The mission began in the village of Stillwater on the Stillwater Portage Trail. (Fun geography fact- the University of Maine is located on an island between the Stillwater and Penobscot Rivers ... the portage trail is for canoes to get around the upstream dam) ... It was a beautiful day and a beautiful spot for a letterbox. The stamp was shaped like a globe, with the message from its planters: "there are lots of places to visit in the world, this happens to be our favorite."
The letterbox has a good hiding spot in a hollow log that has fallen across a side trail... here is
OnTheCorner pulling it out from hiding!Too nice a day to stop at just one! We then traveled into Orono to the Stillwater River Walk. Starting from Brown's Beach we followed the clue, "At the big pine tree at the foot of the trail, facing the river, turn left and head off down the trail 87 paces. Look to your left at the "tunnel". It is at the base of a two-trunked tree, on the ground, and may be camouflaged by ferns. Look inside the tunnel for the first surprise!" ... OnTheCorner Searched the ferny woods high and low, finding a couple of two-trunked trees and a couple of tunnel-y things, but alas there was no letterbox to be found! Bitterly disappointed we cursed the heartlessness of people who would steal letterboxes and spoil our fun, but we would not be defeated that easily!
We drove down the road a bit to the Stillwater Riverside Cemetery where there were two letterboxes to search for" "Two Bee or Not Two Bee" ... The photo of the stump is the hiding spot of Two Bee, but sadly this was not to be, as two bee is missing. Ironically Not Two Bee was to be, and so we found our second letterbox of the day.
Failing to read our clues in the proper order we then concluded there was another letterbox on the Stillwater River Trail (fortunately Agent S. and Rainwater used to live very close to this trail, so I knew there was a shortcut) ... At the end of the trail by the water utility buildings we followed these directions, "Face the river, take 9 steps toward it. Turn left at the tree with 5 trunks, and take 6 steps to your left. Gaze at UMaine's Alfond Arena between 2 cedars, glowing like Camelot in the distance.
At the base of the left cedar, an unusual stump holds the second surprise."Behold! Camelot!
(Alfond Arena is of course the home to Maine Black Bear Hockey! M-A-I-N-E, GO BLUE!!!)
and OnTheCorner signing into the Slap Happy logbook, with a spoiler picture of this adorable stamp ... apologies to anyone who doesn't like spoiler pictures, but since I do ... well that's too bad!Phew! That was a full day of letterboxing adventures! Good thing Pat's Pizza is so close and I just so happen to have them on speed-dial!
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