2023 Jimmy John's Marigold Medallion Clues Explained!

 

2023 Medallion Hunt Explanations:

Every year I’m tempted to think rotationally.  I naturally think: “where haven’t I been for awhile”.

To avoid that I simply begin to think of places or spots to hide it.  That determines the general location.  The bike trail in Coal Miners Park just came to me.  I used the park three years ago and felt that was enough separation and could add to the intrigue.  The exact spot was inspired by looking at Google Maps.  Seeing Sunrise, Midway, Tazewell, Reservoir together with A, B, and C streets, I knew I had some good references to have fun with.  Admittedly I did more switching of the placement and rewriting of clues than usual.  In writing them, it’s always a case of “knowing what prescription I want to write but having to keep adjusting the dosage”.  With that in mind, here is each clue and their explanation.

 

Clue #1

 

I gladly welcome all my Medallion hunting friends 

Perhaps this will be your year.

Determined effort will be called for,

In a way, I couldn’t be more clear.

 

It’s designed to be a reward for merit,

But sometimes luck wins out.

An indefatigable energy may be called for

They’re the ones who will conquer, no doubt.

 

Explanation:

Given that the Medallion was hidden back on the bike trail toward the eastern end of Coal Miets Park, accessibility would require a greater effort.

“Way” is another word for path or trail.  Historically hunters have earned their prize with hard work and keen intellect.  Perhaps luck plays a small part, but it always ends up rewarding merit.

 

 

Clue #2

 

Many hunters start with a general view.

Others have a predilection for prediction.

They examine everything earned in the past.

I predict they’ll face frustration, then attrition.

 

When I went to seek the spot,

I approached from where the sun never rises.

I traveled with a marching cadence,

Just one of forthcoming surprises.

 

 

Explanation:

In the first verse is geared toward the tendency of some hunters to look for a pattern- often “last year it was here so this year it might be there”.

Employing a process of elimination, they might ask, “where hasn’t it been for awhile?” This is the temptation to rotate.  If they examine past hunts they would likely eliminate Coal Miners Park.  If so they’ll face “frustration” or give up and be a victim of “attrition.”

 

The second verse is directional.  “Marching cadence is popularly known as “left, right, left”’

Study Google Maps and go from west to east.  Go left on Reservoir, then right on Tazewell, then trace left again on the Coal Miners trail.  Doing that you’re practically on top of the spot.  And if you look at the map closely, you’ll see that the last road before you get to the trail is “Sunrise”.

“Marching” can be seen as a military reference that serves as a hint in Clue 6.  There is also a runners cadence and a cycling cadence- both relative to the trail in Coal Miners.

 

 

Clue # 3

 

In my 36 years of teasing so many hunters,

Now empowered by technology and its change.

But when it comes to this tradition,

I see it more as having been simply rearranged.

 

Something Einstein said was more important.

Apply a line from a late Beatles’ song.

Talking about things that surround us;

For the hard working he’s possibly wrong.

 

Explanation:

In the first verse “empowered” refers to electricity.  One thing that has “changed” over the years is the growing popularity of electric powered recreational vehicles allowed in our parks and trail.  E-bikes and scooters are more plentiful and I see them often on our bike trail and on roads in town.  They are really conducive to our outer parks.

 

Einstein said that “Imagination is more important than knowledge.  Here imagination refers to “imagine“.  “Imagine” is a title to a John Lennon classic song. A line from the song says “no hell below us”.  The reference to “what surrounds us” tells the hunter that this clue has something to do with the sky, land, earth  and the trees that border the trail.  Talking about “no hell below us“ elicits the question of what else is below us? In this reference, and in this area, we are talking about “coal mines”.

(I struggled with this one.  In an effort not to make the reference to “Coal Mines” too easy, and because it was in an early clue, I came up with this crazy brain teaser.)

 

 

Clue #4

 

“What’s past is prologue”.

I’ve often hear it said.

But just go out and complete your task,

A job so many would dread.

 

If you take a view from the heavens,

Find a way that’s hard for me to spell.

A quest can end with the familiar,

And yields to that which we know so well.

 

 

Explanation:  

 

Coal Miners Park- past and this year prologue.

“Complete your task” refers to “work”

“A job so many would dread” is working in a coal mine.

In the second verse, “view from the heavens encourages the hunter to pursue a map- “a way that’s hard for me to spell is “Reservoir”.  If you follow it to comes close to Coal Miners.  The road also ends at Tazewell St.-a name which is “familiar”.  Continue to the right and you cross the trail of Coal Miners- “that which we know so well”.

 

Clue #5

 

Getting near the holiday weekend,

Still going for the green.

Do I have you coming and going?

No- golf’s not part of this scene.

 

There is often more than one way to win, 

As you seek your fame.

Whether at the start or at the finish,

In one way it’s really the same.

