1220. Put a Cork in it: Set #1
Balsam Lake, New York

As opposed to most of our previous summers of the past few decades, which we largely spent making big loops out west doing volunteer trail projects along the Continental Divide and such (after past injuries caught up with me and my backpacking days were over), pretty much all we got to do in the summer of 2022, in between gardening and playing in band concerts, was a little loop through Finger Lakes Wine Country in upstate NY. So, we were delighted when knits gave us a bunch of tiny faces she had carved and stuck onto the backs of wine corks to plant wherever we wanted to on our future travels! They reminded me of the little sun stamps I had once carved and stuck onto the ends of corks that went into a couple of our "Message in a Bottle" letterboxes that we had bought in Florida and mailed as surprises to a few of our earliest letterboxing friends way back then well over twenty years ago now, making them possibly the first "postal letterboxes", a picture of which can be seen on page 86 of mapsurfer's book "The Letterboxer's Companion"!

Anyway, knits stressed the fact that there now seem to be quite a few folks out there who just can't do hikes or walks or even strolls, but love collecting stamps and want to claim at least something of a letterboxing experience by doing drive-bys as they are able. So, these little corks will be for them, a sort of compromise situation for those who perhaps have difficulty getting out of their cars, or just a little something extra for those on their way to bigger letterboxing adventures!

So, for this first set of cork plugs, simply follow the clues for Wanda's Wanda-rings: Finger Lakes Trail . Even just driving along the "no outlet" Beaver Kill Road in the Catskills should give folks something of the feel of a letterboxing adventure since it once was an actual trail route many years ago. On the final dirt portion of the road, pull over right before the last rusty brown guardrail on the right before crossing the Beaver Kill and look in the second hole of its upper near end for a cork plug with "Blue Man". Those who are able will probably enjoy climbing Balsam Lake Mountain from the trailhead just a short distance ahead. Otherwise, just circle back from the trailhead and park in the pull off right after the first rusty brown guardrail on your right and look in the second upper hole of this far end for a cork plug with "Green Man". Hope you enjoyed the drive!

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