231 Yes we tried.... PAY_ME was number 2 in line. Had everyone hudled around.... But the clue was so long that we had to go... I lost most of the crew in the mess... ran into Lilslim on the hillside... had Jake following me for a minute... it was pure madness.
I called my kids with the false clue and they took off running with about 50 people following them. Then when I got the real clue, they did an about face and left people with a DUH look on their faces. LOL
I can remember a couple other times when a person showed up in the morning and dug for just a few minutes: Conway and Como (97). But those hunts did not get down to clue #12.
I think the PP was really dumb putting the puck in a real donut. Haven't they ever heard of squirrels? Or crows? Or mice?
No, the med was not found in the mosh pit. I think it was more towards the top of the hill before you go down into the pit, from what I gathered from the TV report.
He's probably a little stunned at this point. And the average person, the person who isn't as passionate about the hunt as some, doesn't understand the time and effort put it to it. They know that a treasure hunt is going on, but not the magnitude of it I think.
wanda came up with an excellent idea...they shouldn't print the past clues in the paper or post them on the internet. they should print them and post them each day and that's it. If you don't get the paper or get a chance to look on the internet that day, tough, you miss out on a clue.
but he said he was there for 3 hours last night and decided to come back this morning. why would you go look for something that you don't know what it looks like?
that was good, they showed somebody getting towed in maryland on the news. the tow guys hooked the thing up to the bumper on a little plastic car instead of the axel and ripped the back half of the car right off...that must suck.
I am betting on mice with little mouse tummy aches. Raccoons hibernate this time of year. The one that was found must have been rustled from his winter bed by a hunter, or the crows would have eaten him up long ago. That poor creature most likely froze because he had to come out of his coma-like state to escape. I have watched too many nature shows.heheh. I hope all are faring well this morning.
Allison's analysis (say that 12 times fast!) of the clues on the explanations thread is excellent. He summed up everything we all feel in a well thoughtout manner.
Someone posted the names on the monument in the PP board. I looked them up in the phone book, but none of the names were there so I figured it was a joke. You can't believe much of what you read in there.
Morning OT!-KC! Good to see you. I met a bunch of folks last nite, and was interviewed by associated press. I am guessing the story will be in the Burma Daily News. My dish for the re-hash will be called: Half-baked Phalen potato bar.
KT has a good point, it's not about someone finding it as much as it is for everyone to look like idiots throwing snow around and pushing people down in a 1000 square foot area so it can be on the news.
so next year, I need a hudson's street book (king's sucks), my treasure hunting guide, my bible, and a map of all local woodlands, a branch cutter and I need to work on my left hook. :)
Allison's analysis (say that 12 times fast!) of the clues on the explanations thread is excellent. He summed up everything we all feel in a well thoughtout manner.
Nice meeting you too! Just my pride is injured...I shouted at some people and came close to losing my footing a few times, but otherwise I'm okay. I got to rake about a square foot in front of me and tried to push some people out of the way who were just standing there so I could rake under them. There were a lot of people just standing there and gawking, I thought they might be standing on it. :)
Clue #1 Say it ain't so, Clueless Joe, And all who prattle and bark. Stop yer clue-bashin', if treasure's your passion, Go you look in an area park.
Explanation: A playful counter-rip on people who ripped last year's clues, who were ably led by a popular, winter carnival-connected columnist. This clue says the treasure is in an "area park.'' This differs from the usual "city park'' clue, because Phalen is both a city park and part of the county regional park system.
Actual Explantion: This is the best clue of the hunt, information-wise. However, I will give my counter-counter-rip with ninja skills and no leadership.
Clue #2 Jughead has spoken, look for the token We'll make it worth your while Like Archie, you seek an object this week As green as the Emerald Isle.
Explanation: In homage to the Archie & Friends comic (No. 78), which was based on the Pioneer Press Treasure hunt, we hid the medallion in an actual, real donut with gooey green icing. In the comic version, the searchers were supposed to find a plastic green donut. They found it among books in a library. Token suggests nearby Arcade Street, and isle refers to island in the park.
