Adventure Magazine December 2019/January 2020

Exploring Yellowstone National Park in search of the treasure
THE HUNT
The next morning we woke up neither bright, nor early.
The hangover from so much treasure hunting research
had left us all a bit worse for wear. By mid-afternoon we
were ready to strike out into the unknown. I would soon
be baptized into the ranks of, “treasure-hunting-idiot”. Our
treasure hunting crew consisted of two children, two dogs,
three adventure women, and two very hungover men. After
many promises and agreements as to the exact nature of
how we would split the booty when we found it (seven-ways
as is customary in these sorts of exchanges) we all shook
hands and pinky-swore before marching out into the wilds.
And here the treasure hunting story ends. To discuss
more about the minutiae would be to give away too many
clues about our theorized location, and since the first rule
of treasure hunting is secrecy, I would hate to be banished
from my treasure hunting society for breaking the rules.
But, I can say this. Looking around at the joy and hope on
the children’s faces as they spent their imaginary money
(One child, in particular, had a very clear vision of how
she’d spend her share of the treasure; a Pony and saddle) I
realized that Forrest Fenn had been right. His greatest gift
to the world wasn’t the treasure. It was hope.
Whether the search for Forrest Fenn’s treasure is
the greatest hunt, or the greatest hoax, ever crafted
is debatable. What is not debatable is that the world
doesn’t have too many mysteries anymore. Every nook,
cranny, crag, and bluff has pretty much been mapped and
remapped. Satellites drift by in the cosmos constantly
taking pictures of all the parts and pieces of our world.
"So hear me all and listen good,
Your effort will be worth the cold.
If you are brave and in the wood
I give you title to the gold."
Our treasure hunting crew consisted of two children, two
dogs, three adventure women, and two very hungover men.
Our own lives don’t even escape from the constant
bombardment of updates, eyeballs, and investigations.
The scrutiny of social media has become an ever-present
invasion into our daily lives. So, how refreshing and
joyous it is to have a little bit of mystery left in this world.
And to be inspired to set out into the wilderness, and
find a wealth of adventure, if not treasure. They say the
journey is the destination so, I suppose you could also
say: the real treasure isn’t in finding it, but in the hope
and adventure that it inspires.
22//WHERE ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS/#217