Mart Fog Inn Event

Well, now that its the day after the event - I think I can safely let everyone know that Team MudCup did not get arrested in Farmington where this event took place. But before I get into the days misadventures, I must do some pre set-up work.

Know everyone knows that Teacup and I like to depart early. So leaving to start our day at 10 am just threw us both completely off. So while I did manage to start a load of laundry (which reminds me, I need to put it in the dryer... be right back.), I was no where near ready to go boxing when I woke up on Saturday morning. And I function much better when I have a limited amount of time to get ready. Having a couple hours - just throws me way off. I normally have everything ready to go the night before. I didn't do that yesterday.

So after I had my coffee, I hastily pulled my stuff together, which included Christopher... oops, need to wake him up! Get food in him, get him in the bathroom and dressed. Now many of these points are critical for the survival of the team. I did manage to get him dressed and sort of fed. I even thought his one trip to the bathroom was enough. But alas, we quickly found out it was not.

I also realized just moments before Teacup arrived in my driveway - that the PT I had posted for the event was still sitting in front of me - unfinished. I'll admit, I've been known to carve stamps at the last minute, but not usually this late in the game. Luckily for me - it was not an intricate carve... more of a statement than anything artistic - so I finished it up and threw it hastily in my bag, without even giving it a first inking.

So when Teacup pulled into the driveway, she was also feeling a touch frantic as she went through the same motions I did. We just do not function well with a late start. But we loaded down her car with all the necessary requirements for a day of boxing. We even remembered the child! Pulled out and headed off for the event. Managed to make it to just the outskirts of Augusta when Christopher decided he needed to go to the bathroom. This was not making me overly happy. But Teacup managed to find a bathroom and Christopher managed to have an ice cream sandwich. Why do they put the ice cream next to the bathroom? Do they not know that ice cream is the food mecca for a 4 year old??

So on we drive closer to the event. We managed to make it to the mystery location without incident... other than Christopher complaining that he needed to go to the bathroom once again. I guess we were not the only ones who's regular constitution was disturbed by the delay start. We met up at Dunkin Donuts and packed in some sugar and caffeine so we could rev ourselves up for the hunt. The start was slated for noon and we managed to get there a touch early - which helped us out a bit. We picked up our goodies and once again headed off to the bathroom. What is it with 4 year old boys and public restrooms? He was fascinated with it... personally I think its the automatic hand dryer. Because he certainly did not use the facilities that often.

We did a few exchanges. So nice to meet Serendipity Joy, Tri-Colored Paws, Faulkari Four, My Golden Angel, Kindercop, The Hammah, and Tucson Parrot. All relatively knew to boxing - some more so than others who even with the smaller size to this event were absolutely overwhelmed at the whole deal! But now they have developed a whole contingent for inland mid Maine, and I'm expecting to see many more events in this part of Maine in the coming future!

Some folks we hadn't seen (other than in logbooks) for a while were there as well. Lady Slpa, Follow the Sun, and mepanj were all there and ready to hit the trails. Lady Slpa even brought a new event stamp to share that was most appropriate for the day! Thanks Slpa! And also in attendance were Sunnyside Seekers (Sporting shiny crutches, which evidently did not deter him from the boxes!), CrabApple and Haint. This was wonderfully hosted by Robin's Nest, Explore Len and Angel Treads. They passed out two clue packets. One was trickier than another, especially for folks from away. But the two sets together, with some hints intertwined in with the anagrams, had us off and seeking for the first of 17 boxes in no time.

So - off we drove to the first one. An easy box to pick up - but the thought of being stealthy was beyond hope. Beating us to the box were approximately 6 from the group. Now sit folks gathered around a fire hydrant in the middle of winter is anything but stealthy! So we opted to head off and try and figure out some of the anagram clues that Robin's Nest had put together. She did tell us that her boxes were all planted on a couple routes, so that narrowed down the territory just a bit.

Heading off we found a sign that sounded just like it might work for one of the anagrams. So turning down the road we followed the rest of the clues to the boxes location (which were spot on.) and found the location which put Robin's Nest on the very sick list. Now evidently Friday night teacup had visited LLBeans (thanks for the support) and procured spanky new gaiters. And she was more than excited to try out these new pieces of apparel. So much so - she parked us up against the snowbank (which was window height) - jumped out of the car and clamored up and over the snow bank and immediately sank up to her groin! Now while this would have normally been very amusing... we were on a time limit! And Teacup was stuck. She managed to pull herself up out of the snow and found the box. Clutching it to her, she made her way out of the snowbank. We stamped up in the car, as the next boxers pulled up behind us. Teacup returned the box to its hidey hole in the snow and we headed off to the next quarry.

