotten more than my money's worth.

Susquehanna River Trail

Last year an exciting letterbox appeared on our radar. Jbzfarm planted what was classified as an extreme letterbox, Susquehanna River Trail. I looked at the clues and quickly determined that it was not something I could just paddle out to and back on an inner-tube because there were no access points right by the island on which the letterbox is planted. It is also in the middle of a mile wide river. Rivers have current and larger fish. Larger fish mean larger teeth. That was pretty scary so I quickly determined it was extreme indeed and that I would have to try to find a canoe to borrow. Preferably with someone to show me how to use it.

I threw out some feelers earlier this year and the 4Rhines said that they were in the middle of planning a trip to get the same letterbox with KellyandBen. I stepped up my efforts to find a canoe and started researching the stretch of the river so that RGBisMe and I might be able to join them.

While researching, I foundthe clues to the box have a couple of great links. I had no idea the river is treated like an actual trail, with registers and folks who maintain certain stretches. I enjoyed reading about what areas of the river were preferred for travel and started checking out the gages that gave what level the river was at and the flow rates.

About a month ago, I broke down and asked jbzfarm if they might have a canoe to lend. They were excited to hear that a trip was in the works and suggested we might all go together, the more the merrier. It became clear that this family loves the river and they wanted to share the island that they maintain as a small camping spot. I was surprised, I thought they had pretty much just randomly chose a secure spot on an island to plant a box. These folks clear debris from the river and keep a couple of islands upriver from Duncannon in camping condition.

Maga11 & Toolman Luke had been planning a big yard sale and I remembered they wanted to get rid of an inflatable raft. Since jbzfarm said the river was at a level that it would be more fun to use tubes anyway I thought that trying this old raft might work. I took time to inflate it and leave it for a few days, it held it's air and Toolman Luke assured me the bottom shouldn't have any holes either.

They day before the trip, I wondered if it might not happen at all. Logistics of the excursion shifted a bit radically, the originators of the August 4th plans KellyandBen and 4Rhines had things come up at the last moment. The river was down to a typical August level and we were in the middle of a terrible heat wave. Worst of all, jbzfarm pointed out that I was missing a most important piece of equipment, a couple of closed cell foam... drink coolies. D@ng, where was I to find something like that in less than 24 hours? I had already rented 2 PFDs and a paddle, I hadn't seen anything like that at the outfitter. Joe assured me this was essential as the river gets very hot and how would we keep our lagers, cosmos and mojitos cool?

Thank goodness for old friends! Good ol' noxer, DaBraLaday came through and said she had 3 to bring for a price. DaBraLady wanted to join the party and even wanted to join in the letterboxing! YAY! We carved her a signature stamp and cootied her, first thing that morning. She had see us magically pull boxes from locations over the past years. At times she had just rolled her eyes at us but I could tell as she inked up her stamp and asked just how to huff it that she was going to get the hang of it quickly.

It was hazy and hot as we started our trip. We were a happy group putting in at Montgomery Ferry. The water was surprisingly warm. We had 5 miles to float during a pretty hot time of the day so I could tell there was no way I was going to stay in the raft, big fish or no. It was shocking that the water was usually only waste deep!RGBisMe and DaBraLady took to the tubes first while Evelyn and I took the raft. Evy was a great lookout for rapids and rocks and would let the group know when some appeared on the distant horizon.

There were exciting things to see along the way. RGBisMe and Joe pointed out an immature eagle. We saw a lot of different birds, butterflies, dragonflies and darning needles. The only fish I saw were tiny little ones that liked hiding under the raft. They looked like tetras. After about a mile, Joe called to a flock of geese. They ignored him but he did draw the attention of a fellow from a notorious picnic area along our right.

After another relaxing mile of great conversation, bouncing blown bubbles and fumbled nerf tosses, we stopped to snack a bit and refresh our all important drink coolies. Becky had a wonderfully refreshing mix in her nalgene bottle which she generously shared. Who knew those bottle were good for anything other than water! As we set off again RGBisMe managed to separate himself from me with the drink we had been sharing. He grinned in his quiet way as he lifted the red cup as a salute to me and the current swept him away. I took to my bottle of water and tried some tasty Propel.

I was pleased that the cool map I bought was keeping me oriented properly. This was such a unique experience; no blazes, no trail intersection signs, just islands and the curve of the river to help you know where you were. The beauty of the area just surrounds you. It is like walking a large alpine ridge top, constant views all around you. As we passed under the crackling powerlines, we knew we were about a half of a mile from Island #89. It is one of the islands that river travelers are allowed to camp on and our goal for the day.

As our hosts unloaded their boat and collected firewood, we took out the clues and zeroed in on the expected location of the letterbox. DaBraLady checked out a pile of rocks and soon we were able to shout, "We have decon!" It is pretty funny that the first letterbox DaBraLady has ever stamped into is an "extreme" letterbox. She earned it honestly and deserved the right to stamp in ahead of us. It was a special moment finding a box in the middle of the river. Jbzfarm always have great locations and carvings, this one did not let us down.


