Location: Reading, PA
Date Planted: 6/19/2005
Difficulty Level: easy
Mystery Train recorded by Elvis
(words & music by H. Parker - S. Philips)
Train I ride, sixteen coaches long
Train I ride, sixteen coaches long
Well that long black train got my baby and gone
Train train, comin round, round the bend
Train train, comin round the bend
Well it took my baby, but it never will again (no, not again)
Train train, comin down, down the line
Train train, comin down the line
Well its bringin my baby, cause shes mine all, all mine
(shes mine, all, all mine)
We last saw Hound Dog in Tyler State Park, searching for Elvis. He had found his Blue Suede Shoes but had not yet found Elvis. Beginning to panic, Hound Dog tried to calm himself down by thinking logically. "Where would Elvis go next?"
After pondering this question for a few minutes, he remembered that Elvis had a concert scheduled and that he was going to take a train to get there. But which train? Think, think, think. Hmmmmm...maybe he was going to go to Berks County. Yeah...Berks County sounds right. But which train? What a mystery!
Hound Dog meandered to the local train station and hopped aboard the first train that seemed to be headed to Berks County. A little later as the train began to slow down at a railroad crossing, he jumped off and took a look around. The sign there said Thun Trail bike path and was in a little town called Gibralter. Hound Dog began to walk along the path beside the train tracks, nose to the ground, hoping to get a whiff of the man that he loved. The trail crossed over the Green Hills Road and on the other side of the bridge was a little trail that led down to a pretty view of the Allegheny Creek. This looked like a good place to take a little rest.
When Hound Dog was all refreshed he continued on the Thun Trail and walked under the power lines. He began to notice houses on the right side of the railroad tracks a little ahead of him and on the left was a little steep path leading across a creek bed. He carefully went down this path which was a little slippery due to the loose stones and leaves on it. He crossed the creek bed and chose the path which went to the right. As he was walking, he noticed a big tree with a faint green blaze but he wasn't distracted by it and continued to the creek bed from this curve. At the beginning of this path was a rotting log on the right side. Hidden in this log was something Hunds Dog was looking for but it wasn't Elvis. Where had that man gone? Where was he going to look next for him?
(to be continued)
Sunday, August 17, 2008
My Dream, My Reality
Difficulty level: easy
Length of walk: about 1 mile roundtrip
Date planted: 6/22/2005
These two boxes were originally made for the Road Rally held at Green Lane County Park on April 2, 2005. I decided that the same park would be a good place to rehide them.
To find these boxes, go to the Green Lane Reservoir parking lot and visit the park office to get a map and a really neat trail guide which explains what the numbered markers are all about. Then take the White Tail trail unti it splits into the Blue Horse trail around marker number 7. Follow the Blue Horse trail around the lake. You will see several small trees which are growing in the middle of the trail. When you reach the fourth one,which you can identify by the 10 foot stump on the left side of the trail about 25 feet away, look to the left in the woods for a 5 foot stump. About ten feet behind the stump is a dead tree. Look behind it for My Dream buried under the SPOB.
To find My Reality, continue on the Blue Horse trail until you see the next blue blazed tree on the left. Look for the V shaped tree to the southeast about 30 feet away. Behind that V shaped tree are two trees which are growing very closely together. Between them is a SPOB hiding My Reality.
I checked on these November 27, 2007 and both were alive and well.
Length of walk: about 1 mile roundtrip
Date planted: 6/22/2005
These two boxes were originally made for the Road Rally held at Green Lane County Park on April 2, 2005. I decided that the same park would be a good place to rehide them.
To find these boxes, go to the Green Lane Reservoir parking lot and visit the park office to get a map and a really neat trail guide which explains what the numbered markers are all about. Then take the White Tail trail unti it splits into the Blue Horse trail around marker number 7. Follow the Blue Horse trail around the lake. You will see several small trees which are growing in the middle of the trail. When you reach the fourth one,which you can identify by the 10 foot stump on the left side of the trail about 25 feet away, look to the left in the woods for a 5 foot stump. About ten feet behind the stump is a dead tree. Look behind it for My Dream buried under the SPOB.