Actual Explanation: This is the second best clue of the hunt, and it all goes downhill from here. I could imagine the organizers at some time in the future not hiding a medallion at all and instead hiding a vinyl siding sales staff to take advantage of the thousands of people that they manage to herd into one area bumbling around like livestock.
Clue #3 "Help me!" you say. "Any time. Any day. It's neither here nor there." A quite clever device, but beware false advice. Prank? Perhaps. All is fair.
Explanation: Take the first word in each line, put them together, and it reads, "Help it's a prank," which refers to our prankish ploy of borrowing the green donut from the Archie & Friends comic book. More importantly, it's an anagram - clever device - for "It's Phalen Park."
Actual Explanation: What a prank! A merry prank, indeed! What a prankster! But, well... I'm not sure if mocking ideas is a prank, compared to... disconnecting someone's power in the middle of the night? Whatever. The anagram is valid, but to make it the only piece of information in this clue? Clue 3 or not, way to go! You now have people looking around in the snow for life support devices, and boy scouts.
Clue #4 East Side, West Side, take your honey for a ride To a stony and sandy place Come one, come all, ever following the bouncing ball To the swift belongs the race.
Explanation: Stony and sandy place refers to all the Depression-era stonework and the beach on Phalen Lake and the sand traps at Phalen's golf course. The medallion is on the West Side of Phalen Lake, and the park is in St. Paul's East Side. Bouncing ball refers to the nearby green handball courts, and ride to the road and bike paths by the lake.
Actual Explanation: ...Depression era = stones and sand! ...um, how about the Mesozoic era? Stones and sand? Yup! Palaeozoic? Sure! Why didn't they just refer this one to the bible too? There was stone and sand then, I'm pretty sure. Beaches to walk on, stones to seal tombs.
Let's mention now that your honey shouldn't be taken for a ride anywhere near the cluewriter(s), with their clues becoming so bad that they are certain to have developed mental illnesses that would result in violent and inappropriate behavior should they be spoken to or approached. Also, yet again, an entire line is completely USELESS and is serving no other purpose but to dilute the hunt.
Clue #5 Go to the place, it's no disgrace, Where the girls shall be happy to dance Don't look in the rough, but if you want the stuff You may have to get dirt on your pants.
Explanation: The place is the Bible, which is quoted on the old stone monument dedicated to the conservation corps in Phalen. "The girls shall be happy to dance" refers to the beginning of Jeremiah 31:13, the later lines of which are inscribed on the monument. "Shall" hints the Bible reference. The rough line warns hunters away from nearby Phalen and Keller golf courses. Dirt on pants hints that the medallion is on the ground.
Actual Explanation: Unless 'The Bible' is some new nightclub on the "Teens For Jesus" movement (I don't really pay attention), then by this time, I have lost most of my faith in the hunt. We are being manipulated by an insane person and we should look out for the "drink the kool-aid" suggestions next year, to be followed up with the "Hey, let's all commit ritual suicide!" references subsequently.
Clue #6 Take your bow, don't aim low, Be steady on your feet Take a stand with your fiery band And prepare for the coming defeat
Explanation: Street clues and topographical hints. "Don't aim low" refers to medallion's location just down from a ridge and "stand" to the trees where the medallion is hidden. Band, bow and stand suggests Sherwood Forest of Robin Hood and his merry band, which in turn leads you to Sherwood Avenue near the park. The park is one of few to have an archery range. Coming defeat suggests failin' - the aural equivalent of Phalen.
Actual explanation: What's the aural equivalent of "Eat my shorts"?
Clue #7 Still up a creek? Here's where to peek, Though be wary to avoid a wet drop This is no foolin' - monster fish are schoolin' Not far from the wintry crop.
Explanation: Creek refers to nearby Phalen Creek. Wet drop warns hunters away from the recently open water on Lake Phalen where ice castle blocks - the wintry crop - were harvested. Monster fish are on the mural on the side of the lakeside center. Phalen allows fishing.
