Nature’s Canvas

The Hike…

This is a long hike in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula that will require most of the day. The exact distance will depend on the route you choose to take to reach the starting point and any side trails you might decide to pursue. You should plan to set out on the trail before 10:00 a.m. to ensure enough daylight hours to complete the hike. The terrain is more difficult than average with many ups and downs on steep, narrow pathways, rocks, roots and stairs. At times the trail follows the edge of a cliff very closely and it is not recommended for children or inexperienced hikers. Once you have figured out the clues, please consult a trail guide for distance, terrain and directional information. Be sure you know what you are getting yourself into when hunting for this box; allow yourself plenty of time, bring food and water and wear proper clothing and footwear. The hike is long, the terrain is tough in places, but the sights you will see along the way are unparalleled and well worth the time and effort required (and the letterbox is a nice little extra reward). Don’t forget your camera!

The Location…

Perform the following set of instructions on the string of letters that comprise the name of this letterbox, disregarding the space and the apostrophe:

1. Move the 2nd consonant from the right to be the first letter
2. Change the 2nd ‘S’ from the right to a ‘D’
3. Switch the positions of the 2nd consonant and the first vowel from the left
4. Change each ‘N’ to a ‘C’
5. Change the middle ‘C’ to a ‘R’
6. Insert a ‘K’ to the right of the first ‘A’ from the right
7. Replace the first consonant from the left with the word for 3.14
8. Insert an ‘O’ to the left of the 2nd ‘A’ from the left
9. Remove each ‘A’

This is Location Clue #1

Now perform the following set of instructions on the string of letters that comprise location clue #1:

1. Switch the positions of the 2nd vowel from the right and the first consonant from the left
2. Change each ‘C’ to an ‘N’
3. Switch the positions of the 2nd consonant from the left and the 5th consonant from the right
4. Change each ‘S’ to an ‘I’
5. Add an ‘A’ after the 2nd vowel from the left and before the 2nd vowel from the right
6. Change the ‘K’ to a ‘L’
7. Switch the positions of the 3rd and 4th consonants from the right
8. Duplicate the center letter, placing it between the 2nd and 3rd vowels from the right
9. Move the 7th vowel two places to the left
10. Move the 3rd consonant to be the 3rd letter
11. Change the 1st vowel from the left to a ‘T’
12. Change the 7th and 8th letters to be identical to the 12th and 13th letters
13. Change the left-most ‘I’ to be a ‘G’
14. Move the last letter 4 places to the left
15. Move the first letter from the left to be the first letter from the right

This is Location Clue #2

Now perform the following set of instructions on the string of letters that comprise location clue #2:

1. Remove the second ‘R’ from the right and the letter proceeding it
2. Change the last letter to a ‘L’ and move it 13 places to the left
3. Change each ‘P’ to an ‘E’
4. Change the sixth vowel from the left to a ‘R’
5. Move the second vowel from the right 3 places to the left
6. Change the ‘D’ to a ‘K’
7. Move the 2nd consonant from the left 2 places to the right
8. Move the rightmost ‘N’ next to the leftmost ‘N’
9. Switch the positions of the 2nd consonant from the right and the 6th vowel from the left
10. Move the 2nd letter from the right 2 places to the left
11. Change the double letter pair to ‘SH’

This is Location Clue #3

The Letterbox…

Use location clues #1 and #2 as the beginning point for this letterbox hunt. Follow [location clue #3] eastward to the place where 3 short sandy paths lead to nowhere off the trail to your left within close proximity of each other, all offering excellent views of the place where you began this letterbox hunt. Pieces of a fallen tree line the right side of the trail here. Follow the pointing piece to its base and find your treasure tucked in an underside crevice.

Note… Please be very discreet when removing and replacing this letterbox; carry the box well away from the hiding spot to stamp in and be sure to cover and hide well when replacing the box!

