THE JEWEL HAS BEEN FOUND!

Congratulations Ben Fischer, of Saint Paul!
Winner of the Blue Ox Bonanza Treasure Hunt

Clue Explanations at TC Treasure Forums

Blue Ox Bonanza Treasure Hunt

May 11-17, 2020

INTRODUCTION
Head out on a lark to an area park—enjoy the great outdoors—
For the Blue Ox Bonanza extravaganza; the treasure could be yours!
The deed is done, so horn in on the fun; embark upon this quest
For a pair of passes to join the masses at Blue Ox Music Fest!

CLUE #1
Search history's halls for a man at the falls, and an area known by his name,
For a place to begin on the hunt for the pin, to put you ahead of the game.
To understand, find a stone in the sand, and claim the Bonanza guerdon
When you appraise the crystal gaze of the bright, blue beast of burden.

CLUE #2
Pert' near bridges and furrowed ridges, where water wends its way
Along the trail, amid the dale, past places to live, learn, and pray;
Head high or low, but go with the flow to find the treasured station—
Bend and crouch to unearth the pouch and win a well-earned vacation!

CLUE #3
Near the stony bed of the watershed, in a Metropoliton region,
Close in on the bank and break from the rank, away from the peloton legion.
Where the brook sweeps past, find a place to cast, and hook yourself a winner;
Downstream from the grove, you'll find the trove—and a sparkling prize within 'er.

CLUE #4
Down in the holler, where the trees grow taller, with spring in bloom again;
Bottoms up!—To hoist the cup, follow a path through the fen.
It helps to be thorough while searching the borough; en route to the hiding spot—
To travel the distance of least resistance—examine the map by the lot.

CLUE #5
After years of strife, this town sprang to life—a city on the rise;
The post-war boom set the burg in bloom, to nine times its prior size.
With that spark they opened a park that, over time, would expand
To include the location and orientation of a jewel buried in the sand.

CLUE #6
You might find a space near a peaceful place to pause and reminisce
For a good spot to park and disembark, before chasing after your bliss.
In the dell, as you travel a path of gravel, let the wood be your guide;
Head through the middle to solve the big riddle; bend and reveal the hide.

Where the creek wears away at the earthen clay, you could well overlook the site;
Erosion subsidence won't give you much guidance, but thinking in circles might—
Connect the dots and narrow the spots by finding the following squad:
The Gunpowder King, The Cowboy of Bling, and a couple of Voices of God.

CLUE #7
Move stanza by stanza to find the Bonanza—running amok in the glade—
'Tween trail and creek, where the beast you seek is waiting in the shade;
For this final clue, the yoke's on you, so grab the bull by the horns:
Find the bag and make the snag between the vines and thorns.

At the hunt's beginning, your odds of winning were infinitesimal,
But here at the end, we'll finally send it down to the decimal:
From watershed shed to Blue Ox head, at a bend in Nine Mile Creek,
Search betwixt the five and the six to locate the spot you seek.

A bridge nearby the lucky lie might help you complete your mission,
But whether to toss it or amble across it depends on your position;
In sand, with your boot—at the mossy, green root of a towering cottonwood
By the trailside hem—poke around for the gem, and end this hunt for good!

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