The Gold Standard in Video Games LbNA #54082
Map
Nearby Boxes
Add Note
Add Location| Owner: | oj drinker  |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Jun 19, 2010 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Holyoke |
| County: | Hampden |
| State: | Massachusetts |
| Boxes: | 1 |
| Found by: | Traveln Turtle |
|---|---|
| Last found: | Sep 8, 2019 |
| Status: | FFFFOFFF |
| Last edited: | Jun 19, 2010 |
Before the world existed, all was chaos. Three goddesses emerged from the maelstrom and transformed the chaos into order.
With her flaming arms, Din, goddess of Power, made the jagged cliffs and rolling plains of the land that would become Hyrule out of rock as red as her limbs. Bathed in a blue aura, Nayru, goddess of wisdom, set in motion the laws governing existence; her blessings rained down upon the earth and formed oceans, lakes, and rivers. Green appeared and spread throughout the world as Farore, goddess of courage, filled it with plants and animals.
Pleased with the fruits of their labors, the goddesses ascended into the heavens. At the spot where they left the world, three shining golden triangles—components of the Triforce—materialized. The goddesses endowed the Triforce with a portion of their essence and left it behind as their legacy. It is said that the Triforce will grant the wishes of the one who touches it.
For generations, the rulers of Hyrule have been charged with guarding the Triforce. The royal family has adopted the Triforce as their symbol. In the current version of the royal crest of Hyrule, a stylized eagle launches into a dive while the Triforce floats in the sky between its outstretched wings.
For my first letterbox placement, I carved a stamp with a motif from my favorite video game series, The Legend of Zelda. Anyone who’s played the Zelda games knows how prominently gold features in their imagery: gold-colored cartridges, the gold foil stamp on the cases of the Wii version of Twilight Princess, golden game discs… Link to the Past refers to the Triforce as the "Golden Power."
Where's Link? Perhaps he's wandering around a parallel world again? Princess Zelda summons you in his stead to carry out her mission. But first you must prove yourself worthy of becoming her champion. All soldiers of Hyrule bear the royal crest on their equipment. Your task is to retrieve a badge of your own. Do you have what it takes to become the Hero of Stamps?
The forests here are much like the ones Link encounters in the games. Just don't expect to find a sword--though plenty of people get lost inside the woods all the time. Don't be one of them! I suggest you print out a map of Mount Tom State Reservation before you go (http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/trails/print/Mt.Tom.pdf). It's a BIG place! Sometimes maps are available from the kiosk at the entrance from Route 5, the billboard by the Lake Bray parking lot, or the hut with restrooms next to Lake Bray.
Directions:
The main entrance to Mount Tom State Reservation is off of Route 5 in Holyoke, MA. Turn left at Reservation Road if you're approaching from the south, or right if you're coming from the north. (Competitive Edge Ski & Bike shop stands at the intersection with Reservation Road.) The park entrance is about a third of a mile up the hill.
There is also an entrance to Mount Tom State Reservation off of Route 141 in Easthampton.
It costs $2.00 to park here on weekends during the warm months.
Clue:
Princess Zelda's magic has determined that the artifact you seek lies near the ruins of a house named after the nest of a bird of prey.
Start from the Visitors Center. You can walk up the road with signs for Goat Peak and Mt. Nonotuck to get to the ruins. This road (Nonotuck Road) starts next to the portable toilets. I think the distance to the ruins area is between 1.25 to 1.5 miles. It will probably take around 30 minutes one-way.
Alternatively, you can hike up north along the M-M trail to get there. It has white blazes. If you’re facing the Visitors Center, the road that will take you to the nearest M-M trailhead (Smiths Ferry Road) will be directly behind you. It runs past the big picnic pavilion. There is a drinking fountain on the side of the pavilion next to Smiths Ferry Road.
Hiking the M-M trail is more strenuous than walking up Nonotuck Road, but more scenic. On its way north, it passes by the Goat Peak lookout tower, which is a popular spot for observing the autumn hawk migration. Awesome views can be had from the top of the tower. The M-M trail doesn't go all the way to the ruins; when it meets up with Nonotuck Road, turn right and walk a short distance along Nonotuck Road to get to the ruins area.
Once you reach the end of Nonotuck Road, a splendid vista opens out on your left. Enjoy the view, and then take the trail straight ahead of you into the woods. This trail isn't marked on the general reservation map, but there is a sign posted at the trailhead with a rudimentary map of the ruins area.
As you head up the trail, on your right you’ll pass a narrow path cut through rock that will take you directly to the ruins. Stay on the trail. About 40 feet ahead you’ll encounter a little "island" of trees where several paths diverge. To the left of this "island" a narrow path heads out onto a clifftop perch where you can look out onto Easthampton, Northampton, and the Oxbow. On the right are two paths that lead to the ruins and a fenced-off lookout tower. Straight ahead, behind the "island," is a clearing that leads deeper into the woods.
The "island" consists of several trees. Three saplings are in front: the left one is a yellow birch, and the right two are red maple. Behind the saplings is a small pile of stones with one big stone resting on top. To the left of the stones is a young hemlock tree. Five or so feet behind the stones are three trunks growing close together: a maple tree, and a yellow birch with one narrow trunk and one wide trunk. The letterbox waits within a crevice inside the wide trunk.
