Friday, September 17, 2010

hunt for the oktoberfest medallion

La Crosse is gearing up for Oktoberfest, and that means all the annual Oktoberfest competitions have started. My favorite is the Oktoberfest Medallion Hunt. The person who can decipher the clues (one given each day) and find the medallion hidden somewhere on public property wins $500.

Today was day five of the clues, and I was sure I knew exactly where it was. So after lunch, I took off on my bike to go get my $500. I wasn't the only one with this idea. When I got to the park, there were already a good fifteen people searching the trees, bushes, and any other viable hiding place.

As I coasted around trying to decide whether or not I'd join them in beating bushes, one got a call saying the medallion had been turned in. I don't know how this information is disseminated other than reading it in the paper the next day, but I believed nonetheless.

And so, I turned my medallion hunt into a lovely fall afternoon bike ride through the marsh, during which I saw a snake, a heron, a bunch of ducks, and a sparrow drinking out of a water fountain. Not a bad afternoon after all.

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