SUNDAY 7 a.m. --- The Treasure Hunt

Reprinted from "Crown Jewels of the Wire", August 1999, page 32 (insert)

Thanks to some advanced planning by Mike Bliss of Fort Collins, Colorado and hosts Steve and Melanie Marks, a marvelous event was added to Sunday's schedule. Sixty-two collectors gathered in the lobby outside of the show hall before 7:00 a.m. There were 31 teams of two individuals who paid $10 per team for their first clue so they could participate in a treasure hunt. Mike Bliss had flown to Phoenix (at his own expense) in the spring to map out the event with the assistance of the staff at the DoubleTree Resort and Steve and Melanie.

Mike Bliss, Melanie and Steve Marks review how the "floating"
 fountain clues will appear once fished from the pool.

The clues were tough, and everything was coordinated so that no team could communicate with each other and the rules were strict! John and I entered as a team and got off to a lousy start by finding a clue that was out of order. Our efforts went downhill from there. At one point I begged a resort employee in the lobby to tell me if they had a golf course on the property. He just smiled, gave me a "my lips are zipped" sign and went on about his business. Told you the show hosts had anticipated EVERYTHING! 

Convention attendees who did not participate, awoke to see teams of collectors running back and forth across the beautifully landscaped grounds of the resort, fishing clues floating in plastic tubes out of a fountain and looking behind bushes for boxes with their next location to find. These teams of fathers/sons, mothers/daughters, husbands/wives and pairs of collectors were REALL Y aggressive. And it was rewarding to the event planners that so many took part in the hunt. The 100 degree early morning heat took its toll on our team, for rising without eating or drinking anything before the start was not a good idea. We found only 8 of the 10 clues before we had to withdraw. Most teams finished, some disqualified for cheating (tsk! tsk!) and we heard that there was a real foot race that took place between several teams as they tried to cross the finish line first. 

Teams gathering at the starting line waiting to receive their first clue.

Bob Stahr and Rick Soller -- Treasure Hunt Winners

The place in which you finished determined the order in which you could chose your prize. The team to finish first did so just two minutes ahead of the second team! Prizes were donated by various individuals which included a cobalt signal, a grey-green porcelain multipart, and lots of nice color additions for one's collection. 

Crossing the finish line first was the team of Bob Stahr (St. John, Indiana) and Rick Soller (Gurnee, Illinois). They chose the $400 cobalt signal donated by Al and Ginny Way of Waterbury, Connecticut. 

Sunday also brought to a close one of the most successful national shows we have attended. As predicted, the show was HOT, HOT, HOT! Leaving Scottsdale, we returned to Sedona to the north for a few days to recuperate from all of the excitement and the heat. While shopping I was fascinated by a candle holder that had four figures locking arms and sitting in a circle. Accompanying it was a legend of the southwest.

CIRCLE OF FRIENDS

The Indian legend says that at the end of the evening, friends would gather around a bonfire and share their hearts and speak of the good qualities of each other and remember times shared. As the embers faded, their friendship was said to be sealed anew, bringing them closer together. As you sit with the candle lit in the middle of your circle of friends, it will surround and embrace all who sit with you and bring good luck to those who stay together.

Certainly those who participated in the 1999 national will agree... it was a time of shared hearts, good qualities spoken and memories.