Text below left intact - we hope to replace it soon.
History: replanted as a microbox on July 12, 2006 (original was planted in late 2004 and lost sometime during the winter/spring of 2005-6, before April 9, 2006). Bring your own inkpad to use this box.
Location: East Ithaca Recreation Way, Ithaca, NY (Tompkins County)
Planted by: The Beholders (aka Haines Family)
Date Originally Planted: October 23, 2004
Last Reported Found: July 7, 2008 (or check here)
Time: 30 minutes round trip by foot, 10 by bike
Difficulty: 1
Terrain: 2
(1 is easiest, 5 is hardest. Consult the
letterbox rating system for further details.)
INTRODUCTION:
This part of the East Ithaca Recreation Way is a popular walk and bicycling path for commuters and people in the neighborhood. There is ample parking, and the flat, paved path is excellent for bikes (even unicycles), strollers, and wheelchairs. Dogs must be leashed and picked up after.
DIRECTIONS:
From the city of Ithaca, go east up the hill on State Street, also known as Route 79. This street starts at the east end of The Commons. Half a mile up you'll come to a place where there is a major turn off to the left for Route 366, on Mitchell Street. Take this left; you have the right of way and do not have to stop. After a few blocks the main road will turn to the left and be called Ithaca Road, but you'll want to take a mild right and continue straight on Mitchell Street. Pass two four-way stops and the school on the right. A few blocks later you'll see Clover Lane on the right. Just past this street you'll see two little houses, one's a flower store called French Lavender. Park between here and the large brown building further on.
Section of map from this site
To the right and behind this large building is a paved path, the recreation way. Start walking! After a little the path goes perfectly straight for about three-quarters of a mile. Go to the end and read the plaque on your left about what the path used to be. Go back to the picnic table and then take 70 steps. Look to your left: the microbox it's in the ground, and five twisted trunks do it surround (beware of thorns nearby).
Once you find this box, you may wish to find the June Monsoon letterbox. You can drive to it, of course, but if you're on bike and you would like a more challenging ride (there's a noticeable hill on the way back), do the following: bicycle back to the start, cross the road at the crosswalk, and keep on going. Turn right on the next road you hit, and look for the continuation of the East Ithaca Recreation Way on the left side of the road, going down the hill (see the map). You're now approaching June Monsoon from the opposite direction, but should be able to find it with just a little extra thought.
If you're more ice cream oriented, you might want to visit the Cornell Dairy Bar, about a mile away. about $2 a pint, and can't be beat!
Please read the disclaimer and waiver of responsibility before attempting to find any letterbox.
The Beholders' other letterboxes