Shoot the Breeze Live

One hundred folks, give or take a few, gathered at Crosby Lake Park for the eighth annual Rehash Bash to put another Winter Carnival Medallion Hunt to rest. There were the familiar faces and some new to the Cooler Crew as well.

This year’s finders were kind enough to show people where the prized medallion was found. Seems everyone was within feet of it at one time or another during the hunt. Does this mean the Crew is getting closer? Maybe next year, the Cooler Crew will prevail.

Food for this year’s Bash included sloppy Joe medallions, meatballs, goulash, dips, chips, almond bark, cakes, cookies, salads, desserts and hors d’ouerves of all kinds. No one should have left hungry. The Crew does know how to throw a party!

KT saw to it that there were clever, clue-related door prizes again this year. Thanks to Mikey who donated the digging tool, OTS & Pay me for donating the GI Zephy, and KT’s hubby for making the "golden pick". Others brought wood for the fire so we could stay warm. Thanks for making these gatherings so successful. Your contributions are treasured and made this event memorable.

This year’s hunt was marked by the Crew with a special tribute to Zephy who is currently serving in Iraq. During the past two weeks, he joined the Crew at the Pre-Dig Gig, his likeness has been on WCCO news, on the front page of the Pioneer Press paper, out hunting, being knighted, in a parade and even had February 5, 2005 proclaimed his special day in the City of St. Paul by Mayor Randy Kelly. Zephy celebrated with us again at the Rehash Bash. Pictures of these two weeks can be found within the pages of this website. Be sure to check them out. Special thanks go to Zephy’s family for allowing us to share this special time with them. Jason and Sue Michaelson (Ares and Treasure Chest) arranged for many of the events and took care of Zephy in their home. Thanks for being top-notch hosts and chauffeurs! You did the Cooler Crew proud!

As another hunt draws to a close, this writer is awe-struck with how large the Cooler Crew has become. We have won recognition in a documentary movie, No Time for Cold Feet, been featured as part of a clue for the 2003 hunt, again have our own website and have gained positive press with Zephy. For a group that has found each other because we have an obsession about finding medallions in the snow, there is much for which this loosely formed group can be proud.

We may not have yet found the Winter Carnival medallion prize, but we’ve won a much more valuable one…the prize of true friendships.

Coolerheads will prevail! 2006 is our year!!

Saturday, January 22, 2005 brought us to the 7th Annual Pre-Dig Gig at Patrick McGovern’s. During the course of the evening, roughly 125 hunters came and went. Some were brand new to this experience and others hunting longer than some would like to remember. Stories, hunt memories, predictions, and friends both old and new were sprinkled throughout the lower level of McGovern’s. A main topic of conversations fun to listen in on were the reactions to the first showings of No Time For Cold Feet which premiered at the Bell Museum earlier in the day.

February 8th, 2004

Phalen Park

This years picnic in the park where the medallion was found, again saw the gathering of friends both new and old. On this cloudy, blustery day with the sound of the races out on the lake behind us, there were approximately 50 folks that attended. Name tags were a super idea! Thanks to those that made sure we were appropriately tagged!

The food laid out on the stage of the amphitheater was an amazing assortment of goulash, hot dish, sloppy joe medallions, meat balls and little weenies, windmill cookies, dips, chips, desserts, green donuts and salads. This Crew knows good food and knows how to throw a party!

A fire was started off in the distant fire ring for those wishing to warm up a bit. Thanks to all who gathered wood and got the fire going!

East Side Digger had a copy of his Cooler Kid book. Nice to see that talent! Big G had great window clings for sale and Mom had Cooler Crew buttons with for those that wanted them.

There was the usual trek to the place the medallion was found, conversation about the clues, the clue writer, theories and conspiracies. Me2 gave a speech that warmed the hearts of those attending. She summed up best what we all feel about the family we’ve become.

KT had the floor next. She had gathered door prizes for the day and there were several winners of these clever prizes. This was a new part of the festivities but hopefully not the last!

It’s seemingly impossible that this is the 7^th rehash bash. That first event found us meeting face to face with folks we had never seen before. What an awesome memory. Now every year we are joined by new faces who must feel that same sense of awe. We hope you all continue to be a part of this community!

Coolerheads will Prevail!

The 6th Annual Pre-Dig Gig at Patrick McGovern’s on Saturday, January 24, 2004 saw the gathering of old hunting friends sprinkled liberally with first time attendees. Roughly 100 folks came and went during the evening. As always, the stories of previous hunts, predictions of where the medallion will be found sometime in the next 12 days, the greeting of old and new friends alike made this annual gathering one this writer wouldn’t miss. The evening, as always, was capped off with the reading of the first clue.

