Then I got the small red box

Yesterday, while on a trip to Bosque del Apache with my mom, I took the opportunity to go letterboxing.

First, we drove to Socorro to an old, deserted drive-in movie lot. It was creepy, but the letterbox was placed where someone supposedly saw a UFO, so I guess it was appropriate.

Then, while driving around the Bosque del Apache park, I decided to call up my friend, Lisa, at LaughingOrcaRanch to get some directions to a letterbox that was on one of the trails there. (She turned me on to letterboxing last year, but she has been laid up from recent knee surgery. She had an unfortunate riding accident back in December, while we were riding our horses around our neighborhood. Her horse spooked and she twisted her knee as she fell off. She has not been able to get around since and I miss her companionship. I went out letterboxing by myself and gave up, on two different attempts.)

So, I walked the 2 mile trail until I came upon a place as described in the clues. I looked and looked for the box. I was so frustrated trying to solve the clues. I was ready to give up, but she told me to try one more time. She talked me through it again and again, and then, with dear Lisa's help, it all made sense! I finally clicked and found the box in the "fork". Here's the clues she told me:

Stop when you are flanked with great sittin’ logs right and left. One of these has a neighbor standing at its side, a harbinger of misfortune. Behind the bearer of bad luck stands a row of four medium-sized cottonwoods. Walk to the second in line. Ten steps in a westerly direction will bring you to the letterbox, nestled in a fork.

I knew I was in the right place when I saw this tree next to the sitting log which was across from the other sitting log. But then, I refused to believe that it could be so simple. There were rows of trees in every direction.

And it wasn't these, although they are so nice and even, aren't they?

Trees were growing in rows in every direction.
I looked around every tree "fork" and base until it finally clicked. So, thank you dear Lisa, for giving me the clues over the phone, and for the fortitude and perseverence to continue searching. It felt just like you were there with me! We solved this one together. haha!

Then I got the small red box - song: Red Money, artist: David Bowie, album: Let's Dance