U.P. Forest Trail

Five friends (Jaime, Becka, Craig, Amber and Bryce) took a camping trip to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Each person selected a hike/trail for the group, the name of which referenced their favorite kind of tree (pine, maple, hemlock, cedar and white birch). Each hike was in a different county (Alger, Chippewa, Mackinac, Luce and Menominee), of a different distance (2, 4, 5, 7 and 10 miles) and had a different trailhead location (Salt Point Road, Twelve Mile Beach, Forest Road 3114, Stables Picnic Area and a Campground). From the information provided, determine each person’s favorite type of tree, the county their hike was in, the trailhead location and the hike distance.

Once you have solved the puzzle, only one set of details accurately corresponds to an actual hike/trail in the U.P. The correct set of details will be your key to the letterbox location, and the name of the person who chose this hike will be your key to the clue.

Puzzles Clues…

1. The person whose favorite tree is a pine (who isn’t Craig) chose a 4-mile hike. Craig’s chosen hike does not begin at Forest Road 3114. The person whose hike begins at the campground is not the friend who favors maple trees.
2. The hike that begins at the campground is the next shorter in distance than the hike chosen by the friend who favors Hemlock trees, which is shorter than the Luce County hike.
3. The Mackinac County hike (which was chosen by Amber) is longer than the hike beginning at the Stables Picnic Area (which was the hike chosen by Bryce), which is longer than 2 miles.
4. The hike located in Chippewa County is the next shorter in distance than the hike chosen by the friend who favors maple trees (who isn’t Amber), which is shorter than the hike that begins at Salt Point Road (which was not on the white birch trail).
5. The hike that begins at Forest Road 3114 (which is not 5 miles long) is neither the hike in Alger County (which was not the hike chosen by the friend who favors cedar trees) nor the hike chosen by Becka (which was not in Alger County either).

Letterbox Clues…

NMG EUM IQG ITE FQT YIG DQG GSB QNL ONS TSG VGM

Old Shoe’s Brews #2

This box is part of an ongoing series of letterboxes representing some of OldShoe’s favorite microbreweries.

Letterboxes in this Series…

Old Shoe’s Brews #1
• Old Shoe’s Brews #2

Clues…

Complete the Sudoku Puzzle and use the results to decipher the clues below.

 
| Click here to download the puzzle grid in Adobe .PDF format |

1. {E1*D5*F6} {F9-A4} {A6+G7+H4} {G5+I2} {A2*I4} {C1+C4-C2} {B4*G2+D1} {A3+I4} {F9*H1} {H2*B1} {A4+G5} {B6-H9} {H6+D5+G9} {C2+I7} {G1*H3+B2} {D3-F7} {G7*B8} {A3*F8-A4} {C4*A3*I8} {D5*G2-I9} {D3*F8-A6*D8} {B1*G7} {E8*E2}
2. [D1*I7] mile(s) from {A1-E8} {E4*I8} {H1*F7} / {C4*F7+I2} {C6*I4-I7} {D1*H4} {G8*H1} {F3*B1-B9}
3. [A2*G9+B1] steps toward {A2*F8} {B9*I3} {F3*H1} {B6-H3} {A1*G6} {B8-E5*H3} {A7+H4} {A1/G8} {A2+G9} {F3+D5} {B8*C5+D1} to {C1/B4} {E1*E2} {F4/H6} {D7*G7} {H1+E5} {G5*I4-B2} {H4*A5} {F8*B9} {C2+I4}
4. [B7*F7] steps from {C1*F5+H3} {A7*I7} {F4*I8+H4} {A7*E5*G6} end to {E8*D5} {F4/B2} {C6*A3} {F7+C5} on {D7*E5} {H1*B1-H4} {A4*I7} {A7*G4}
5. [F4*B8*G9-A7] degrees; {C5*H3} {E4*H1} {C3*B1+B2} {A1/H4} {B6/F7} {D8*I7} {B9*H1-H9} {C5+G7} {A2/E4} {F8*G4} {F4+G7} {F7+A7} {G1*B4} {A3-H4-I7} {D8*D5} {H6*F7} {B7*H3} {E1+I2} {D8+B8}

The Roadside Table

Find the Michigan Historical Marker depicted in the photo below. Use the text on the marker to decipher the clues and find the letterbox.