To find My Reality, continue on the Blue Horse trail until you see the next blue blazed tree on the left. Look for the V shaped tree to the southeast about 30 feet away. Behind that V shaped tree are two trees which are growing very closely together. Between them is a SPOB hiding My Reality.
I checked on these November 27, 2007 and both were alive and well.
Friday, August 01, 2008
Laura's Childhood Luvs - Strawberry Shortcake
Difficulty level: easy, the Milkmonster did this box when he was two!
Length of walk: about .4 mile
Planted: June 19, 2005
Hibernia park is a lovely little Chester county park with several well kept trails. It is an ideal park for walking with a stroller. Laura lives in Chester County so this box is placed there to represent her life today.
To locate Strawberry Shortcake, take the Lake Trail which begins behind the mansion. Stop for a few minutes at the bird feeders - there is a specially built viewing area here so that you can watch the birds without startling them. When you have finished here, continue on the trail, passing marker number 7. Don't be tempted to take the intersecting trails at this marker. When you reach marker number 9, you can take a few minutes to look at any activity on the pond. Remember this bench because you can bring the letterbox back here to stamp in. Continue a little further on the trail till you see a faint trail on the right. Take it. Go up it about 50 feet until you see the big rock. But your box is not there. Instead look across the trail to a smooth barked tree with some raised roots opposite the rock and a little pile of twigs.
Say hello to Strawberry Shortcake for Laura and me.
Length of walk: about .4 mile
Planted: June 19, 2005
Hibernia park is a lovely little Chester county park with several well kept trails. It is an ideal park for walking with a stroller. Laura lives in Chester County so this box is placed there to represent her life today.
To locate Strawberry Shortcake, take the Lake Trail which begins behind the mansion. Stop for a few minutes at the bird feeders - there is a specially built viewing area here so that you can watch the birds without startling them. When you have finished here, continue on the trail, passing marker number 7. Don't be tempted to take the intersecting trails at this marker. When you reach marker number 9, you can take a few minutes to look at any activity on the pond. Remember this bench because you can bring the letterbox back here to stamp in. Continue a little further on the trail till you see a faint trail on the right. Take it. Go up it about 50 feet until you see the big rock. But your box is not there. Instead look across the trail to a smooth barked tree with some raised roots opposite the rock and a little pile of twigs.
Say hello to Strawberry Shortcake for Laura and me.
Laura's Childhood Luvs - Garfield
Difficulty level: easy
Length of walk: .75 mile
Planted: July 18, 2005
This is one of a series of boxes based on my daughter's childhood luvs. Laura is the mother of my beloved grandson, Milkmonster, and when she was pregnant with him, we did some shopping in the toy department to see what toys were the latest rage for today's infants. We were totally surprised to find that many of the toys that Laura played with as a child are still available and popular today. Because Laura has a physical challenge (she is blind) and also enjoys letterboxing, my goal for the boxes in this series is to make them all handicapped accessible but this particular box is a little more difficult that the others that have been planted. Actual retrieval of the box would require a physically able person.
Go to the main parking lot at the mansion of the park of the Hosiery Baron between the hours of 8 and 4 on weekdays or if you are there at other times, park at the Sawmill parking area and walk to the mansion. Take the path at the right end of the parking lot to the intersection of Middle and Laurel paths and choose the Laurel path. This will eventually hit a gravel path which you will take to a Y intersection at Kissinger Road. Turn right and walk about 30 steps. Yu will see a few small rocks and a downed tree on the right side of the path about 20 steps off of the path. The box in on the backside of the middle of the downed tree. There is a small rock about 3 foot wide in front of this section of the tree.
Edited 7/6/09. I checked on this box and it is still in good shape but the downed tree is deteriorating. However, if you take the 30 steps and look to your right, you can see the rock which is in front of the tree very easily even with all of the summer growth that we have this year.