Our hosts made a fire and cooked up some grub with no delay. We were all a little fatigued and the meal put us in the mood for a nice nap. Instead we chatted about things around the fire. Danek told us about his week at Boy Scout Camp. It was great to get to know each other even better before we had to pack up and cut across the mighty river once again. A wonderful way to spend a brutally hot summer day. I hope we can do it again, next time perhaps KellyandBen and 4Rhines can join in.

The Amazing Franklin

This weekend we found ourselves staying home for a few reasons. One was that Franklin, our 6 year old Red Eared Slider, has been very needy. She gets something like wander lust a couple of times a year and refuses to stay calmly in her 50 gallon kidney bean shaped tank. During these times I worry about her a lot because she also starts refusing to eat. After a week of her not eating, I get really stressed.

This week her wander lust set in and for the first time she was finally large enough to get out of the tank by herself. We can't leave her out on her own when she gets in this mood because she will sometimes flip over and not easily be able to right herself. Turtles can die of twisted bowels when they get flipped so we try to watch her as she walks all over the place.

We know that she is getting toward the end of her period of needing to roam when she finds a place in the house she likes to dig and tread with her back feet. I have always wondered if she is pretending to dig a hole to lay eggs. The only time she had ever laid an egg was far removed from her wandering spells, in her own tank.

She had been digging a bit by the front and back doors this time. It was the first time she ever got like this in weather that allowed me to let her outside. She walked across the back porch, into the grass in the back yard and within 2 minutes started to dig a hole.


She dug for a couple of hours as RGBisMe and I took turns watching her. As unsettled as she had been all week, we felt allowing her to dig until she had her fill was the best. I had to take a break in the house for a minute and when I came to the back door I saw she was taking a little rest with her one foot in what was at that time a hole, 3" x 2" on the surface and about 6" deep.

I was shocked to see her move her foot to the side and start to lay an egg. I called to RGBisMe who had been watching her while walking the kitten nearby. He came over and said, "She is laying another!" Franklin just kept laying eggs until I saw that the hole might easily fill. I started playing turtle midwife and catching them, putting them to the side so she would not feel like the hole was full. My concern was that she lay all she needed to so she would not become egg bound.


Franklin laid at least 13 eggs and took another hour to cover them and tamp them down until she was satisfied. One exhausted turtle slowly started to walk away from the area that was just a little patch of brown grass, you almost couldn't tell she had dug it at all.

We took her back to her tank and because her float bladder had been filled to buoy her when she was filled with eggs, she bobbed on the surface like a cork. We offered her some food but had to let out a lot of air before she could swim down to get it. She was ravenous and ate huge portions of avacado, watermellon and scrambled egg.

I welcome any and all suggestions how to build her a place to dig if this happens at a time during the colder months. A few key ingredients to a perfect spot must include: grass/ carpet like surface, something like sand to dig down into about 8" - 12", it has to fit in our house in the winter, Franklin has to access it from the floor.

30 Years Later

What did Cyclonic get me to do that no one else could? Not family nor boyfriends nor all of the fates combined could get me to cave in to watching the iconic Star Wars until today. For years I stubbornly refused to not only avoid it in the theaters but liked to smugly shock people that I had escaped all of the many times the movie was on television during the holidays. Cyclonic did what noone else ever had the guts to do, he handed me his copy of Star Wars and said, "Watch it." If he cared enough to remember my bragging about not seeing it, for him I would watch it, and I LIKED IT!

With years of hype about the movie making me determined to avoid seeing it, it did get me into trouble a few times. It caused a few arguments with lesser friends, made me clueless as to what my family was talking about and made me wonder what all of the merchandise on the store shelves was all about. My junior year in high school found me at an apathetic loss for what to write for a paper in English class. My sister had been doing some writing in her spare time and it wasn't too bad. I snatched up her idea, copying most of her lines verbatim. The paper was part of a project in class where it's grade was determined by classmates. The girl who graded mine turned to my best friend and said, "This is Star Wars! Why did she write that?" My friend honestly told her, "She has never seen the movie." I think I got a "C" on the paper.

It was so odd to watch a film for the first time yet to recognize every character and reference. First the Storm Troopers talking with their dark lord Darth Vadar about the Death Star and watching Princess Leia (Carrie looks like a young Debbie Reynolds!) shoot to defend herself. All 30 years since it's debut, my thoughts on it follow.

I never realized just how young the Luke Skywalker character was meant to be against the desert-like backdrop of the late 1970's imagined outer space. When the little holographic image of the princess appears and pleads to Obi-Wan Kenobi, my main hope was that Luke could get together with him and start to learn to flesh out the the young space farmer he portrayed. It reminded me of a scene out of Oklahoma and was sad when he didn't break into song about a bright golden haze on the droid as he looked out onto the 2 setting suns.