Mom and Dad had this year’s Cooler Crew commemorative buttons and East Side Digger had bumper stickers for sale. If you missed the opportunity to purchase a button or bumper sticker, there will be more opportunities to get your collectibles from these creative folks during the hunt and at the Rehash Bash.

The laughter, the din of conversation, putting faces with on-line names, the meeting of new Cooler Crew members and the camaraderie of those obsessed with hunting for a little blue puck in the parks marked the beginning of the 2004 Winter Carnival Medallion Hunt. Let’s hope a Coolerhead finds it this year!

Coolerheads will Prevail!!!!!!

Merriam Park

January 27th, 2002

Could there possibly be a better way to mourn the end of another hunt than rehashing the whole thing with others equally let down from a hunt—and a hunt that seemed way too short? I think not!

At least one hundred mourners gathered this afternoon at Merriam Park to share a fabulous potluck with other hunters of the St. Paul Winter Carnival Medallion Hunt. The meal included Rehash Goulash, Minnesota Wild Rice Casserole, Devil's Den Eggs, Medallion Candy, Ian's Sloppy Joe Medallions, and lots of chips—especially of the Pringle variety.

One of the finders from 1998, Maureen Hursey, attended the bash, as well as the three ladies that found the 1995 medallion in Battle Creek, Cookie Howard, Kay Anderson, and Rachel Olson. It was great to see the variety of folks that share this obsession!

We also found a few lurkers in attendance that felt comfortable coming to the bash even though they had never posted. That's so amazing! We must come across as friendly and welcoming for folks to feel that comfortable. It's happened at both the Predig Gig and the Rehash Bash this year! Let's hope that brings fewer lurkers and more folks sharing their thoughts and ideas about the hunt next year.

Merriam Park, being a park and recreation center, had a nice warming room with a ping pong table we could use to put food out on and a place to warm up a bit. It was much chillier and cloudier outdoors than it was forecast to be, so it was super to have a place to warm up a bit.

There was the usual trek to the site. The method of hiding it this year was questioned over and over again...leading to conspiracy theories and theories that the medallion had not been dropped until within a couple of hours of it being found. There was even an experiment done with a foil chip can top, scotch tape and something of about equal size and weight to the medallion and placed out under what little snow is left. The scotch tape became milky white after a couple of hours and did not stick well. Surely this will be a hunt discussed for years to come.

The good news is that there will be more hunts, more snow, better hiding (PLEASE!), and clever clue writing for us to noodle over. We only have 51 weeks to go!

Coolerheads WILL Prevail!

Patrick McGovern's

January 19th, 2002

Amazement is the word that comes to mind about this year's predig party at McGovern's. There had to be by evening's end at least 100 people that had come and gone.

We took over an upstairs room at McGovern's. The room probably holds 50 people or so comfortably, but as usual, some folks came early and left, others came later, and some of us were there from beginning to end. We had the room packed.

There were several lurkers who have never posted but felt comfortable enough to come and introduce themselves. Additionally, Cathi Hogan, last year's finder came for awhile. She said she was going to be the first hunter to find it twice in a row. She has some challengers to that notion! Cookie Howard, Kay Anderson, and Rachel Olson, the finders from 1995 (Battle Creek) were in attendance. They've been hunting together since 1952 and continue to this day. Amazing! The 1969 finder (Victoria and 35E), Bill the RV guy, was also there for the duration of the evening.

Many of the Cooler regulars were present, some new faces appeared that I'm sure will turn up again during the hunt, and the evening was filled with fellow hunting enthusiasts.

Marley King and his Queen Kal had created bumper stickers that were ready for sale. They did a nice job with those! Thanks to the team work of E&H's Mom and Dad and Terry Valentine, this year's Cooler Crew commemorative buttons were ready! Steve Worthman had his Treasure Hunter's Guide, 2nd Edition, books for sale. Those have become quite popular with hunters. The medallion hunt seems to bring out the unique talent and creativity of medallion seekers.

The documentary crew was in attendance, complete with some interns hired locally to help with filming this year. Here's hoping those locals get the fever and join the hunt after the filming is completed this year!

Toward the end of the evening, a couple of folks headed to the Pioneer Press Building to get the first clue and brought it back to McGovern's. The early noodling included the concensus that we have a new clue writer this year. Possibly important key phrases discussed were "light a spark," "far and wide," and "have no fear."

An interesting aside to share here....just as the folks were leaving the Pioneer Press, there was a Press employee who mentioned that the Wisconsin edition contained the wrong clue. After some quick thinking, a store in Hudson, WI was called. Turns out it was the first clue from last year!

The hunt has begun!

Patrick McGovern's

Thought I'd try to give the general flavor of the McGovern's gathering.