Actual Explanation: *gasp* a fairly reasonable clue! Too bad we're not grading on a curve! Too bad this does nothing but help refer to the park the medallion is hidden in, which is no better than the rest of the clues. In fact, it does far more harm than good. Instead of progressively getting more specific (within reason), you're forced to do this:
I must note that 4 out of 5 dentists probably took "a wet drop" to be "a waterfall," but the realm of interpretation is and should be large, and lately, it's as large as you need it to be.
Clue #8 Tilt at a windmill, hunt till a standstill A plump pitcher may hold you at bay Look it's quite likely not far from old lakely "What a bunch of malarkey!" you say.
Explanation: All clues refer to names on the 1986 Ice Palace monument near the medallion site in Phalen Park. Tilt at a windmill is refers to "Don Quixote," the book about an errant knight who fights windmills by Miguel de Cervantes. Cervantes is a name on the monument as well as Plump, Pitcher, Likely, Lakely and Malarkey. "Old lakely" hints that we are talking about a name and suggests the lake.
Actual Explanation: By this time in the hunt, aren't we supposed to have fewer general landmarks a quarter mile away and a few more landmarks that assist in reducing the search area, if correctly searching, to a mere hundred acres? “Malarkey” is a very kind word to illustrate what I say about it.
Clue #9 Go take a risk, we threw the disk Where it seems you're far from succeedin' Unless you are blind, the treasure you'll find Among plants that are unfit for weedin'.
Explanation: Throwing the disk conjures ``frisbee,'' which leads to nearby Frisbie Street. Far from succeedin' would be again be "failin.'" Blind refers Helen Keller, whose last name is part of Phalen-Keller Regional Park. Not fit for weedin' puts you near the medallion hidden by a wildflower area.
Actual Explanation: Frisbie Street! I had been searching so long and hard to find a good street reference since the beginning of the hunt! And now, my prayers had been answered!! Answered in the form of a small street WHICH IS COMPLETELY USELESS OTHER THAN TO SUGGEST THAT THE *$@#ING MEDALLION IS IN PHALEN PARK, JUST LIKE THE OTHER FIFTY CLUES.
Clue #10 What could be bolder than killing a soldier? A crime both evil and grim. Accused of the deed, but soon after freed So we name a park after him!
Explanation: Old settler Edward Phelan was accused of killing a soldier, but later freed. The creek and the park were named after him, and his name apparently had more than one spelling.
Actual Explanation: Wow, it's really Phalen? Really? ...naw!!
Clue #11 Who can measure the lust for the treasure Between lakes is a donut to own. Up and then down, not square but round, Look for the windows of stone.
Explanation: The donut is located between Round Lake and Phalen Lake. It is in hilly terrain. A nearby pump house had its windows closed with stone.
Actual Explanation: Hey! If you had been doing your job as a smart hunter, you'd already know that it's around this area! So what's more appropriate than to waste yet another clue! I must admit that the windows of stone is a great absolute reference. I must also admit that it's god awful to make it THE ONLY ABSOLUTE REFERENCE OF THE HUNT SO FAR.
Clue #12 You will be nifty if you remember fifty The number that leads to the zone You should be in Phalen. Stop the regalin'. And go to a bridge made of stone.
It's down Phalen Drive, and should you arrive Across the street from the golf clubhouse, observe: The pastry you'll find by leaving the old palace behind Cross the bridge, on the path, make the curve.
All your hunting hours lead to a sign for wildflowers Across the path from a picnic table. Table and sign form a line, with which you must align Head up the hill if you're able.
Fifty large paces, you're off to the races From the path to some tumbledown woods. If you stay on the line, on a side-hill you'll find Under fallen trees, a green donut, with the goods.
Inside this confection lies plastic perfection But remember, to keep the hunt credible. The hunt's heart and soul is inside the donut's hole It's valuable - but definitely not edible!
Explanation: Gives directions to a stone bridge across Phalen Drive from the golf course club house. Puts hunters on the path and to a wildflower sign. Asks hunters to align themselves with the sign and a picnic table across the path. Says to go up the hill 50 large paces, staying on this line. On a side hill, under fallen-down woods, the green donut, with the medallion slipped into the donut hole, will be found. A clarifying note that the donut, sitting in snow and dirt and leaves, should not be eaten.
