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Pre-Dig Gig

Allison Wonderland 2003 Mock Hunt Kickoff

Submitted by Allison Wonderland on
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It's finally been determined that the 4th Annual Mock Hunt will start this year on Saturday, March 8th with the release of the first of 12 clues. The clues will be released once per day at 6pm. This year's prize is still being determined, but it's likely to include some as yet undertermined cash amount as well as a special trophy.

The focus of this year's hunt will be on offering clues that will guide a clever person right to the treasure (as opposed to vague, unsolvable clues that only put you in the right park, and not necessarily anywhere near the treasure).

The treasure will be hidden on public property in St. Paul. It will not be underground, in a tree, inside things that use electricity, at the edge of a cliff, on top of buildings, or anywhere else that may give you second thoughts about how wise it is to go there. Depending on the weather, it may be under some snow, but a careful analysis of the clues should guide you right to it with a minimal amount of digging needed.

For the release of the first clue, we'll be having a gathering at Fabulous Fern's in St. Paul on Selby and Western starting around 4pm in the bar area.

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Predig Gig 2003 at McGovern's

Submitted by Terry on

Patrick McGovern's - January 18th, 2003

The Cooler Crew has gathered at Patrick McGovern's to celebrate the beginning of the new Winter Carnival Medallion Hunt for each of the last five years. The celebration is always filled with the gathering of seasoned and newbie hunters, many laughs, reminisces of previous hunts, predictions of where the medallion might be hidden, who will find it, when the prized medallion will be found, and as the evening comes to an end, the reading of the first clue.

The evening of January 18th brought medallion finder hopefuls together with a few previous finders in the basement level of Patrick McGovern's. We were about forty in number. Some came and spent the entire evening. Others came early and had to leave. There were also hunters that arrived later and stayed until after Me2, Ares and Those Medalling Kids brought the paper back from the Pioneer Press. Me2 read the first clue for the crowd of hunters and the Crew slowly dissipated and went home to noodle that clue.

Mom and Dad had this year's version of the Cooler Crew commemorative buttons ready in a choice of six colors. Marley King and Artemis the Huntress had coordinating bumper stickers. Ares brought business cards with the site URLs for the People's Forum message boards and the Cooler Crew site. Me2 brought a guest book for everyone to sign. So much talent and great ideas!

It's always heart-warming to see old friends and meet new Cooler Crew members who share the same obsession of hunting for a little blue puck in the middle of winter - snow or no snow. There can be no better way to begin this yearly obsession than to share the laughter, the whooping, the din of conversation and the joy of greeting hunters as they arrive.

The 2003 Winter Carnival Medallion Hunt has begun.

Coolerheads will Prevail!!!!

Allison Wonderland 2002 Mock Hunt Kickoff

Submitted by Allison Wonderland on
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Kickoff Party
Fabulous Fern's
Friday, March 8, 2002
In the bar area
400 Selby Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55102
(651) 225-9414

The first mock hunt of the year is coming soon! Allison Wonderland‘s Mock Hunt will start on March 8th, with a Pre hunt party at Fabulous Fern's 400 Selby Ave beginning at 5pm with the first clue coming out at 6. Check out the 2002 Allison Wonderland Mock Hunt thread for discussion and nightly clues.

Read 2002 Mock Hunt Stories with links to clues and explanations in our Mock Hunt area.

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Predig Gig 2002 at McGovern's

Submitted by Terry on

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!

2002 Predig Gig

Submitted by Joe Medallion (not verified) on
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We'll wait anxiously for that everlovin' first clue, noodle that a bit, and enjoy the company of others with a passion for the tradition of hunting little blue medallions in the snow.

Saturday, January 19, 2002
Patrick McGovern's Pub and Restaurant
225 W 7th Street
(651) 224-5821
St. Paul, Minnesota
(near Xcel Energy Center)
From 7:00 p.m. until Close

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Predig Gig 2001 at McGovern's

Submitted by Terry on

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.

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