Saturday, August 25, 2012

Technology & Letterboxing


So I've planned lots of letterboxing for this weekend.  Today, I'll be letterboxing out west with the hilarious Ms. Viking and tomorrow I'll be letterboxing with a friend who likes to tag along. (Yeah, I know, I'm trying.)

But as I'm sitting here, printing out my clues, I'm wondering why.  Why am I using paper when pretty much all other aspects of my letterboxing experience involve technology?  In fact, once I'm on the trail, I use my iPhone quite extensively:
  • I can access AtlasQuest and LbNA and their full sites;
  • I can access clues through BoxFinder;
  • I have GPS as well as built in compass;
  • I have an excellent camera and video camera;
  • I have my Geocaching app, for double checking my plant locations;
  • I have hike tracking to map out my routes;
  • I have amazing photo and video editing available;
  • I have an emergency resouce otherwise known as a "telephone" at my fingertips;
  • I have some tunes for the car - podcasts to boot;
  • I have up-to-the-minute weather information;
  • I have a whole slew of generally useful apps; and
  • I have clues in disguise - rather than weirdly hiking with paper in my hand.
Hmm.  So, since I won't be back home to print my Sunday clues, I've decided to go the tech route and not print them at all. I'm sure there's argument to be made that somehow the use of technology is not really congruent with the whole letterboxing experience, but really to each their own.  So high tech letterboxing it is.  C'mon, a compass used to be the height of technology.  I'm sure someday someone reflecting on my use of a smartphone for my letterboxing journies will think, "that's quaint". I'm sure of it.

I'll check in tomorrow with my travelogue... and let you know how how I feel in the high tech vs. low tech experience treats me.

Happy trails!

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