The sand people really spooked me and their attack on C-3PO made me think of the poor Scarecrow from the Wizard of OZ who was torn apart. I was grateful Luke could put him back together. Earlier this week, I devoured the final book in the Harry Potter series and kept wondering as I read if J.K. Rowling was going to pull a "Luke, I am your father," moment. Star Wars is a huge part of how people in our society make reference to things. It made me feel badly that I had waited so long to watch Star Wars that special scenes in the film have become so characterized that I couldn't appreciate them solely as the meaningful moments they were intended to be. Thanks to all of the You-tube videos of the Star Wars kid, I couldn't be impressed with Luke's rite of passage receiving his futuristic samurai sword. I cracked up every time I saw a lightsaber.

Even after years of up to date Disney graphics the space port where Obi-Wan and Luke meet Chewbacca and Han is still visually well done. The scene holds up well more than a quarter of a century after it's introduction to celluloid. The bar was, years later, well echoed by Quark's in Star Trek's DS9. Colorful characters must have been a real feast for the eyes and I am envious of those who innocently saw it the year it came out. They, however, did not have the pleasure of being reminded just how handsome Harrison Ford has been for oh so many years. If you are a fan and never saw The Conversation, make sure to see it.

I was shocked that I had built Jabba into a much bigger Hut than he actually was. Never having seen the character but hearing people make reference to him, I used his name in describing a nearby mountain. He is only an overgrown slug.

Before their escape from the Death Star, the masked Darth Vader meets hooded Obi-Wan. Maybe it was that their light sabers looking like wands but no, it was Obi-Wan allowing himself to be struck down that put to mind Dumbledoor stepping down to allow Harry's battling Voldemort. Young blood taking on the centuries old theme of good vs evil.

I admire this movie for representing the diversity of the universe. Not only in races but species and the many languages. It was a bold thing to suggest, I can't say that I have seen any other movie that has succeeded in pulling it off to this extent.

Cyclonic was right, I am grateful for hearing the origins of many of those great lines that have been the spice of our conversations for years. It is one thing to hear people quote them but the aplomb with which they are delivered by the characters is priceless. I might not remember all of the great lines and scenes as the die hards, just remember that I have only seen Star Wars... ONCE.

Trail Magic

I had always heard through-hikers speak of trail magic when hiking long distance on PCT, AT, even the MST. I am happy to report that it can happen on even shorter trails.

A month ago, Janila, Cylconic, Pink Panther and I tackled a few miles while finding letterboxes on a series of trails south of Ithaca. The letterboxes were a great group of called the Twelve Moons of Shindagin Hollow. It was a good hike and I took my Bob Weber hand carved hiking stick I had purchased at the Camal general store in Pine Creek Valley. I usually do not carry a stick but I didn't know what I was getting into. About two miles into the hike I told Cyclonic, "I am going to forget this."

Say it and it is so. Just finishing the last mile and 2 boxes, I turned to Janila and said, "I left my stick at one of the boxes." She was aghast and said, "We will go back!" I felt my feet throbbing and said, "We will not." I intended to contact the owner of the boxes and let her know I had lost it. By the time I remembered to do so, 2 other letterboxers had completed the same hike. I wrote to them with no luck. Something either Angsaidso or Cars replied to me convinced me that it was long gone. They mentioned how many mountain bikers were in the area. I was certain my stick had found a new home and wished it well.

While chatting online with Cyclonic this afternoon, he mentioned that the Bibliochicks had just contacted him about a stick they found while hiking Shindagin Hollow. They had contacted Angsaidso and Cars who said another boxer was looking for a hand carved stick they had lost!! One thing lead to another and, my stick seems to be in the hands of the wonderful Bibliochicks. It looks like I will be reunited with my stick in September at the Knoebel's gathering. Bless the Bibliochicks and good trail magic!

Summertime

In some ways, yesterday felt like a good old summer day from my youth. I was sitting around, enjoying a soda and laughing with friends. Yesterday's remarkable letterboxes, exceptional company, and scorching heat came to an end and our friends are planning to return home. Maybe that is why it makes me feel like summer itself is drawing to a close. The impending closings of all of PA state parks over a budget impasse certainly enhanced the feeling. Today, all non essential state employees are furloughed until the budget it passed.

It was an iced coffee that got us onto the road and energized us the whole way to Watervillle. We had our wits about us enough to tell the 3rd base side from the 1st base side of the ball field this time and we were able to to find jbzfarm's Pine Creek #8. Another masterful carving in a town where we spent many pleasant hours today. Supposedly the final in it's series, we will always hope for more.

Along a trail in Little Pine State Park, Mososo Kruppe made it possible for RGBisMe and and me to be able to see our first Bald Eagle's nest as well as a couple of mature Bald Eagles and their fledglings. A rolling hike also lead us on a hunt for a couple of mythical beasts, Harpy Hag and Agropelter. The hike and clues to these boxes were just right and if we hadn't been distracted by chatting, we might have correctly counted the number blazed trees. After realizing our mistake, the hunt went off without a hitch and two swank images now adorn our log books. These fearsome critters are in our central PA woods but their classy log books, locations and images are worth the fright.

