Sign Up  /  Login

Battle of the Bands - The Grateful Dead LbNA #12031

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Nov 6, 2004
Location:
City:Newtown
County:Bucks
State:Pennsylvania
Boxes:1
Planted by:Hikers & Hounds
Found by: Wii Wanderers
Last found:Mar 16, 2009
Status:FFFFFFFFFaFFFFFFFFFa
Last edited:Dec 12, 2015
Battle of the Bands – The Grateful Dead

Difficulty level – moderate. Easy walk at first but box is hidden on a very steep hill.
Time – About 30 minutes round trip, if you are just hunting this box, but Zappa and String Cheese Incident are planted further along this route.

The Grateful Dead began as a folk and bluegrass band in 1965, headed by roots music aficionado Jerome "Jerry" Garcia on guitar, "Pigpen" McKernan on keyboards, Bob Weir on guitar, Phil Lesh on bass and Bill Kreutzmann on drums. From the beginning, the group's sound reflected the varying influences of its members, including Garcia's banjo/bluegrass background and McKernan's affection for blues. In 1965, after joining with electronic musician Lesh, the band picked up electric instrumentation, became known as the Warlocks, and took a gig as the house band at Ken Kesey's notorious "acid test" parties before LSD was outlawed. Thus the term “Acid Rock” was coined. In 1966 Jerry Garcia changed the band name to “The Grateful Dead” taken from a song about a paupers funeral. After a few unimpressive albums, the band released their two seminal works, “Workingman’s Dead” and “American Beauty” which contained such tracks as “Box of Rain” “Sugar Magnolia” “Uncle John’s Band” “Casey Jones” and “Truckin”. By then Robert Hunter had become their unofficial lyricist and many of the best Dead songs are Hunter/Garcia efforts. The Dead toured 6 months of every year and created a band of loyal fans who followed them from show to show who eventually became known as “Deadheads”.

Throughout his life Jerry Garcia was a student of all musical genres and through him fans of the band were exposed to a variety of folk anthems, covers of country artists like Hank Willams and Johnny Cash as well as Motown hits and traditional American spirituals. Jerry encouraged himself and all band members to continue their musical exploration and expression through their solo efforts, all of which added to the richness and diversity that was the best band ever, the Grateful Dead.

“Ripple” Lyrics

If my words did glow with the gold of sunshine,
and my tunes were played on the harp unstrung,
would you hear my voice come thru the music,
would you hold it near as it were your own?

It's a hand-me-down, the thoughts are broken,
perhaps they're better left unsung.
I don't know, don't really care
let there be songs to fill the air.

Ripple in still water,
when there is no pebble tossed,
nor wind to blow.

Reach out your hand if your cup be empty,
if your cup is full may it be again,
let it be known there is a fountain,
that was not made by the hands of men.

There is a road, no simple highway,
Between the dawn and the dark of night,
and if you go no one may follow,
that path is for your steps alone.

Ripple in still water,
when there is no pebble tossed,
nor wind to blow.

You who choose, to lead must follow,
but if you fall you fall alone,
if you should stand then who's to guide you?
If I knew the way I would take you home.

To find the Grateful Dead letterbox follow the directions below:

Enter Tyler Park through the main entrance off of Swamp Raod. Follow the main drive to the stop sign. Go straight through the stop sign then immediately turn right into the “Plantation Picnic Grove” parking lot. Head down to the bottom of the lot and park. Walk past the picnic tables on your right and playground on your left downhill. Watch out for flying Frisbee’s. These woods are full of Frisbee throwing, Nine Inch Nails fans. (hint, hint) At the bottom of the hill bear left. Walk on for a while until you see up ahead the trail begins to turn to the left. Well before the trail turns you will see a “Next Tee” sign on the left hand side of the trail. A little past the sign you will see on the right a rough trail going down a steep hill towards the Dam below. CAREFULLY go down the hill and bear right at the large tree in the middle of it. Continue to the large fallen tree. Stop at the tree and cautiously follow it up hill until you see another small tree across is. At that juncture search wedged between the two trees you'll find the box wrapped in camo (I think! I might have forgotten to camo this one)


Carefully climb back up to the trail. You can turn left and go back the way you came but if you listen you can hear a ruckus up ahead. Something about someone stealing the margarine at St. Alphonzo’s pancake breakfast…?