Journey Into Imagination
 

Stafford & Somers, CT

3 miles round trip.

21 boxes

Planted by Irish Tinker, Rosie Bunny, &  RTRW
 

Created by many imaginative boxers across North America & Canada.

Maintained by boxers everywhere. Hint, hint! Since this series was created by so many boxers maybe we could all chip in and share in the maintenance of it by bringing along extra supplies when visiting in case there are any boxes in need of help. Thank you! Please wear orange. Clues that are in italics are actual excerpts from the highlighted books. Each bold title represents a box.

 

From the Stafford Rotary take Route 32 North to Route 190 West. Turn left on Sodam Road which is the second Shenipsit State Forest sign on the left. It is also exactly a 1/2 mile past Johnson Memorial.

 

Pull in and park on the opposite side of the open gate. There is a little pull off (fits about 2 cars) on the right, about 10 yards beyond gate. This is a narrow, dirt road that has many hikers on it. Through out our clues we will refer to this dirt road as the main trail. 

 

Three gypsies, known as Rosie, Tink,  and Artie, were traveling across the hills and valleys of Connecticut in search of a great adventure which had led them to this enchanted forest trail. You see they would often get premonitions deep in their bones and this time their bones were leading them to a ceremony of the greatest importance yet it was a mystery even to them.  Now it is said that those with the strongest imaginations, a  deep love of books and story telling can actually find the treasure of true happiness here in these very woods! Their journey began where all enchanted journeys must begin...Where the Sidewalk Ends.  

"Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,

And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,

For the children, they mark, and the children, they know

The place where the sidewalk ends."
 

From their caravan they wandered ahead to the guardrail on the right. From the guardrail  they took 23 paces to a tree on the right with a blue dot. Still standing on the road they noticed something odd around  275* It was a rock sloping towards them. Ahh, behind the large sloping rock is the smaller rock "Where the Sidewalk Ends" and the journey began.

 

Continuing on the main trail they spotted a Bear Scout Troop ahead. Upon reaching the intersection and the scouts they inquired which way to go. But before the scouts could show their map, Papa Bear interrupted "Look here, Bear Scouts. Your book can't show Which way is the way to go. But a bear like me, A bear who's clever, Takes the short way. The long way, never!"  Following Papa Bear the threesome turned right at the double blue dots and walked past the wire "gate". As they followed the trail they noticed a tree with a deep "innie" belly-button standing about 10 feet off the trail on the right. Ten feet deeper into the woods was a round pile of rocks. Maybe this would be a good spot to set up camp. The gypsies helped build a safe camp for the scouts using the rocks down low from the opposite side of the rock circle. They then bid farewell to the "Berenstain Bears."

 

They wandered back to the small trail and turned right. At the top of the hill they noticed a large pile of wood to the left and a gray mountain to the right. They were sure if they climbed to the top the could see their destination. They climbed to it's peek. Through the woods facing in the direction of the small side trail they could see the huge pile of wood that they had admired moments earlier. Looking over their left shoulder they spotted a large fallen limb. "Ahh, a place to rest our weary bones!" sighed Tink. They walk to it and rested but just beyond they noticed an enchanted piece of wood. They could tell it was enchanted because it was white and papery, as all truly enchanted logs are! They could feel in their bones that this enchanted white log was destined to be brought to life & go by the name of Pinocchio, though how or when they did not know. Since creating life out of dead wood was not their forte they moved on.

 

Back at the small trail they continued on. They could hear a loud munching and everyone knows gypsies never turn down a free meal so they decided to check it out. To the right of the trail they found what was left of an old orchard delivery truck.  Under the tailgate they found a very Hungry Caterpillar munching on the last of the apples this truck must have been carrying before it met with it's demise.

 

Artie demanded "Surely this can not be the way! We must turn around if we want to make it today!" They headed back to the "main" trail. Instead of going on the main trail they decided to head straight across to the small, unmarked, southeast trail. After a couple of minutes when  the trail turned southish, Rosie noticed  a fallen tree about 30 feet to her left. "I am so tired, please may we rest!" pleaded Rosie. From the roots she looked to 195*. "Ahh, this is the perfect place to doze!" She walked to the stump and laid her head down in the roots. While she drifted off to dream, Tink & Artie heard her murmuring . "Goodnight Moon. Goodnight cow jumping over the moon!"

 

After the refreshing rest they could see this clearly was not the way! They turned around and headed back toward the main trail. Stepping over some obvious rocks in the trail and chatting about the how the rock just left of the trail had a tree growing on top of it. A little voice yelled out "Over here to your right!" They cautiously walked along the south side of the stonewall. A puffy little creature popped up from under some suspiciously placed sticks. "For I am the Lorax. I speak for the trees. I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues!" The Lorax advised them to go back to main trail and turn left. He also reminded them not to trample the young trees.

 

Slowly wandering down the main trail they took the next right hand trail, passing the wire "gate". Just before the trail bends left, they encountered a young, lost llama talking to a small creature hiding in the hollowed out stump/tree on the right. "Is Your Mama A Llama?" he asked. Taking pity on lost fellow they helped him on his way and then started to head back toward the main trail.

