Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Hallowed Grounds Tour 2009 ready to go this weekend!

For those of you that love checking out old cemeteries, I just posted the last of the clues for the Hallowed Grounds Tour 2009 (which is all driving around cemeteries looking for stamps). All you do is follow the driving directions I posted, and by the time you finish, you'll have a little mini-cemetery of stones on paper, which is kinda cool and fun. It's set up so that adults and kids will like it (not a ton of walking and easy stamps to find). The two routes I set up start and end at Panera's in Lockport, so it's close by. We'd love to see more folks joining us, so check here for the info if you haven't already: http://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.html?gEventId= 1003

You can do these any time you want, since they'll be around forever, but Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. is when you can get the main stamp at Panera's. Hope to see some of you there!

The S & H

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Six Degree of Woot Coolness!

Okay, I have the coolest LONG story that ends with "and so, my friend is ACTUALLY getting his shirt made by Woot today!"

It begins with a tale of six degrees of separation. My friend Patrick lived here in Buffalo with his wife Laura and 3 kids. Patrick and his oldest daughter used to do Comedy Sportz in Buffalo with me (in fact, they were in the same round of draft picks/auditions as I was and got in at the same time). Now they live in San Jose.

Guess who ELSE lives in San Jose and is funny and I've been telling to go try out for ComedySportz???

Wassa also LOVES this site called Woot! that does a one deal, one day kinda promo. It's addictive stuff if you start checking it out. After the Highlander's bat experience, he sent him a Woot shirt with "Bats!" on it that was pretty hilarious. He also sent me wine bags on accident that I used to make a fort, but that's neither here nor there (especially since Kid Woot has the fort kit now!)

Guess who's been putting designs on Woot for quite a while trying to win a competition and finally got 3rd place this time? Now scroll back up to the beginning of this post for the ending...

What makes this even cooler is that Patrick's wife Laura just noticed my posts about the WNY event and came back with "This sounds like fun. I found this site called Atlas Quest. is that what you guys use?" So, naturally, I put her in touch with the one person in San Jose I knew could be trusted to help her out with all her boxing needs. (GT, expect a call from Laura!) ;-)

Anyway, here's a little info on Patrick's shirt. It's only available today for $10, but it's also available later for $15. Even if you don't BUY one, go say nice things on the posts so that he can feel awesome and think that boxing is SOOO filled with warm, caring people and not just kooks like Wassa! ;-)

The (cool by association) Sprite & the (missing Wassa's Woots ever since the fort got sent back) Highlander

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Heavens Above! & Starry Starry Nights 2009

Well, like Barry Manilow says, "We made it through the rain!" The weather held off for the most part and both the day and night boxing went off with only minor hitches. We got to see old and new friends, and, as always, this was a pretty laid back event. By the way, if anyone was looking for Venus, apparently it was never missing! Bone Witch and Rowan found it first thing this morning, so either someone returned it, or it was just a tougher find than we though. Anyway, all three series are there to stay, so have fun!

Also, we're getting the clues fixed for the 2007 Hallowed Grounds Series, so if you plant to box those, refresh your clues and print them on MONDAY, not sooner!

Finally, if anyone's still in town and wants the CSz With Me stamp, I'll be playing at ComedySports tonight at 7. come to the show and get the stamp!

Thanks everyone for joining us! We hope to see you all at the 2009 Hallowed Grounds Tour as well (Niagara County, here we come!)

The (damp, but satisfied) Sprite & Highlander

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Hallowed Grounds Tour don't go to Antree...!

So, the Highlander and I drove around and got the boxes replanted just about half of the Hallowed Grounds Tour. Anything from Mt. Albion on still needs planting, which I'll be doing with Jiggs tomorrow night.

Scary moment happened on the way, though. By the time we hit the last cemetery tonight, there was nothing left of the sun but the glow of sunset. We could just make out the obelisk I was looking for, so we pulled into the grass driveway, turned off the lights and I clicked on the flashlight to carve the letters into the stamp. I waited to be sure the stamps were really lost before actually dropping off a new stamp, so I carved the tombstones at home, then added names to them in the car.

Anyway, I had the Highlander keeping an eye out and no sooner do I say this than he says "That truck we passed is coming back." The truck doubles back and pulls in RIGHT BEHIND us, lights on right into the back window. I'm panicking that it's a cop and I'm not sure WHAT we're gonna do. This guy with a baseball cap gets out, walks up to the window with a BEER in his hand and says "What're ya doing out here, sir?" just like a cop would say (except cops don't say it with beer). The only way for us to go is into tombstones or into a blind ditch near a cornfield.

Now I'm less worried about a ticket and more worried about personal safety. In my head, all I can hear is the banjos from Deliverance and the words "Ya already GOT trouble!", so I'm speechless for a change. The Highlander, the quiet one, actually goes ahead and explains that we're setting up a tour for out of town folks to visit these old cemeteries and that we lost track of time, so we ended up in the dark for this last one. I show the guy the stamp and he's delighted...says he farms/owns the land around here and that it's "real historic...stuff from 1910, even!" He normally comes to the farmers' market in Medina (where we live) and hopes to see us there sometime. He takes his beer back to his truck and heads on home without a single swerve on the road, much to my relief.

