The Nancy Drew Notebooks
Planted by Princess Lea and Sleepy Cat
The Nancy Drew Notebooks are a spin-off series of the popular Nancy Drew books which was launched in 1994. In this reincarnation, Nancy is an 8-year-old student who has a knack for solving mini-mysteries that come her way, such as helping folks find lost items and discovering who played certain pranks.
I make the trip from the Bay Area to the San Luis Obispo area fairly often throughout the year, and so I decided to plant this series of boxes along the way, on easy stops off of Highway 101. The clues are arranged as if you were coming from the North to the South, so if you are coming the other way, you'll have to make adjustments. I cannot always guarantee that the exits will exist in both directions. Every time I make the trip I will try to plant additional boxes, so check back before you make your next drive south!
Box #1 - The Ice Cream Scoop (Morgan Hill, CA) ** Box confirmed alive and well 9/17/05**
There's a new ice cream shop in town called the Double Dip to compete with Nancy's tried but true favorite, Sugar 'n' Spice. Nancy and her friends Bess and George are doing a class project on ice cream and decide to compare the two, and become involved in investigating who might be out to sabotage the new shop.
Take Cochrane Road exit, turn right and go to the corner of Cochrane and Sutter Blvd. Look for the sign for Cochrane Business Ranch and park in the lot. Behind the sign is an arrangement of rocks and boulders. Find the large boulder under the middle tree and look beneath. Spot is marked by a piece of concrete. I noticed a Baskin Robbins in the mall across the street, if this stamp gets you in the mood!
Box #2 - The Scarytales Sleepover (Gonzales, CA) ** Box Confirmed Missing**
Nancy is invited to a slumber party at Scarytales, a mansion that has been decorated in the manner of fairy tales and is "inhabited" by the villains, such as Captain Hook, the witch from Hansel & Gretel and a nasty troll who guards the front bridge to the house.
Take the 5th street exit in Gonzales and turn left at the water tower/giant golf ball. Park at the Beacon gas station (by the Burger Queen), across from McDonald's. In the vacant lot next to the water and air pumps, there are clusters of rocks. Go the cluster the furthest back, near the concrete fence. There is a large, pointed flat-surfaced rock leaning against the small hill at approximately a 45 degree angle, and the box is concealed behind it.
Box #3 - Princess on Parade (King City, CA) ** Replanted 2/27/06 - clues revised**
The third graders at Carl Sandburg Elementary School are decorating a float for the River Heights Fall Festival Parade. The main attraction will be the Pumpkin Princess, and naturally Nancy and some of her friends would like to be chosen as the star of the float.
Take the Broadway exit into King City (where naturally, a princess would choose to reside) and stay to the right, following the road under the overpass. There is a sign welcoming you to King City - park at the Day's Inn behind it. At their stone wall find the square terra cotta brick - box is tucked underneath between some wooden forms in the ice plants. This is a crummy hiding place but I looked all over town for something better and came up empty! Here's hoping it lasts.
Box #4 - The Stolen Unicorn (Bradley, CA) **Replanted 12/24/04**
There's a new girl in Nancy's third grade class named Mari who brings her special toy unicorn Silvermane in for show and tell. When the unicorn goes missing, Nancy investigates to find out who took it and why.
Go to the Rest Area 36 south of King City (remember, you must be on 101 southbound to get to the proper rest area). Find the Camp Roberts Roadside Rest Area sign and go 110 degrees East. Behind the propane tank is the concrete base of some kind of former column. Look beneath rocks in the middle of the base for the box - please be sure to replace these rocks as the squirrels in this area looked quite industrious, and this box has gone missing in the past.
Box #5 - The Stinky Cheese Surprise (Paso Robles, CA) ** Box Confirmed Missing**
A new restaurant called Regal Burger has opened in River Heights, giving Nancy's favorite establishment, Hamburger Herbie's, a lot of competition. To try and address the problem of declining patronage at Herbie's, Nancy organizes a promotional giveaway to attract customers. Unfortunately when the kids come in for their prizes, the goody bags contain stinky Limburger cheese instead of the coveted toys!
Take exit marked "To 46 East / Fresno and Bakersfield" and take the right onto 24th from the exit ramp. Proceed to the KFC at the corner of 24th St. and Riverside. There is a small picnic area on the grounds. Follow the fence past the tables almost until you get to the back corner. Along the fence, below some branches are 3 large smool rocks - stinky cheese in underneath, but you shouldn't have to hold your nose.
Before you set out read the waiver of responsibility and disclaimer .
Box Status Reports
Date Report 3 Oct 2003 Turtle Leader, Snail Lady and Lock Dude report Ice Cream
Scoop, Scarytales Surprise, Princess on Parade and Stolen
Unicorn alive and well! 5 Oct 2003 added Stinky Cheese Surprise to the series 24 Oct 2003 Ryan visited Ice Cream Scoop and reports that the box is
there but the stamp is missing! I will get another recarved
and placed there and will make a note on this page when it
is ready. Otherwise, he found Princess on Parade and
Scarytales intact on the same trip. 30 Dec 2003 Amanda from Seattle confirms that Stinky Cheese Surprise
survived the San Simeon earthquake and is alive and
well. 17 Jan 2004 Sierra Sally reports that the original Ice Cream Scoop
stamp has been found, and so it joins the replacement stamp
that was put in - guess that makes it a double scoop now!
Scarytales Sleepover also reported alive and well. Apr 2004 The Dynamite Dalys report that Scarytales Sleepover and
Princess on Parade are missing in action. However, Ice Cream
Scoop and Stinky Cheese Surprise are alive and well. 25 Apr 2004 Snail Lady reports Stinky Cheese Surprise is missing August 2004 Unfortunately 4 of the 5 boxes are missing! Only Ice
Cream Scoop is alive and well 24 December 2004 Replaced Stolen Unicorn June 2005 Received reports that Ice Cream Scoop is missing. 17 Sept 2005 Zairabear and Aahz report finding Ice Cream Scoop - so it
is not missing after all! It was just buried deep. 28 Feb 2006 Replanted Princess of Parade - location of box
changed.