Memorial Day Camping Part 4: Park Quest 2011 Inauguration & Camping Conclusion

Part 1:  Decompression

Part 2:  Introspection

Part 3:  Transportation

Part 4:  Park Quest Inauguration ~ Camping Conclusion

Maryland Park Quest 2011 is under way!

For this girl and her family (aka "Team Green Gators"), Western Maryland's New Germany State Park was not only the perfect spot to camp, but also a perfect entry spot to this year's Park Quest (http://www.dnr.state.md.us/parkquest/). 

Straight from the intro of New Germany's "Thinking Outside, the (Letter) Box", it reads:

"This quest allows teams to explore the natural features of New Germany Park.  It also allows questers to discover historic aspects created by the Civilian Conservation Corp...Letterboxing is a hobby that combines problem solving with outdoor adventure."

So trekking across the park, we followed the rhyming couplet clues, and successfully found all 8 letterboxes and stamped our sheet.  We also recorded our own "we were here" in the notepad.

We also had an opportunity this Memorial Day weekend to do our 2nd quest ("Get your Bearings at Herrington") at Herrington Manor State Park.  This one, we learned to get comfy with our compass as we counted & paced from one question to the next. 

For some of the 1000 Marylanders who are participating in Park Quest this year, some are already much further knee-deep in questing than we are (one team has even wrapped up all 24 quests in just a mere 3 weeks of it being open)--at least as indicated on the Leader board and also the letterboxing notebook commentary.  For us, we're just at the cusp... the entrance... the starting block.  And that's okay!  Our game plan is for it to definitely take a bulk of the summer, by way of several weekends worth of day trips to tackle with a leisurely approach.  (For reminders as to how our team fared last year, go to http://greenteamgazette.blogspot.com/search/label/Park%20Quest)

For more Park Quest, check out this girl's camp-mate Candus Thompson (aka Baltimore Sun's "Outdoor Girl"):  http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/outdoors/blog/.  She is currently (as of Wednesday, June 2nd) on her 2nd annual "Park Quest 24-7" where she treks high and low to hit all 24 of Maryland State Park's Park Quests in a mere 7 days.  She's blogging as she goes, and as of the end of day 2, she's already got 8 quests and 8 parks under her belt.  It's a pretty progressive itinerary!!  Quest on, Candy!!  We'll be watching and rooting for you, as you go!

Park Quest #1 & 2 are done,

As is our camping trip--what fun!

Let's give some great cheer,

To Park Quest & the great outdoors this year!