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2010 - Lilydale Regional Park

Submitted by ares on

Discuss the 2010 Medallion Hunt Here 

13th Annual Rehash Bash and Other End of the Winter Carnival Festivities 

Sunday, January 31, 2010 
Newell Park Pavilion 
900 N. Fairview Ave. 
Saint Paul, MN 55104 
11:30am-2:30pm 

The 13th Annual Rehash Bash will be held on Sunday, January 31, 2010, at Newell Park, from 11:30am to 2:30pm. As always, its a potluck, and since we\'ve got the building, there will be plenty of power indoors for crock pots. Donations will be accepted to cover the $136 cost for renting the facility. MrMnMikey has some door prizes available. Since this isn\'t Super Bowl Sunday this year, if people want to stick around past the 2:30 closing time, we can start a fire in one of the fire rings. 

In addition, many of us long-time Coolerheads are loyal servants of Vulcanus Rex. Join us for the Vulcan Victory Torchlight Parade, followed by the Vulcan Victory Dance. Information on the Parade Route is from the 2006 Vulcan Krewe. The best places for viewing the parade are going to be at the end of the parade route, as His Majesty, Vulcanus Rex LXXIII, the true King of the Winter Carnival, overthrows that other guy on the steps of the St. Paul Central Library, across from Rice Park 

 

Conference Call Info for Clue 11:

There was no conference call scheduled for clue 10.


 

  • Phone Number: 1-517-417-5000
  • Pass code: 859597 (clue 12 may be different
  • Everyone will be muted initially
  • Lines open at 11pm
  • lilslim will read the clue twice from start to finish
  • After the clue has been read, she will unmute the call
  • 60 ports are available for the teleconference



Line Placeholder Schedule 

1/26/2010- 
5-6 Redbear 
6-7 Jake 
7-8 Jerilyn 
8-9 Kathy 
9-10 Mikey 
10-Clue Steph 

1/27/2010- 
12-1 Redbear 
1-2 Andrea 
2-3 Nimrod 
3-4 jengerm 
4-5 Barefootguy 
5-6 Wicked Nick 
6-7 Chris Digger 
7-8 Art V 
8-9 CM & Me2 
9-Clue Sara 

 

 
First Video - The Deed is Done 

When January’s slanting snow, 
Makes us dream of Mexico 
St. Paul emerges from Wintery sleep 
To search for treasure buried deep 

Notice to every hunting battalion, 
We have hidden the Pioneer Press Medallion 
Where? You ask in husky shout, 
That’s for us to know, and you to find out 

Turn off the tube, leave your hovel 
Grab your walking stick and shovel, 
Whether you be giant or runt, 
The only way is to join the hunt 

For to the hunter belongs the spoil, 
Hunt by day, or Midnight oil, 
Hunt in boot and sturdy glove, 
Hunt with pal, or old true love 

For you who hunt each and every year, 
We raise a lusty St. Paul cheer 
“Good Luck” 

And now, let us be blunt, 
Get off thy duff, and hunt, hunt, hunt
Clue #1 

All hail, O Fire King, of thee we sing 
Thy blast of winter heat scorches 
When ice was like concrete it would\'ve been so sweet 
If the Vulcans plowed with their torches 

Emerge from the den as we once again 
Offer a bodacious bounty 
And this tip to the frozen: bring thick lederhosen 
To public land in Ramsey County 

Clue #1 Video

Hear ye all crews, now come the clues 
For this task I am the Czar 
With each rhyming gift, this shape I will shift 
Listen well to each avatar
Clue #2 

Kissed by a Vulcan, she left him sulkin\' 
\"Sir Soot, I\'ll not forgive these sins!\" 
Her airs Elizabethan, her language, bleepin\' heathen, 
Our mother once blessed us with twins.
Clue #3 

Look high, look low, wherever you go 
Follow a picturesque route 
There are ways to travel away from the gravel 
That keep you in hot pursuit
Clue #4 

Code by Morse should set your course 
To long dashes that dot the landscape. 
You or your avatar should park your car 
On your way to this great escape.
Clue #5 

Take a westerly tack up from the stack, 
A landmark most uncouth. 
Figures grand in scale point to a trail 
Of footprints left by our sleuth.
Clue #6 