Unfortunately, I totally raunched the first attempt to carve the name, so when you get the Snyder Cemetery stamp, just remember the duress I was under as I carved it and you'll appreciate the stamp that much more! ;-)

The (hoping she NEVER finds the river that goes to Antree) Sprite & the (planning to slip a tape of banjo music under the bed tonight to freak her out) Highlander

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Hallowed Ground Tou 2007

Yes, 2007, not THIS year's event (won't even THINK about that until after the WNY gig!)!

The Highlander and I are in the process of rehiding the missing boxes from the first series, since the WNY event will be in Orleans County as well. The plan is to recarve the stamps today and plant them tonight or tomorrow. Unfortunately, time is running out to do that, relist the clues, clean the house, tutor a student and pack for WNY.

So, rather than rush this any further, the Highlander and I will bring some sort of copy of the corrections to the event table. Just ask for them when you sign in! If you're SURE you want to do these stamps this weekend, let us know and we'll even e-mail you a copy if we finish in time to reprint at home.

The S & H

Monday, August 17, 2009

7th Annual Western NY Event Updates!

Just some notes for everyone about the event:

  • Lakeside Beach is a NYS state park, so unless you have the Empire Passport, the cost for entering the park is $6. This actually covers the cost to enter ANY park for that day ONLY, so keep the park stub. You can get the boxes located in Hamlin Beach as well, which isn't far from Lakeside.
  • There's a ton of new boxers in the area that may know nothing of the gathering. If you've got newbies contacting you about boxes (or you've found THEIR boxes), be sure to tell them about the event so we can meet them!
  • Camping is still available, as far as we know. If you want to stay for night boxing, you'll want to call the park ASAP to get your site. The Highlander and I, along with most of the other boxers, are in Loop D, so come visit! We also plan to have dinner at Brown's Berry Patch that night (before the night boxing), so you can join us there, too.
  • For folks who've never done the Hallowed Grounds Tours, we are replacing as many of the boxes as we can this week before we get to the park. The 2007 Tour is the one that was in Orleans County, so we're hitting those first. We'll be able to let you know which ones are back at the main event table, so be sure to ask for clue updates.
  • It looks like rain is forecast for the weekend, but most of the boxes are in the woods and we have a shelter. Be sure to wear a raincoat for the brief walks in the open!
  • Our shelter has electricity, so if you wanted to bring potluck food that needs to stay warm, you can plug it in there.
  • Finally, the boxes are listed on AQ, but the clues won't be listed on Wednesday. If you plan to come to the event, there will be 50 clue books available, no more. Come by at 10:30 and you should have no problem getting one of your own.

If you have more info you want to know, check the event page for the day & night for updates, as well as the event's official homepage. Or, just contact us through AQ or this blog. See you all soon!

The (working like crazy on clues) Sprite & the (gassing up the car for stamp maintenance) Highlander

Monday, July 06, 2009

Back from Canadian Boxing & on to Milwaukee!

Well, we've just returned from our trip with the Quinns to Canada, where we boxed Parry Sound. This was a really nice little area that I'd never gotten to see much of. The Highlander's grandpa ran a campsite up in Pointe au Baril and before he passed, he sold most of it (which became Sturgeon Bay Provincial Park) but kept one cottage for the family. We go there every once in a while and relax, but I'd never gotten to box while we were there. We picked up the Avro Arrow and the de Haviland Beaver, but couldn't find the other box that was supposed to be there. We also didn't notice that Trailfeather's series was word of mouth, so while the rest of you are enjoying yourselves in my on stomping grounds at LB Con, the Highlander and I will spend our 10th wedding anniversary back up at Pointe au Baril. I'm FINALLY going to leave a box behind, hopefully commemorating this event!

But, for now, I'm back on the road again in less than 48 hours. I'm gonna be playing for Buffalo in the ComedySportz World Championship games this Friday (wheee!). We play against Portland on Friday, and with any luck, we'll make it to the finals on Saturday. Can't wait to see how we do! While I'm there, sans Highlander again, I think I'll be boxing a bit with Wisconsin Hiker. I'm hoping to pick up and leave a box or two while I'm in town, so we'll see how it goes.

Anyway, I'm not sure if my computer will withstand the pressure of life in Milwaukee for a week, but if anyone reading this wants to see how ComedySportz Buffalo and I are doing, just follow CSzBuffalo on Twitter. If you're in Milwaukee, I'd LOVE to have you come to the games! It's like watching "Whose Line Is It?" live. We can do an exchange and you can get my CSz With Me Traveler.

Alternately, you can watch AQ for Wassa's updates on my status, since he's had my cell phone # since ComedySportz went to Portland last summer. I'm the voice of Twitter for CSz Buffalo, but I only speak for the team. However, Wassa is MY voice, yet he only speaks for the criminally insane. Follow both and you'll get SOME idea of...well, nothing, but you'll know I was in Milwaukee! ;-)

The (excited to leave, but missing the Highlander already) Sprite & the (missing the Sprite already, but looking forward to having the house to himself) Highlander