Another Day Trip in Ontario

On March 25 ~ a crisp but sunny day, I managed to make a LONG day trip from Lion’s Head across to Penetang as far as Severn Bridge, down to Barrie (more pink stuff…. yeah!!) and back home. In the middle I had a nice long visit with my brother and his fiance.

Unfortunately, it was not a very successful boxing day. I began in Penetang (I was there by 8:00am) with Discovery Harbour, which was totally missing. Then on to Champlain which was frozen in place. I could not wedge it out for love nor money.

Then it was on to Awenda Provincial Park for fiddleheads Come Camping with Me.  I thought it being March I would get away with not paying.  NADA!!  There was a big sign saying all vehicles needed to display a permit and a machine to take my money.  Bummer.  There was no trail map (that I could find) on the internet.  I had downloaded a campsite map and from descriptions off the internet and fiddleheads clue, I thought I had the right trail.  (You can see where this is going can’t you).  So I tromped about 1/2 hour over the snowpacked trail (fortunately the snow was quite solid so the going wasn’t too tough) until I got down to the “proper” location.  Of course, just as I got there, I spotted a trail map that showed me I wasn’t in the right spot at all.  So I headed out across the Bluffs Trail to get to the Beaver Pond Trail.  (It was about 10 minutes along this path that I realized that I had told NO-ONE what my itinerary was ~ my husband knew I was going boxing but not where/when and that if I was to sprain my ankle or otherwise injure myself I was on my own to find my way back to the vehicle and help.  I have since reminded him that if I head out again he is to REQUEST an itinerary before I go. I always remember when I’m out in the middle of nowhere when it’s too late to do anything.)  Anyways… no injuries…..   So… from the top of the bluff I could see the Boardwalk where I was supposed to see.  Rather than going all the way around to the road or stairs, I chose to “bushwack” it down the hill.  And this was a hill.  About 50 feet down on a very steep angle.  I slid down on my butt from one tree to the next, clamoured over a fallen beech tree and finally ended up at the bottom.  The swamp (which the Boardwalk crosses) was still fairly frozen, so I was able to make my way to the Boardwalk and clamour up over the railing.  It took me two circuits of the boardwalk to find the entrance (directions from there) and then finally a very nice carve in a well preserved box.  I was also able to leave a small stamp as a contribution to the set.

Then off to Severn Bridge to meet my brother and attempt to find the Got 2 Pee Letterbox by Ondine.  No luck again.

Then I headed back to Midland/Penetang to finish off.  I was able to plant another hubcap near Victoria Harbour and another Labyrinth in Midland at the Lutheran Church.  So at least that was somewhat successful.

I tried to find Caragouha.  The end of the roadway was covered with a large pile of dirty snow and by this time in the day I did not feel like walking the 1/2 mile in to the statue (and the box).  So I left it for another day.

Then I headed off to Barrie, to Michael’s to get another chunk of pink stuff.  Yeah… more carvings.   I also attempted to find the labyrinth at the Barrie Arboretum with NO LUCK!  So I had to come home with a labyrinth box I was hoping to plant.

I am now up to 190 finds.  I was hoping to top 200 this day by finishing with a stop in Orangeville on the way home, but by this time it was way too late to even attempt to stop.  Another day………

Fall/Winter Update and Looking Ahead

Today is 4 years (to the day) since I found my first letterbox in Pierrepont Manor, NY, USA.  In honour of the day, I am introducing my new signature stamps.  They are the same image, but now have words on them (so I don’t have to write it out each time), and are about half the size of the originals.  So I will still use multi-colours to stamp in.

Also, my Marvy’s were wearing out, so I have bought a whole set of replacements.  I found the 12 Victorian set on sale at Michael’s for half price (in Aurora), and got 12 of the Dee Gruning Tropical Colours with my 40%off coupon.  And then I bought the 12 Primary set from Webfoot along with a holder that keeps them all organized.  And… with the winter boxing we’ve done, I decided I needed a small “table” to carry with me (to rest my book on, so it doesn’t get damaged).  I have built the top and am just looking for one of those small foldout stools.  I imagine they will soon be in stock with the camping gear.  So I will be even more “set” for letterboxing come spring.  Whoo hoo!