There were approximately 50 people in attendance this year, including (hold your breath) Dave Young (DDY), Green, Eags, Eags' friend Vicki, Bob e, Eags' niece (Nut), Emmy and Hannah's Mom and Dad, Tim the Hunter and his dad (Pops), Elizabeth Hanninen (eh) with her hubby (PP) and their 7-month-old son Thomas, Scribe and THX-1138 (who met on the PP boards and were married earlier this month), Jake Inge (who also prepared a treasure hunt Jeopardy game), Downtown Dave, AnnetteB, MJ and TT, a couple of lurkers that haven't posted yet but promise to do so soon, Medallion Stallion and his friend, Marley King and Kelly, Allison, Steve Worthman, Inks and Terry and daughter (of earmuffs fame), Northernlights, leelabell and her hubby, Wright Winger, Tiny Thumbs and 'lectric Duane, and Mr. Med Hunter. (It's always fun to get a little recognition.)

Some medallion-finding celebrities were in attendance, as well. Bill Gralish (a.k.a. the RV guy) was one of the finders of the medallion on 35E and Victoria in 1969, the Davoli's found it at Newell Park last year, and William J. Buron found it with his sister-in-law Andrea (who couldn't make it) in the Bull Durham bag at Mears Park in 1975.

The Pioneer Press gave us t-shirts celebrating the 50th year of the hunt with a map and listing of all the finding places—another terrific collector's item courtesy of our sponsor.

The Pioneer Press also sent someone to film the event who also took some still shots. There have been rumors of some streaming video on the website.

There was the usual flurry to get the clue when that came out and the usual second- and third-guessing and overanalyzing that always occurs.

We also had our buttons ready! We invited the finders to our Rehash Bash on the 4th of February. They have some contact with other finders and will pass the word.

An aside to all this...someone who started working with me in September had a great uncle who passed away this past year. He was the finder of the first treasure in 1952.

As always - it was a great night and the beginning of another great hunt.

Attendees: Lady Lou, her hubby Big B, their dog Gizmo, Green, MJ (with her husband TT, daughter LuLu and their foreign exchange student, Olga), Dave Young, Eags, Mom and Dad with Emmy and Hannah, Terry and Inks Valentine, and Patsfan all the way from St. Louis, Missouri.

The May 29th STB-L! was held at Lady Lou and Big B's log home on a lake in western Wisconsin. The weather was perfect—sunny, warm, but not too hot, and a beautiful view.

Lady Lou and Big B were the perfect host and hostess. There had been lots of prep work done before we arrived. Lady Lou is quite the cook and she had been baking, fixing, and preparing food for at least a week. There was one counter just loaded with food when we arrived—and that was just the snack stuff for the afternoon!

The activity of the afternoon was visiting, laughing, and fishing. Wisconsin made good money that day on fishing licenses. Two stringers of sunnies were caught that afternoon right off the dock!

As dinnertime approached, the grills were fired up and everyone fixed their steaks or brats and put out all the accompanying food. Some of us were so full from the salads, home-made baked beans, and the snacks from earlier in the day, that we had to bring part or all of our steaks back home with us.

We also celebrated birthdays. Big B's, Patsfan's 2-year-old - FHOFer, and Terry's. Lady Lou had gotten a cake with a football theme for the FHOFer, a fishing theme for Big B, and an angel looking over the whole thing for Terry.....all on one cake!

We also sent some gifts home with Patsfan for the new baby at his house....a baby girl dubbed Mz. A!

Eventually, we all headed back to the Twin Cities, though it wasn't easy to leave. Big B and Lady Lou live on their own little piece of paradise and big thanks go to them for sharing with the Cooler Crew!

Attendees: Eags, Mom. Dad, Emmy and Hannah, Inks and Terry Valentine. Several of the other regulars were not feeling well or were out of town. We decided to have a potluck barbecue this month at the Valentine's.

For this gathering, we celebrated Mom's 30th birthday. Earlier in the day, 4-year-old Emily, who is smart as a whip, helped Terry bake, frost, and decorate a cake for her Mom's special day. Doing dishes was part of the deal and she was a great dish rinser!

Later, Mom, Dad, and Hannah arrived, and Eags arrived shortly afterwards. We grilled and shared a fabulous feast. This Crew definately knows how to eat well!

After dinner, we visited, sang "Happy Birthday," ate cake, and watched Mom open the gift we had picked out for her. It was a nest-shaped, hanging bird feeder with Woodstock (Snoopy's bird buddy) nestled inside.

The Woodstock theme was the result of Mom and Dad having recently purchased a wooded lot from Bob e in Sturgeon Lake. The lot is on a road called Woodstock.

After cake and ice cream, Mom took the two girls to Grandma's for the rest of the evening. We visited, thought about playing Trivial Pursuit, visited some more, laughed, and about midnight decided to call it a night.

We're hoping that the crew is healthier by May!