Plan B

As I went to place the inverted box in my original location today, I realized that the snow plows had created very large, impassible mounds that left me unable to reach my destination. I don't want to reveal my original location because I hope to go back when it thaws and drop another box there. However, I did find a second location a little farther up the road that worked out quite well. On my way up Cedar Canyon, I stopped at a little pullout that becomes a fairly popular sled hill during the winter. The joy of winter memories and the beauty of the deep snow dunes was beautiful. I thought it would make a perfect location for my first installment.

So I dug a little hole in the side a snow hill, put some dry twigs on the bottom to keep the box dry, and placed my cardboard box in it.


The box was blank except for one corner where I wrote this blog's web address.


This is what the surrounding area looks like.



I had a lot of fun doing this project and will continue doing more boxes in the future. I hope that whoever comes across this box is sparked with interest and joins our project as well.

Flight of the INVERTED BOX

I had hoped for a tender Tennesse Christmas with my in-laws. I had high hopes of putting my inverted box somewhere in Graceland, with the king. My hopes were crushed as I had to stay in Utah for Christmas. In my state of depression, I was watching re-runs of "Pawn Stars" on the History channel. One of the shows had them buying a hot air balloon. I then had a great idea, make the inverted box take flight as a hot air balloon.
I added a print out with all the inverted box information, and a hand written plea. I am hoping if anyone finds my box, they will write in and let all us know.


Stuffing the info into the box, before I seal it up for the flight.


Putting the balloons on the box. I started with 8 balloons, but the kids popped one in the house, so it had seven balloons when it took off.

My family, and a shirtless neighbor that was curious... helping get the box in position for the trip.


And we are up, up and away!

I thought the box would go towards Salt Lake, but it went towards Arizona right away.







Above was the last picture I could get with the high power lens... Hopefully it will make it to Mexico, or maybe even Peru with the other characters from the movie UP!

Excalibur

In high school I make wooden toy swords as a hobbie and through the years they either got lost or taken or I don't know. After heading out to college the last remaining toy sword was this one so I decided I would do something cool with it. So when the inverted box project came around it gave me a good opportunity to do something fun with the remaining sword.

My initial idea was to go out into a forest near my house and bury to box and the sword about half way in the ground to look like Excalibur but when I got out exploring with my sister we found to most interesting looking fallen tree that had an amazing stump where we dicided to put and leave to box and sword.

I may have left something physical there but came back with a better experience.

The Wooden Cube

Christmas break brings me back to the place of my childhood, Northern California. My family lives on a 10 acre lot outside of town. We have a barn that became my father's workshop. I remember being in there with Dad and working on honey-do's that involved wood. That is where my box came from, my father's supply of wood. He had cut something similar for my mother years ago. This time it was for me and this project. With my canvas in hand, I began to doodle with a dremal on one side of the cube. There was no method to it, just letting my mind wander on to the wood.


After having completed my engraving, I mixed some paint up and splashed my favorite color on the top and sides with a paper towel and a sponge. Blue just so happens to be my favorite color.


And then there was the placement of the cube, along a trail my parents walk often. It's remote yet close to town. Most people don't even know it's there unless they are looking for a place to walk/hike. I placed in the clover for aesthetic purposes. I have to say I enjoyed working on something that people can connect with.





View The Inverted Box Locations in a larger map

Three Peaks

On Monday the 21st I spent the morning driving in the back hills outside the city of Enoch, UT with my Dad. We approached the location from the south and the road we were on became a cow path and then we just dodged juniper bushes to make our way to the spot. We went exploring around the Three Peaks area and I climbed to the top of a large bolder pile west of Three Peaks. It was fairly difficult because of the snow on the rocks and when I reached the peak it was so windy that my camera tripod kept falling over. I was going to install the box at the peak, but found this niche in the rock and thought it would be a great home for the installation.

The views were absolutely breathtaking.

One Muddy Afternoon

Today I went southwest of Cedar City to the dry lake bed outside of town. Getting there and hiking to the position proved to be quite an adventure. It snowed yesterday morning and the ground was the most sticky mud I have ever encountered in my life. While walking to the location where the cube was installed I gained about 20lbs of mud on each boot. The first obstacle was to shimmy down a 25ft cliff that was a lot like a giant slip n' slide. As I was making my way I questioned whether or not I could keep my footing, each step I would sink into the muddy lake 3-4 inches. However, the universe aligned and the walking stick you see in the photos just happened to be right in the trail.

I removed a 6 inch cube of earth, and it immediately filled with the icy water. I then installed the plaster cast 6 inch cube next to the removed portion of earth. The cube disappeared into the landscape as I hiked out.

When I was a kid I loved to explore. There was never really any good reason to, just to get out and catch lizards, build forts, and get dirty. I felt for the first time today in a long time going out in the middle of nowhere by myself like a kid again.