It is always good to find letterboxes planted by people whose influences are at least slightly foreign to our own. It is one way to become inspired. Mososo Kruppe have the tradition of including generous first finder prizes. We have been lucky enough to have been treated to a PA Wilds pin that reflects a minimum donation to Pennsylvania Parks and Forests foundation, a gift certificate to a local restaurant, a bison figurine and a special card allowing us access to their multi leveled personal traveler It could be your Lucky Day!

The above mentioned personal traveler is a great idea. With a roll of a 20-sided die, you also roll your fate. Each number on the die represents either a good or bad luck icon. Each encounter with Mososo Kruppe allows a letterboxer another chance to roll for better luck or at least a new stamp from this collection. Between RGBisMe and myself we have 11 of the stamps, not bad for living hundreds of miles away from them! We know a new roll is a much coveted thing amongst some of their letterboxing acquaintances so I had to push my "luck" as it were. Every time we talked away the evening hours, closing down a couple of restaurants during their visit, I would ask if it counted for a new roll since it was after midnight. My trying to wheedle another roll was all in jest but the game is much fun for a PT!

Don't be sad Mososo Kruppe, I am sure that owl died of natural causes. There is a slight chance we won't see our friends for a while. Even with Dobsonflies (AUGH!), Hellgrammites and the promise of a chance encounter with Antlions here in PA, they have wonderful things ahead for them at home. Wedding plans, lessons plans and boxing plans are greeting their return. A big old empty space in our hearts and no state parks to hike in is going to drive us south, I swear.

More tom-foolery below!

Peace and Freedom

We spent the morning of Independence Day seeking a letterbox in a very peaceful area. RGBisMe and I did not know what to expect. We hadn't even heard of ADDA before. We went assuming it was their first attempt to plant perhaps without even finding a box first. I have yet to hear back from them so a lot is still unknown.

After we parked, what we found a network of gravel and dirt trails that snaked up and around some Huntingdon woodland. The area is owned or well maintained by Juniata College. The walk was not long nor difficult and we enjoyed seeing a small rabbit feasting on black raspberries. We walked a gentle assent on a gravel road that turn up and into a peaceful meadow on a hill top. It offered peeks at our typical rolling central PA mountains and a little country side.

The highlight of the trip is the hilltop chapel. Crafted from 53 granite stones that are set into a depression, the circle demands respect and reverence. We could imagine many sacred events that could or have taken place on this spot. Having the freedom in this country to worship in our own way is not something we take lightly. Visiting this spot on July 4th meant a lot to us and we are grateful to live in a country that defends the right to allow many religions coexist within it.

The letterbox was tastefully hidden well away from the sacred area. It was off trail just enough to be hidden from passers-by yet not so far that you felt like your were bush whacking. We took the box back to the ring to stamp into it. It seems like it was crafted, in part, by a younger person. The choice of simple hand carved image was, in our opinion, perfect. It is an image we will look upon and remember the complete journey to the area.

We give Peace Chapel letterbox a high recommendation. Thank you ADDA.

The Return of Mososo Kruppe!

No, it's not a new and improved laundry detergent nor powerful foreign car. Remember!? Up from Georgia, it's the sweetest letterboxing couple we know, Mososo Kruppe. RGBisMe and I have spent some wonderful times this week with these exceptional folks. How many people do you know who bring rats with them when they come and visit your house!? We had the honor of exchanging with Loki and Thor, shirt rats extraordinaire! They charmed us by snuggling and running around as we chatted with Mososo Kruppe. These rats don't have fleas nor lice but somehow we were left with cooties after their visit!

Great conversationalists, Mososo Kruppe shared with us their many letterboxing escapades. Witty tales interspersed with peeks at their great stamp carvings and found stamp images. We share a lot of the same values, opinions, tastes and slightly twisted sense of humor. We have serious plans in the works to kidnap and force them to live in our area.

We had a perfect afternoon of hiking Nittany Mountain yesterday. Just a slight afternoon chill for July allowed me to keep the sweat to a minimum yet keep up with these strong hikers. They once told me Nittany gave them trouble! They took the climb at a steady pace and I was ready to stop and stamp for a bit. I was glad to have brought my latest PT with me in my pack.

We did the white loop and they easily snagged 6 boxes. Using their crafty wiles, they also determined I can't shut my mouth about my own boxes. I think they will soon be returning to the mountain.

Although RGBisMe was not able to hike with us yesterday, he did join us later for a meal at Otto's. We chatted the evening away, learning more about each other's letterboxing styles and personal tastes. I can speak for both RGBisMe and myself by saying we are glad to know Mososo Kruppe better and are happy to call them friends. We hope the letterboxing community from Georgia realizes how lucky they are... until we lure them away! How can we tempt you?

FV4S 2007

Music was key in bringing a bunch of good friends together to relive a part of their childhood. I could be talking about myself, Tracdc, DaBralady & RGBisMe or I could mean the original Jersey Boys, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons The four of us youngsters spent the months leading up to this date musing on whether or not comedian Stewie Stone would lead off the show, the act would have changed much or if Frankie would still hit the high notes. Jokes about Geritol and needing a pre-show nap were good naturedly shared.