We knew that two of Angel Treads were off at the hospital - so hedging our bet - we drove off to get the two that were there. Waiting for us were Robin's Nest with Crab Apple and Haint just ahead of them at the second box. We logged these in our books quickly and Christopher replaced the second box back where it needed to be (though he really wanted to place it inside the building where it was warmer.) and I covered it with the required snow. Onward we must travel! We are on a time limit! Back and forth Teacup and I mused, "Have you figured out any of those anagrams yet? Oh well... let's just drive and see what we can find."

It was sunny and cold, with limited amounts of wind. So for an outside event in January, it was bearable. Thankfully - Robin's Nest had sprinkled a few inside boxes in amongst the snow trapped ones for us to seek out. The problem was just trying to figure out their locations! Because Hap Chip Park does not translate to anything of the same name : ). So a driving we went, looking for stores that would entice Robin's Nest to visit. An avid seamstress... we knew we were in search of fabric stores. Now seeking out storefronts with 6 foot high snowbanks on either side of the road - does make for a small visibility issue. Not to mention, many do not add their street address to their road signs. But we found the second box and stamped up quickly and moved along.

We knew there was a box at McDonald's and that it was outside, so that one could wait a bit. There was another one in a fabric shop that had a 3pm time limit on it. That one was a priority in our minds. But across the street from McDonald's was Hippach Park. Not only did Angel Treads plant one there, but we managed to figure out that Robin's Nest had as well. So in we turned to the parking lot. We pulled up to the first one and Teacup headed out in her gear to score us a find. Well what happened next was one of those moments you think - "If I'd only had my camera out." I looked up from reading the clues to the next box and there goes Tea... hands stretched out in front of her as the container tumbled down the embankment. She landed like she was catching a grounder while trying to tag out the runner at home plate, but she was in snow! She managed the save and grabbed the box and clutched it to her chest like it was a Faberge Egg!

She jumped up and flew to the car, tossed the box in and set the car in drive. We were off to get the next one! She flew into a spin so she could right herself in the direction we needed and headed to the 200 yard marker. Parking again - she grabbed box two and we inked them both up. we were caught by faulkari four with the boxes in our car and thought for sure we had led them astray on the first one... but they were actually doing the boxes in the opposite order than we had grabbed them. So we turned around and tried to get the first one back into play while they inked up the second one. Darn, they are blocking our way out, so we managed to get them to stop inking up long enough for us to slip by them - replaced the box and then we were off on our quest once again!

Off we headed closer to the center of Farmington. Angel Treads clues had street addresses, so that helped to point us where we needed to go. All the while we had our heads swinging to and fro like bobblehead dolls! Looking for anything that might lead us to another one of the possible anagrammed locations. We found another fabric store and I quickly ran in and picked up the box. We stamped in and I returned it. The two ladies in the store were rather amused but this hobby and seemed eager to help with information. So I managed to get the location of one of the boxes from her and got enough of directions to head off to pick up one of the others. We needed all the help we could get!

Heading back the way we had traveled, I noticed we had passed the Post Office. The location of another box. Teacup quickly navigated a turn onto a side road that lead to absolutely no where. Not dissuaded as this happens to us frequently, we turned around and headed back the way we came. We were on a time limit as the next part of the Gather was to start at 3pm and the clock was ticking away. We made it to the Post Office box and managed to toss that one about in the car a bit before stamping it up. Cold hands and small stamps do not make for successful first inkings! LOL! But we finally managed to get that little bugger into our logbooks with the help of a couple of tiny eager hands!

Off to the next one! We knew it was on the college campus, but needed to find the correct building. We were heading in the correct direction - but couldn't read the sign. So we looked for the next visible marker - someplace someone might go sledding. And low and behold - after turning into the parking lot - there was the sign me were seeking. By this time Christopher had had enough of being the pacifist in the group - he wanted to get out and dig the boxes out! Off came his sneakers and he pulled out his boots, but in the limited space in the backseat (due to all the supplies we brought to survive) it didn't give him enough room to pull on his boots. So the door flew open as he yelled at me to help him so he could save Ambur! The two of them went up and over the bank and found the box hiding behind a big snowball. Back up over the hill and down again, in the car, we stamped up. No sooner was the container resealed than he decided he was going to put the box back by himself. By now the sun had started to set lower in the sky and a wind burst hit Christopher clear across the face and his instant reaction was... turn and head back to the car! I yelled "Put the box back first!" He looked at me as if to say "Are you out of your ever lovin mind lady before he switched quickly back into boxing mode and hid the box. I helped him retip the snowball and then we rushed back to the car. Thus quickly ending his burning desire to go out and get the boxes himself!

