Letterboxing hybrids

[+Squirrel Nut & Beersnob]

After finding a couple of local letterboxes, I thought it would be neat to start a couple of letterbox hybrids. To be honest I didn't look up many caches that were posted as hybrids, so I placed them with a heavy letterboxing influence- I entered the parking coordinates as the ones that'll come up on search, and put the actual coords in the body of the description. I set the descriptions along letterboxing clues, listing landmarks and pacing off to the cache.

 

Now that I look up letterboxes in other states (there aren't any within 100 miles of me, besides the ones I placed- and I'm in Metro Detroit), I find that on geocaching.com they're mostly more geocaching oriented. One in NY appeared to just have a logbook (?) what Letterboxers do on that one to personally record a find I don't know. Another said that the rubber stamp is for letterboxers- (why can't geocachers be encouraged to bring along a favorite stamp, and to use the stamp in a personal logbook?)

 

From the few entries on 1 of my letterboxes so far, it looks like several people enjoyed finding it letterbox-style.

 

I know I'm rambling a bit, but my question is, why can't more of these be true hybrids, with the letterboxing clues listed on the cache page? I've seen a few that do, but most don't really encourage cachers to participate in the letterbox aspect.

 

I walk the Maze of Moments, but everywhere I turn to, begins a new beginning, but never finds a finish... -Enya, Anywhere Is

[umc]

I would have to say because things are predominately geocaching here. You can see that when it comes to locationless, virts and benchmarks.

 

I've done a letterbox or two before but yours was the first that I've done via geocaching.com, as a matter of fact, yours is the only one in Michigan.

 

I say get a trend going and place more. I think that will encourage others to do the same.

 

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Caching without a clue....

[+Squirrel Nut & Beersnob]

I did- 1 in (city of)Monroe and 1 in Bedford Twp, over the weekend

 

I love making those stamps, hopefully my artwork will get better thou. I hope to get more up in this area soon, but would love to see others place them too!

 

I walk the Maze of Moments, but everywhere I turn to, begins a new beginning, but never finds a finish... -Enya, Anywhere Is

[+parkrrrr]

I seem to remember a discussion from a few months ago when someone tried to place a letterbox hybrid that used more-traditional letterbox rules. As I recall, it got shot down because you didn't need a GPS receiver to find it. Perhaps that's why we don't see more geocaches that directly incorporate the letterboxing-style description: they're not approvable in that format, because they're not geocaches unless there are coordinates involved somehow.

 

[umc]

quote:

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Originally posted by Squirrel Nut:

I did- 1 in (city of)Monroe and 1 in Bedford Twp, over the weekend

 

I love making those stamps, hopefully my artwork will get better thou. I hope to get more up in this area soon, but would love to see others place them too!

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Very cool, I'll have to keep an eye out for those. So, we now have 3 in MI, very cool.

 

That is inspiring and I think if I could find a doot bucket stamp with my name one it I may just place one.

 

I also think that a letterbox hybrid would make a cool stage of a multi.

 

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Caching without a clue....

[+Sissy-n-CR]

That was my hybrid that was shot down. Well, actually it wasn't approved as-is. It was modified to get approved.

 

What is required is the use of a GPS.

 

What I did was make a caching offset. Find the first stop and set of coords to the final cache. The clues were directly on the page for finding it letterbox-style. HERE is the cache page.

 

The problem I have with that solution is the fact that cachers and boxers have two different paths to follow.

 

My next ones are going the follow the idea of both cachers and boxers following the same path, or I should say the same starting point. The listed coords will take you to a spot and from there you can put away the GPS and follow the clues. The letterboxer is not hampered with requirements like geocaching; a GPS can be used. Of course, a GPS is not part of the traditional boxer's skillset, but just about anything goes...

 

For the boxers, even if listed on letterboxing.org, a simple map is dispayed to get them to the same general spot as the cacher, much like the map on the cache page. From there, follow the clues.

 

Cachers in my area have really taken to letterboxing-style caches. It's more than just follow the needle. In fact, I'd say a good portion of the puzzle caches are more like letterboxes than geocaches, just add GPS coordinates.

 

Anyway, hope that helps!

 

CR

 

[+southdeltan]

quote:

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Originally posted by Warm Fuzzies - Fuzzy:

I seem to remember a discussion from a few months ago when someone tried to place a letterbox hybrid that used more-traditional letterbox rules. As I recall, it got shot down because you didn't need a GPS receiver to find it. Perhaps that's why we don't see more geocaches that directly incorporate the letterboxing-style description: they're not approvable in that format, because they're not geocaches unless there are coordinates involved somehow.

 

http://parkrrrr.com/pirate.cgi.gif

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Could you get around this problem by including only information a geocacher would need on geocaching.com and information that a letterboxer would need on letterboxing.org (is that the addy?).

 

I'm interested in placing one myself since there aren't any in my state. (Letterboxes or Hybrid-caches)

 

southdeltan

 

"Man can counterfeit everything except silence". - William Faulkner

[+Squirrel Nut & Beersnob]

Southdeltan-

 

From the looks of other hybrids, looks like you could. If you have/know who you're state/regional approvers are, ask them what you can get away with. MI has our own approvers, and my hybrids were all approved with parking coords as the listed coords, actual coords in the body of text, and with letterboxing directions in the body of the text as well. The first one I placed I only put letterboxing clues on at 1st, with a note that gps coords would be provided after someone claimed the FTF prize. (congrats, WeeElvis)

 

Basically, the letterboxing directions are one big hokin' clue. I've got the GPS coords for those who really want to use GPS. I don't see why some admins wouldn't accept this setup, since some cachers don't use GPS... I've found a couple using just the maps, descriptions, clues, and photos of general area cache was in.

 

I walk the Maze of Moments, but everywhere I turn to, begins a new beginning, but never finds a finish... -Enya, Anywhere Is

[+briansnat]

quote:

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Could you get around this problem by including only information a geocacher would need on geocaching.com and information that a letterboxer would need on letterboxing.org (is that the addy?).

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I always assumed that this is exactly what a letterbox hybrid is.

 

"You can't make a man by standing a sheep on his hind legs. But by standing a flock of sheep in that position, you can make a crowd of men" - Max Beerbohm

[+trippy1976]

I've done several in NY and from what I saw, the only difference is that generally there was ONLY a log and a special stamp. Not really any trade items.

 

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trippy1976 - Team KKF2A

Assimilating golf balls - one geocache at a time.

[+Sissy-n-CR]

Yeah, letterboxing isn't really about trinkets.

 

CR