It was to be was my sixth time to see FV4S in concert. Their concert I saw in Radio City Music Hall, circa 1979, was billed as their "last concert" but I have since seen them twice since.

After tailgating in the lot of JR's grill, we had a nice supper and rocked through Delaware Water Gap to the Mountain Laurel Center in Bushkill, PA. It was a terrific venue. We had great seats under the roofed area but the pleasant breeze came in from the extended lawn to the back.

The manager of the performing arts center introduced the lead act of... STEWIE STONE! I cracked up as the same lousy comedian, albeit grayed and heavier, schlepped his way onto the stage told his tasteless ethnic jokes. Added to his repertoire were jokes on his prostate and something about dribbling like "lawn sprinkler." Did I mention that the four of us were on the younger end of the audience? There were probably 10 kids younger than us in the whole crowd and they were fans of the new Jersey Boys show on Broadway.

An exciting video montage and light show got everyone to peak excitement as the instrumentalists took their places on the stage. The show opened with what I felt was a poor choice in songs, Grease. Four leather clad hotties ran out to posture as doo-wop singers during the opening trumpet fanfare. They stood in front of their microphones, looking all of 20 years old as dear old Frankie Valli took the stage. Puffy faced and droopy eyed, Frankie slowly made it to center stage. I hoped his voice would not give away his 73 years as much as his appearance did.

You might not be able to tell just how highly I think of Frankie Valli. I had been belting his songs all week and have had them ALL memorized for over 30 years. So when I saw what looked like Frankie's lips were not quite in synch with a helium induced voice I was hearing, I was dismayed and a little confused. I could forgive him for not singing full out but pre-recording? After a post concert discussion, we all agreed that one of the doo-wops (Jim Carey look-a-like, Brian from LA) must have been a back-up falsetto until Frankie warmed up.

The doo-wops, or his "kids" as Frankie later called them, lost their leather jackets and sported dress jackets over charcoal t-shirts to match Frakie's attire. Although the costumes did not sparkle, the light-show, musicians and cheap Vegas choreography gave us plenty to distract us from Frankie's needing to warm up during the typical opening song of Our Day will Come, and the tinkling piano starting off Save It for Me. By the time he made it to Carol King's I've Got You Under My Skin, he in full belt and winning my heart back. He seemed to then start to visible relax and warm up to the crowd.

Many of the orchestrations were quiet odd and I didn't recognize Dawn at first. His first solo song of the evening was 1974's My Eyes Adored You. Nicely into the show by know, Frankie sounded like he was 30 years younger. We were excited to learn of a new album being released October 2 under the Universal Motown label, Romancing the 60's. He shared that it will consist of a lot of songs he always enjoyed from the 50s and 60s that other singers had covered and went on to sing Call Me. What the song lacked in lyrics, Frankie made up for in style.

Swearin' to God came next allowing for a few instrumental solos from the all male band lead by Robi Robinson on keyboards. After the brief vocal break, Frankie treated us to the Everly Brothers' Let it Be Me and the staccato syncopation of Rose of Spanish Harlem.

The old time favorite of Stay showed that Frankie could still charm us with that dear falsetto. It was during this that the doo-wops were so distracting with their background gesticulations that I joined in with them. Tracdc and DaBraLady were mortified and took to holding my arms down at intervals during the rest of the show. I didn't mind the Jersey Boys choreography being interjected into the begging of Who Loves You but most of their cheesy moves looked like a caricature of what anyone would expect to see a back up singer do. It was too much.

December 1963, Oh What a Night whipped the over 50 crowd into a geriatric frenzy. A venerable mosh pit at the front of the stage was greeted with grins and handshakes from Frankie. Next came his monologue with Robi's contrived keyboard in the background. I am sure this gives him somewhat of a vocal break but I would rather have had an intermission than listen to his preaching us on supporting the troops. I love your voice man, but save the politics.

The audience got to test the volume of their belt as Frankie encouraged us to sing out, Mel Gibson style, in the middle of Can't Take My Eyes Off of You. I have to thank the popularity of Jersey Boys for finally breaking apart what had in his 1970s tours been an abbreviated medley of Sherry, Walk Like a Man and Big Girls Don't Cry. We got to enjoy all three of these favorites, sung full out, in their entirety! Priceless!

The show wrapped up with a short section of Bye Bye Baby (Baby Goodbye). As they bowed and waved, instrumental strains of what used to be their closing number, Let's Hang On, played and the exited the stage. The cheering crowd was quickly appeased with the encore of Rag Doll. Then, there it was, that beginning chord that used to bring DaBraLady and me to tears, "There ain't no good in our goodbyin'..." Although he didn't have the lungs for an extended belt as he did in the 70s, Frankie hung on until the end of Let's Hang On.

I sure don't hope this blog came across as too harsh on the old guy. I had a blast, laughing and singing and clapping. I enjoyed what the show had to offer and knew it would not be the same as what I had experienced in my youth. I think I will always remember Frankie Valli as a man who loves to entertain and I was glad to have him feel he could give of himself again.


