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5/16/2008 - II DAYS TO GO! HELP ME! WEATHER OUTLOOK! STUFF TO BRING! TIPS! MORE!
Hey, everyone! Two days to go!
I'm safely in D.C., getting the “lay of the land” inpreparation for Sunday. I'm tellin' ya, I'm getting up on that Hunt stage one way or another. I promise ya. More than likely, it will NOT be as a winner, but...well...I'm crossing my fingers!
Let's get down to business!
I WANT YOUR PHOTOS! I WANT YOUR VIDEOS! I WANT YOUR HUNT STORIES!
Got pictures? Got video? Got stories about your Hunt experience? PLEASE email me if you'd like to contribute them to the Archives! I'd be eternally grateful, as well as the other visitors to the site! Because of your help, the archives now has over 860 items, including pictures, stories, audio AND video! Let's keep it growing!
How else can you help the Archives? IF you are inclined, you can click the donation button below. Choose your own amount...it would be much appreciated! (Doing so will not increase your chances of winning the Hunt, but may make you feel are warm and fuzzy inside like it does me!)
THE 2008 POST HUNT WEATHER UPDATE
ACK! Things have changed, and it's not looking as good weather-wise...but here's your hour-by-hour forecast for Hunt weather on Sunday:
12:00pm - 69 degrees - 70% chance of rain (The Hunt BEGINS!)
1:00pm - 70 degrees - 60% chance of rain
2:00pm - 71 degrees - 60% chance of rain
3:00pm - 71 degrees - 50% chance of rain (Should be the Final Clue time...)
3:05pm - 70 degrees - 50% chance of rain (When I win the Hunt, you all can relax and watch...)
4:00pm - 70 degrees - 50% chance of rain (The Hunt should be over by now.)
THE HUNT GOES ON, RAIN OR SHINE! BRING RAINGEAR, AND BRING YOUR SUNSCREEN, JUST IN CASE IT IS SUNNY!
GET PREPARED TODAY FOR THE HUNT! BUY YOUR "BULLDOG" EDITION THIS AFTERNOON!
Start looking for the "Bulldog" edition (first edition) of Sunday's paper where you normally get your Washington Post...convenience stores, gas stations, grocery stores...etc...late Saturday afternoon.
WHAT TO BRING WITH YOU ON SUNDAY
Get the stuff below, and get to the Hunt:
- You
- Your Hunt team
- Cell phone, or other communication device(s) for your team (one per team member is best, five is better)
- Notepad
- Your mental instability (Instability rocks!)
- Pen and pencils
- A backpack
- A hat (Sun, folks, sun!)
- SUNSCREEN!
- A raincoat, poncho or other rain/water-deflecting device (JUST in case it rains)
- Money (for parking) or a ride to the area
- Money (for food) or bring your own food (NOTE: Lots of good restaurants are in the area! Take advantage of it!)
- Money (for drinks) or bring your own water
(NOTE: Lots of good bars are in the area! For “From-Towners” (see below), TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEM DURING THE HUNT!)
HUNT STRATEGY TIPS
1) The Hunt starts promptly at noon...so get there early, find a nice, comfy place to sit/wait near the stage before the insanity begins.
2) Try to find me beforehand and say 'hi'. I just may have something for ya!
3) Do NOT be distracted by sports. There will be plenty of time to cheer your team(s) on after the Hunt.
ANNUAL OUT-OF FROM-TOWNER TIPS
- Do the OPPOSITE of everything above (except drink..please...drink heavily and get a ride home!).
- The Post Hunt is not in Washington D.C. this year, but Miami Beach. You are in the wrong area. Please turn around and head south.
- The Post Hunt special section can be found in Monday's Bloom County Picayune. Wait for it.
Repeating from past years: Your use of this site constitutes acceptance of the requirement to share any prize you win with me! :) (Actually, if you are about to win, let me join your team to share in the glory...I don't need to share the prize!)
5/15/2008 - III DAYS TO GO! WEATHER! FINDING ME! GATHERINGS! MORE!
Hi, everyone!
Well, the big day is almost here! Just a few days to go. Let's get to the important stuff!
WEATHER!