 

Just before they reached the main trail they turned right onto a small trail heading towards a look out. They took 12 paces on the trail. Kuhplink! Kuhplink! Surprised by the noise they spun to the right! There about 8 feet to the right standing between a cut log and stump stood a child picking blueberries.

Little Sal picked three berries and dropped them in her little tin pail. Kuhplink, kuhplink, kuhplunk! She picked three more berries and ate them. They decided to help their new friend and stayed long enough to pick Blueberries for Sal, then headed back to main trail.

 

Following the main trail they took the next right. There must be a clue to this mysterious event somewhere! Their bones have never been wrong in the past! Well their was one time involving a sequence blouse to a BBQ but let's just call that poor judgment! They walked past a round stone in the middle of the path. (Warning there are a few cliffs in this area, not real steep but steep enough that I would watch my kids.) Tink twisted her ankle in a small dip on the right of the trail. From under the small cinder block hut a sad little donkey stuck his head out followed by his pal, Winnie the Pooh.  Eeyore advised them to head up the small trail which would soon veer to the left, From the lookout he was sure they would see the clue they were looking for. But before they left he warned them to "Beware of Heffalump traps."

 

They walked up to the lookout but didn't stop there. They continued on the trail keeping the lookout to their right and the woods to their left. The path took a sharp right, but they felt drawn to the left. They walked into the thick woods passing  a bolder with smaller rocks on each side. Just ahead there was a collapsed pony pointing to  8 more fallen ponies laying close together! "The ponies were exhausted and their coats were heavy with water, but they were free, free, free!"  Tucked in close on the  left side of the pony to the farthest left (close to it's base) was a pony named Misty!  As inspiring as this sight was they knew this was not the destination of their mysterious journey, so they slowly turned and headed back, passing Eeyore's house. "I don't know what or who you are lookin' for but you may want to try Lucay. I hear there is a wild bunch down there!" grumbled the old donkey. The three agreed this must be where destiny was pulling them. They went back to the main trail and headed right. 

 

At Lucay they turned left. Soon they saw a mystical hemlock growing out of a rock to the left of the trail. Behind the hemlock there was a large stone pointing to the sky. The gypsies heard growls and hoots coming from behind the stone. Upon closer inspection Artie saw the light coming from the crack in the rock. She whispered "That is  Where the Wild Things Are."  They saw monsters in all shapes and forms but one didn't seem like a monster at all. It looked like one of the mischief makers was really just a little boy in white wolf suit. He stopped and looked at Artie and yelled "I'll eat you up!"

Escaping farther down the path. They past a small clearing with a large hemlock and rustic ladders tossed about. "I am so hungry but there is something about this place I just don't trust. Let's continue." suggested Rosie. Onward they marched until they found a bull just sitting, leaning against  large, tall, flat slabs to the right of the trail. A shiny bell hung around the bulls large neck that read Ferdinand. He sat sniffing the wild flowers growing around him. Patting him between his horns, Rosie exclaimed "Oh you sweet pet! You must come with us on our journey to witness greatness!" then she whispered in his ear "To tell you the truth Ferdinand, we are not even sure what we are looking for but Artie and Tink say they can feel that something big is happening deep in their bones, and their bones never lie!" With that Ferdinand inhaled a deep breath sniffing a deep red flower and replied, "I like it better here where I can just sit  quietly and smell the flowers." With that Ferdinand tossed the red flower over his shoulder. Rosie watched it drift from side to side in the breeze until it landed between the middle rock and the small stubby rock.

A wonderful aroma was wafting in the air. It tickled their noses and even more importantly it tickled the gypsies empty bellies. The delightful scent led them back the way they came. At the large hemlock on the left, the aroma drew them up the small hill trail on the right. Stopping at the tree with two arms and a limb laying in it's crook they scanned their  surroundings.  To the right they spotted a funny little character sitting practically under a bolder with a red brick on it The little fellow was getting ready to picnic on some kind of feast. With a smile he giggled "Sam I Am! Do you like Green Eggs and Ham?" Tink quickly replied "I do not like them, Sam-I-Am. I do not like green eggs and ham!"

 

With tummies still empty the gypsies left Sam to his feast. They walked back to Lucay and all the way back to the main trail. At the main trail they turned left. Passing water on the right and stopping to soak their feet at the stream on the left. Still relaxing but looking further down the trail the gypsies spotted a little Russian women cooking over a big black pot. As she stirred and stirred she recited "Bubble, bubble, pasta pot, Boil me up some pasta, nice and hot! I'm hungry and it's time to sup, Boil enough pasta to fill me up. Enough, enough, pasta pot, I have my pasta nice and hot. So simmer down my pot of clay until I'm hungry another day!"  Tink with high hopes of filling her belly trotted down the trail and introduced herself to the Russian women who in return gave her name as Strega Nona. No invitation though! After finishing her meal Strega Nona stored her magic spoon in a long hollowed out fallen tree on the left of the trail. Excusing herself due to the fact that she too was on her way to a mysterious event of greatness, Strega Nona disappeared down the path!  Tink and Artie looked at each and the fallen tree. They felt their empty tummies and knew they just had to borrow the spoon! They took out one of their own pots and began to stir and stir and stir! Soon they had all the pasta they could eat but they couldn't get it to stop. There was pasta all over the dead tree and pasta in the stream. It was even all over the path. Dropping the spoon they scurried on their way!