For those of you letterboxers who felt this was a waste of time reading, here is the back cover to a hard to find album that has my favorite order of FV4S songs.

New Central PA Letterboxes

Maga11 and I were all excited to see so many new letterboxes introduced over the last couple of weeks. Business took us the direction of one. Although Toolman Luke did not join us, we still kind of considered it a Fortnightly Foray.

We navigated surely because we had taken photos in the suspect area last year. There is an amazing old mill not too far from the letterbox. Maga11 was not able to get enough information from the remaining structure to make a decent drawing however.

This box took some figurin' and plottin' and even a bit of climin' but it was so worth it. The location was something that you have to personally experience. All of your hard work will pay off when you see the beauty of the area and the craftsmanship that reflects where you are in the stamp image itself. You will be blown away! Thank you mystery box creators! I will be taking RGBisMe back as soon as his schedule allows.

When Worlds Collide

What happens when my trip to see Ravenboy perform in coincides with letterboxing with Sheba and Cyclonic!? The best of both worlds !!

RGBisMe and I took off Friday to see Ravenboy perform in Romeo and Juliet. We knew that Herman Cornejo was recovering from an injury so there was a chance Ravenboy was to take over on of the solos Mercutio usually dances. We had to see that. As we waited to take Ravenboy to supper, we played our favorite game of "name the dancer" as a few of the 90 odd dancers from ABT walked in and out of the Met. We fail to name probably 90% of the women correctly but know most all of the men. Many are Ravenboy's friends he has grown up with. The other's... well let's just say they are very attractive men and I remember their names. I actually got to speak to Mr. Cornejo as he entered the theater. I said, "Hi." and he responded, "Hello." Arron will give me the hairy eyeball me for even sharing that.

A supper with the boy was just what this mom needed. We laughed over Harry's Burritos and were dismayed that they had taken down the portrait of Chairman Mao. We all agreed that when the special lighted portrait of Jerry Lewis, Dean Martin and the riding crop goes, we aren't going back.

We asked Ravenboy where to look for him in the performance. He said he would not be performing the Mercutio solo because Herman was being replaced by Carlos Lopez for the entire Mercutio role. He rebuffed me for crying in disappointment and asked what we would like to see him do on stage during the busy market seen. I challenged him to lick the giant side of beef that one of the "extras" was standing near and pretending to sell.

This was the most humorous R&J we have ever been too. We had binoculars so we pretty much just watched our son. This was really wrong of us because we missed a lot of what was going on in the story and we were laughing during serious parts. "Laugh at what?" you might ask. Ravenboy not only licked the fake beef, he plucked the tail of a fake chicken and calmly walked over to "cough" the tail feather out into a group of dancers milling around in the back of the market place. Please do note that there are over 30 dancers on the stage at this time and no one, except their goofy parents are watching them. The main dancers are all doing grand things in the foreground and the background stuff, if done with a subtle touch just blend in. More tom-foolery included Sascha Radetsky, who danced the role of Tybalt, tackling Arron to the ground just to entertain us as we found out later. These guys are great. I am not a huge fan of ballet but I am a great fan of these young dancers.

We returned to Ravenboy's house and after some thrilling subway parkour, we gave him an early birthday gift. He has needed a new desk chair and we got him one similar to the Herman Miller style. He likes it very much.

It was surprising that any of us woke up in time to make it to meet Cyclonic and Sheba because we had been talking until 3AM. We grabbed some Starbucks and sat watching our Peggy's Park letterbox from a distance. We saw them come into the park and zero in the the box but, they didn't see us. We didn't want to make a ruckus and allowed them to grab the box to stamp up. It was at that point they looked over their shoulders and saw us watching. We all had a good laugh and commended them on their retrieval technique which we will use in the future.

Introductions and exchanges were made. I was honestly in heaven having so many of my favorite people around me. We all walked down to the Halloween Adventure letterbox and Ravenboy grabbed a subway to work (2 shows that day). It was at that letterbox we realized our happy party had walked away and left all of the clues to the boxes way back in Peggy's Park. Back we went if more boxing was to be had. We all hoped the papers hadn't blown around. I wasn't looking forward to rooting in the trash for them either. There, on the bench where we had been was an older fellow sitting by his bicycle. He was avidly studying a packet of white papers. The CLUES! Cyclonic politely told him he had left them there by mistake and the fellow handed them over with a confused look. I wonder what Miss Moon might think of Cyclonic's new letterboxing recruitment technique, posting clues in urban parks? Interesting.

Uptown was next with Imagine and Spook Central boxes. The day was a beautiful summer day and walking in this area so well known to me with these boxers was great. We chatted and visited while searching and stamping. Oh, did I mention we didn't log one find? A couple of Clueties found themselves our way and good times were plentiful. This is why our "F' count usually means pretty much nothing even after hours of boxing. It is more about the artistry, area and the folks for us.

After parting ways and telling Sheba to make sure Cyclonic didn't get too carried away at the Mermaid Parade, we went back to The Met to meet up with 50 other friends of ours. A bus trip from State College had come to watch the matinee performance of R&J. Between visiting with them and having a small picnic before Ravenboy had to go back for his evening show, I was beat! Gimme more days like this one!!