Real Explanation: They could have completely erased clues 1-11 and written clues with 4 stanzas of nothing but the word 'vibescu'. It would have still come to pass that this would come to the bitter end. Why? Because of extraordinary odds?! How few hunts we have where all 12 clues are revealed! It must be chance at work, yet again!
WRONG.
I would be happy if the Pioneer Press would give the hunt winner a $10 gift certificate to Target, a tee shirt, and the opportunity to get on the parade float to show the rest of the community, "Hey, I won! Hurrah for me, I figured it out," which I might add is not a possibility this year for the winner, either, since the parade was last week. I'd still hunt with the same vigor, and I'd imagine the only people left would be ones I'd rather meet along the way compared to recent memory.
Instead, with a $10,000.00 or more bounty, everybody and their friends who don't know how to park their cars are looking for this thing, and apparently the only appropriate way to accommodate the entire crowd is to water the hunt down so badly that it confuses everyone and becomes an event where thousands of people are herded into an area upon the final clue, and no matter how hard you tried until this point, you have the same chance of finding this thing as John Doe, who heard from a friend of a friend that he could show up and find a prize. Everyone gets a chance, and the winner is equal to a lottery winner, not a problem solver. People go home with the feeling that they were there, and they could have won, and perhaps I'm the only one, but I have a very empty feeling inside because of this turn of events.
Perhaps the Pioneer Press feels that if the hunt is made logically like in years past, people become upset when someone finds it on clue #6 or #7. But, I believe that this is what should happen as the result of good thinking and the blessing of a little luck. You SHOULD have to solve the clues to find the medallion, and a lucky find is to function as a fortunate reward of your skills. The last clue isn't supposed to serve as a climax to the event, but a way of saying, "Hey, numbskulls, can't you figure it out yet? No? Let me spell it out for you, then."
In my humble opinion, there was no reasonable way to locate this year's medallion based on any of the first 11 clues, and even with the 12th, it took thousands of people more than 8 hours to find it. There was little to no landmarking to be done to pinpoint a digging area, short of the pumphouse reference in #11, and by that time it didn't even matter because the last clue was obviously on its way.
To quote a wiser friend of mine in my summary, this is “B” as in “B,” “S” as in “S”.
Let’s hope someone is fired, someone else is hired, and someday in the future, people with the ability to solve problems might have a chance at the hunt, which used to be one of my favorite times of the year.
I didn't recognize anybody they talked to on the news, but they were ticked
They said the 50 paces don't lead to where he found it
too many lurkers. Let them figure out a way to get em.
231 Yes we tried.... PAY_ME was number 2 in line. Had everyone hudled around.... But the clue was so long that we had to go... I lost most of the crew in the mess... ran into Lilslim on the hillside... had Jake following me for a minute... it was pure madness.
I called my kids with the false clue and they took off running with about 50 people following them. Then when I got the real clue, they did an about face and left people with a DUH look on their faces. LOL
Big G: FUnny!! But he guy said he was going to use the money to buy some toys for his kids, cant be too bad a guy!
they cut the part with VJ!
he didn't sound excited at all...that's weird. he was like...yeah, I was poking around and there it was.
that's sweet OT! we tried to do that, but there were too many people around that were listening to us try to plan it...damn lurkers!!
I can remember a couple other times when a person showed up in the morning and dug for just a few minutes: Conway and Como (97). But those hunts did not get down to clue #12.
I think the PP was really dumb putting the puck in a real donut. Haven't they ever heard of squirrels? Or crows? Or mice?
No, the med was not found in the mosh pit. I think it was more towards the top of the hill before you go down into the pit, from what I gathered from the TV report.
He's probably a little stunned at this point. And the average person, the person who isn't as passionate about the hunt as some, doesn't understand the time and effort put it to it. They know that a treasure hunt is going on, but not the magnitude of it I think.
