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To celebrate our recent introduction to both Letterboxing and Questing this month’s challenge is our attempt at a virtual “treasure hunt.” If you are not familiar with either concept don’t worry we just found out about them, too. Letterboxing began in England in the 1800s with hidden self-addressed cards that the finders later mailed (leaving their own card behind). Hence the term letterboxing—what we call mailboxes Brits call letterboxes.

Modern letterboxing now involves following clues to a hidden box that contains a logbook, stamp and stamp pad. Finders are to “stamp in” to the logbook with their own distinctive stamp and then stamp their personal logbook with the one in the box. The challenge of the hunt calls me—I can’t believe I just learned about this—I can’t wait to go letterboxing!

Questing is based on the concept of letterboxing but with an educational bent. It is a treasure hunt designed to familiarize visitors, often school children, with the story of a specific place, time period or creature. The intent is to make learning fun.

So, here we go—its a two-parter—you not only need to figure out the answer to each clue but after taking the designated letter from each answer you’ll need to unscramble them to get the final answer.

In the dense temperate rainforest of Olympic National Park we stumbled across a small yellow critter. Size is relative though—this species is the second largest of its kind. Raccoons, birds, and snakes consider this critter a tasty treat. You’ll need the first letter of the second word.

A while ago we picnicked on the shore of this superlative body of water. It was once so polluted that Dr. Seuss decried its deplorable state in his book The Lorax. Is your puzzler sore? Here’s one hint more, you’ll need the first letter of the second word.

While we were in this state we spent time rockhounding for large, clear crystals composed of silica. We had better luck digging them up than finding the smaller, more valuable crystals made of carbon. You’ll need the first letter of the state.

We visited this still operating plantation which is not far from the fort where the shots that precipitated our Civil War were fired. Unlike the southern plantations of yore this one doesn’t grow rice, tobacco or cotton. What does this one grow? You’ll need the first letter.

In 1698, not far from one of our favorite places, Eusebio Francisco Kino, a Jesuit priest established several missions in the Primeria Alta region of New Spain. Most of the missions were eventually abandoned and crumbled into the desert. The inhabitants of one exceptional mission built and decorated a church that is still in use today. You’ll need the first letter of the second word.

Now unscramble the letters to reveal the answer to the question we get asked most often about our travels: “What’s the most surprising place you’ve visited?”

Instructions: When you think you have figured it out, enter your guess in the comment field below. Be sure to check back next week to see if you were right. Happy questing!