A Virtual Dose of Doxy

As a teen, did you ever hear that you are supposed to leave your zits alone? "Don't pick at them or pop them as they might spread." Well I had a virtual big festering zit that I just had to pop no matter how much it hurt or how satisfying it was to do it. I don't want it to spread and I don't want it to come back so I am taking an appropriate dose of virtual Doxycycline.

I need my letterboxing friends and family to stay that. I don't want to split people into those who agree with me and those who don't. Nor do I want to start a $|-|1† /_ 1$†. Life is just too short to alienate a bunch of people who enjoy this wonderful and odd past time. There are enough people in my life who don't really get the thrill of what I am doing.

Past is past and I want to box on. Join me?

By any Means Necessary

To say I am disappointed is an understatement. Not since I have geocached with a local competitive group have I felt compelled to kick myself over being angry and having to chant, "It's Just a Game" as a calming mantra. Letterboxing is filled with wonderfully creative people and their ideas. When a competitive edge of having to find every box they know exists or being hell bent on being first finders is introduced, I start to become disillusioned and dismayed.

Over the past couple of years it has been an extremely rare occurrence to have someone push what I felt was a letterboxing limit. The game is played differently by each player and surprisingly it does not lead to anarchy. It makes a wonderful mix of ideas and choices. It is when I feel someone's creation has been violated that I perceive a line has been crossed. Not everyone is going to agree on when that line is crossed nor what a personal violation is so I am going to try to make it clear what I, personally, feel is crossing the line. I think it might help to check out the link to By any means necessary.

One of the first times I can remember feeling the line was crossed was when a letterboxing couple at an event took my table box from me as I was trying to clean the stamp. I had turned away to walk a few steps from a remote corner of the pavilion to wash off the inks and looked back and find the rest of the box was gone. I spent 5 minutes looking around the 70 or so people to reunite the stamp with the box and log. I tried to keep it light and said, "You are going to need this," as I returned the stamp to the box. Was it necessary to take the opened box from behind my back? I was 10 feet away, visibly washing the stamp. In my opinion, a quick, "Are you done with this one?" would have been a much more ethical way of logging this box.

Different event, same couple. One distracted me with chit chat as the other started physically rummaging through my bag. I had printed off a specific number of clues to a "day of" box I had hidden which included the price of admission attached each set of clues. The letterboxer I was speaking to had already received a copy and the rummager was absconding with copies I had set aside for others who had singed up. I caught them walking away with them and said, "No no! you folks already have these!" I was shocked, felt violated and i retrospect, they were stealing admission tickets from me. Was that necessary? The same couple later took clues we had to a limited time box off of our picnic table at our campsite. I saw them walking away with them as we returned from sharing breakfast with other letterboxers. I just shook my head and thought maybe this couple was the one bad apple in letterboxing.

Sadly, I learned that others could sometimes have the attitude of using "any means". I am all a fan of Reverse engineering in almost any way, I learn how to plant betterboxes® with the knowledge. Threatening to call in favors from other letterboxers to gain WOM clues is pushing a limit. Rules I had set up to gain the WOM clues to some unique letterboxes were being bypassed. Why? For the "find"? To show they could do it? Sure you can, but why? I had access to the clues set up a certain way for a reason. What is wrong with playing the game the way the placer intends it? I found I was disappointed by a few more letterboxers who felt it was necessary to use means of threats to accessing these clues by calling in favors.

This paragraph of my blog has been removed and amended 6/26/07 thanks to to a sincere amendment of setting things right. Do as ye will, harm ye no one.

Rooting through bags, logging WOM boxes that are limited for specific reasons, digging up clues by plugging in box titles to the end of URLs are probably a means that 90% of letterboxers never use. Of the 10% of those who do it have, 9% have the decorum to know you don't seek those boxes or at least you don't log them.

I am not sure where I am going with this. I think I just wanted it to be clear as to when I feel lines have been crossed so it is clear in the future. If my way of playing the game is too rigid in your opinions, please don't seek my letterboxes. I think there are plenty of others who can understand this point of view so I will continue enjoying letterboxing and chant my calming mantra...
"itsjustagame,itsjustagame,itsjustagame,itsjustagame,itsjustagame,itsjustagame..."

Spikes Opening Night

Reviewed by DaBraLady
It was a beautiful night for baseball as the sun set over Happy Valley. Our seats were just to the left of home plate and offered an amazing view of Mount Nittany.

The Williamsport Crosscutters just became the NY-Penn League affiliate of the Phillies this year, while the Spikes just became affiliated with the Pirates. Ironically the Crosscutters were the Pirates farm team last year, so many of this years Spikes were last years Crosscutters.

