Treasure Hunting for Active Lifestyle

I have always been a very competitive person. My history of knee and back injuries over the years has forced me to adapt and overcome limitations to maintain my active lifestyle, as discussed in a previous blog post.

I am always looking for new challenges aligned with my interests including several years performing archaeological field work (e.g., excavations, surveys, and artifact processing).

One of the current passions I discovered is local treasure hunting in the Twin Cities, Minnesota. I am not referring to geocaching, but rather, much more focused hunts that provide one or more clues hinting at the location of hidden “medallions” at city parks or other public property. These medallion hunts are typically associated with city festivals, carnivals and community events. Indeed, Saint Paul is well known for the $10,000 Pioneer Press Medallion Hunt each winter in Ramsey County, Minnesota associated with the Winter Carnival. Medallion hunters are passionate about the hobby and the rewards can be significant. I have personally dug through countless feet of snow in the middle of winter sub-zero temperatures searching for what may be a very small acrylic medallion. Talk about difficult!!

Minnesota may very well be the medallion treasure hunt capital of the World with hundreds of local hunts each year. I have found medallion hunts really promote an active lifestyle as you often climb stairs/hills and hike the trails at local parks to search under rocks, logs and countless leaves/branches. The medallions can be cleverly hidden in objects such as trash and other concealers that are the source of hints found in the formal hunt clues. Medallion hunts are a great way to get out and see the local parks and interact with nature, which is definitely a great family activity. I also enjoy the time to clear my busy mind while searching. And, of course, hydration and proper nutrition/supplementation are critical to success with treasure hunting!

Check out some of my medallion hunt finds below. My favorite finds are always with my kids, and sometimes I join others as a “Team” to help noodle the clues and hunt together. Searching for medallions is always an enjoyable experience for me whether I find the prize or not. I hope you get the opportunity to participate in treasure hunting either from your armchair with online hunts or locally in person (i.e., BOTG or boots on the ground). No joke, treasure hunting helps maintain my active lifestyle and satisfies my personal DRIVE for competition. I even started to host my own local treasure hunts in Minnesota – MN Treasure!!

(Click the MN Treasure logo for more information.)

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Treasure Hunting for Active Lifestyle

Fitness

August 29, 2022

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