2001 Clues
Cathi Hogan, a pre-school teacher from Oakdale found the medallion in Como Park. "It is an answer to prayer," she said. Hogan grew up searching for the medallion each year, and said that she was inspired this year by meeting three other people who had found the medal in previous years.
Clue 1
Published on Jan. 21, 2001
Go through the cold and prepare to be bold,
Or you won't find the secret item.
Our beloved St. Paul is the place for gold;
Dig elsewhere and you'll search ad infinitum.
Last year at Newell our fate was most cruel;
Unfortunately the game ended too soon.
Come now and prepare for a much tougher duel;
Keep on your toes or you'll hunt until June.
Or you won't find the secret item.
Our beloved St. Paul is the place for gold;
Dig elsewhere and you'll search ad infinitum.
Last year at Newell our fate was most cruel;
Unfortunately the game ended too soon.
Come now and prepare for a much tougher duel;
Keep on your toes or you'll hunt until June.
Our Thoughts: The first letters of each line spell out "GOOD LUCK."
Clue 2
Published on Jan. 22, 2001
There's no need to destroy as you deploy
For the hunt in our wonderful town.
Golf courses and statues you must not annoy,
And please steer clear of all private ground.
For the hunt in our wonderful town.
Golf courses and statues you must not annoy,
And please steer clear of all private ground.
Our Thoughts: One of the usual early "obvious" clues: Stay on public land and avoid golf courses or other areas that could be damaged.
Clue 3
Published on Jan. 23, 2001
Circular thinking can be one way of linking
To the treasure that lies out of view.
Your bank account won't be shrinking
If you can figure out this clue.
To the treasure that lies out of view.
Your bank account won't be shrinking
If you can figure out this clue.
Our Thoughts: If you employ "circular thinking," you might surmise that the following circles are important to hunting efforts: Cafesjian's Carousel, fire pits, the old pony riding ring, and spinning amusement rides.
Clue 4
Published on Jan. 24, 2001
East and west are part of our test,
Though only one is the proper place.
If this choice leaves you depressed,
Playing might put a smile on your face.
Though only one is the proper place.
If this choice leaves you depressed,
Playing might put a smile on your face.
Our Thoughts: "East" and "west" refer to the east and west picnic grounds at Como Park. "Playing" is a reference to the playground by the west picnic grounds, where the medallion was hidden.
Clue 5
Published on Jan. 25, 2001
A man of steel cannot be real,
But another has plenty of mettle.
Look for his name around our deal,
And you'll be in very fine fettle.
To escape the herd find a peaceful bird
Somewhere deep in the snow.
Our treasure is boxed inside the word,
And that's what you need to know.
But another has plenty of mettle.
Look for his name around our deal,
And you'll be in very fine fettle.
To escape the herd find a peaceful bird
Somewhere deep in the snow.
Our treasure is boxed inside the word,
And that's what you need to know.
Our Thoughts: The medallion was wrapped in a sock with an "Ironman" label. Thus the reference to "mettle" (a pun on "metal") and "a man of steel." The "peaceful bird" is a dove. In addition to being wrapped in a sock, the medallion was hidden inside a package of Dove brand soap.
Clue 6
Published on Jan. 26, 2001
The prize is at a place with lots of space
Where riding around can be fun
But you'll have to move off base
If you hope to be the victorious one
Where riding around can be fun
But you'll have to move off base
If you hope to be the victorious one
Our Thoughts: "Lots of space" refers to Como Park, one of the largest public spaces in St. Paul. "Riding around" refers to the rides at the small amusement park north of the medallion's hiding place. "Moving off base" tells hunters not to look on any baseball fields in the park.
Clue 7
Published on Jan. 27, 2001
Memory lane, we need hardly explain,
Is the busiest street of all
Think of traveling the old way again
And you might make a big haul
Is the busiest street of all
Think of traveling the old way again
And you might make a big haul
Our Thoughts: "Memory lane" refers to Beulah Lane, a street south of the medallion's hiding place. Parts of the street have been closed off and are thus only a memory. But the key clue here is to "think of traveling the old way again." This refers to the old streetcar displayed by the west picnic grounds.
Clue 8
Published on Jan. 28, 2001
Adding hot cocoa to a cup of mocha
Creates a stirring combination;
Put them together and you'll evoke a
Potentially lucrative location.
Creates a stirring combination;
Put them together and you'll evoke a
Potentially lucrative location.
Our Thoughts: The first two letters of "cocoa" and "mocha" spell out "Como," directing hunters to the medallion's location.
Clue 9
Published on Jan. 29, 2001
Vanished tracks in the snow will help you go
To the spot where the treasure lies waiting.
Proceed toward shelter from the opening below,
And with luck you'll soon be celebrating.
To the spot where the treasure lies waiting.
Proceed toward shelter from the opening below,
And with luck you'll soon be celebrating.
Our Thoughts: "Vanished tracks in the snow" are the old streetcar tracks that once ran south of Horton Avenue near the treasure site. The "opening below" refers to an underpass, its span now gone, along these tracks. Finally, this clue directs treasure hunters to go from the underpass toward "shelter" (the picnic shelters in the west picnic grounds).
Clue 10
Going just halfway isn't good, they say,
But we think you should stay near the middle.
Do this and you'll have a picnic today
As you try to decipher this riddle.
Our Thoughts: "Stay near the middle" refers to Midway Parkway, which is just east of the medallion's hiding place.
Clue 11
Thinking in twos could yield good news,
So look for objects in pairs.
Double down is a sight you shouldn't lose,
Because our prize isn't far from there.
So look for objects in pairs.
Double down is a sight you shouldn't lose,
Because our prize isn't far from there.
Our Thoughts: "Thinking in twos" points hunters to the pair of trees and the two picnic tables near which the medallion was hidden. "Double down" refers to two south-facing playground slides that served as guideposts to the treasure's location.
Clue 12
Follow a straight line and you'll do just fine
In discovering where treasure abounds
The line goes southeast from two slides to a sign
For Como Park's West Picnic Grounds
Ninety paces or so from the slides where kids go
You'll find two picnic tables close together
Pick a spot nearby to dig in the snow
And your life could soon change for the better!
In discovering where treasure abounds
The line goes southeast from two slides to a sign
For Como Park's West Picnic Grounds
Ninety paces or so from the slides where kids go
You'll find two picnic tables close together
Pick a spot nearby to dig in the snow
And your life could soon change for the better!
Our Thoughts: The clue provides detailed directions to the medallion, which was located about 90 paces southeast of the children's playground, on a line toward the sign on Horton Avenue for the west picnic grounds.
During the 1990’s, the St Paul Pioneer Press opened online discussion forums. These forums were called Water Coolers. The forums had discussion topics related to sports, politics, news, and current events. Each year, the Pioneer Planet – the online section of the Pioneer Press – opened a discussion forum as a media for hunters to discuss the clues for the Winter Carnival Medallion Hunt.
During the earlier years, one might find a few hundred posts during the hunt. As more hunters had computers, those numbers jumped. From 1997 to 1998, the number of posts increased from the hundreds to the 5-digit thousands. It was during the 1998 hunt the Cooler Crew was born.
The community spirit and teamwork displayed in the Pioneer Press Medallion Hunt thread was inspiring. The group of hunters found themselves at the end of a hunt not wanting to let go of new friendships and the camaraderie found on the Water Cooler board. The idea emerged to do what anyone would do in the middle of winter in Minnesota. A picnic in Cherokee was planned - the first Rehash Bash!