 

Explanation- “Green” is for wooded areas along the bike trail in Coal Miners.  “Coming and going” describe the entry and exit roads into the park.  “More than one way” refers to that. Since the park has entrances on Parkway and Allentown. (See more below) “Win” is a distant reference to “game”, as in soccer”.  The rest of this clue is descriptive of the two main ways to access to the park focusing on the fact that there are two ways to enter and access Coal Miners Park and its trail- either from Parkway or Allentown.

I’ve ridden the trail many times on my bike.  Sometimes I “come”onto it from Parkway and exit (or “go”) on Allentown.  Other times I start the ride off of an Allentown.  So the “start” and the “finish” Is “really the same” depending on your direction.

 

 

Clue #6

 

Continue studying for this endeavor;

Symbols and signs from a conflict in 42;

Outcomes horrific and destructive, 

Yet their flags so proudly flew.

 

Throw in geography and history,

Or topography and the study of what you see.

This year it’s a matter of “all the above.”

And a simple application of your ABC’s.

 

 

Explanation:  the “studies…of symbols and signs from a conflict in 42” refers to World War II and in 1942 was the Battle of Midway.  The hiding location is not far from Midway St.”  The “flags they so proudly flew” were, in this reference, the United States and Japan.  Japan’s flag is of a Rising Sun.  “Sunrise”is the last street before Tazewell intersects the trail   Midway is a couple of streets before that.

The second verse is about a variety of references to physical clues that will work.  “See” is a wordplay that helps with the references in the first verse.  Midway was a battle on the “sea”. ABC’s relates to the streets labeled A Street, B Street, and C Street if you closely study Google Maps.  

 

 

Clue 7

 

In one I gave you a place,

Four spells what is a French derivative.

Green is certainly not golf,

And space can be prohibitive.

 

I reserve the right to still hold back.

Sending you all over the map.

You can hear them as they pass you by

Running circles it’s nearly a wrap.

 

Explanation:

In Clue 1, “way” was a pathway or trail.  In 4, the word that is hard for me to spell is “reservoir”

(although now I know it quite well”). It comes from the old French word for “reserve” (2nd verse)  A reservoir is also an area that “holds” a body of water. “Space can be prohibitive” is the width of the trail in the hiding area with trees (green) on both sides.

“Map” draws your attention back to studying the roads and streets that directly lead to the location.  “Hear them as they pass you by”  refers to walking or riding or rollerblading on the trail.  “Running” also is a trail reference and in Coal Miners, with the trail configuration, there are a number of ways you could “run circles”.

“Running in circles” is also an idiom for being extremely busy at something but getting no results.

 

Clue 8

 

What was mine will soon be yours,

A point I may not need to get across

It’s an annual price we have to pay.

From there it’s less a physical cost.

 

Last Tuesday we looked at early sunshine,

Traversing on to your waiting quest.

 Overheated, no longer standing tall?

Go Abe’s score of paces to where it rests.

 

Explanation:  Notice “mine” for Coal Miners. “May not need to get across” means you may not need to cross Tazewell, which is the county who collects our taxes, “an annual price we have to pay.” “Early Sunshine” refers to “Sunrise Ave. which again is the last street you pass before arriving at the trail.

“Traversing on” denotes moving along something: the trail -or through something: Tazewell and Trail intersection.

“No longer standing tall” refers to the trees that have fallen and lean over.

“Abe’s “score” means I wanted hunters to determine what a “score” is.  Using Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address as a reference (“four score and seven years ago…87) translated to twenty.  A “score of paces” here refers to approximately 20 paces off the trail.  

 

Clue 9

 

When I went and chose the spot,

I sat awhile and stayed

Ventured into the woods and found the place.

My mind flashed yellow so I pedaled away.

 

100+ paces from a street that fits to a “T”

Treading where certain things are not allowed.

Tunnel of trees, beyond those fallen with ease,

Log your 4 by 6 find and prepare for a crowd.

 

Explanation:

“Sat awhile and stayed” refers to the bench nearby.  “Ventured into the woods” tells you that you need to go back into the woods along the trail.  “Yellow”  refers to what appears to be a utility post or marker nearby. “Pedaled” tells you bike trail which I was biking when I made the site selection.

In the second verse, walk around 100 paces on the trail near a street, fits to a “T” relates to Tazewell St.  The hiding spot was a little more than a 100 paces up the trail from the street.  “Certain things are not allowed” refers to the sign that says “No Motor Vehicles”.

There are fallen trees next to the trail and a configuration of trees that look like a tunnel.  “Tunnel” also relates to coal mining.  The medallion was wrapped in paper and measured around 4 by 6 inches next to some logs.

 

Congratulations to our winners.

 

Jared Williams 

Forrest Williams

Joshua Herberger

Shelbi Woods

Ozzie Herberger 

Brian Biggs

 

First time winners!!  Exciting!!

Very well deserved!!

 

Gary Gillis

Cluemeister