He also said he didnt know what it was when he found it until he turned it around and it said if found turn in to pioneer press. WOW
wanda came up with an excellent idea...they shouldn't print the past clues in the paper or post them on the internet. they should print them and post them each day and that's it. If you don't get the paper or get a chance to look on the internet that day, tough, you miss out on a clue.
oooohhhhhh! My legs are sore. My truck needs a bath-
He also said he didnt know what it was when he found it until he turned it around and it said if found turn in to pioneer press.
beleive thats almost exacly what I said earlier
but he said he was there for 3 hours last night and decided to come back this morning. why would you go look for something that you don't know what it looks like?
Not sure lurkers would have had any luck in our huddle.
DAMMIT JIM!!!!
However: as by today, some people dont even need the clues, just the park name and
<blind as in Keller> luck.
Depressing.... This sorta like a big bang that only gives us a whimper.....
Mikey: i got to hear it from the guy himself. Makes better sense that way!!
I posted that last night search. This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang but a whimper.
that was good, they showed somebody getting towed in maryland on the news. the tow guys hooked the thing up to the bumper on a little plastic car instead of the axel and ripped the back half of the car right off...that must suck.
WCCO has the Midday news, too. at noon.
Soooo.... now .... RHB time...... and onto AW Mock hunts.......
WHERE THE CLUES REALLY MEAN SOMETHING!
Dead racoons?
I heard up on the ridge..... But I know there were people diggin the previous days.... I was up and down the hillside checking crap out...
This feels like such a rip.
I am betting on mice with little mouse tummy aches. Raccoons hibernate this time of year. The one that was found must have been rustled from his winter bed by a hunter, or the crows would have eaten him up long ago. That poor creature most likely froze because he had to come out of his coma-like state to escape. I have watched too many nature shows.heheh.
I hope all are faring well this morning.
maybe the racoon was dead because of the donut
There's another nice Ice Palace picture on the Comcast home page today. Photo of the Day.
I fare well, and am already about planning my strategies for next years hunt. I'll make sure it doesn't get to the 12th clue next year :)
Allison's analysis (say that 12 times fast!) of the clues on the explanations thread is excellent. He summed up everything we all feel in a well thoughtout manner.
WE, as Americans like those Fear Factor Survior Jackass moments.
ppppppppppppppppppp.
My dish for the re-hash:
Half-baked Phalen potato bar.
dont think all racoons hibernate because we still have some getting into our bird feeders in fact they carried away part of our squirrel feeder
OT, now that the hunt is over, I can go enjoy the ice palace a couple more times, take picutres, browse around, not worry about clues.. It'll be nice.
You must have retarded raccoons. Shoot them. And any geese you see. They make good fondue
http://www.mngca.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=491
This is a geocaching forum. The comments are interesting. No bashing is intended, and I know all these people.
FYI: CITO is "Cache In-Trash Out"
If you're not able to access this let me know. I'll copy some of the comments to this forum.
Someone posted the names on the monument in the PP board. I looked them up in the phone book, but none of the names were there so I figured it was a joke. You can't believe much of what you read in there.
Morning OT!-KC! Good to see you. I met a bunch of folks last nite, and was interviewed by associated press. I am guessing the story will be in the Burma Daily News.
My dish for the re-hash will be called:
Half-baked Phalen potato bar.
KT has a good point, it's not about someone finding it as much as it is for everyone to look like idiots throwing snow around and pushing people down in a 1000 square foot area so it can be on the news.
WCCO News is on. Hey Treasure! I see your Daddy!
Big G -it was nice to meet you last nite. Did you go in there? are you injured?
I think in the building- we kinda need electricity.
Of course, a few extention cords and a willing neighbor would do.
so next year, I need a hudson's street book (king's sucks), my treasure hunting guide, my bible, and a map of all local woodlands, a branch cutter and I need to work on my left hook. :)
would love to shoot those racoons the neighbor trapped the possums and had them hauled away..the burma daily news??is that for the little shavers?
Way too funny madam bird
Allison's analysis (say that 12 times fast!) of the clues on the explanations thread is excellent. He summed up everything we all feel in a well thoughtout manner.
Thank you. :-)
Does anyone speak spanish, so we could look them up and invite them to the re-hash?
...said they were sorry? That is sweet!
