Here are frequently asked questions about letterboxing:
Q: What exactly is letterboxing?
A: Letterboxing, at its basic, is a like a treasure hunt type game. Small boxes are hidden in various locations—usually outdoors, though many are planted indoors as well—and the creator of the box will release clues so others can go out and find them later. The box is expected to have a logbook that finders can log into and a unique stamp, usually hand-carved, that the finder can stamp into their own personal logbook as a record of all the letterboxes they've found. Most letterboxers have a unique stamp to represent themselves, called a signature stamp, they stamp into the logbooks found inside letterboxes so others who find the letterbox later know they found it.
Check out AQ's Getting Started page, or LbNA's Start Finding Letterboxes page to learn more about letterboxing.
Q: Is this an expensive hobby?
A: That all depends. In theory, once you have the basics that you need to hit the trails and find traditional letterboxes, all you really need is a little gas money to get you to and from the trails or locations you plan on hiking. That's it! Occasionally you'll find boxes in parks or places that have an entrance fee to get into, but most of the time that isn't the case, and a good number of those are seasonal, depending on where you live, so that if you go during off-season, you can find the boxes without having to pay the fee. Simple, straight-forward, and compared to most other hobbies, very inexpensive. There are also events that you can attend, meet other boxers, and collect a variety of non-traditional stamps, and usually there are no fees, though donations are frequently welcomed, and sometimes there might be a pot-luck style food spread.
However, like some of us have found, there are so many other areas of boxing to get into. Stamp carving, planting your own sets of boxes, LTC's, postals - you can get into any or all of these fun aspects of letterboxing, and take it as far as you'd like to go. You can do a little bit here and there, or go all out and spend all your spare time with little bits of rubber and paper and ink pads all over the place. Its up to you and you alone, to decide just how little or how much you want to spend on this all-inclusive hobby.
Q: Why is that mean ol' Bubs always picking on poor defenseless tiggermama?!
A: It's quite simple - because I can! But incase you're concerned about the effect of this ill behavior on the psyche of tigs, relax. Tigs and I share the same sense of humor, which is why we became such good friends so quickly. Boundaries were set, so we know our limits (which isn't much ;) and we are just having fun being able to poke fun at one another while knowing all the while we're only trying to make each other, and hopefully you, smile and laugh. Why else would we be writing a blog together? So sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. Or roll your eyes. Or get together the local lynch mob and stop by my house and pretend that I'm Frankenstein. Its all good. ;)
