Stamps anyone?

We started getting back into hiking last year. We have some great trails near our house. One is the airline trail and I'm now discovering many many more. Our town started a Hike and Go Seek. There are 5 trails we need to take a clues that help us find an object we record on a "score" card. The first trail we did the clues led us to a letter box. Well when my 5 year old found a box hidden that contained a stamp and ink pad he was besides himself. He had been balking at the idea of "walking" and it was "stupid". Well this now has turned him into liking hiking. He now wants his own stamp and keeps asking to find more trails with stamps.

I heard about letterboxing a while ago but never had time. It seemed fun to follow clues and find boxes hidden away on beautiful trails but just wanted to enjoy hiking without the quest. Apparently we will now be letterboxing. Alex has already figured out his and his brothers stamps.

Today Alex and I played hookie from school and work and we decided to complete one of the hikes on our own. There were two trails we could have taken one very short and the other was quite a hike (get it?). The longer one's quest was a letter box and he decided that we MUST do that one. We spent almost 2 hours hiking to and from the box. What a special time I had with him!! He read all the trail markers to ensure we were going the right way and always kept us on course. We discussed evolution and he corrected me when I mistakenly said dinosaurs aren't real (I meant they are extinct) and he corrected me. We also found the most beautiful beaver pond full of wildlife. We saw trees cut down by the beavers and explore the teeth marks and examine remnant wood chips from the beaver activity. It was truly nature at it's finest. I was even scared by a wood duck.

I think letter boxing is going to be a major factor to get Alex out on the trails without to much fuss.

Happy Hiking Everyone!!!