What's the official Post Hunt 2008 forecast (as of this moment)? Here it is: 72 degrees for a high, and a 40% chance of rain.
72 degrees?!? FOR A HUNT?!?! PARADISE!!!!
FINDING ANDY!
So, how will you find me? What will do I look like (as if you didn't know already!)? I'll be wearing jeans, and a special edition Tropic/Herald/Post Hunt Archives t-shirt, as shown below!
Please, come up to me and say 'hi'! I'd love to meet ya, and get your picture up here on the site.
COME GATHER BEFOREHAND!
Don't forget about Saturday night's shin-dig!
Who's invited:
YOU! And anyone else who wants to come along!
Where:
Ireland's Four Courts
2051 Wilson Blvd
Arlington, VA 22201
(703) 525-3600
When:
Saturday (May 17th), 6pm-8pm
Get there by Metro!
Take orange line to Courthouse Stop (towards Vienna), take the Strayer University/Clarendon Blvd. exit from Metro and you will find the Four Courts on the right side across the street.
FYI, as much as I wish I had the means to pay for it all, it's BYOB (Buy Your Own Beverage)...
I'll be wearing a Post Hunt shirt Saturday night, as eloquently modeled by me here:
I NEED YOUR HELP!
I'm not used to D.C., and all my tools for Hunting are in Miami. This is the first one I'm traveling for. Please, take photos and video, write about your Hunt adventure, and so on...and then share it with me! I'll put it up here at the Archives for everyone to enjoy!
Gotta go finish packing...stay tuned tomorrow for my preparation suggestions for the Hunt!
5/13/2008 - V DAYS TO GO! DAVE/TOM/GENE CHAT TODAY! SATURDAY'S GATHERING! WEATHER! MORE!
Mmm...the smell of the Hunt is in the air...yep, all the way down here in South Florida! Only five days to go before mayhem is unleashed on D.C.! Well, more mayhem than normal, anyway.
DAVE, TOM AND GENE TALK! REALLY, THEY DO!
Don't forget that today is Dave, Tom and Gene's online chat about the Post Hunt! It starts at 12:00PM Eastern, so go here at noon and ask your questions and follow-along. Hilarity will ensue.
A PRE-HUNT GET TOGETHER!
Speaking of special...wanna hook up? You know, you, me...and some other Hunt fanatics? I discussed it awhile back...come and join us at the first-ever Hunt get-together! This is a completely informally thrown together thing...but if you have some time Saturday evening, come on by:
Who's invited:
YOU! And anyone else who wants to come along!
Where:
Ireland's Four Courts
2051 Wilson Blvd
Arlington, VA 22201
(703) 525-3600
When:
Saturday (May 17th), 6pm-8pm
Get there by Metro!
Take orange line to Courthouse Stop (towards Vienna), take the Strayer University/Clarendon Blvd. exit from Metro and you will find the Four Courts on the right side across the street.
This is informal...we don't have a separate room set aside for us or anything...just come on in and look for me!
WEATHER OUTLOOK!
Right now, the weather has been a bit rainy in D.C. However, your early Post Hunt forecast is for a beautiful 72 degrees with a 30% chance of rain. The Hunt is RAIN OR SHINE, so keep that in mind as you plan what you'll bring with you on Sunday!
FINDING ME!
Well, I've got red hair...it's pretty darn easy to find me. Stay tuned to see exactly what I'll be wearing to the Hunt so that you can find me amongst the confused masses! (Hint: I'll be the confused looking one....)
EMAILING ME!
The email page works again, so if you want to get in touch with me, send me a note!
3/25/2008 - POST HUNT HOTEL! FINAL LOGO! AND THE HERALD HUNT DATE!
Hello from San Francisco,
everybody! Do you want me to bring something back for you? Ummm...well...sorry, I can't. Don't have all the luggage
space.
Great news for out-of-towners! Oh, wait, let me be more specific: out-of-towners coming to D.C. for the Post
Hunt!
A limited number of rooms have been reserved for Post Hunters at the Liaison Hotel on Capitol Hill! Everyone that
stays there will get a free Circulator Bus pass that will allow you to get back and forth from the Hunt site on
Post Hunt Day. The rate is $239 a night and is good Friday - Monday.