Nice meeting you too! Just my pride is injured...I shouted at some people and came close to losing my footing a few times, but otherwise I'm okay. I got to rake about a square foot in front of me and tried to push some people out of the way who were just standing there so I could rake under them. There were a lot of people just standing there and gawking, I thought they might be standing on it. :)
Clue #1
Say it ain't so, Clueless Joe,
And all who prattle and bark.
Stop yer clue-bashin', if treasure's your passion,
Go you look in an area park.
Explanation: A playful counter-rip on people who ripped last year's clues, who were ably led by a popular, winter carnival-connected columnist. This clue says the treasure is in an "area park.'' This differs from the usual "city park'' clue, because Phalen is both a city park and part of the county regional park system.
Actual Explantion: This is the best clue of the hunt, information-wise. However, I will give my counter-counter-rip with ninja skills and no leadership.
Clue #2
Jughead has spoken, look for the token
We'll make it worth your while
Like Archie, you seek an object this week
As green as the Emerald Isle.
Explanation: In homage to the Archie & Friends comic (No. 78), which was based on the Pioneer Press Treasure hunt, we hid the medallion in an actual, real donut with gooey green icing. In the comic version, the searchers were supposed to find a plastic green donut. They found it among books in a library. Token suggests nearby Arcade Street, and isle refers to island in the park.
Actual Explanation: This is the second best clue of the hunt, and it all goes downhill from here. I could imagine the organizers at some time in the future not hiding a medallion at all and instead hiding a vinyl siding sales staff to take advantage of the thousands of people that they manage to herd into one area bumbling around like livestock.
Clue #3
"Help me!" you say. "Any time. Any day.
It's neither here nor there."
A quite clever device, but beware false advice.
Prank? Perhaps. All is fair.
Explanation: Take the first word in each line, put them together, and it reads, "Help it's a prank," which refers to our prankish ploy of borrowing the green donut from the Archie & Friends comic book. More importantly, it's an anagram - clever device - for "It's Phalen Park."
Actual Explanation: What a prank! A merry prank, indeed! What a prankster! But, well... I'm not sure if mocking ideas is a prank, compared to... disconnecting someone's power in the middle of the night? Whatever. The anagram is valid, but to make it the only piece of information in this clue? Clue 3 or not, way to go! You now have people looking around in the snow for life support devices, and boy scouts.
Clue #4
East Side, West Side, take your honey for a ride
To a stony and sandy place
Come one, come all, ever following the bouncing ball
To the swift belongs the race.
Explanation: Stony and sandy place refers to all the Depression-era stonework and the beach on Phalen Lake and the sand traps at Phalen's golf course. The medallion is on the West Side of Phalen Lake, and the park is in St. Paul's East Side. Bouncing ball refers to the nearby green handball courts, and ride to the road and bike paths by the lake.
Actual Explanation: ...Depression era = stones and sand! ...um, how about the Mesozoic era? Stones and sand? Yup! Palaeozoic? Sure! Why didn't they just refer this one to the bible too? There was stone and sand then, I'm pretty sure. Beaches to walk on, stones to seal tombs.
Let's mention now that your honey shouldn't be taken for a ride anywhere near the cluewriter(s), with their clues becoming so bad that they are certain to have developed mental illnesses that would result in violent and inappropriate behavior should they be spoken to or approached. Also, yet again, an entire line is completely USELESS and is serving no other purpose but to dilute the hunt.
Clue #5
Go to the place, it's no disgrace,
Where the girls shall be happy to dance
Don't look in the rough, but if you want the stuff
You may have to get dirt on your pants.
Explanation: The place is the Bible, which is quoted on the old stone monument dedicated to the conservation corps in Phalen. "The girls shall be happy to dance" refers to the beginning of Jeremiah 31:13, the later lines of which are inscribed on the monument. "Shall" hints the Bible reference. The rough line warns hunters away from nearby Phalen and Keller golf courses. Dirt on pants hints that the medallion is on the ground.
Actual Explanation: Unless 'The Bible' is some new nightclub on the "Teens For Jesus" movement (I don't really pay attention), then by this time, I have lost most of my faith in the hunt. We are being manipulated by an insane person and we should look out for the "drink the kool-aid" suggestions next year, to be followed up with the "Hey, let's all commit ritual suicide!" references subsequently.
