In addition to sharing Forrest Fenn Searcher Stories, Mysterious Writings launches a new Six Question Segment sharing Forrest Fenn Treasure Solutions (theories). If you’d like to participate, click to learn how. This episode features ….
Six Questions with Samuel Lovell:
- 1)When did you first get involved in the Chase?
I first heard of the Chase in 2012 when I was a fresher at the University of Oxford studying law, but didn’t give it much thought at the time as my attentions then lay elsewhere. Fast forward six years or so and I came across it again: this time my imagination was stoked and I caught the bug, an experience I think that most reading your blog will be familiar with…
- 2) How did you decide on a state? Do you ever have any doubt it might be in another state?
The state I believe the treasure to be in (Montana) was not decided upon, rather arrived at, after following the clues. Following Forrest’s advice, I began with WWWH and went from there. The state ended up being incidental to my solution and I’d caution any who are thinking of nailing down the state first to beware cutting off avenues of thought before they truly begin.
Montana does fit very neatly though: it is “The Treasure State”, and it is appropriate that Forrest insists on saying that the treasure is “In the mountains”: but again, these are coincidental.
- 3) What were your nine clues: The nine sentences of the poem, or nine different phrases/lines in the poem? Can you walk us briefly through your solution?
Brevity’s never been my strong suit! I’ve created a single-page site where people can see my solve for free at title2thegold.wordpress.com.
- 4) Once on location, what was the killer of this solution? Why didn’t it work out and the chest found?
I’ve not been on location yet, so it’s very much still a live solve for me at the moment! I know there have been a number of searchers in the general area that my solve is, but none have confirmed to me that they have been to the place that I believe the chest to be.
As a UK-based armchair searcher, it’s likely that I’m at a disadvantage, and so I’m very happy to put my solve out there for the world to see as I’d like to see the treasure found in Forrest’s lifetime. If someone reading this wants to go and see if it’s there, please do! If you find it, the frog and autobiography will be enough for me, and perhaps the chance to give Forrest his bracelet back.
I suppose if there were to be a killer to the solution it would be that I do believe the terrain to be quite tough: the question outstanding for me is whether or not is it a place an 80-year old man could not go. Personally I believe Forrest had some assistance in hiding the treasure in the first place in the form of a bicycle to relieve some of the load, but I’d still need to be BOTG to check that theory out in practice.
- 5)What are you enjoying most about the Chase?
It’s more about the puzzle than the riches for me: I think Forrest is usually the sharpest, most astute guy in whichever room he walks into, so to go toe-to-toe intellectually speaking and come out on top is a big draw. Of course, a small fortune wouldn’t go amiss either…
The most enjoyable thing is that my lateral, abstract thinking (which was always my strong suit at university and made me uniquely unsuited to most of my degree) is getting a real work-out!
My father-in-law and I enjoy doing a cryptic crossword together occasionally. He’s always sharper than I am, but I trounce him on the anagrams most of the time. I recently introduced him to the Chase and will be looking forward to hearing what solve he comes up with.
- 6)Is there anything more you would like to add?
Yes: if you find it, please just credit me with the solve. That is all.
Best, Samuel
Thanks so much, Samuel for launching off this new segment on MW! The area around Ramshorn Lake is certainly INTERESTING! Thanks for sharing and best to all on whatever you seek! Always Treasure the Adventure!
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