Event #1928

2011: a stamp odyssey

Klondike Park, 4600 MO-94, Augusta, MO

Registered Boxes: All Traditional HH/Cootie/Flea Postal LTC Event Box Traveler Other

Starts	Fri September 16, 2011 4:00pm
Ends	Sun September 18, 2011 4:00pm
Owner	MO UR4Me
Admins	I dig toasters MO UR4Me roly-polies
Signups	96/140
Location	Klondike Park, 4600 MO-94, Augusta, MO View Map
Add to Calendar	Google calendar ICS file (e.g. Outlook, iCal, etc.)

Description

Thousands of miles away, before the Internet existed, an adventure began. An adventure that ultimately leads man to confront his own destiny in an odyssey of exploration.
[Click HERE for cool sound effects now!]

Gateway Letterboxers invite you to join us at Klondike Park in Augusta, MO the weekend of September 16-18, 2011 for a stamping odyssey!
This adventure will help you to explore this gorgeous park, located along Hwy 94 in St. Charles County, in Missouri's wine country. During the day, you will build your own collection of constellations against an inky sky. Then on Saturday night, you can try out your new star gazing guide!
The main event shelter is located inside the primitive camping loop (sites 1-10) (the "Camp Shelter"). Over 50 letterboxes to find!
The actual "event" will begin at 9:00 on Saturday, but clues will available beginning late Friday afternoon if you are staying the night.

STARGAZING
The Astronomical Society of Eastern MO has agreed to hold one of their public stargazing sessions on Saturday night to coordinate with our event! If the weather cooperates, they will have powerful telescopes set up for us so that we can get a special view of the stars! This weekend was chosen because it will be a dark sky, when constellations are most visible.

OTHER ACTIVITIES
Klondike Park also has a beautiful small lake for fishing (bring your own gear). The park borders The Katy Trail, a crushed gravel trail that is very popular. If you can’t fit your own bikes in the car, they can be rented in the nearby town of Defiance. There are also many nearby wineries and restaurants along Hwy 94.

THE MOVIE
If you are not familiar with the 1968 movie on which this theme is based, check out this trailer. The content of this movie does not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or personal tastes of the event planners! Surely, this event will be more exciting and action-packed!

CAMPING AND LODGING
For those from out of town or wishing to spend the entire weekend at Klondike Park, there are number of lodging options: the park offers both primitive campsites as well as cabins, and the nearby towns have a number of Bed & Breakfasts. Further details are listed BELOW (keep reading).

FRIDAY ARRIVALS & CAMPFIRE
If you are arriving on Friday evening, you can get a clue booklet from MO UR4Me. She should arrive by 4:00 p.m. Campers will [hopefully] be allowed to drive around to the back of the campground to unload and then park in the lot.
MO UR4Me will host a campfire with a “marshmellow bar” in the campground if you would like to join us. B.Y.O. C. (C=chair).

SATURDAY REGISTRATION: Registration will be at the camp shelter at 9:00 on Saturday morning. Each family will receive a goodie bag with a map and clue booklet. In addition, letterboxers can make a trailnametag, get the Event Stamp, stamp your signature stamp onto the Event Poster and also onto a few thank you cards. Even if you are on the trail early in the morning, please try and stop by around 9:00. After you have registered, feel free to hang out for as long as you like and exchange signature stamps with others, or you can start hunting right away.

DONATIONS
There will be a suggested donation of $5 per 'boxer and $0 for 'noxers (non-boxer), $15 per family max. In other words, if you are dragging along your spouse or kid and he/she is not going to stamp into anything, don't put in a donation! (If contributing would put a strain on your family, don't worry about it.)

RAFFLE: Each 'boxer will receive a raffle ticket and be eligible for some AWESOME prizes that will be announced at lunch time (so make sure you are there!).

GAME: There will also be a very special game that you will probably want to play on Saturday. Entrance into the game will be $2. Other than that, it's a secret!

