This is the 36th in a series on Six Questions with Searchers of The Thrill of the Chase Treasure Hunt by Forrest Fenn. Questions are asked and then answered by those who are enjoying Forrest’s dare! Thanks to all who are participating. They truly are special!
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Six Questions with Ann Borel
1)When did you first hear and learn about the Treasure Hunt?
I first heard of the chase 6 years ago. I accompanied my mom on a trip, who is 78 now, through Wyoming. She’s a bit of an amateur sociologist, and this trip revolved around women in Wyoming, their right to vote, and the Oregon Trail. Near the end of our trip we visited a childhood friend of mine, who was then a Ranger in Yellowstone Park. It was the highlight of our dinner conversation. She suggested, with great vigor, that I read the poem, to which I laughed with great folly. This was back before the instruction was given to Rangers that they were not to involve themselves in the search.
I obviously didn’t have clue how much I was going to love the search…LOL.
2)What inspired you to become involved and begin searching?
A year or two later my “Ranger” friend moved back to California, where she convinced me to read the poem and check out the Home of Dal. It was reading Dal’s blog, and seeing how people where interpreting the clues which made me believe that the treasure was real. I was a lurker on his blog, still am, and a couple others, for years now. There were certain member’s like Pdenver and Thegermanguy that I admired their thought process and kindness that made me start looking at maps. It was right before my birthday 2 years ago, that I decided I was actually going to get the books, when asked what I wanted as a gift. Before that I was a bit of poem purest.
3)What is your most favorite part about the Treasure Hunt so far?
Giggling…All the useless information I have acquired is by far my favorite part of the chase, thus far. I’m a proud graduate of Fenn U. By that I mean, I stopped believing I needed all that “useful knowledge.” A while back, I decided to keep it simple, the way a 13 year old boy might see life. The opportunity hasn’t yet come to fruition for me to meet Forrest. As we all know, he is an extremely interesting individual, which triggers my weird love of scouring through information, but I have come to the conclusion that most of my knowledge was specialized. It was very humbling to think brains weren’t going to get me closer…yet exciting to take a different approach. OH, and I have truly enjoyed the Chase Facebook groups…I started feeling a little crazy not having anyone to bounce ideas off of.
4)What is your least favorite part about the Treasure Hunt so far?
There’s nothing I dislike about the chase…other than not being able to spend more time on it.
5)What is the best or most unique thing you found while searching for Forrest Fenn’s treasure chest?
I’ve only done one boots on the ground. So there really isn’t anything physical that I’ve found. My mind has wondered to places first in Colorado, then New Mexico, Montana, and now Wyoming. I did my first recon, boots on the ground in Wyoming last September. I believe a searcher will be able to walk right up to it.
6)What more would you like to say?
Hmmm…I would have to say I think we need to pay attention to Fenn’s inabilities, the ones he refers to as his fault lines.There’s definitely a fault line in the poem, where his abilities couldn’t find a better rhyme than “halt” and “walk.”
Best of luck with all that you seek! Always Treasure the Adventure!
Thanks so much for your answers Ann! I never tire of hearing other searchers story. Each one makes me smile in a different way.
I wonder how many people heard of the hunt, and then it wasn’t until months later, after hearing about it again, decided to get involved? Seems like quite a few!
I knew about the hunt back in 2010, but I was working on another million dollar hunt at the time, and just considered it the same old same old…lol Like you, I just put it aside.
Then later I remember thinking…. wow, this could be a real life treasure hunt….!!
And it’s been The Thrill of the Chase ever since…
Thanks again for sharing….
So True!
My first interpretation was that you look down and see your own heart in your chest. There are even things in the book that made me think this isn’t real. Then, like having Peter Pan visit me in the night, it became real.
I’m having a good time. I’m learning new things. I’m planning trips I wouldn’t have otherwise gone on. I’m meetings new people. My life is more adventurous. I am thankful, even if I never find it. The Chase is a treasure, and it is real.
And I’m going to find it…lol!
Thanks, Ann.
I remember my first thought when seeing a news article about this was; “Yeah, a guy trying to sell a book.” lol
A couple of weeks later I saw the news article again and decided to check out this guy. I found a load of info on him, his military career, his work in the archeology field, how he helped someone ELSE keep their own collection of Clovis points together when they ran into financial troubles, speeches at various events and collegiate institutions, work in the art world, etc., etc., etc.
And this guy who I thought was just trying to sell a book became someone entirely different. A special someone. Not your run of the mill sort of guy.
It does seem like there should be something to that halt/walk thing.
You know Buckeye, there’s even a map on an educational site of where Fenn’s catch of Clovis is believed to have been found…unsurprisingly it’s where some borders meet…not far from a Mountain man’s gathering. I couldn’t get the poem to lead me there though. 😉
I was aware that the Fenn Cache was rumored to have been found somewhere in a border area. But I never saw that. I’ll have to look around more, thanks.
The other guy’s cache, which Forrest helped keep together because of the scientific importance of studying the cache as they were found, together, was difficult to find the location of.
Hi Ann! Thanks for sharing! I enjoyed your answers! I admire pdenver too!
Good luck!
Jdiggins! Its nice it is to put a face to your name, instead of a quilt piece! Lol
Thank you for your kind words, Jdiggins. You have been an inspiration to many. Hope all is going well.
Great answers, Ann!
My favorite part of the chase is also all of the information I’ve learned about the Rockies, fly fishing, Vietnam, Native American history, the American West, Yellowstone, New Mexico, Eric Sloane, weather, terrain, poetry, paintings, topographic maps, bear spray, confirmation bias, being prepared, and re-learning to love nature and the outdoors. This, in my mind, is the Thrill of the Chase.
Thanks Allen, I agree.
Hello Ann. I’m humbled by your response, and I thank you for your kind words. I enjoyed your answers and I giggled when I read your third response. The things we’ve learned along the way have been amazing, whether or not they help. Good luck Chasing.
Woowho! You have no idea how many times I thought of tracking you down and asking you to check certain areas, near Leadville or the Tenmile faultline…sure I would be seen as a nut case, I never did. LMBO!
Instead I want to wish you well on all your outings! I will make it to those places someday on my own, come hell or high water!
Thanks for the inspiration!
Halt and Walk rhyme if you’ve a southern drawl. Hal-t & Wal-k
Quote Date 2/8/17 Forrest gets mail from middle school class.
Is there a specific reason that halt and walk are the only words that do not follow the rhyme scheme?
Yes, I was limited by my ability. ff
Thanks Ann for your answers, I enjoyed reading them. Yep, I gotta agree with ya, pdenver’s kindness has touched many here. If there was a kindness award in the chase she wouldn’t need a recount…lol have a good night… see ya
nice story,i say a person never stops learning.they really don’t know it all. we are constantly learning,I have learned alot from dals blog and jennys,now there are so many,its just to much for me.I’ll stick with dal and jenny.and the poem.I ain’t giving up.but mr. forrest stories,I miss so much.I love diggins pictures.