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Living the Scout Law Letterbox Series LbNA #7962

Owner:Trail Turtle
Plant date:Apr 21, 2004
Location: Angell Rd
City:Cumberland
County:Providence
State:Rhode Island
Boxes:9
Found by: Rock Island (4)
Last found:Oct 2, 2020
Status:FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
Last edited:Apr 21, 2004
Trail Turtle’s Journey’s
The Living the Scout Law Letterbox Series

History:

This letterbox series started out as an orienteering project for the 2004 Blackstone Valley District’s Earthday Camporee. Like many projects it took on a life of it’s own. In planting the boxes, I noticed that I was heading into areas that our troop had spent countless hours of community service in. So to recognize our troop’s 25th anniversary, the hundred of scouts and leaders that have been members of Troop 12 Berkeley Ashton, RI and the many service projects to the community they have completed, this letterbox series was formed.

Difficulty:
All the trails are dog friendly. You can reach most of the letterboxes by side roads in less than 30 minutes, although few of the paths are stroller friendly.


Directions:
From Route 295 get off at the Cumberland exit 10 and head east on Mendon Road for 0.6 miles to your third light (Second light flashing) and take a left onto Angell Road. Travel on Angell Road for 0.5 miles to the Veronica Geddes Bowen Wildlife Preserve, Cumberland Land Trust Property on east side of road.

Project:
This site is the location of two Troop 12 Eagle Projects. During the projects, the trail was constructed, signs were made, trash was cleared away and a gateway built.

Clues:
Follow the main trail till you come to a brook crossing. Take the trail on your right and follow it around a wetland area. At the Bulletin Board near a pond take a reading of 163° and bushwhack 21’ to a Ironwood tree cluster. Here you will find Trustworthy.

Directions:
From Route 295 take Diamond Hill Rd (Rt. 114) south for just over one mile. You will see the sign for the Monastery on your right, shortly after the James Lynch Memorial Park. Obtain a map from the library. It’s not to scale but it will be helpful.

Projects:
There have been 3 Eagle Projects, an Earthday Project and a Historic Trails Award project performed by members of Troop 12 on these grounds. Our first was for the 75th anniversary of the BSA and we rebuilt the monument for Nine Men’s Misery. Our last one in 2003 was the marking of the Blue & Yellow Trails on the property.

Clues:
Follow the new White trail north to Nine Man’s Misery. From the Monuments plaque take a reading of 90° and trek 115’ to a border that ends. Go 10’ west of its end and almost on top you will find Loyal.


Find the Blue Trail and take it west to the old Monastery quarry. As the trail rounds the top of the quarry you will find a 6” Cedar Tree. Take a reading of 334° for 90’ to a 14” Oak tree near a bolder pile. From here turn magnetic north for 81’ to a dead giant. Under his skin you will find Helpful.

Continue along the Blue Trail and over a raised roadbed. Passing the “Y” intersection of Blue and Orange you will descend to the intersection of Blue and Yellow. At it’s center take a reading of 182° and look for natures version of the scout sign being guarded by one more. At its base and in a hollow you will find Kind.

Continue along the Yellow Trail to the S/W. You will trek up, over and up once more a rocky wooded area till you come to the intersection were the Yellow turns S/E. Here you will find a 24” oak at the center of the intersection. From the Oak take a reading of 138° and travel 300’ to a 14” oak just before the trail descends. From the 14” oak Take a reading of 250° for 58’ at the base of the rocky summit in a small cave you will find Brave.

Follow the Yellow Trail out and take a left at the trail intersection with an old cart path and it will get you back to the Library area.

Near the entrance to the Monastery is the Veteran's Place Memorial. Head S/W down
a path. Stay straight at the "T" and pass a fence on your right. You have a
sharp turn with red cedars on your left. From the sign telling you of a
Shagbark Hickory take a reading of 242 ° and walk 42’. Under the
ledge of a couple of large rocks you will be searching for Obedient.

Directions:
From Route 295 Exit 10 head north on Mendon Road for 0.3 miles to a light at Albion Road. Turn left onto Albion Road and travel about a mile to the Blackstone Bike Path after you cross a bridge and park.

Projects:
During the years two Eagle Projects were completed near here, one to build a canoe ramp around Albion Dam and the other the start of a hiking trail on the Cumberland side of the river. This stretch of river is also adopted by us and we clean up floatable two or three times a year.

Clue:
Head N, N/W on the bike path, passing the dam you will trek. After awhile two stone benches come into view, you may want to sit but your goal is not far. Next is a bridge, take in the view from the N/E corner a compass turn of 350° you will head. Down a side trail for 410’ to an old red pine is your next turn. At a setting of 79° and a distance of 75’ you will bushwhack to a dying White Birch Cluster. Buried at its base on the north side of the tree, Thrifty is what you seek.


Directions:
From Route 295 Exit 10 head south on Mendon Road to Route 116 south. Turn Right and just over the bridge turn right and park at the Blackstone Valley Bike Path.

Projects:
We’ve had one Eagle Project of cleaning the canal of blow downs and trash, also more Earthday projects than we can count.

Clues:
Triangulation is the name of this game. Head North on the Blackstone Valley Bike Path and through a hairpin turn. The bike path turns right you will turn left. At a view overlooking the dam take a reading of 71° to the metal works on the dam. Next set an azimuth of 138° on your compass and sight the spillway that connects the canal and the river through the towpath. Finally sight a bright red roof with a compass reading of 18°. Were the three meet take a seat on a rock under the overhang Clean is what you seek.

Directions:
Take exit 10 off of Route 295 and go south on Route 122 (Mendon Road.) for 0.5 miles. Scott Road is on the left opposite Ashton Fire Station. Turn onto Scott Road and travel 1.2 miles to the trailhead. Park on the Left hand side of the road near the Cumberland Land Trust sign for the High Rock Farm at Pole #54.

The High Rock Farm is a 69-Acre, Open Space Greenway that is maintained by the Cumberland Land Trust.

Project:
Members of Troop 12 built and set up the many Bluebird Houses for a Eagle Project. We also started the construction of the hiking trail here.

Clues:
Follow the Bluebird Trail past residence no. 1A and 1B. After a short hike, the trail will take a sharp right turn at 2A and 2B. After doubling back follow the wandering path into the woods and around a house. At the “T” take a left, keeping a stonewall to your left and a wetland on your right. Pass through the wall and over a stone bridge. Say Hi to the occupants of 4A. Line up 4A with 4B and head on a azimuth of 337° and flutter for 136’. Now turn 262° and bushwhack through a forgotten apple orchard 178’ to the S/E corner of a troll bridge. Sitting in a rocky hollow is Cheerful.

Note:
While setting this letterbox out we saw several bluebirds, bring bug dope for the mayflies are out.