Dear Newbies,

I've noticed that many new people who go to gatherings don't seem to go out and look for the boxes the event planner went to the trouble to plant and print up clues for. Or that's the way it seems sometimes.

At a recent gathering the organizer finally kind of kidded people into actually boxing. No one was going outside. Now I love the social aspect of gatherings just as much as the next person. It's great to meet new people and to see people you might not have seen since the last gathering you all happened to attend.

But it's also about getting out on the trail and finding some boxes, many of which are really great because they were carved specifically for the gathering and someone may have went to a lot of time and effort to have them ready on time and mail them.

It seems to me like many new people are so intent on doing exchanges and getting all those free "finds" laying around on the tables that they wind up never getting out on the trail, or spending most of the day inside.

Gatherings are wonderful social events but they are also about getting out on the trail and looking for those boxes the organizer planted for you to enjoy.

Or at least that's my never humble opinion.