The Allison Wonderland

Is there a park pick pool this year? 

Crosby and hidden falls fall at the marathon mark from last year's hunt

Was thinking about the parks on the twin cities marathon route

Or the Twin Cities Marathon runs through St Paul. Maybe you have to use a part of the route to get there. Maybe I'm reading way too much into that word! 

The hunt itself is a marathon and not a sprint (usually goes to the final clue), at least the past few years. From Delta to Omicron could mean from 'D' to 'O'; maybe the park sits between streets starting with D and O.

I like your ideas about fresh and marathon.  Maybe fresh means a new shape/design of the medallion, or it's in some packaging that has the word "fresh" on it?

I suppose so. I was trying to think if you could go that far from White Bear and still be in St. Paul but didn't have time to check. But apparently not.

With that thinking it would be south metro to get to 26.2 miles

So I wonder if fresh treasure means a new location? Or one that has been recently renovated? Maybe the marathon means it is 26 miles away from where it was last year?
David B. Allison

From delta to omicron, what a marathon
Getting from last year to this
Strap on your mask, get down to the task
Let fresh treasure be your bliss

I apologize as I have been quite busy getting ready for the Winter Carnival (remember, the reason for the season! lol) and also sick on and off since Christmas. But I guess time is up as Clue 1 is out! So yes, we will do what we always do here although I will probably remain a bit distracted.

I vote here too
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I vote here!

"I always get to where I am going, by walking away from where I have been" ~Winnie the Pooh. ​

Hi David,
Will you be posting on here for the upcoming Treasure Hunt, or does everyone get their info from the PP Treasure Hunt Facebook page now?

Clue #1

Having kept our pact, it’s my turn to act.

Following a hunt unprecedented.

Since I sat idly, while Jake grinned snidely

Maybe now you are disoriented?

 

So my hunt begins just as the snow thins.

Thus other hiding methods I’ve employed.

Go study the lawn, watch your step thereon.

As some grass is a thing best to avoid.

 

Since it was at College Park there were some collegiate references here such as “ACT”, “SAT”, and “study”. “Unprecedented referred to the fact this park has not been used before in either the Allison Wonderland Mock Hunt or the Pioneer Press Medallion Hunt. To “orient” something literally means to face it to the east. So being disoriented would suggest looking in a western park. “The lawn” in question is an area on the St. Paul U of M campus called “The Lawn”. If you study an arial map you will see it has two sidewalks that come together to form an arrow that points right at nearby College Park. But The Lawn is not where the treasure is. Nor is it in the grass at College Park.

 

Clue #2

If you go wander both to and yonder

You might find a bench good for relaxing.

Or if you’re brain-fried, let faith be a guide,

As analyzing these clues is taxing.

 

This is letting you know that the park has benches, which are a fairly prominent feature at College Park. It is also next to a church named St. Matthew’s. Matthew had been a tax collector prior to becoming an apostle.

 

Clue #3

When the ground is slick the trip will be quick

To the icy bottom from up on top.

Or in a warmer time the kids can still climb

And use a slide to make a lesser drop.

 

This is referring to the topology of the park where kids can slide down into the park in the winter. It also alludes to the playground which has a slide.

 

Clue #4

A neighborly park with plenty of bark

Is a scenic spot for hunters to meet.

When looking map-wise, questioning the size,

You won’t see it on both sides of a street.

 

This park is not only a neighborhood park, it literally has next door neighbors that share the block with it. The bark refers to the many trees in the park. The last part of the clue just tells you the park is confined to one block.

 

Clue #5

An old bearded man came here with a plan

To beautify every city shoreline.

He did some streets too, land around the zoo,

Now my coin’s in a park of his design.

 

Horace Cleveland and his beard moved to MN when he was 72 to work for the city of Minneapolis designing parks and parkways. The city of St. Paul got him to work for them too where he designed four of our major parks including Como. But he also designed the neighborhood of St. Anthony Park where College Park is located. Cleveland is also a street very nearby.

 

Clue #6

Maybe bring a treat, there’s nowhere to eat,

And not a single restaurant in sight.

Better come for sports where scouting reports

Say only balls that bounce will be alright.

 

This clue alludes to the fact that there are no picnic tables in the park, nor can you see any restaurants from the park. There are tennis courts and basketball courts which both involve bouncing a ball. But there are no baseball or football fields, where you typically don’t bounce the ball. It also hints that the area with the courts will be better than the rest of the park in your search.

 

Clue #7

The street corner’s light, sufficiently bright,

Is about the only thing with power.

Hunting in the day seems a better way,

But you might find you have only an hour.

 

This is telling you that it’s a largely rustic park with the street lights being the only electric thing in the park. It also subtly hints at the fact that the park has only one true street corner (another corner is private homes and the other two corners have a trail on one side, not a street). Also, one of the street lights is very near the treasure and has a 1 hour parking sign on it.

 

Clue #8

You think you’ve done well, but how can you tell?

Is it possible that you’ve all been pwned?

You should find a park that’s within a park,

And has three guys who are forever stoned.

 

“Done well” is an allusion to “Doswell”, a street that borders the park. College Park is within St. Anthony Park. The park also has three large boulders each dedicated to a different man, thus leaving them forever “stoned”.

 

Clue #9

Two streets adjacent, but not subjacent,

Lead all the way to the city’s border.

The third you can’t see. Can I afford three?