CrockPotLuck LUNCH
We will be having a "CrockPotLuck", which is a potluck with CrockPots. Please sign up (potluck list is at the bottom of this page). If you need some ideas, try this site: http://southernfood.about.com/od/crockpotrecipes/a/Crockpot-Recipes-Using-6-Items-Or-Fewer.htm. You can plug your CrockPot in at the lunch shelter anytime during the morning, or in the shower house’s kitchen.
DRINKS: Please bring your own drinks, since you'll need something for the trails anyway.
LOCALS: If you are from the STL area, please bring something to share that can sit in a CrockPot while you are out hunting in the morning. There are a number of outlets in the Shelter (#1) and there are also outlets in the kitchen of the shower house. Please bring a serving utensil for your dish. If you don't have a CrockPot and need to borrow one, contact MO UR4Me and she'll borrow an extra.
GUESTS: If you are coming from out of town, you can sign up to bring chips, paper goods, or something that is easier to pack. Unless you have a great CrockPot recipe, of course!
GROUP PHOTO: will be at 1:30. If you are having so much fun that you miss lunch, don’t miss this!

CARVING TIPS WORKSHOP
There will be a workshop on stamp carving basics after lunch at 2:00. There is a separate event signup here.

DINNER: If you are staying for stargazing or overnight, you can bring something to cook or visit a restaurant or winery in nearby Augusta.

TRAILS: Klondike Park has many trails and the letterboxes will be spread out over them. You will be given an official, color-coded event map, so don't waste your own ink printing one beforehand. (There will even be a bulletin board in the shelter with a large trail map. We will encourage folks to stick a push pin on the trail that they are planning to walk so that everyone can try and spread themselves out, although this also happens naturally.)

KID STUFF: There will be an unmanned table of kids' activities near the event shelter that you may help yourself to.

PATCHES: Dizzy will have a batch of Missouri Letterboxing patches available for purchase for approximately $3 each.

LOCATING THE LANDING PAD: When you first enter Klondike park, take a right and then another right at the top of the hill. Look for the Stamp Odyssey signs that will direct you to our campground area, where the event shelter is.

INK: Most stamps will require black, but there will be a few other colors mixed in if you want to pack markers.

NO HITCHHIKERS: The boxes for this event are very full. Please do NOT bring hitchhikers to pack in. Thanks!

EVENT STAMPS: We are attempting to limit event boxes to a less-than-overwhelming number because there will so be many boxes for you to find. If you have an event box that you think fits our theme, please contact roly-polies to see if we need any more.

TIPS FOR "VIRGO" EVENT GOERS
1) You will have opportunity to "exchange" with lots of letterboxers! This means stamping your signature stamp into their book and vice-versa. You might even want to bring a separate book just for exchanges.
2) Many letterboxers also carry a Personal Traveler. This is another stamp that you can get if you ask, but sometimes you have to answer a specific question. AQ has a Personal Traveler list feature on the event page so that you can prepare in advance.
3) Don't feel like you have to do any of the above. Relax and enjoy yourself, whether that means being out on the trail or sticking around and meeting other people.

CAMPING AND LODGING DETAILS
TENT CAMPING: The primitive camping loop (sites 1-10) have been reserved for our group for Fri and Sat and are $14/2nights, payable to MO UR4Me. There is a shelter within this loop which will be our main event shelter. This area is basically shady and flat. It is a walk-in camping area, so you must carry your gear from the car to your campsite, but there is an entrance where two cars can temporarily drive in while unloading. Please note that the nearest restrooms are in the shower house, which is a fairly long walk (.15 mile?). If you need this amenity frequently, you may wish to bring your bike and a small flashlight! Each campsite has a maximum of two tents or five guests and features a table and fire ring. I don't recall how far away the water faucet is. Please do NOT bring firewood from outside the area (information on where to obtain local firewood will be posted closer to the event date). If you would like to reserve one of these sites, please AQmail MO UR4Me for a reservation and info on where to send a check for $14/night. Include a campsite number if you have a particular one in mind, otherwise you can decide when you get there. There are other campsites available (some basic, some primitive) at the park which can be reserved directly from the park.
CABINS: There are four sturdy cabins that sleep up to 8 guests (2 on a futon, 2 bunk beds, 2 bed in loft; includes mattress but bring your own bedding) which come equipped with a ceiling fan, light, one outlet (no cooking), and an indoor table. Cabin rental is $65/night. Photos of a cabin are here.
*** 08/15/11 update: All cabins are sold out, but Cabin E has been reserved by Outdoor Girls and they have room for more. If you would like to share, AQmail them directly.

