We must have driven down every dirt road in Hillsdale County searching for clues in the 76th annual Lewis Emery Treasure hunt (Lewis Family Treasure Hunt) on Saturday night. 94 teams started the hunt. 94 vehicles needed a car wash at the end of the night.
Everyone who got to the final destination at the Amboy Townhsip Hall was treated to a pulled pork meal with desserts and drinks. If we hadn’t cheated on an early clue, we would have finished in 9th place. However, we got stumped and just started following people around to get to the next destination, which is against the rules. So we disqualified ourselves from winning any prizes.
Our headlamps and spotlights came in handy looking for clues stashed in black garbage bags hidden at roadsides on public grounds in rural areas in the dark. It also helped to have google mobile search on a smart phone to find out the title of the songs we were given a lyric to. “Stayin’ Alive” was easy. “Big Green Tractor” was never on my hit parade.
Our group of 5 was just one of 94 teams that assembled at the Hillsdale County Fairgrounds at dusk on the traditional Saturday before Halloween. For $20 a carload, it was an affordable fun way to spend an evening with friends. The night was cool–in the 30’s. There was a bit of mist–but no rain. With a good attitude and a lust for adventure, it was good night for fun.
Only 3 of us finished the quest as 2 from our team dropped out before midnight. Lori got tired and Todd got sick. Luckily for us, our homes were not too far out of the way for that clue. Our journey was to cover 165 if we made no mistakes. We drove over 200 miles, so the odometer says we made some driving errors.
We spent a lot of time in the truck, in the brush, and in the woods. The moisture on the railroad tracks froze and made for slippery conditions in one location. Damp leaves on dirt roads make for slippery driving conditions in another. We were never in danger of getting hurt, so chalk one up for us!
It was a relief to finish the game in the wee hours of the morning. I am sure I was not the only competitor who had to get up to go to work on Sunday morning. I had to to cook for my guests at the Munro House Bed and Breakfast in Jonesville, Michigan. I may have been a little bleary eyed, but I make some pretty good food when folks are paying me to do so.
Mike Venturini – Innkeeper
“Life is good in Jonesville”
“Life is good in Jonesville”