You\'ll want to go shopping where things are hopping 
And storeowners once dropped anchor 
Go down the main drag, but be sure not to lag, 
You\'ll have plenty for which to thank her
Clue #7 

Escape your troubles where the water bubbles 
Or gurgles like a stream. 
You may be chargin\' right up to the margin. 
Look for a productive seam.
Clue #8 

Down on the delta where there\'s no ice to melta 
The purple horde raids a golden legion 
Today before kick off the prize you\'ll pick off 
If you search in just the right region 

To find the seed, energy you need 
In search for your clues to glean 
What once was planted is taken for granted 
Stored in one of fifteen
Clue #9 

Not far from stones and ancient bones 
Lay clues that are fit for Jim 
Lure the egrets to yield all secrets 
And you should satisfy him 

Get your kicks by hitting the bricks 
Admiring the trees and view 
Be ever glad hopping pad to pad 
Like amphibians in\'52
Clue #10 

Stonehenge tumbled down near a crumbled town 
Not far from the lights of the city 
If you would hike away from the pike 
You might stumble on something pretty 

Upstream from the landing lay a place in good standing 
Where people prayed, God willin\' 
Now midst the cocklebur and rusted spur 
Is nothing by murder and killin\' 

This park is a sliver, from ancient beds to a river 
In neither is the prize to be found 
Look for the goods among timber and woods 
Do not dig in the fossil ground
Clue #11 

Go for a lark in Lilydale Park 
Between Water Street and the river 
The city boundary sign and the old rail line 
Define the zone that will deliver 

You\'re outside the pale if you\'re close to the rail 
It\'s not to be found near the tracks 
Be nice and cooperative, respect private property 
On public land launch your attacks 

Within this area lies medallion hysteria 
A tangle near the river - not too close! 
About four dozen paces from the waterline to places 
Where you should tromp, dig and freeze your nose
 



 

Posen

Got clearance to head out at sunrise tomorrow...might even leave Harriet Island...I'm hoping this next clues narrows down the hunt zone a bit more than "Near Lilydale"
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 2:05 PM Permalink
Brassmonkey

Back from digging, didn't find anything exciting today.
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 3:06 PM Permalink
Posen

The Police are ticketing cars on Water St...starting at the Harriet side and working down....!
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 3:48 PM Permalink
Art Vandelay

Yikes! Anybody want to go down to Yarusso's on the early side for dinner? I am a sucker for their lasagna. Just let me know.
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 3:53 PM Permalink
Brassmonkey

I was wondering if that was going to happen.
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 3:54 PM Permalink
lilslim

Where are you digging Brass? I have been concentrating on the area between the river and the lake west of the rr bridge.
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 3:55 PM Permalink
lilslim

You'd think they'd lay off. It's not residential, the vehicles aren't blocking any significant traffic. Just picking easy targets to meet a dang quota. So lame!!! :angry:
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 3:57 PM Permalink
Terry

Art - we just ate...otherwise I would do it in a heartbeat.

Mikey - I understand the frustration. There is a solution...mar.

After the past few hunts where the park is revealed late in the game and opposite of what most believe is the correct park, and inevitably it ends up in the woods, some of us get a bit gun shy. I'm not willing to be digging in parks just to be thrown to a different park.

My way of dealing with that is noodling the clues, figure out all the possibilities and then be ready when the time is right.

I know many people believed it was a Lilydale over the weekend. I knew it was a strong contender, but spent my time out figuring what other parks it could be in. In the process, I learned more about places and things in this city and had a great time doing so.

We all hunt our own way and for our own reasons.

I'm glad you're enjoying your way and your reasons.

Nobody is right and noone is wrong. Just having a good time.
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 4:03 PM Permalink
Terry

So what happens after the next few clues and more and more people show up down there. Stupid.
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 4:10 PM Permalink
MN Lab Lover

Just a little venting about the hunt - Why would they put it there with the fossil grounds and the parking situation. The reason I wasn't going there until the weekend was because I couldn't believe they would put it there! Oh well, what can ya do...
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 4:15 PM Permalink
Terry

Those are super photos! Thanks for sharing those.
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 4:16 PM Permalink
Terry

I think they are drawing attention to the park as they plan on doing some work to make it more park like. I hope they deal with the parking when they do.
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 4:17 PM Permalink
Terry

We had a nice time noodling with my son and his wife over the weekend. He has her hooked. YEAH!!!!

