Hide-and-Seek for Grownups

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Die-hard boxers, most of whom adopt trail names like Funhog, SpringChick and Mapsurfer, pride themselves on the intricacy of their clues and the ingenuity of their box placement, and they develop followings. Ryan Carpenter, 29, an unemployed software engineer from Portland, Ore., estimates that he has located 500 boxes and placed 150, including "two boxes in Africa and half a dozen in Central America." His turtle stamp is so well known that other boxers instantly recognize it and have even invited him to stay in their homes during his travels.

Some enthusiasts hide boxes in urban areas. (There's one near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington.) But in this day and age, such sites present a unique set of problems. "If you're hiding one in a city somewhere, or near a bridge or something that might be a target for terrorists," says Carpenter, "it definitely is a concern." To lessen anxiety, most boxers use translucent containers so that people can see inside and know they're safe. Ultimately, however, the game is about the thrill of the unknown. In April the Connollys found themselves in the middle of a herd of wild boar near Tampa, Fla. Says Lori: "If not for letterboxing, we never would have seen something like that." --With reporting by Elizabeth Coady/Chicago and Sean Scully/Los Angeles