Length of walk: .75 mile
Planted: July 18, 2005
This is one of a series of boxes based on my daughter's childhood luvs. Laura is the mother of my beloved grandson, Milkmonster, and when she was pregnant with him, we did some shopping in the toy department to see what toys were the latest rage for today's infants. We were totally surprised to find that many of the toys that Laura played with as a child are still available and popular today. Because Laura has a physical challenge (she is blind) and also enjoys letterboxing, my goal for the boxes in this series is to make them all handicapped accessible but this particular box is a little more difficult that the others that have been planted. Actual retrieval of the box would require a physically able person.
Go to the main parking lot at the mansion of the park of the Hosiery Baron between the hours of 8 and 4 on weekdays or if you are there at other times, park at the Sawmill parking area and walk to the mansion. Take the path at the right end of the parking lot to the intersection of Middle and Laurel paths and choose the Laurel path. This will eventually hit a gravel path which you will take to a Y intersection at Kissinger Road. Turn right and walk about 30 steps. Yu will see a few small rocks and a downed tree on the right side of the path about 20 steps off of the path. The box in on the backside of the middle of the downed tree. There is a small rock about 3 foot wide in front of this section of the tree.
Edited 7/6/09. I checked on this box and it is still in good shape but the downed tree is deteriorating. However, if you take the 30 steps and look to your right, you can see the rock which is in front of the tree very easily even with all of the summer growth that we have this year.
Featherhead
Planted by Cichlid Guy for Team Little Dog
Difficulty level: Easy to Medium
Length of hike: 1.5 miles
This box can be found at the Sterner Mill hiking area at Nockamixon State Park in Quakertown, PA. Take Route 313 to 563 north, follow 563 north. You will soon see a sign on your right for the Sterner Mill hiking area. There is only one parking area.
Note* One pace in these set of clues is equal to right foot, left foot hitting the ground.
Some of the trails in this clue may be difficult to see because of the fallen leaves covering the trails.
BYOI
Once upon a time, two HUNGRY TERMITES lived in these woods but one lovely fall day, they decided they had been invaded with too many visitors so they picked up and moved to the foreign country of Michigan. The spot where they had lived was nice and cozy anf very quickly another resident took over their home.
Your quest to find this new resident begins in the southeast corner of the parking lot. Follow this trail down to where it forks off. Turn left and follow the path to where it forks again. This time turn right. Follow the path to where it forks again. This time you are going to turn left. Continue on the path to the small wooden footbridge crossing the small creek. Turn right after the bridge and continue on your way. Wow, so many rocks under your feet! You will soon come to another bridge. You are not going to cross this one, instead head to your left up the steep hill. At the top of the hill make a sharp right and continue on. What a wonderful meadow full of pine trees. Continue on the path and cross over another wooden footbridge. Continue on the path. At the fork turn left, which will take you due north. Looks like those pesky termites had made it to this part of the trail - so many trees on the ground. Continue on the path. Look at that, trees that look like snakes on your left. Continue on the path. More evidence is all around you that those termites had made it to this part of the trail. Looks like the termites knocked over a large tree, which is lying over the path. Cross over this tree and continue on. Do you see the red block on the tree up ahead? Continue on 16 paces after the tree with the red block on it. Now look to your left at the split ree. Featherhead is hiding in a small plastic box inside the tree. Please let me know if Featherhead is still safe and sound in the Hungry Termites old home.
Last found: June 9, 2008
Difficulty level: Easy to Medium
Length of hike: 1.5 miles
This box can be found at the Sterner Mill hiking area at Nockamixon State Park in Quakertown, PA. Take Route 313 to 563 north, follow 563 north. You will soon see a sign on your right for the Sterner Mill hiking area. There is only one parking area.
Note* One pace in these set of clues is equal to right foot, left foot hitting the ground.
Some of the trails in this clue may be difficult to see because of the fallen leaves covering the trails.