Yet it’s the fourth that’s highest in order.

 

Doswell and Carter both border the park, but are above most of the park and thus not subjacent (implying the park is something of a valley). If you follow those streets west, they basically touch the border of St. Paul. The third street, Chelmsford (“a ford”), shows on Google maps but isn’t really there. The fourth street, Raymond, is the one closest to the treasure. Also a hint to look “high” as the treasure is both off the ground and on the highest land in the park.

 

Clue #10

Searching high and low, but which way to go?

The answer will be to keep your head up.

You ought to refrain going down the drain

And this might be easy as a lay-up.

 

Another reference to the terrain of the park. Keeping your head up suggests to look off the ground and to look on the high ground of the park. Stay away from the area with the big drainage structure. Instead the treasure is found very near one of the basketball nets.

 

Clue #11

If feeling foiled and a bit roiled,

Then maybe seek the treasure by degrees.

Be ever on guard for this test is hard,

But a well-done lunge can make it a breeze.

 

“Foil”, “On guard”, and “lunge” are all fencing terms, indicating that the treasure is hidden on a fence. “Degrees” and “test” should clear up the park for any remaining doubters.

 

Clue #12

Time to graduate and go seize your fate.

Raymond will prove a great mentor to you.

Things are looking up, take hold of the cup,

Tearing down fences is the thing to do.

 

“Graduate” again implies College Park. Raymond is the street along which the treasure lies. One should look up and take ahold of the cup-like cap sitting on the fence that holds the medallion.

The Allison Wonderland medallion has been found! It was found at College Park around 7:30pm I believe by Steven Sanftner. It was hidden on a fence post on the fence around the basketball court along Raymond Ave. Steven was registered and will receive the full prize.

Here is the new clue:   Clue #6 Maybe bring a treat, there’s nowhere to eat, And not a single restaurant in sight. Best to come for sports where scouting reports Say only balls that bounce will be alright.   And the previous clues:   Clue #5 An old bearded man came here with a plan To beautify every city shoreline. He did some streets too, land around the zoo, Now my coin’s in a park of his design.   Clue #4 A neighborly park with plenty of bark Is a scenic spot for hunters to meet. When looking map-wise, questioning the size, You won’t see it on both sides of a street.   Clue #3 When the ground is slick the trip will be quick To the icy bottom from up on top. In a warmer time the kids can still climb And use sand to bring their slide to a stop.   Clue #2 If you go wander both to and yonder You might find a bench good for relaxing. Or if you’re brain-fried, let faith be a guide, As analyzing these clues is taxing.   Clue #1 Having kept our pact, it’s my turn to act. Following a hunt unprecedented. Since I sat idly, while Jake grinned snidely Maybe now you are disoriented?   So my hunt begins just as the snow thins. Thus other hiding methods I’ve employed. Go study the lawn, watch your step thereon. As some grass is a thing best to avoid.

Here is the new clue:   Clue #5 An old bearded man came here with a plan To beautify every city shoreline. He did some streets too, land around the zoo, Now my coin’s in a park of his design.   And the previous clues:   Clue #4 A neighborly park with plenty of bark Is a scenic spot for hunters to meet. When looking map-wise, questioning the size, You won’t see it on both sides of a street.   Clue #3 When the ground is slick the trip will be quick To the icy bottom from up on top. In a warmer time the kids can still climb And use sand to bring their slide to a stop.   Clue #2 If you go wander both to and yonder You might find a bench good for relaxing. Or if you’re brain-fried, let faith be a guide, As analyzing these clues is taxing.   Clue #1 Having kept our pact, it’s my turn to act. Following a hunt unprecedented. Since I sat idly, while Jake grinned snidely Maybe now you are disoriented?   So my hunt begins just as the snow thins. Thus other hiding methods I’ve employed. Go study the lawn, watch your step thereon. As some grass is a thing best to avoid.

Here is the new clue:   Clue #4 A neighborly park with plenty of bark Is a scenic spot for hunters to meet. When looking map-wise, questioning the size, You won’t see it on both sides of a street.   And the previous clues:   Clue #3 When the ground is slick the trip will be quick To the icy bottom from up on top. In a warmer time the kids can still climb And use sand to bring their slide to a stop.   Clue #2 If you go wander both to and yonder You might find a bench good for relaxing. Or if you’re brain-fried, let faith be a guide, As analyzing these clues is taxing.   Clue #1 Having kept our pact, it’s my turn to act. Following a hunt unprecedented. Since I sat idly, while Jake grinned snidely Maybe now you are disoriented?   So my hunt begins just as the snow thins. Thus other hiding methods I’ve employed. Go study the lawn, watch your step thereon. As some grass is a thing best to avoid.

Here is the new clue:   Clue #3 When the ground is slick the trip will be quick To the icy bottom from up on top. In a warmer time the kids can still climb And use sand to bring their slide to a stop.   And the previous clues:   Clue #2 If you go wander both to and yonder You might find a bench good for relaxing. Or if you’re brain-fried, let faith be a guide, As analyzing these clues is taxing.   Clue #1 Having kept our pact, it’s my turn to act. Following a hunt unprecedented. Since I sat idly, while Jake grinned snidely Maybe now you are disoriented?   So my hunt begins just as the snow thins. Thus other hiding methods I’ve employed. Go study the lawn, watch your step thereon. As some grass is a thing best to avoid.