THE JEWEL HAS BEEN FOUND!

Congratulations, Steven Sanftner, Ed Brodie,
Matt Littlefield, and Mike Nowak! Winners of the 2023 Great Twin Cities Treasure Hunt

The Great Twin Cities Treasure Hunt

July 26-August 6, 2023

INTRODUCTION
Find your fun in the sweltering sun—
The most humid and hazy of summers;
Our main attraction's back in action,
Ready to take on all comers!

Last year's MacGuffin proved a tough 'un
Right down to the final clue,
But Mr. Smith—the man, the myth—
Would claim it for his crew!

This year's quest is a fiendish test—
Deceptively unpretentious;
No radio station or wild goose chasin',
Just you and your wits against us!

So seek out our mark in an area park,
Zig and zag through the grove—
To make the claim and prevail in the game
Of the Great Twin Cities trove!

CLUE #1
Go for a hike or hop on a bike
To make your rounds on the trail;
Stop to munch on a picnic lunch
In a green space along the rail.

CLUE #2
Make the take by shores of lake;
Just do as we advise—
Nature's steward gazes shoeward
To saunter off with the prize.

CLUE #3
Excitement abounds on playful grounds—
A sanctum for seekers of pleasure;
Heed our words—and watch for birds—
On your trek to a tree-covered treasure.

CLUE #4
To claim the jewel, go back to school;
Into the woods alight—
Along the track, a ponderous plaque
Commemorates the site.

CLUE #5
Redirected and interconnected,
Wending its way to the win—
The city proclaimed a route renamed
To match with the park therein.

CLUE #6
Fifty-six years of turning gears—
All told, beginning to end;
Forward march from station to arch
And up around the bend.

CLUE #7
Solo or team, it's a seeker's dream—
The perfect, peaceful plot;
A trail cuts through to split it in two
Just steps from the secret spot.

CLUE #8
Volunteers wield trowels and shears
To fend off a troublesome culprit—
Encouraging more-a the native flora,
Like bloodroot and jack-in-the-pulpit.

CLUE #9
Explore the woods to claim the goods,
On a path through the verdant cover—
And take a poke at the base of an oak
Between one lake and the other.

CLUE #10
Meet your match in a prosperous patch
With abundant competition—
For victory hard-earned, a stone overturned
Will bring this hunt to fruition.

CLUE #11
A gem on a chain down the shady lane—
Regal, rich, and splendid;
Basswood buttes bear sweetest fruits,
Just as the super intended.

CLUE #12
Pull up stakes to the City of Lakes,
Where waters and woods intertwine;
Make your mark at Berry Park
On the Como-Harriet line.

West of the rail and south of the trail,
Take the victorious measure;
A few dozen paces—off to the races—
From forest's edge to the treasure!

On rough-hewn track with serpentine tack,
Bend and break the hex;
Take a look for the secret nook
Near two trees that fell in an 'X,'

While scoping out the faded route,
Be careful where you tread;
Patrol the zone for a sandy stone—
And the treasure aforesaid.

BONUS CLUE
Mind the middle to solve our riddle;
Decipher the secret code—
Locate the cache by dot and by dash
And unearth the mother lode!

Official Rules & More Information »

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