Sharkbytes' Scavenger Hunt - Start Here

Remember those scavenger hunts from youth group where everyone split into teams, took a big paper bag and a list and went off to scour the town trying to return by a certain time with everything on the list? I suppose the innocence of such activities is gone even in small towns. It sure was fun to knock on your former 2nd grade teacher’s door and ask for a slice of bread or a nail! Nearing the end of the event and becoming desperate, we would knock on doors of strangers! Of course our very small town could accommodate such frivolity. Everyone pretty much recognized what was going on and no one worried about us kids being harmed or mistreated.

Well, we can’t recapture that exact ambiance, but anyone who wants to may grab a virtual paper bag (better get a really big one), and go on a scavenger hunt here for the next 5 weeks while I am gone hiking.

Here’s how it works:
Starting tomorrow, Sunday and Monday, and then every other day until August 28, there will be a new clue revealed on this blog. Each clue will lead to a post on another blog where you need to search for the item in the clue. For example if the clue is “percussion tool,” you would follow the link to the blog post, and read it. The answer to this example is “hammer.” So you will have to think about what the clue means, and then hunt for an answer that fits. (All participating blogs have done so voluntarily... posts may be personal, supporting a cause, or a product, but none should be offensive)

You will probably want to start some sort of document to keep your answers until it’s time to submit them. Here’s what you need to give me. The word or phrase that is the answer, AND the sentence in which it appears, so I can be sure you went to the blog, and not just guessed at the word. For example:

hammer       “When I needed to tighten that screw I realized that I had to get a bigger hammer”

There are a total of 19 clues, leading to 19 items you’ll want to collect in your virtual paper bag.

All entries will be due by email to jhy@t-one.net by midnight, EDT, on August 31, 2009.

Tiebreaker:
If you think you are in contention for a prize, but are concerned that others might beat you out, here’s the tiebreaker: Take all the items in your paper bag and write a story using as many of them as possible. It can be zany (probably it would have to be!). If the tiebreaker is required the best stories will be selected by independent judges (who these are is to be determined).

The prizes:
This game seems to have generated a fair amount of interest. So I’m trying to make the prizes decent. As far as cash value they aren’t necessarily in order. I’ve tried to position them by potential value to bloggers.

First Place: one year of a 125x125 banner ad on either this blog or Just Throw Money. (The decision as to which blog the ad will appear on will be made based on the nature of the winning blog- my decision, not negotiable.) Projected ad views- well over 30,000.

Second Place: one month of free advertising for your blog on Adgitize. This is being donated by Ken Brown the owner of Adgitize. This is a $14 monetary value, and generally results in several thousand hits for a blog- very good advertising value. Ken operates Adgitize on a stable and sound basis, in a friendly atmosphere. I really appreciate doing business there.

Third Place: A fleece throw with blanket stitched edges in a horse pattern. Finished size approximately 60 x 60 inches. I believe this can be sent anywhere in the world without any issues. (Retail value uncertain- I bought the fleece a long time ago, and I’ll do the edging by hand)

Fourth Place: 12 credits (or as they are switching to dollar values- $3.00) worth of advertising on CMF ads. If you are not a member, joining is free, and I will transfer 12 credits to your account. This can be “spent” by the winner to advertise on any other sites in the CMF system. Many blogs host ads for only $.50 a month, with $.25 being the lowest cost ad. This means that you could possibly receive 12 months of free advertising. Blogs with more traffic usually cost more, and estimated banner views will totally depend on the blogs selected for advertising.

Fifth Place: a free copy of my book North Country Cache: Adventures on a National Scenic Trail. I believe this can be sent anywhere in the world without any issues. (Retail value $24.95- see sidebar where you can click on the picture and read a chapter for free)

Sixth Place: one month of a 125x125 banner ad on both this blog and Just Throw Money.

I’ll be away hiking for most of the time this contest is running. I may have internet access more often than on some hikes, so there may be an occasional live post too. We’ll see!