Leave only footprints,take only pictures. LbNA #18605 (ARCHIVED)

Park Name: Powell Lake Park
Entrance: West side of Pontiac St. near library
Entrance fee: none

Clues: Fun and easy
Terrain: Easy and family-friendly (paved paths)
Distance: Less than 1 mile round trip

This letterbox was placed for Girl Scout Troop 1953. I would like to share my love of letterboxing and spending time with family and friends with my troop and their families. Love and thanks M, A, and all my girls for helping and inspiring me.

Troop 1953 arrives at the gravel parking lot of the Powell Lake Park near the Oxford Public Library. They are all very excited to find the treasure their leader has hidden in this park for them to find. They gathered in front of the park map, marked their location and then reviewed the park rules. They chatted amongst each other inquiring as to which way to go from here. They started down the sidewalk towards the park trail. One of the troop leaders stopped by a large tree stump next to the sidewalk. “Does anyone know how to tell the age of a tree?” “How old is this tree?” After spending some time commenting on the age of this old landmark the troop continued down the paved path towards the park.

They come to a place where girl scouts before them have made a dedication for a loved one. They decide to take a picture of all of them in front of this beautiful reminder of the good girl scouts do. While posing for this picture (with their backs to the reminder) they decide to travel down the path that goes to their right. Always prepared, these scouts brought a compass, they checked that they would be traveling down the path at 180 degrees.

They continue on until they come to a clearing where they decide to sit and have their snack. What a beautiful place to sit, the breeze on their faces, watching the waves (or lack of) and replenishing themselves for the rest of the adventure. They decide to take another group photo to remind them of the fun they had here. (These leaders must be scrap bookers!!) After they have rested they continue on the path, over a bridge and at the next intersection they turn and go north. Zero degrees on their compass. Just as they turn the corner they find a blue handicap sign. Counting 16 paces from the sign they look for what their leader describes. Their leader tells them about a lovely boarding house for park residents that she saw on the right side of the path the last time she visited this park. You will have to look close because it is slightly hidden amongst the trees. Maybe another Girl Scout troop built this home? Looks like no one is home, perhaps they flew south for the winter. She tells them that when they find this home the treasure they seek is not far from here.

Standing in the front yard of this home they can clearly see the way to the oldest resident of this park, which is where they will find the treasure. The troop continues walking on this path until they reach another sign. They see only the back of this sign traveling in this direction. It does not really matter what the diamond shaped sign says, just that from were it stands it is approximately 50 paces to the grandmother of this park. There she stands on the same side of the path; her body gently curves to gracefully accept the parks visitors into her home. Her arms stretch in every direction shadowing the path and protecting the visitors. Her age unknown but surely she was present long before her friend, the one the troop met at the beginning of this journey. It is here at the foot of this beautiful giant that the troop finds the treasure they desire.

Leave only footprints, take only pictures is a long standing motto for parks around the world. I hope you enjoyed this letterbox because I enjoyed placing it.

Please hide the letterbox back where you found it, this is a very busy park.

Love to box