Once you've retrieved the image of the Hyrulean royal crest, feel free to explore the ruins and pretend that you’re Link inside the remains of the Temple of Time in Twilight Princess, but be careful of the poison ivy growing in the area.
As always, please rehide the box in the same place and conceal well!
With her flaming arms, Din, goddess of Power, made the jagged cliffs and rolling plains of the land that would become Hyrule out of rock as red as her limbs. Bathed in a blue aura, Nayru, goddess of wisdom, set in motion the laws governing existence; her blessings rained down upon the earth and formed oceans, lakes, and rivers. Green appeared and spread throughout the world as Farore, goddess of courage, filled it with plants and animals.
Pleased with the fruits of their labors, the goddesses ascended into the heavens. At the spot where they left the world, three shining golden triangles—components of the Triforce—materialized. The goddesses endowed the Triforce with a portion of their essence and left it behind as their legacy. It is said that the Triforce will grant the wishes of the one who touches it.
For generations, the rulers of Hyrule have been charged with guarding the Triforce. The royal family has adopted the Triforce as their symbol. In the current version of the royal crest of Hyrule, a stylized eagle launches into a dive while the Triforce floats in the sky between its outstretched wings.
For my first letterbox placement, I carved a stamp with a motif from my favorite video game series, The Legend of Zelda. Anyone who’s played the Zelda games knows how prominently gold features in their imagery: gold-colored cartridges, the gold foil stamp on the cases of the Wii version of Twilight Princess, golden game discs… Link to the Past refers to the Triforce as the "Golden Power."
Where's Link? Perhaps he's wandering around a parallel world again? Princess Zelda summons you in his stead to carry out her mission. But first you must prove yourself worthy of becoming her champion. All soldiers of Hyrule bear the royal crest on their equipment. Your task is to retrieve a badge of your own. Do you have what it takes to become the Hero of Stamps?
The forests here are much like the ones Link encounters in the games. Just don't expect to find a sword--though plenty of people get lost inside the woods all the time. Don't be one of them! I suggest you print out a map of Mount Tom State Reservation before you go (http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/trails/print/Mt.Tom.pdf). It's a BIG place! Sometimes maps are available from the kiosk at the entrance from Route 5, the billboard by the Lake Bray parking lot, or the hut with restrooms next to Lake Bray.
Directions:
The main entrance to Mount Tom State Reservation is off of Route 5 in Holyoke, MA. Turn left at Reservation Road if you're approaching from the south, or right if you're coming from the north. (Competitive Edge Ski & Bike shop stands at the intersection with Reservation Road.) The park entrance is about a third of a mile up the hill.
There is also an entrance to Mount Tom State Reservation off of Route 141 in Easthampton.
It costs $2.00 to park here on weekends during the warm months.
Clue:
Princess Zelda's magic has determined that the artifact you seek lies near the ruins of a house named after the nest of a bird of prey.
Start from the Visitors Center. You can walk up the road with signs for Goat Peak and Mt. Nonotuck to get to the ruins. This road (Nonotuck Road) starts next to the portable toilets. I think the distance to the ruins area is between 1.25 to 1.5 miles. It will probably take around 30 minutes one-way.
Alternatively, you can hike up north along the M-M trail to get there. It has white blazes. If you’re facing the Visitors Center, the road that will take you to the nearest M-M trailhead (Smiths Ferry Road) will be directly behind you. It runs past the big picnic pavilion. There is a drinking fountain on the side of the pavilion next to Smiths Ferry Road.
Hiking the M-M trail is more strenuous than walking up Nonotuck Road, but more scenic. On its way north, it passes by the Goat Peak lookout tower, which is a popular spot for observing the autumn hawk migration. Awesome views can be had from the top of the tower. The M-M trail doesn't go all the way to the ruins; when it meets up with Nonotuck Road, turn right and walk a short distance along Nonotuck Road to get to the ruins area.
Once you reach the end of Nonotuck Road, a splendid vista opens out on your left. Enjoy the view, and then take the trail straight ahead of you into the woods. This trail isn't marked on the general reservation map, but there is a sign posted at the trailhead with a rudimentary map of the ruins area.
As you head up the trail, on your right you’ll pass a narrow path cut through rock that will take you directly to the ruins. Stay on the trail. About 40 feet ahead you’ll encounter a little "island" of trees where several paths diverge. To the left of this "island" a narrow path heads out onto a clifftop perch where you can look out onto Easthampton, Northampton, and the Oxbow. On the right are two paths that lead to the ruins and a fenced-off lookout tower. Straight ahead, behind the "island," is a clearing that leads deeper into the woods.
The "island" consists of several trees. Three saplings are in front: the left one is a yellow birch, and the right two are red maple. Behind the saplings is a small pile of stones with one big stone resting on top. To the left of the stones is a young hemlock tree. Five or so feet behind the stones are three trunks growing close together: a maple tree, and a yellow birch with one narrow trunk and one wide trunk. The letterbox waits within a crevice inside the wide trunk.
Once you've retrieved the image of the Hyrulean royal crest, feel free to explore the ruins and pretend that you’re Link inside the remains of the Temple of Time in Twilight Princess, but be careful of the poison ivy growing in the area.
As always, please rehide the box in the same place and conceal well!