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Broome County Hitchhiker Hostel LbNA #34093

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Aug 14, 2007
Location:
City:Vestal
County:Broome
State:New York
Boxes:1
Planted by:Songchick
Found by: Banjoman
Last found:Sep 21, 2009
Status:FFFFFFFFFF
Last edited:Aug 14, 2007
The Broome County Hitchhiker Hostel is a place where not only can you get your "traditional" stamp, but drop off hitchhikers and/or get new ones for your travels.

I've always loved finding hitchhikers. It's like getting an extra donut when you buy a dozen ... not expected, but appreciated when one comes your way. And hitchhikers are just plain fun to follow around the country as they travel. My family has been following the progress of the "Jaunting Jellyfish", my first attempt at a hitchhiker. It started here in NY, and is currently floating along the North Carolina/South Carolina border.

The Broome County Hitchhiker Hostel (BCHH) is located on a small hiking trail located behind the Twin Orchards Baptist Church in Vestal, NY. The trail is kept passable, but you may have to do a bit of searching during some seasons.

A couple requests when you visit the Hostel:
1. Please make sure the BCHH logbooks stay in the letterbox, and don't go wandering off as hitchhikers.
2. There are two logbooks - one for visitor's personal stamps, the other to record hitchhikers that are left in the box. If you're dropping off a hitchhiker, please log it into the hitchhiker book.
3. Stamp as many of the hitchhikers into your personal log books as you'd like, but please don't take one if you don't have one to leave! I've had several people travel from out of town to get this box, only to find no HH's in the hostel. Anyone is welcome to drop hitchhikers off in the Hostel even if you don't want to take one. If you do get to the hostel and find no HH's in residence, please let me know so I can either carve or solicit some more!
4. PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS BOX DURING CHURCH ACTIVITIES! If something is going on at the church, please try another time. Services are Wednesday nights, Sunday mornings, and Sunday evenings, but it's a very active place with lots of extra activities for the congregation and community.

Directions to Twin Orchards Baptist Church
Follow directions to Vestal, NY. If you're coming from out of town, I'd suggest taking Rt. 17 to exit 70S, Rt. 201. Follow the signs for Binghamton University, but get off 201 at the Old Vestal Road exit ramp to your right. Take a right off the exit, pass the Vestal Hills Memorial Park and the Saturn Dealership. Twin Orchards Baptist Church is just past the dealership. Turn right onto Gates road, and then the second right into the back parking lot.

Directions to the BCHH Letterbox
1. Once you've pulled into the back driveway, park your car in one of the first parking spots. You will see a set of wooden stairs leading to a small clearing with a fire pit and some benches. Walk up the stairs.
2. You will see a small path to your right that parallels the edge of the parking lot, heading in an eastern direction. Walk along that path.
3. At the end of the parking lot, the path splits into a Y. Take the left arm of the Y, heading up the hill.
4. Continue to climb the hill until you come directly between two VERY large trees with LOTS of branches sticking out. Go to the south side of the tree on your right.
5. With your back to the tree, you should see another large tree with lots of branches sticking out in front of you about 12 paces away. Do you notice the pile of rocks at the base? There might be a reason for that ....

Please be sure you cover the box well when you leave for the next searcher of hitchhikers. I'll be checking this box frequently (I like to get HH's too!!!), but contact me if it needs any maintenence, or if you've visited.