BYOI
Once upon a time, two HUNGRY TERMITES lived in these woods but one lovely fall day, they decided they had been invaded with too many visitors so they picked up and moved to the foreign country of Michigan. The spot where they had lived was nice and cozy anf very quickly another resident took over their home.
Your quest to find this new resident begins in the southeast corner of the parking lot. Follow this trail down to where it forks off. Turn left and follow the path to where it forks again. This time turn right. Follow the path to where it forks again. This time you are going to turn left. Continue on the path to the small wooden footbridge crossing the small creek. Turn right after the bridge and continue on your way. Wow, so many rocks under your feet! You will soon come to another bridge. You are not going to cross this one, instead head to your left up the steep hill. At the top of the hill make a sharp right and continue on. What a wonderful meadow full of pine trees. Continue on the path and cross over another wooden footbridge. Continue on the path. At the fork turn left, which will take you due north. Looks like those pesky termites had made it to this part of the trail - so many trees on the ground. Continue on the path. Look at that, trees that look like snakes on your left. Continue on the path. More evidence is all around you that those termites had made it to this part of the trail. Looks like the termites knocked over a large tree, which is lying over the path. Cross over this tree and continue on. Do you see the red block on the tree up ahead? Continue on 16 paces after the tree with the red block on it. Now look to your left at the split ree. Featherhead is hiding in a small plastic box inside the tree. Please let me know if Featherhead is still safe and sound in the Hungry Termites old home.
Last found: June 9, 2008
The Tyler Park Boxes
Battle of the Bands - Taking Care of Business
Difficulty level: easy
Time: about 30 minutes
Placed: November 6, 2004
Elvis was looking for something...he didn't exactly know what it was but he knew that when he found it,he would know it. He made up his mind I DON'T CARE IF THE SUN DON'T SHINE because of the EARLY MORNING RAIN. I BELIEVE IN THE MAN IN THE SKY and I need to find what I am searching for. So he decided to take a trip in his LONG BLACK LIMOUSINE with his HOUND DOG in beautiful Tyler State Park. He started by driving past the fields that reminded him of the GREEN, GREEN GRASS OF HOME and that today were filled with GIRLS, GIRLS, GIRLS and EARTH BOYS playing soccer. I GOT MY MOJO WORKING today, he thought, I can feel it! Ahhh! Look at that sign; it says "Maze" which reminds me of one of my favorite songs - AMAZING GRACE. This must be an omen so I will park here and FOLLOW THAT DREAM.
Look, there is a trail at the end of this parking lot, the Tyler Drive Trail that looked like a LONG LONELY HIGHWAY to Elvis. But he decided to try it out. He took the path at 285 degrees and crossed a little stone bridge. On his right, he then noticed a drinking fountain. I GOT A FEELING IN MY BODY that I may need that a little later. He then walked through two yellow posts and past the Dallons Grove Picnic Area sign. "HOUND DOG," he said, "IF YOU TREAT ME RIGHT we will bring our lunch and eat it here."
He reached a little circle then and after choosing the clockwise direction, he noticed A BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER. Another omen, he thought. Let's STOP, LOOK AND LISTEN to the water passing through here. Upon reaching the other side of the bridge, Elvis noticed a cylinder shaped object and thought "if I touch that, I MIGHT GET STUNG by those bees flying around. So I will head up the path behind the sign that says 'Nature Trail Start'. I am getting closer to my goal, he thought, I GOT A FEELING IN MY BODY. Look at that large JAILHOUSE ROCK on the left - IT FEELS SO RIGHT here." He walked a few steps further to a smaller rock on the left and took a little look at the downed tree behind it. SLOWLY BUT SURELY this SMOKY MOUNTAIN BOY looked for a fork in the downed tree and there he found what he had been looking for. And best of all, he thought, I DID IT MY WAY!
After he was through TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS, he GENTLY rehid his treasure and began to retrace his steps humming VIVA LAS VEGAS but knowing in his mind that the words should be Viva Pennsylvania.