BED AND BREAKFASTS

Augusta Swan Haven Inn B&B	www.swanhaveninn.com	Augusta Lindenhof B&B	www.lindenhof-augusta.com
Anchor Mill Inn	www.anchormillinn.com	Augusta Guest House	www.augustacottage.com
Apple Gate Inn	www.applegate-inn.com	Femme Osage Haus	www.femmeosagehaus.com
Augusta B&B	www.augustabedandbreakfast.com	H.S. Clay House	www.hsclayhouse.com
Stoneridge Vineyard Farm & Inn	www.stoneridgevineyardfarm-inn.com	Lindenhof B&B	www.lindenhof-augusta.com
Stoneledge Guest Suite	www.stoneledgeguestsuite.com	Augusta Wine Country Inn	www.augustawinecountry.com
Swan Haven Inn	www.swanhaveninn.com	Edelweiss Guest House B&B
The Red Brick Inn	www.redbrick-bb.com	Critter Cottage B&B	www.crittercottagebandb.com
Weinstrasse Cabins	www.weinstrassecabins.com	Heaven on Earth B&B	www.heavenonearth.ws
Brick Inn B&B	www.brickinnbedandbreakfast.com

HOTELS

Residence Inn

www.marriott.com

Staybridge Suites

www.staybridge.com

Country Inn & Suites

www.hiexpress.com

PERSONAL LOGBOOK COVERS
If you use a 4x6 photo album and would like an "official" cover, print this.

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE LETTERBOXES AFTERWARD? This park has no more room for permanent letterboxes, so they will all be relocated. Carvers may take their box after Sunday at 5pm or leave them for the planners to pick up and deliver/replant.

QUESTIONS? Please post any additional questions on the Missouri AQ board so that the answer can be seen by all (unless it's personal, of course). Thanks!

Sep 20, 2011: Thanks to everyone else
IDT and I would like to thank everyone else who helped with the Stamp Odyssey - we had so much fun and could not have done it without you. A special shout out to aMAZEING adventure frog, Mr. Jake, roly-polies, Dizzy, Kiss'n Karin, Carry On Grandma, Nature Quest, Homebody, Pickle A Pickle, and all the carvers for your generous donations of time, materials and gray matter (brain cells). I just know I have forgotten someone but I don't want to put off my thanks any longer just so that I can check my list. You know who you are. Of course we can't forget everyone who brought such yummy food!

If you took pictures, you can upload them to the event page to share with others.

If you're a Facebooker, feel free to friend me (Robin Ritchie Barton).

You are all personally invited to find my series Colors Of Creation which is on my property in Foristell. Contact me if you are interested.

I will select a date when the Astromony Club is having a public stargazing session for us to have a mini-event to use our new star knowledge and give them their thank you. It will be a Friday night for sure, possibly in mid October. Stay tuned.

LIVE LONG AND PROSPER!

Sep 21, 2011: We are leaving the boxes there this weekend
I Dig Toasters and I haven't even unpacked yet, so we have decided to leave all the boxes at Klondike through the weekend. If anyone took yours home with you, please let me know so that I can cross if off the list. Any future messages about this will be on the Missouri message board.

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