The Quest: Day One

Okay, so we had set a goal of tracking down a potential 100 boxes over the course of 3 days. Knowing this, Teacup plotted and planned. Many hours were logged just getting ready for this trip. We set out in the wee small hours in the darkness. And at 5am on a Saturday in October in Maine, not only is it dark, but its a bit frosty to boot.
The first stop, a hybrid box that was a drive-by. And guess what - we did just that. Drove right by it. Didn't even realize it until we were sitting down to breakfast at Moody's diner. At hot spot on a cilly Saturday morning for sure. So knowing we were down by one already, we decided to add a bit more caffeine to our systems so we could wake up for the next one. The next one was a breeze, with me tobbling on an overturned urn to replace. Did you know I'm afraid of falling? Oh well... I digress. Visited a very lovely cemetary with a Finnish heritage before moving out to the seaside.
I honestly don't know how lighthouse keepers did it. we thought it was 'brisk' before. Well, trying to pick up two boxes at a lighthouse at 8am in October is downright bitingly COLD! And I grew up on the ocean! On the up side, the tide was out, so we didn't have waves crashing about our toes as we tossed around on the seaside. Once back inside the car, with the heat on full blast, we ventured further north to pick up a museum box. Surely this early, it would be quiet enough around a museum. Not! Where are all these people going on a cold Saturday morning? Shouldn't they be curled up with their coffee reading the papers? Dang fools.
Visited a breakwater, a seal, and some lime kilns and then decided we needed to able into a craft supply store. Because heaven knows when were on the hunt for 100 boxes we might just need new blades to whip out an image on the spur of the moment. Blades, carving medium, a couple stocking stuffers (oh yeah and the letterbox images) behind us we set off to tackle a mountain. So maybe you didn't know this about me - but I'm scared to death of heights. Even more so of falling. So when you literally have to walk off the top of the mountain to get a box... I'm in need of copious amounts of oxygen! Lucky for me, Teacup has NO fears when it comes to traversing the mountainside. So I'm watching her descend to the box as I get more and more lightheaded. Now is probably a good time to sit down, pull out the camera and play tourist.
A few minutes later, with this image safely logged we set off for the top again. Where on earth did all these kids come from? And why is one wanting to throw their walking stick over the edge of the tower they are at the top of? (Thanks, I'll pass this quantum height as well!) The lightheadedness is passing enough at this point that I can actually read the marker on the tower. Might as well learn something while here. Afterall this hobby is always educational for me. I learn more and more about myself with every box. But that's for another post.
With so many muggles about, we are running a touch behind, okay - so the muggles and the shopping probably slowed us down a bit. So we headed on. We had planned on touring a fort, but opted to make a slight adjustment to our plans. We were on the lookout for a pair of guns witha couple stacks of big balls. Eyes peeled to our right, we pulled in and conquered this box without incident. Okay - so we were laughing so hard we almost needed more oxygen... but we regained our composure to headed out once again. Looking for cemetaries, one of our all time favorite pasttimes!
Looking sharp to the right we found one that was on the wrong side of the road. Now how could that be? Maybe because we were so intent on finding the cannonballs that we blew past our first cemetary! Dang! I'm sensing a pattern here. No loss, we got our bearings straight and backtracked to where we were supposed to be. Had to stop and play ball along the way, but we eventually made our way back to the first cemetary we needed.
Now Team MudCup LOVES cemetaries. And trolling through a few of them to pick up a series of 15 boxes just about makes our day golden. But when the clues are spot on perfect and the images are awesome... we're on a roll to pick up a blue diamond series in our book. The only thing that bugged us was that someone decided to do the series before us all in black. In our logbooks (after some field TLC) this series is a colorful collection of a coat of arms. The images a clear and well done and ranked pretty high on our weekends quests. Jiffy's series deserves to have many visitors, but if you go get them, take an extra moment and add some color... it makes all the difference in the world! Great job Jiffy!
Time was slipping by, so we axed the fort for today and moved along to the Bucksport waterfront. They have built a wonderful walkway along the water's edge. The views of the harbor, the fort and the bridge are amazing. And to add to the whole ambience of the setting afternoon son, we had the rythemic cadence of approximately 10 or so guys marching across into Bucksport. Where to we wondered? We were guessing a local pub since they had yelled up a wicked thirst... wait that was me listening to them! LOL! Good thing I had picked up a cup of coffee for the evening walk along the water to help quench my thirst!
Once back at the car we traveled farther north. We thought we ought to find a place to bed down for the night before we sought out any more. But we did pick up one quick microbox before making it to the motel room. After we registered we had a bite to eat and then went off to search for a couple boxes by the light of the moon.
We forgot to call ahead and ask for a clear full moon to do some night boxing, so we had to make our way along the water's edge by the shadows cast from a very weak Maglight (make note to remember: need new batteries.) Had we not been laughing so hard, we might have been able to read the clues correctly , but we caught ourselves on the return trip to the car and found the microbox we were seeking. We did hear that a Moose was Loose in ellsworth, and knowing our love of large Maine animals, we just had to seek him out. Seems he prefers small unknown parks and microboxes. Two were a snap... the third one probably the easiest to find since it had fallen loose from its hidey hole. But when putting it back - I'm pretty sure I disturbed someones home. Probably the same somebody that kicked the box curbside to begin with. We opted not to tango in the dark with the unknown inhabitant and decided to go play with some intombed residents instead.
So here it is, 9pm we are stumbling around a cemetary almost behind town hall in Ellsworth in October. No one would even think that this might look slightly odd. It was a bit trickey trying to read those names on those old stones, but we found our last box and stamped in. we had to keep our eyes out for one particular ankle biter, but me managed to make it out without a visit from the Ellsworth police or needing to visit the local ER. We did attempt one more box, but quickly realized that we needed daylight to scale the side of a train trestle. But we had the general location, we'd be back.
Back to the hotel room for a shower and sleep. For the next day - we tackle Mount Desert Island! A quick tally... mud - 35, tea - 25. No hikers? How could that be possible! We always find hikers. Maybe tomorrow we'll have more luck!