Clue #6
Take your bow, don't aim low,
Be steady on your feet
Take a stand with your fiery band
And prepare for the coming defeat
Explanation: Street clues and topographical hints. "Don't aim low" refers to medallion's location just down from a ridge and "stand" to the trees where the medallion is hidden. Band, bow and stand suggests Sherwood Forest of Robin Hood and his merry band, which in turn leads you to Sherwood Avenue near the park. The park is one of few to have an archery range. Coming defeat suggests failin' - the aural equivalent of Phalen.
Actual explanation: What's the aural equivalent of "Eat my shorts"?
Clue #7
Still up a creek? Here's where to peek,
Though be wary to avoid a wet drop
This is no foolin' - monster fish are schoolin'
Not far from the wintry crop.
Explanation: Creek refers to nearby Phalen Creek. Wet drop warns hunters away from the recently open water on Lake Phalen where ice castle blocks - the wintry crop - were harvested. Monster fish are on the mural on the side of the lakeside center. Phalen allows fishing.
Actual Explanation: *gasp* a fairly reasonable clue! Too bad we're not grading on a curve! Too bad this does nothing but help refer to the park the medallion is hidden in, which is no better than the rest of the clues. In fact, it does far more harm than good. Instead of progressively getting more specific (within reason), you're forced to do this:
Clue 1: It's on Earth, that's good.
Clue 2: Phalen.
Clue 3: Phalen.
Clue 4: Phalen.
Clue 5: Phalen......
Clue 6: Phalen?!!??!
Clue 7: *sigh.....*
I must note that 4 out of 5 dentists probably took "a wet drop" to be "a waterfall," but the realm of interpretation is and should be large, and lately, it's as large as you need it to be.
Clue #8
Tilt at a windmill, hunt till a standstill
A plump pitcher may hold you at bay
Look it's quite likely not far from old lakely
"What a bunch of malarkey!" you say.
Explanation: All clues refer to names on the 1986 Ice Palace monument near the medallion site in Phalen Park. Tilt at a windmill is refers to "Don Quixote," the book about an errant knight who fights windmills by Miguel de Cervantes. Cervantes is a name on the monument as well as Plump, Pitcher, Likely, Lakely and Malarkey. "Old lakely" hints that we are talking about a name and suggests the lake.
Actual Explanation: By this time in the hunt, aren't we supposed to have fewer general landmarks a quarter mile away and a few more landmarks that assist in reducing the search area, if correctly searching, to a mere hundred acres? “Malarkey” is a very kind word to illustrate what I say about it.
Clue #9
Go take a risk, we threw the disk
Where it seems you're far from succeedin'
Unless you are blind, the treasure you'll find
Among plants that are unfit for weedin'.
Explanation: Throwing the disk conjures ``frisbee,'' which leads to nearby Frisbie Street. Far from succeedin' would be again be "failin.'" Blind refers Helen Keller, whose last name is part of Phalen-Keller Regional Park. Not fit for weedin' puts you near the medallion hidden by a wildflower area.
Actual Explanation: Frisbie Street! I had been searching so long and hard to find a good street reference since the beginning of the hunt! And now, my prayers had been answered!! Answered in the form of a small street WHICH IS COMPLETELY USELESS OTHER THAN TO SUGGEST THAT THE *$@#ING MEDALLION IS IN PHALEN PARK, JUST LIKE THE OTHER FIFTY CLUES.
Clue #10
What could be bolder than killing a soldier?
A crime both evil and grim.
Accused of the deed, but soon after freed
So we name a park after him!
Explanation: Old settler Edward Phelan was accused of killing a soldier, but later freed. The creek and the park were named after him, and his name apparently had more than one spelling.
Actual Explanation: Wow, it's really Phalen? Really? ...naw!!
Clue #11
Who can measure the lust for the treasure
Between lakes is a donut to own.
Up and then down, not square but round,
Look for the windows of stone.