If you have to figure out how to get around the tree in the path, you have gone too far.
Words in capital letters are actual names of Elvis songs.
Battle of the Bands - Hound Dog
Difficulty level: Easy
Time: about one hour for both boxes
Placed 11/6/2004
It was a beautiful day when Elvis and Hound Dog visited Tyler State Park in the Long Black Limousine. After a nice picnic lunch at the Dalton Grove Picnic area, Elvis stretched out for a little nap. Hound Dog, being a typical hound dog, had to investigate every new smell in the area. Before he knew it, he had wandered the whole way down to the Plantation Picnic area. He stopped to watch the children playing on the swings before he continued sniffing along the Quarry Trail. Then he spent a few minutes watching the frisbees flying back and forth on the disc golf course. But there were more places to investigate so nose to the ground, he continued. He noticed pungent odors coming from the little house on the right, so he hurried by that and made a right hand turn onto Tyler Drive Trail. Meandering along, he got excited as he began to hear the sound of water to his left. Just before the curve in the road, he spied some benches on the left. The first one was occupied so he walked past it around a little bend and found an empty one right on the bank of the creek where he could enjoy the view for a while. By this time, Hound Dog was getting a little tired himself, so he looked at the little patch of woods behind him and saw a great area to take a nap. Directly behind his bench, deep in the little wooded patch was a downed tree with a large arm pointing up to the sky. He nested himself into the roots and began to dream of Elvis and his happy life with the King.
Battle of the Bands - Blue Suede Shoes
Hound Dog awoke from his nap and noticed that the sky was getting dark. He must have slept longer than he meant to and now it was time to get back to Elvis and the Long Black Limousine. However, he was now totally disoriented and didn't know how he was going to do this. "Hound Dog", he said to himself, "you ARE a hound dog, blessed with a magnificent sense of smell. You just need to sniff your way back to Elvis."
So putting his nose to the ground, he went back out to the Tyler Drive Trail and headed left on it. Sniff, sniff, sniff, he passed a set of double benches on his right. He hadn't picked up a good scent yet but he did smell water and when he saw a drinking fountain down a little path on his right, he decided to take a drink. After quenching his thirst, he figured that he might be able to take a shortcut to where he had last seen Elvis. He headed into the woods behind the drinking fountain, heading north on the faint trail that was there. After taking about 23 human size paces (left foot, right foot = 1 human pace) he noticed a really familiar smell in the leaning tree with the exposed roots. Could he have found Elvis? If not, where of where could he be? And what WAS that smell?
Update 10/23/10: Taking Care of Business and Hound Dog are probably missing. Blue Suede Shoes has been moved slightly "7 double paces NE of the big root ball. ". Thanks to The Soul Mates for the update and repairs to the Blue Suede Shoes box.
Difficulty level: easy
Time: about 30 minutes
Placed: November 6, 2004
Elvis was looking for something...he didn't exactly know what it was but he knew that when he found it,he would know it. He made up his mind I DON'T CARE IF THE SUN DON'T SHINE because of the EARLY MORNING RAIN. I BELIEVE IN THE MAN IN THE SKY and I need to find what I am searching for. So he decided to take a trip in his LONG BLACK LIMOUSINE with his HOUND DOG in beautiful Tyler State Park. He started by driving past the fields that reminded him of the GREEN, GREEN GRASS OF HOME and that today were filled with GIRLS, GIRLS, GIRLS and EARTH BOYS playing soccer. I GOT MY MOJO WORKING today, he thought, I can feel it! Ahhh! Look at that sign; it says "Maze" which reminds me of one of my favorite songs - AMAZING GRACE. This must be an omen so I will park here and FOLLOW THAT DREAM.
Look, there is a trail at the end of this parking lot, the Tyler Drive Trail that looked like a LONG LONELY HIGHWAY to Elvis. But he decided to try it out. He took the path at 285 degrees and crossed a little stone bridge. On his right, he then noticed a drinking fountain. I GOT A FEELING IN MY BODY that I may need that a little later. He then walked through two yellow posts and past the Dallons Grove Picnic Area sign. "HOUND DOG," he said, "IF YOU TREAT ME RIGHT we will bring our lunch and eat it here."