So in emails today from him:

There's a stream near that old brick oven back there. I remember it turned the soil around it all red.

And he shared this conversation with his boss late last week:

My boss and I were chuckling that the medallion clues could be in a park adjacent to the river because we both give tours at Lilydale and along the Sam Morgan trail. Hard to believe all that info would ever be useful for a medallion hunt.
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 4:20 PM Permalink
MN Lab Lover

Interesting!
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 4:23 PM Permalink
Andrea

I could take the 2-4 shift if we end up doing this.

Andrea
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 4:26 PM Permalink
Andrea

When we reached our car (parked on Water St towards Harriet from the fossil trail entrance), they were ticketing the car directly ahead of us! Eeks! Glad we dodged that one. There were hundreds of cars parked illegally. I can't imagine what this is going to be like Wednesday and Thursday nights. :frown:
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 4:30 PM Permalink
Allison Wonderland

Wow, Lilydale has less than 50% of the votes.
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 4:37 PM Permalink
Brassmonkey

I have mostly spent time on the bluff side of the park tween kiln and creek. :cool:

I have checked out the river side and walked down the hill from up top. those are secondary for me as of right now.
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 4:56 PM Permalink
tim_the_hunter

It's almost as though some shrewd hunters have voted dishonestly to throw off the sheep *strokes mustache while chuckling lightly*.
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 4:57 PM Permalink
Brassmonkey

:cool:
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 4:58 PM Permalink
Terry

Some people are so shrewd. :smile:
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 5:00 PM Permalink
tim_the_hunter

I also shrewdly poked fun at the early Como hunters in 2003. While hunting at Harriet. We laughed and we laughed. Silly Como hunters, you always think it's at Como. Silly Como hunters, it was just there 2 years ago.
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 5:07 PM Permalink
ares

We'll get there prolly 830
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 5:10 PM Permalink
Allison Wonderland

I'll take my own shot at the explanations here:

Clue #1

All hail, O Fire King, of thee we sing

Thy blast of winter heat scorches

When ice was like concrete it would've been so sweet

If the Vulcans plowed with their torches

Emerge from the den as we once again

Offer a bodacious bounty

And this tip to the frozen: bring thick lederhosen

To public land in Ramsey County

This tells us the medallion is hidden and invokes the requisite Winter Carnival imagery. Everyone focused on lederhosen, but the big clue might have been "emerge from the den". If anyone had been following Lily the bear in her den on the internet, it might have led them to Lilydale. The lederhosen reference could have been an allusion to the ice climbing at Lilydale.

Clue #2

Kissed by a Vulcan, she left him sulkin'

"Sir Soot, I'll not forgive these sins!"

Her airs Elizabethan, her language, bleepin' heathen,

Our mother once blessed us with twins.

The general consensus is that this clue is an homage to Deborah Howell, former editor and "mother" to the PP who died this month in a car crash. While she was editor of the paper, the PP got two Pulitzers. She was said to have a lot of class, but she also swore like a sailor. She doesn't seem to have anything to do with the park though, so I have to assume this clue is what it is hidden in. But if so, the even bigger clue, because she died after the Christmas storm, is that the medallion is not hidden under virgin snow.

Clue #3

Look high, look low, wherever you go

Follow a picturesque route

There are ways to travel away from the gravel

That keep you in hot pursuit

Lilydale is a hilly park with both high and low terrain. The path through it is rather picturesque. There's a gravel parking lot and a gravel path. It's hard to say if you need to stay away from them entirely, or start there and then move away.

Clue #4

Code by Morse should set your course

To long dashes that dot the landscape.

You or your avatar should park your car

On your way to this great escape.

I think the two most likely explanations for this are that the dashes are either something you see on a map, indicating that the park is near a border of some sort, or it is referring to dashes on a pathway as it then goes on to mention parking your car. Either way there is an implication that you will have to walk a ways to get to the treasure spot.

Clue #5

Take a westerly tack up from the stack,

A landmark most uncouth.

Figures grand in scale point to a trail

Of footprints left by our sleuth.

