Letterboxing

What is letterboxing?

Letterboxing is a blast, a new twist on an old idea. Think about all the cool places you've been. I'm not necessarily talking about the Empire State Building, or Mount Rushmore, or Yellowstone. As amazing as these places are, and how impressive their grandeur, what is it really that you remember about these places? For me, it's about finding them. It's the journey, not necessarily the destination. And there are myriad places that aren't quite so grand, but have special meaning to us nonetheless. I think we all enjoy finding places, places to think, to relax, to enjoy. "Us places."

Now imagine having a little something special to remind you of all those interesting and relaxing "us places." This something special isn't a purchased souvenir. It isn't necessarily a picture (isn't that the purpose of your camera?) But it is a little reminder of the trip you just made, something unique.

This is letterboxing: finding a place that you enjoy, creating something that reminds you of it, and sharing it with others. And along the way, both you and your visitors have a permanent record of those encounters.

Here's how it works:

Step 1: Create your own personal stamp and "passport." We advocate hand carved stamps that are representative of yourself in some way. And you'll need some sort of book to stamp to keep for your own records.

Step 2:Once you have a spot you would like to share, you design and carve a rubber stamp that embodies some part of that special place. You hide it in a secure location, preferrably off the beaten path, in a waterproof container. In the container, you also put a log book. You publish the location of the box (either through a series of clues--treasure hunt style-- or GPS coordinates, or however you prefer) on www.letterboxing.org.

When a visitor finds your letterbox, they get to stamp their personal "passport" with your stamp in the box, sign and stamp your logbook (in the box) with their personal stamp, and replace the box to its hidden location. You'll have a permanent log of all visitors, and they'll have a log of their journeys.

These are the letterboxes I have created and hidden.