He reached a little circle then and after choosing the clockwise direction, he noticed A BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER. Another omen, he thought. Let's STOP, LOOK AND LISTEN to the water passing through here. Upon reaching the other side of the bridge, Elvis noticed a cylinder shaped object and thought "if I touch that, I MIGHT GET STUNG by those bees flying around. So I will head up the path behind the sign that says 'Nature Trail Start'. I am getting closer to my goal, he thought, I GOT A FEELING IN MY BODY. Look at that large JAILHOUSE ROCK on the left - IT FEELS SO RIGHT here." He walked a few steps further to a smaller rock on the left and took a little look at the downed tree behind it. SLOWLY BUT SURELY this SMOKY MOUNTAIN BOY looked for a fork in the downed tree and there he found what he had been looking for. And best of all, he thought, I DID IT MY WAY!
After he was through TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS, he GENTLY rehid his treasure and began to retrace his steps humming VIVA LAS VEGAS but knowing in his mind that the words should be Viva Pennsylvania.
If you have to figure out how to get around the tree in the path, you have gone too far.
Words in capital letters are actual names of Elvis songs.
Battle of the Bands - Hound Dog
Difficulty level: Easy
Time: about one hour for both boxes
Placed 11/6/2004
It was a beautiful day when Elvis and Hound Dog visited Tyler State Park in the Long Black Limousine. After a nice picnic lunch at the Dalton Grove Picnic area, Elvis stretched out for a little nap. Hound Dog, being a typical hound dog, had to investigate every new smell in the area. Before he knew it, he had wandered the whole way down to the Plantation Picnic area. He stopped to watch the children playing on the swings before he continued sniffing along the Quarry Trail. Then he spent a few minutes watching the frisbees flying back and forth on the disc golf course. But there were more places to investigate so nose to the ground, he continued. He noticed pungent odors coming from the little house on the right, so he hurried by that and made a right hand turn onto Tyler Drive Trail. Meandering along, he got excited as he began to hear the sound of water to his left. Just before the curve in the road, he spied some benches on the left. The first one was occupied so he walked past it around a little bend and found an empty one right on the bank of the creek where he could enjoy the view for a while. By this time, Hound Dog was getting a little tired himself, so he looked at the little patch of woods behind him and saw a great area to take a nap. Directly behind his bench, deep in the little wooded patch was a downed tree with a large arm pointing up to the sky. He nested himself into the roots and began to dream of Elvis and his happy life with the King.
Battle of the Bands - Blue Suede Shoes
Hound Dog awoke from his nap and noticed that the sky was getting dark. He must have slept longer than he meant to and now it was time to get back to Elvis and the Long Black Limousine. However, he was now totally disoriented and didn't know how he was going to do this. "Hound Dog", he said to himself, "you ARE a hound dog, blessed with a magnificent sense of smell. You just need to sniff your way back to Elvis."
So putting his nose to the ground, he went back out to the Tyler Drive Trail and headed left on it. Sniff, sniff, sniff, he passed a set of double benches on his right. He hadn't picked up a good scent yet but he did smell water and when he saw a drinking fountain down a little path on his right, he decided to take a drink. After quenching his thirst, he figured that he might be able to take a shortcut to where he had last seen Elvis. He headed into the woods behind the drinking fountain, heading north on the faint trail that was there. After taking about 23 human size paces (left foot, right foot = 1 human pace) he noticed a really familiar smell in the leaning tree with the exposed roots. Could he have found Elvis? If not, where of where could he be? And what WAS that smell?
Update 10/23/10: Taking Care of Business and Hound Dog are probably missing. Blue Suede Shoes has been moved slightly "7 double paces NE of the big root ball. ". Thanks to The Soul Mates for the update and repairs to the Blue Suede Shoes box.
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