By now we were on the downside of the 2 hours we had started with and we needed a plan of attack if we were going to get all of the boxes. We had two that we definitely knew the locations and they were outside, so we could grab those after the 3pm meet up. We sort of knew where Moose or Mousse was and it was an inside location - so we headed off in that direction. Along the way we say a sign to Titcomb Mountain and both Teacup and I looked at each other finally having the first clue click with understanding.

Well, we found the chocolate store without too much trouble. It was if it was calling to us... But leading two women and a four year old into candy/chocolate mecca can only be described as BAD! I don't even think I registered that there was a moose outside the front door until we came back out! In we went and were handed the letterbox by some other boxers. While Teacup looked at the stamp - I took short order and picked out a half pound of dark chocolate orange creams for my step-mom who is recovering from very recent knee surgery. I then picked out a four pack of truffles for Ashley and another four pack for me for later... meanwhile - Christopher is staring at all the chocolate as if he has just hit paydirt! LOL! He immediately pointed to the milk chocolate non pariels and told the lady behind the counter "I want those." "While I silently think - there is no doubt he's his father's son. Ron eats the same candy!" Well - with a new boost of chocolate laced energy, we packed the box off to Lady Slpa and mepanj and company and headed off to Titcomb Mountain.

At the base of the mountain we picked up another box and looked at the clock. We had less than twenty minutes to get to the restaurant. Hmm... We headed back towards McDonalds and found the Narrow Gauge Theater where one was hiding and were clued into one last box of Angel Treads. we thought that one was missing by the time we got there and then Serendipity Joy's son popped out of the mini van with the box. Yeah! Now we just needed one last indoor box and we could head off to the restaurant. Knowing that the final three boxes were all outside and we had their locations under control.

Off to collect a bird. Now while we are adults, when you have a 4 year old in toe you tend to do things you normally would not... like set all the birds on the display singing. Okay - so we would have done it anyways... but having a 4 year old as a scapegoat is might handy! We logged our little feathered friend and headed off to get something to eat. And when we arrived - we found we were almost early! Only Angel Treads, Faulkari Four, Lady Slpa, The Hammah, Tucson Parrot and Kindercop had beat us. Everyone else was still out boxing! Needing to get all the boxes before the lights got turned off I'm sure.

We all filled up on wonderful Chinese food. Christopher tossed coins in a fountain and drove me crazy disappearing off and on. Once he was hidden under a bench, the next time I found him he had slidden into a booth with two pretty girls sporting snowmobile goggles and he was playing Casanova! I tried to shuffle back to our group - but he was much more interested in entertaining everyone else in the restaurant. I frantically stamped up the few event stamps that were visiting and then we dressed Christopher and said our good byes. We still had three boxes and an hours drive home.

Back in the car, we first visited that ever popular fire hydrant from earlier. Another small stamp - that after sitting in a warm restaurant for more than an hour, made it very hard to hold onto! Hands shaking while the car warmed up... it went tumbling to the floor causing Tea to get out of the car so she could look under her seat to find it! That one stamped into - we moved on to find That's Amore. I had the task of coloring it. LOL. My hands were shaking from the chill - so trying to color in between the tight areas was laughable! But we finally managed to get that stamped into our books and we put the love birds back in their roost. Off to pick up the final box before heading home.

At McDonald's we found the location and I thought it would be easy for me to just grab it. But it was just out of my reach without me stepping into the snow. So once again - here comes Teacup with those fabulous gaiters (who uses them for other winter sports I wonder when they are perfect for winter boxing!) She took a closer step into the snow and I steadied her while she grabbed over the guard rail for the box. It was lower than we thought and it was a bit of a stretch, but she managed to grab it. Yes! Box number 17! Woohoo! We got them all! Gotta consider that a very successful boxing day for an event. Most events we miss one or two or more : ) Now all we had to do was head home.

Christopher was feeling reflective and took a flashlight and looked over the stamps in my logbook again. Oohing and aahing over the images. Then he he turned off the flashlight, hand me my logbook and announced that he was going to sleep. And less than 5 minutes later you could hear the steady rhythm of one very content 4 year old fast asleep.

Once home - we unloaded all our daily provisions and everything we had picked up along the way. Pushed Christopher through the front door where he crashed on the couch just long enough to have himself stripped of his outerwear and boots before he stumbled off to bed. Another testament of a great day of boxing.

So look out boxers! If this is the hint of events to come in the mid Maine area - consider yourself left in the dark if you miss it! Totally fun! Totally engaging and just the right amount of boxes for the amount of time! Thanks for the wonderful goody bags. The temporary logbook already is tucked safely in my bag for our next adventure. The cocoa and the treats consumed by my kids and the pink pearl already with an image on it for a hiker! Totally fun! And just in case you were curious - those truffles I brought home for me - those are all gone too! LOL! I guess we'll just have to go back to Farmington soon. Teacup has a desire to hit up the fabric stores and I need another chocolate buzz!