Octopus (Manning Park) LbNA #18517
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Add Location| Owner: | Adoptable |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Oct 7, 2005 |
| Location: | Manning Park |
| City: | Billerica |
| County: | Middlesex |
| State: | Massachusetts |
| Boxes: | 3 |
| Planted by: | Tiny Turtle  |
|---|---|
| Found by: | Kermit (2) |
| Last found: | May 13, 2013 |
| Status: | OFFFFFaFFFFFFFaFFFFF |
| Last edited: | Oct 1, 2015 |
Directions: From Route 3 Exit at Exit 29, Route 129, and head East toward N. Billerica. In 1 or 2 minutes you will pass the Livingston Restaurant on the right (formerly Manning Manse), then turn left into Manning Park. This park features litter-free, poison ivy free, well groomed trails, and flush toilets (usually locked).
Harder than average letterbox, Morgun box. You may take a hitchhiker from the Dyslexic Queen Hostel without leaving one, as long as one remains.
This is an Octopus Letterbox; The criteria for an Octopus letterbox:
1. The clues refer to an area, not the exact route to the letterbox. Clues (or additional letterboxes) are planted, in the defined area, to lead people to the main letterbox.
2. The area is well defined.
3. Environmental impact is defined for the letterbox. Leave no Trace, whenever possible.
Defined area: Manning Park (AKA Jean P Coppinger Park or Manning State Forest) Do not cross Rt 129, the far side of the road is state forest. Stay on the trails until a clue or rhyme tells you to leave the trail.
Environmental Impact: Do not move any rocks. Ignore stonewalls, they were not used (sitting on them is fine). Do not remove any part of the “table”.
What you need: Pen/Pencil & paper to copy clues down, insect repellant, compass & your stamp pad.
There is a “Main” letterbox, and two outlying letterboxes. All bear clues. The "Dyslexic Queen" outlying letterbox is now a Hitchhiker Hostel. It should always have at least one hitchhiker. If you take a hitchhiker, you must leave a hitchhiker. Exception to rule: If you start with no hitchhikers & the hostel has more than one, you may take just one hitchhiker. The hostel should always be left with one hitchhiker in residence.
Clues
Finding the main letterbox, Octopus:
If on this letterbox you would like to have a lock,
You must search behind a great big rock
This rock does not reach the sky,
It is merely three meters high.
Behind the rock,
Look, take stock
Look near, look far,
Look at the ground,
Look all around
Look under a table
If you are able
Especially at the parking lot, Picnic tables abound.
Ignore them, when I planned, none were to be found.
Update 11/16/2007, This main letterbox is at the most scenic spot in the park (OK, I am a bit biased), and is threatened by nearby activity. If I have to move it I will leave a note in the "table" (hint: think tin roof). Be aware you may be looking for a baggie or small object. The note will give the new location.
****************************************
Finding Sirius’ Letterbox:
For me to help thee,
Look in a hollow tree.
Look near the path, not high, nor on the ground,
That strategy is the most sound.
*****************************************
Finding the Dyslexic Queen Clue Box
Dum dee dum,
Look in the drum
From the trail, set yourself free,
When the drum, you can see.
If you find a dragon egg, neatly nestled in a triple tree,
Stand west of it and the drum will be revealed to thee.
In the drum, wood,
Lift it you should.
A second clue set:
This is a small park. I used every good letterbox location that I could see from the trails (except for stone walls). Your 8 year old can try to solve this set of letterboxes with the following
Pretend game:
Pretend you want to plant a letterbox in this park. First you need to find the three best letterbox locations. Find them, and you will find all three letterboxes. Remember the environmental impact! Don’t move anything, except the some bark/wood. You can find all of them from the trails, or standing beside one really obvious landmark.
----- ---- End of Clues---------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes:
1. The main attraction in this park is a small, free, Water Park with sprinklers and waterfalls for children from about age 3 to age 13. It is closed now, but I will post here if I notice it is open (maybe July 2006). There may be a parking fee when it is in operation. If your kids are small a good strategy might be to have one parent solve the letterboxes, while the other watches the kids have fun (on a hot day) in the water park. You can then let your child “solve” the letterboxes with a few hints from the parents.
2. Three meters is about 10 feet.
Harder than average letterbox, Morgun box. You may take a hitchhiker from the Dyslexic Queen Hostel without leaving one, as long as one remains.
This is an Octopus Letterbox; The criteria for an Octopus letterbox:
1. The clues refer to an area, not the exact route to the letterbox. Clues (or additional letterboxes) are planted, in the defined area, to lead people to the main letterbox.
2. The area is well defined.
3. Environmental impact is defined for the letterbox. Leave no Trace, whenever possible.
Defined area: Manning Park (AKA Jean P Coppinger Park or Manning State Forest) Do not cross Rt 129, the far side of the road is state forest. Stay on the trails until a clue or rhyme tells you to leave the trail.
Environmental Impact: Do not move any rocks. Ignore stonewalls, they were not used (sitting on them is fine). Do not remove any part of the “table”.
What you need: Pen/Pencil & paper to copy clues down, insect repellant, compass & your stamp pad.
There is a “Main” letterbox, and two outlying letterboxes. All bear clues. The "Dyslexic Queen" outlying letterbox is now a Hitchhiker Hostel. It should always have at least one hitchhiker. If you take a hitchhiker, you must leave a hitchhiker. Exception to rule: If you start with no hitchhikers & the hostel has more than one, you may take just one hitchhiker. The hostel should always be left with one hitchhiker in residence.
Clues
Finding the main letterbox, Octopus:
If on this letterbox you would like to have a lock,
You must search behind a great big rock
This rock does not reach the sky,
It is merely three meters high.
Behind the rock,
Look, take stock
Look near, look far,
Look at the ground,
Look all around
Look under a table
If you are able
Especially at the parking lot, Picnic tables abound.
Ignore them, when I planned, none were to be found.
Update 11/16/2007, This main letterbox is at the most scenic spot in the park (OK, I am a bit biased), and is threatened by nearby activity. If I have to move it I will leave a note in the "table" (hint: think tin roof). Be aware you may be looking for a baggie or small object. The note will give the new location.
****************************************
Finding Sirius’ Letterbox:
For me to help thee,
Look in a hollow tree.
Look near the path, not high, nor on the ground,
That strategy is the most sound.
*****************************************
Finding the Dyslexic Queen Clue Box
Dum dee dum,
Look in the drum
From the trail, set yourself free,
When the drum, you can see.
If you find a dragon egg, neatly nestled in a triple tree,
Stand west of it and the drum will be revealed to thee.
In the drum, wood,
Lift it you should.
A second clue set:
This is a small park. I used every good letterbox location that I could see from the trails (except for stone walls). Your 8 year old can try to solve this set of letterboxes with the following
Pretend game:
Pretend you want to plant a letterbox in this park. First you need to find the three best letterbox locations. Find them, and you will find all three letterboxes. Remember the environmental impact! Don’t move anything, except the some bark/wood. You can find all of them from the trails, or standing beside one really obvious landmark.
----- ---- End of Clues---------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes:
1. The main attraction in this park is a small, free, Water Park with sprinklers and waterfalls for children from about age 3 to age 13. It is closed now, but I will post here if I notice it is open (maybe July 2006). There may be a parking fee when it is in operation. If your kids are small a good strategy might be to have one parent solve the letterboxes, while the other watches the kids have fun (on a hot day) in the water park. You can then let your child “solve” the letterboxes with a few hints from the parents.
2. Three meters is about 10 feet.