My belief is that the stack in question is at the Island Station Power Plant. A westerly tack implies travel by water which makes sense as going west on the Mississippi at that point would indeed be upriver from that stack. I think the uncouth landmark is actually Fountain Cave, once home to Pig's Eye Parrant which is located right below those grain elevators. I'm not sure what the figures grand in scale might be, but it is interesting to note that right across the river is the intersection of Watson and Drake, both of whom followed in the footsteps of great slueths (Sherlock Holmes and Perry Mason). If you extend those two streets across the river, it does rather define the search area.
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 5:12 PM Permalink
ares

You weren't involved in dispensing nut goodie wrappers in the parks during 2006 were you?
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 5:14 PM Permalink
Allison Wonderland

Clue #6

You'll want to go shopping where things are hopping

And storeowners once dropped anchor

Go down the main drag, but be sure not to lag,

You'll have plenty for which to thank her

The "hopping" mall would be Lilydale (as opposed to say Rosedale). Lilydale used to be a city so presumably there were shops there once and they may have even done business from the river. Go down the main drag suggests to me that the treasure is not far off either the road or the main pathway. I suspect the "her" that we would thank is meant to imply a park with a female name, like Lily.

Clue #7

Escape your troubles where the water bubbles

Or gurgles like a stream.

You may be chargin' right up to the margin.

Look for a productive seam.

This could be a reference to the aerators in the lake or there is also a small stream that isn't frozen over. Chargin the margin implies it is close to the Ramsey/Dakota border. I think the seam is just the border but it could be a reference to some mining operations that used to be there.

Clue #8

Down on the delta where there's no ice to melta

The purple horde raids a golden legion

Today before kick off the prize you'll pick off

If you search in just the right region

To find the seed, energy you need

In search for your clues to glean

What once was planted is taken for granted

Stored in one of fifteen

The Minnesota-New Orleans reference could easily be taken as a reference to the Mississippi river, especially as they mention a delta. Lilydale is right on the river. They also use the word region which could be a reference to it being a regional park. They use the word "pick" which might be a reference to Pickerel Lake, and that's just the first stanza. The second one talks about storing crops in one of 15. That seems to be a clear reference to the grain elevator where 15 silos are visible from the park. They also mention energy which is probably a reference again to the Island Station Power plant. Again, the search area is generally between those two.

Clue #9

Not far from stones and ancient bones

Lay clues that are fit for Jim

Lure the egrets to yield all secrets

And you should satisfy him

Get your kicks by hitting the bricks

Admiring the trees and view

Be ever glad hopping pad to pad

Like amphibians in'52

This clue is clearly referencing the fossil area and the brickyard. It also hints at Diamond Jim as the Diamond Jim mall is located in Lilydale. "Yield all" anagrams to Lilydale and the Friends of Lilydale website has an egret on it so maybe they have a special significance in that park. The last part likely refers to the 52 flood which given everything else isn't much of a hint to the park in comparison. Maybe there is a flood marker down there or something that talks about the flood.
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 5:25 PM Permalink
l and a mommy

So I went out today for about and hour and a half and left feeling extremely discouraged each clue points to a different part of the park and it's aggrevating not being able to narrow it down at all it's like lilman said to me earlier might as well have taken 10 tons of hay dumped and thrown a needle in there you'd have a better Idea where to look for it than we do with this hunt. I'm so bummed tonight I don't know that I'm going out, I feel like I've really wasted a lot of time and energy when I could have saved my vacation time and just went out Wednesday night I'd have had about the same amount of luck.

I don't normally let something like this get to me but I'm really down tonight and it's made me cranky and I don't like feeling like this!!
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 5:25 PM Permalink
Allison Wonderland

Someone posted earlier about looking for signs of the flood from 1952 in the park. Wouldn't these signs have been wiped out by the 1965 flood which was even higher?
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 5:26 PM Permalink
Allison Wonderland

I think if you're going to go out and dig in the park, you can't do it just with the hope of actually finding the medallion. You really have to go out there with the intention of having fun, or getting exercise, or spending time outdoors, or whatever else you may get out of it. Then hopefully the 9,999 times out of 10,000 that you don't come home with the medallion won't feel like such a disappointment. So try to think about what you enjoyed about being out there today, focus on that, and count yourself a winner.
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 5:30 PM Permalink
Brassmonkey

No doubt, I am really impressed with the clues this year so far and which park he has chosen. i never knew much about the park until just a few days ago. The park has a lot of history to it and fun things to do in the summer time. I'm looking forward to revisiting it and also seeing what it will look like when its reconstructed.
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 5:34 PM Permalink
wolfpac

