Thursday, September 30, 2010

The Big Island


Brand new letterbox on the big island today, and since I don't live in Hawaii, what does this tell us?

A bird by the tombstone is worth two in the hand.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Woodlawn Cemetery, Elmira, New York



Sometimes it seems as though there isn't a town or city in America that doesn't have a Woodlawn cemetery.

Elmira's Woodlawn was chartered in 1858, part of the "rural cemetery" concept first implemented in this country at Mount Auburn Cemetery, Boston, Massachusetts.

I believe my favorite part of the weekend in Elmira was walking through through this huge cemetery and finding the hidden treasures I was searching for.

Among several notable people buried in this huge cemetery are Mark Twain, Ernie Davis, Heisman Trophy winner, famous movie producer Hal Roach, and John W. Jones. Jones was born a slave in Virginia in 1817 and after fleeing north to Elmira, aided in the escape of 800 slaves via the Underground Railroad. In 1859 he became the sexton of Woodlawn cemetery and was personally responsible for the burial of almost 3,000 Confederate Prisoners from the Elmira Prison Camp. He kept such precise records that in 1877 their burial site within Woodlawn was declared a national cemetery.



I expect to return to the Elmira area one day in the not to distance future and another walk through this fasinating resting place for so many, known and unknown will be at the top of my list of things to do while there.

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Historic Hudson Valley Trail Hunt


I had a great Friday and Saturday in Red Hook, New York and the surrounding Hudson Valley. Much letterboxing and hiking was done by all. It was a great gathering in one of the most beautiful parts of New York, *and* one that is resplendent with great carvers and planters. With this weekend's finds I have finished the logbook I started in 2004. This coming weekend in Elmira at L.O.S.T. at Tanglewood Nature Center I'll start my new logbook, 2010 - ????!

The only showing of Hurricane Earl was some passing sprinkles and a lot of humidity on Friday. Saturday was perfect boxing weather, sunny, breezy, and dry.

There were visitors from Georgia, Wisconsin, and Connecticut. And those are just the states I know about. I finally got to meet Wisconsin Hiker and Martini Man and spend time with them chatting over pasta and some awesome guacamole prepared by Tamsyn. Martini Man is a great 'mater slicer'.

I have to take back everything I said about having to use a certain web site to feel a part of a larger boxing community. Wisconsin Hiker made me realize otherwise.

I would have stayed longer but wasn't feeling well, so I drove home this morning and am feeling better after taking a Sunday afternoon nap, also one of the joys of life, along with letterboxing!