Although I have not posted since June of 2010, I have not been entirely silent in the LBing category.  In July, I replaced the Labyrinth stamp at the Jesuit Centre in Guelph with a stamp that matched the labyrinth there (I didn’t realize until I got there that I had one that was the same).  I have also planted several more Hubcaps in my travels around the province.

And Where’s Wendy has been busy carving (and planting) around Owen Sound and area, so that has given me a few more finds.  In July… The Other Big Apple, in Meaford.  Also in July….  Are We There Yet:  #1 Flintstones, #2 Grinch, #3 Cheshire Cat, #4 Wile E. Coyote and #5 If You Give a Mouse… on the way home from a trip to Owen Sound.  Then in early August… Are We There Yet #6 Wilbur, #7 Chef Wendell (and his delicious Cinnamon Buns), #8 Mr. Sneeze, #9 Ruby Slippers, & #10 The Doctor is In… a quick trip to Tobermory and back.  In September, I was finally able to get The Happy Bee’s Kitty Kiddy in Owen Sound (no people around that day) and Herbivore’s Tennis on Brown Street at Colpoy’s Bay (on my way home from Owen Sound the same day).  In October it was Where’s Wendy’s  We All Scream for Ice Cream Owen Sound,  Fiddleheads The Devil is in the Details planted at the Devil’s Monument (on an anniversary hike with my hubby), and Herbivore’s Divers Den stamp in Tobermory.

At Christmas, I carved a series of 8 “A Christmas to Remember 2010″ Hitchhikers and set them off on their journeys.

In January, Where’s Wendy and I attending a mini-meet / carving event at Fiddlehead’s in Guelph.  We were able to pick up a couple of winter boxes that day also.  Skater’s Waltz and Bare Branches, both excellent carves by Fiddleheads. Then in February, we made the pilgrimage back to Guelph.   Only two of Fiddleheads 10 Five Cent Christmas Songs remained in the library.  I have been inspired to do a library series.  Outdoors we found We All Scream for Icecream 2010: The Cone Shoppe by Fiddleheads, McQuillan Bridge by Lone R, OPAL 2011: Guelph Radial Trail Groundhog by Lone R, Teddy Bear’s Picnic by Earth Diver… cute, GAQLBE08: GC-AC Canada-USA by deniserows (and planted by Lone R), Four Calling Birds by Fiddleheads (you have to see this carve!!) and OPAL Day – Ontario Tree-Climbing Groundhog by Lone R.   By the time we found the last one we were chilled through, damp and the wind had come up a fair bit (and light was beginning to fade).  The end of another successful day.  About mid-day we were also able to meet with Fiddleheads for a quick exchange in Tim’s (and a warm-up break!!)

Then in early March I headed back up the Harrison Park toboggan hill to get Where’s Wendy’s Toboganning in Harrison Park II stamp.

And with the spring melt finally settling in, I have the LBing bug.  (Besides which, Where’s Wendy went on a trip to Florida and got three more letterbox finds and she is now three ahead of me.  Why is that incentive for me to get out there and box??

I’m still reluctant to plant more boxes in this area as I don’t know where we’ll be going and I don’t want to leave any more for Wendy to maintain once I’m gone.  However, I am planning a library series and I think I will do one set in the library in Owen Sound for Wendy to find.  Maintenance shouldn’t be too difficult as it only involves a trip to the library.

I am planning a daytrip soon to Penetang, Orillia, Barrie, and Orangeville to hopefully break the 200 finds mark.  (I am currently at 189).

Other than that I am finishing up the words on my new signature stamps, carving a stamp for Fiddleheads Camping box in Awenda Park, working on more labyrinth stamps, carving some more hubcaps, carving a stamp for a park in Mildmay (I bought wood there this winter and discovered the park) and working on an extensive library series (inspired by Fiddleheads Five Cent Christmas Songs) to use up my huge bag of pink stuff “scraps” .  These will be planted hopefully in libraries once we have moved and settled some place.

Here’s to 2011 and more successful letterboxing!!