Clues…

6-10 15-2 2-21 13-9 2-2 4-2 12-18 11-26 16-10 11-2 10-19 7-5 2-10 1-7 5-23 14-8 10-11 15-10 7-1 5-18 3-19 12-12

14-1 4-14 4-12 13-24 3-5 9-19 12-9 6-3 13-15 16-1 14-12 6-24 13-1 4-6 16-6 8-20 11-1 15-23 10-16 15-7 4-26 16-5 2-27 8-4 3-17

15-21 6-5 3-24 7-4 2-18 7-11 1-16 12-11 16-4 4-9 7-22 5-5 15-13 9-7 5-20 14-15 6-2 14-13 11-7

1-12 4-14 4-13 13-4 4-8 8-22 12-23 9-9 6-7 11-6 3-25 10-5 13-2 7-10 2-14 9-14 8-3 14-27 5-1 4-18 6-26 14-2 5-12 3-14 5-13 14-7 3-7 12-5

May Day Derby

At one of Muskegon County’s neighborhood parks you will find the remains of an old soap box derby racing strip back in the woods. This track is no longer used but many of the local children delight in hearing stories from their parents about racing their homemade wooden cars down the asphalt strip in the trees.

This year, five children who live nearby (two girls named Genna and Taylor, and three boys named Austin, Landen and Ben) decided that they would hold a soap box derby race on May 1st. The May Day Derby, as they called it, was to be a little different from a traditional soap box derby in that the children themselves would not be driving their cars, rather after building their cars, each of which were marked with a different number (2, 7, 12, 17, 22), they brought them to the top of Derby Hill, strapped in their dogs (Gus, Cooper, Buddy, Ralphie and Dora), with helmets of course, and sent them whizzing off down the hill while the children stood nearby cheering.

Using the clues below, determine the order (first through fifth) in which each car finished the race, the number and canine driver of each car, as well and the first and last names (Northouse, Eastman, Westveld, Westgate and Southerly) of each car owner. Then use the information from the completed puzzle to help you find the letterbox.

Puzzles Clues…

1. The car belonging to the Southerly boy finished fifth; he doesn’t own car number 22, which belongs to either Austin or Landen.
2. The number on the car owned by the Eastman child is five more than the number on Austin Westgate’s car and five fewer than the number on the car driven by Buddy.
3. The two girls are the Northouse child (whose driver is not Buddy) and the one whose driver is Ralphie (who isn’t driving car number 7 or 17).
4. Gus did not drive car number 7; car number 2 did not win the race.
5. The car driven by Dora finished immediately ahead of the car owned by the Eastman child, who finished immediately ahead of the car owned by Landen.
6. At least two cars owned by boys finished consecutively; Ralphie is not Genna’s dog.

Finding the Letterbox…

Once you have solved the puzzle, use the following clues to make your way to the letterbox:

1. Begin at the top of Derby Hill and follow the track to the end of the blacktop.
2. Follow the trail at [car # of the 4th place finisher] squared + [product of the finishing positions of the cars belonging to the two girls].
3. Proceed [sum of Taylor’s car # and Austin’s car #] paces to an intersection of trails.
4. Follow the trail that heads [direction found in Genna’s last name].
5. Come upon a very large [finishing position of the car owned by the Northouse child]-trunked tree on your right.
6. From this tree, proceed [Landen’s car #] paces and stop between the ends of 2 cut logs.
7. See a naked tree standing at [product of the car #’s driven by Gus and Ralphie] - [# of the car driven by Cooper] degrees.
8. From this tree, proceed [product of the finishing positions of all car numbers ending in 2] paces at [sum of the car #’s belonging to Genna and Ben] multiplied by [product of the finishing positions of the cars driven by Dora and Buddy] degrees.
9. Find the box tucked under the end of a hollow fallen log.