Hitchhiker Protocol
Hitchhiker Protocol: Always sign & date your entries.
It is always very easy to make errors with hitchhikers, but
especially when you are tired, it is raining & you have logbooks &
stamps scattered all over the place.
Picking Up a Hitchhiker
- Prior to picking up a hitchhiker (HH) be sure you will be
able to get it to a letterbox within a reasonable amount of time
(varies), usually within about one week.
- Check the hitchhiker carefully for movement restrictions. Is
it limited to one state, one town, or maybe to one park, or just to
Scouts etc. etc.? Be certain you can comply with the owner's
wishes. Some owners require that the hitchhiker be moved within 24
hours etc. Some HH's are marked "No Gathers."
- Be sure the stamp & logbook are present. Check the box & the
ground if the stamp is missing. If you take a broken hitchhiker you
should be willing to contact the owner & try to help.
- Verify that the hitchhiker was stamped into the letterbox
logbook correctly. If not, you should stamp it in (see below). If
necessary, stamp the letterbox into the HH (see below).
- Ready to take the hitchhiker? If yes, record in the
letterbox log that you have taken the hitchhiker, this is very
important. Some people stamp the HH into their log now, some wait
until they get home (don't forget!). Reassemble the HH and take it.
Dropping off a Hitchhiker
- Find a letterbox that meets the requirements of the HH,
sign/stamp into it, and stamp the HH into the letterbox logbook.
- Stamp the letterbox stamp into the HH.
- Record that you left the hitchhiker. Double check that the
HH still has its stamp & log sealed into its own container; drop it
off.
It is really pretty easy. Mistakes are made all the time, but most
of them are easily fixed.
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