The last couple of clues have pretty much told us to look for certain things that are in Lilydale but I'm starting to wonder if these same things could be seen from a higher park, namely Cherokee which sits above Lilydale.
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 5:37 PM Permalink
tim_the_hunter

What he said.
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 5:37 PM Permalink
Allison Wonderland

I have to admit (pending the lack of painful explanations that mean something totally different than what everyone thought), I think the clues this year are quite good also. I'd even say the best since Conway, and considering the challenge is greater these days, perhaps some of the best clues ever. Perhaps the cluewriter managed to channel all of their bad creativity into the videos.
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 5:38 PM Permalink
Terry

Just got off the phone with the tour guide for that park and asked about high water marks from previous floods.

To the very best of his knowledge, Lilydale doesn't have markings. He thought perhaps there may be some gradation along bluffs in the limestone and sandstone.

What he did say is that at the pavillion at Harriet, there are marks with the year of the floods, but he thinks that is inside. Also. as part of the Samuel Morgan regional trail, directly behind the Science Museum, there are 6 mounds of various heights that show the depth of the floods with markers at the top indicating the year of the flood represented by that particular mound. 1965 is the highest.
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 5:44 PM Permalink
Allison Wonderland

I do remember seeing the flood markers at Harriet. I believe they are on the building where you buy tickets for the paddleboats. But I don't think the cluewriter would use those in a clue.

Offhand I would guess everything was underwater until you get to the hill going up to Cherokee. And I strongly suspect it is not hidden on the hill. Consequently I'm thinking the actual high water mark is not what we're looking for. Yet it seems that it has to be more than just a park reference.
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 5:52 PM Permalink
Brassmonkey

Somewhere I have seen pictures of the flood, I think someone posted them earlier. It looks like it was all under water except the fossil area/hill side.

Post 4431 from PHG

The stacks and the silos are even flooded.
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 6:00 PM Permalink
KITCH

IMHO...this is great news...

I hope ma press gets an earful...but they won't.. :frown:
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 6:01 PM Permalink
Andrea

WHY is this great news?
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 6:07 PM Permalink
KC0GRN

Any news on a conference call?
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 6:08 PM Permalink
Terry

That kid of mine and his wife have the fever bad. Just heard from them again.

I love that they are excited about the hunt. That makes one of my kids.
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 6:11 PM Permalink
Terry

Another thing I learned tonight is that you don't need a permit to dig in the fossil area. You need a permit to take anything from the fossil area.
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 6:24 PM Permalink
Andrea

VERY interesting!
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 6:26 PM Permalink
l and a mommy

Oh I do go out hoping to be able socialize with others and learn more about the parks but at the same time I also go out with the hope that I have a chance at finding it. With the way the clues are wishy washy with location within the park even though we are on clue 9 already I feel discouraged. I'm just having a down day I guess after having a blast out there yesterday with many of you.
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 6:27 PM Permalink
Liquor Lady

nobody found it yet huh? looks like it might be another clue 12 dash :frown: sombody get out there and pick that thing up!
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 6:52 PM Permalink
Brassmonkey

I will try my best tomorrow, should be at the park all day.
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 6:53 PM Permalink
Liquor Lady

Good luck Brass!!
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 6:55 PM Permalink
Downtown Dave

on clue 3, I'd differ. Picturesque route I think refers to the path from Cherokee, which has several interpretive signs with pictures on it.

clue 4--I'd give the Morse as a railroad reference. Both the telegraph poles still there, and the railroad ties are dashes.
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 7:08 PM Permalink
Downtown Dave

I'd also differ on the den. I'd call that Echo cave. That gives me a search area between the power station, the cave, the lake, and the grain elevator. Mind you, I'm wrong every year, so I there's your disclaimer. But that is where I've been digging.
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 7:13 PM Permalink
Downtown Dave

As for the videos, it's become a fun part of my breakfast to see them. I don't know if the repeated experiments in gravity or the multiple arms mean anything, and I don't think we'll know until the thing is found whether it is worth trying to figure them out. I do think he only has this year for the mystery. If they are meaningless, I'll skip them next year. Not because of the content, but because they kind of are blurring my thought process.
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 7:21 PM Permalink