The game started out a bit slowly, but the atmosphere at the ballpark was wonderful. The standouts of the teams became apparent very quickly. D'arby Myers in centerfield for the 'Cutters went 3 for 4. At 6' 3" and 170, the long and lanky 18 year old had a nice swing and moved well in the outfield. The 'Cutters first baseman, Mike Durant was an intimidating figure at the plate. His 6' 5" 230 lb. frame belied the fact that he is only 20 years old! He smacked a beautiful homerun in the 8th inning giving the 'Cutters an insurance run. Relief pitcher Brian Schlitter really brought some heat. After being a little wild at first, settled down nicely to get the save. He averaged over 90 mph with his fastball.

The Spike's Justin Byler went 3 for 4, but he got little help from his teammates. They left too many men in scoring position, including a bases loaded opportunity late in the game. Relief pitcher, Ronald Uvideo, clocked a fast ball at 99 mph.

The 'Cutters won the game 2 to 0.

We had a wonderful time and enjoyed a nice fireworks display after the game. It was a bit disconcerting to realize how young these kids are. The oldest was born in 1982! The youngest in 1989! Damn, I could have been their mother!

Finger Lakes

A weekend hiking the area around Seneca and Cayuga Lakes offered up beautiful scenery, excellent hiking and some great letterboxing opportunities. This area is one of my all time favorites and RGBisMe and try to make it up at least once a year. It had been a few years since we did more that just hike the gorge trail at Watkins Glen, we were mostly focused on geocaching then but remember being disappointed that the letterbox hybrid in or near the park didn't really have a stamp that seemed to go with it. Sacajawea Stumper had an airplane stamp. We were confused and thought maybe we didn't understand the clues or area. As it turns out, what we didn't understand that many geocachers just didn't get letterboxing.


Janila and I were paired for the weekend and I have to thank her for driving my sorry butt every inch of the way. I did not offer to drive once and I am sure she was glad for that, HA! I did get way into her gps mapping program. When it has sat lock that little baby is one sweet piece of helpful navigational equipment. I felt weird without of of my paper maps so I was constantly tucking one off to the side, just in case we lost sat lock. Yeah, I bogarted all the park maps Jan, I promise to make you copies and send them your way.

The boxes we found in the Finger Lakes area were all really sweet but a real feather in my cap was the Finger Lakes Mystery box. I had intended on seeking it last year but either time or finances did not allow. To have all of the clues in order and find this box was so sweet. I think Jan laughed a few times at my broad grin over supper. Supper was another victory. We made it just in time for eating at Seneca Lodge and I had my favorite veggie Sunburger!!

The next morning offered up some more really great letterboxes. It was an honor to find a couple Cock o' the Trail letterboxes. I had been reading about them for years and to stamp into one that had been designed in 2001 was very special. Sugar Hill and Watkins Glen Centennial were both in places I was glad to have visited. I had been quite close to the latter seeking a geocache years ago but the Finger Lakes Trail hadn't taken me that far up the gorge. I was glad to have this letterbox take me to the area. It was a little dark so the photos will not do the area justice. Jan is all blurry because she was a speed demon and had her Coke already. I neglected getting my morning tea and my shutter finger was slow.


Meeting so many wonder people at the 2007 Finger Lakes Gathering was the best. I missed having RGBisMe along but these warm and witty people kept me smiling and enthralled. Janila and I boxed for hours in this lovely park with some new and old friends. Hiking along with Lock Wench, Party Pig, Phoenix, BibliochickMS and Tamsyn we overcame the challenges of graffitied snag ("DON'T SAY IT OUT LOUD!") and marvey marking after Pig's pigments. My favorite quote of the whole weekend came from Party Pig. After letterboxing as the above mentioned group for well over an hour and having made exchanges hours before that, he turns to Janila after she made a witty comment and says, "Who are you?!!"

Although we weren't able to get The Pirates Wife, I had the chance to eat at the most famous vegetarian Moosewood Restaurant. Poor Cyclonic and Pink Panther were shooed from joining the small table with Janila, Tamsyn and myself but I later found them at a very merry table ("I want to sit at the Kiddy Table") near the bar. The poor service far outweighed the good eats and I have no desire to return. Bummer.


Next day was a landmark for Janila. After a few false starts (my bad) Cyclonic and Pink Panther nudged us on in the right direction and then we got some momentum. Somewhere in Shindagin Hollow, amidst those 13 boxes and a brief rain shower, Janila stamped into her 1,000 letterbox. Cheers and a nice little rest for our team of 4 as Jan posed with her golden box of malted milk balls and drink of choice. That series of boxes had Jan grinning over her prime rib back at Seneca Lodge and I guess I had to chuckle at her a few times. Life was good.

I did plant a box while in the area. It was a Hazlitt Red Cat wine themed box and I cannot yet find the clues. I swear I was not drinking Red Cat, have never boxed while intoxicated. I am wondering if I should just say, "It's out there, somewhere." Cyclonic and Pink Panther will be first finders, for sure. ;)

Pennsylvania was calling so we enjoyed a wonderful new series of Williamsport area letterboxes on the way home. The 4Rhines have put out some really supurb fishing themed boxes, Stonefly's Fishing Adventures. You will enjoy the locations, clues and and marvel at the detail of the stamps. The long weekend was over all too soon. Thank you to everyone for making this trip possible.