| Difficulty: Easy. Approximately 3 slightly hilly miles if you choose to do the entire yellow trail. Note: The daughter was relocated in Apr 02 to a more eco-friendly spot. Newer Note: The daughter was reported missing in Aug 03. I have not had a chance to check on it yet. Background on the boxes: This pair of boxes is a joint effort between Alicia (8 going on 14) and her mother (me). Alicia knows that she is a far better artist than I am and challenged me to let her carve a letterbox stamp. So as not to be outdone I decided that I better come up with something that we could carve and plant together. The result is “yin” and “yang” where it takes the two halves to make a whole; neither is complete without the other. Background on this location: PML is a little spot of wilderness and wildlife tucked in between two highways and an interstate. It has a wonderful visitors’ center that is open every day but Sunday. There is a short nature walk around a small field from which a series of hiking trails lead off. Sorry, no pets, bikes, running, etc. Directions: Take exit 7B from I-295. This is the exit for Rt. 44 west. Stay in the left lane and take a left at the first intersection at a stoplight. This will be Rt. 5 (Sanderson Rd). The entrance to will be a short ways down on the left (75 yards or so). After parking check out the visitor’s board adjacent to the parking lot. There is a map of the refuge posted on one side and a spot to pick one up on the other. Take a map if you wish but it is hard to get lost here. Begin your journey by walking down towards the small field and taking the trail to the right. After the end of the field this will turn left and you will come to the point where the orange trail splits. For almost this entire quest you just need to stay to the right when the trails split. Begin by taking the right fork now. Stay on the orange trail as it leads around and up to the top of a hill. At this point you will see a fork leading off to the right to the blue trail. Take the blue trail until you come out of the woods and see a split to the right for the yellow trail. Take the yellow trail. The beginning of the yellow trail goes underneath power lines here. Start looking for “the Mother” when you approach the woods again. The mother will be standing tall, exhibiting her nesting instincts, and scolding all of her visitors to mind their manners while visiting her home. After stamping in you can continue on and do the yellow loop or turn around and continue back to find the wandering daughter. If you choose to do the yellow loop you will end up at this spot anyway. As you cross under the power lines don’t let your kids glance to the right if they are hungry. Far down on Rt 44 Wendy’s is clearly visible due to the power line easement. When you reach the blue loop again stay to the right. As you wind back through the woods again you will reach more splits but stay to the right. As you near the bottom of the hill you will approach a large stone wall and the backs of several shops on Rt 44 will be visible. This is where you come to the orange trail again. There is a break in the stone wall and one branch of the orange trail heads through and to the left. The other continues to the left on the near side of the wall. The daughter isn't ready to quit yet and runs off to the left on the near side of the wall. On this section the orange trail winds back to the left away from the visitor center and quickly comes to a "Y" in the blue trail. Did you catch a glimpse of the daughter heading left at the split where the trail heads towards a stone wall? Walk to the split in the wall and check carefully on the right (south) side. She is hiding below the first rock in a small hollow facing the trail. Carefully replace the small rock hiding her when you are finished and head back on the orange trail to the right towards the visitor center and back to your car. Before you set out read the waiver of responsibility and disclaimer. LBNA Homepage Kurdziel Family Letterboxing Homepage |
| The Mother-Daughter Letterboxes (2) Smithfield, RI |
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