Explanation: The donut is located between Round Lake and Phalen Lake. It is in hilly terrain. A nearby pump house had its windows closed with stone.
Actual Explanation: Hey! If you had been doing your job as a smart hunter, you'd already know that it's around this area! So what's more appropriate than to waste yet another clue! I must admit that the windows of stone is a great absolute reference. I must also admit that it's god awful to make it THE ONLY ABSOLUTE REFERENCE OF THE HUNT SO FAR.
Clue #12
You will be nifty if you remember fifty
The number that leads to the zone
You should be in Phalen. Stop the regalin'.
And go to a bridge made of stone.
It's down Phalen Drive, and should you arrive
Across the street from the golf clubhouse, observe:
The pastry you'll find by leaving the old palace behind
Cross the bridge, on the path, make the curve.
All your hunting hours lead to a sign for wildflowers
Across the path from a picnic table.
Table and sign form a line, with which you must align
Head up the hill if you're able.
Fifty large paces, you're off to the races
From the path to some tumbledown woods.
If you stay on the line, on a side-hill you'll find
Under fallen trees, a green donut, with the goods.
Inside this confection lies plastic perfection
But remember, to keep the hunt credible.
The hunt's heart and soul is inside the donut's hole
It's valuable - but definitely not edible!
Explanation: Gives directions to a stone bridge across Phalen Drive from the golf course club house. Puts hunters on the path and to a wildflower sign. Asks hunters to align themselves with the sign and a picnic table across the path. Says to go up the hill 50 large paces, staying on this line. On a side hill, under fallen-down woods, the green donut, with the medallion slipped into the donut hole, will be found. A clarifying note that the donut, sitting in snow and dirt and leaves, should not be eaten.
Real Explanation: They could have completely erased clues 1-11 and written clues with 4 stanzas of nothing but the word 'vibescu'. It would have still come to pass that this would come to the bitter end. Why? Because of extraordinary odds?! How few hunts we have where all 12 clues are revealed! It must be chance at work, yet again!
WRONG.
I would be happy if the Pioneer Press would give the hunt winner a $10 gift certificate to Target, a tee shirt, and the opportunity to get on the parade float to show the rest of the community, "Hey, I won! Hurrah for me, I figured it out," which I might add is not a possibility this year for the winner, either, since the parade was last week. I'd still hunt with the same vigor, and I'd imagine the only people left would be ones I'd rather meet along the way compared to recent memory.
Instead, with a $10,000.00 or more bounty, everybody and their friends who don't know how to park their cars are looking for this thing, and apparently the only appropriate way to accommodate the entire crowd is to water the hunt down so badly that it confuses everyone and becomes an event where thousands of people are herded into an area upon the final clue, and no matter how hard you tried until this point, you have the same chance of finding this thing as John Doe, who heard from a friend of a friend that he could show up and find a prize. Everyone gets a chance, and the winner is equal to a lottery winner, not a problem solver. People go home with the feeling that they were there, and they could have won, and perhaps I'm the only one, but I have a very empty feeling inside because of this turn of events.
Perhaps the Pioneer Press feels that if the hunt is made logically like in years past, people become upset when someone finds it on clue #6 or #7. But, I believe that this is what should happen as the result of good thinking and the blessing of a little luck. You SHOULD have to solve the clues to find the medallion, and a lucky find is to function as a fortunate reward of your skills. The last clue isn't supposed to serve as a climax to the event, but a way of saying, "Hey, numbskulls, can't you figure it out yet? No? Let me spell it out for you, then."
In my humble opinion, there was no reasonable way to locate this year's medallion based on any of the first 11 clues, and even with the 12th, it took thousands of people more than 8 hours to find it. There was little to no landmarking to be done to pinpoint a digging area, short of the pumphouse reference in #11, and by that time it didn't even matter because the last clue was obviously on its way.
To quote a wiser friend of mine in my summary, this is “B” as in “B,” “S” as in “S”.
Let’s hope someone is fired, someone else is hired, and someday in the future, people with the ability to solve problems might have a chance at the hunt, which used to be one of my favorite times of the year.
-m
I think you summed it up on that post in the explainations page!