If you want to make reservations, click on the link below, and it will take you directly to the reservations page.
The group code is 'POST'. Also, if you would like to call, you can reach them at 1-866-AFFINIA (1-866-233-
4642).
In continuing news, we have the Post Hunt Cover graphic! Enjoy it in all it's splendor!
Finally...HERALD HUNT FANS! Don't despair...yes, we ARE having our Hunt this year, too! To prove it, I have
a date for you:
Sunday, October 26th!
Well, back to vacation for me...I hope you enjoyed this update as much as I have!
3/6/2008 - POST HUNT INFO: LOGOS, BARRY AND PRIZES! DAVE! OH MY!
Hello, everyone! It's been a long time since we last talked...and it's time to get you up to speed on the upcoming Post Hunt!
First off, I'm proud to unveil the 2008 Post Hunt logo!
Simple, elegant...nice! Well done!
Second off, one question that many of you have been asking me about: TRAVEL PACKAGES!
Sadly, these did not work out as had been anticipated. For those of you out of town, choose a hotel that meets your needs and just fly on up. Really, D.C. is a great town, and there's lot to see...so you probably can't make a wrong choice. Personally, I haven't been to D.C. since the mid-80s, so if any of you all want to make some recommendations for the group, let me know!
Next up...listen to Dave Barry promote the Post Hunt!
The Post Hunt radio partner, Mix 107.3FM will be interviewing Dave on March 19 at 8:20am. You and other Hunt enthusiasts can log on to www.mix1073fm.com (click the logo below to go to the website) and hear the interview streamed live!
PRIZE INFORMATION!
Here's your official prize information (subject to change, of course, but most likely not). Three teams of (4) will win:
(4) Grand prize winners will win a 5 night vacation to the Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida including air fare, hotel, golf package and breakfast daily.
(4) Second place winners will win a 4 night vacation to the Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida including air fare, hotel and a catamaran cruise for 4.
(4) Third place winners will win a 3 night vacation to the Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida including air fare, hotel and catamaran cruise for 4.
The Westin is a fabulous hotel...but if I win...I think I'll make them fly me from Miami to Ft. Lauderdale...just 'cos...know what I'm sayin'?
SPONSORS!
As always, the Hunt (be it the Tropic, Herald or Post Hunt) would not be the Hunt without the help of its sponsors. Please make sure that you not only give them thanks AT the Hunt, but give them business whenever you can...that's why they help out this type of event, and so you're helping the cause of keeping this craziness up!
Thank you!
That's all I have for now...stay tuned, because in one week...I'll be announcing the launch of the official Post Hunt website!
10/31/2007 - VIDEOS ARE UP! THANKS FOR YOUR HELP! POST HUNT!
Hi, everyone!
Well, after struggling with my new digital camera, I must say that I'm somewhat disappointed in a grand attempt I had shot for this year: bringing you some of the Hunt in high definition. Unfortunately, my digital camera's video capabilities were not up to the task, and the quality was very jerky. Nonetheless, please check out the videos in the 2007 Hunt page.
I would like to extend thanks out to many of you for contributing photos and video from this year's Hunt, making the coverage better than ever! Special thanks to Dan Streit (for photos), Dave Harris (for all the Tropic Magazines, which you'll be seeing up on the site soon!), Susy Cruz , Brandon Tarver and Joseph Nay for all of your help in making this site a better place for everyone!
Keep checking back here for "Post Hunt" updates, as well as "Herald Hunt" updates as time goes on. Speaking of the Post Hunt, I know many of you are interested in going up to D.C. from South Florida...if I hear of any organized attempt to get people up there, I will pass along the information here for you, so stay tuned!
P.S. I'll be trying to improve my video quality in the upcoming weeks, so keep checking back. I'm also still working on the 1993 Hunt Home-Documentary, where you'll get to watch the Streit Brothers come in 2nd place!
10/22/2007 - THE ANNUAL HUNT WRAP-UP! HOW WAS HERALD HUNT 2007?!?
Good evening, everyone! (or "Good Morning" for those of you who actively stayed up for my wrap-up!)
After weather threatened to bring rain to the Hunt, it turns out all the concern was for naught. Today turned out to be a rather warm day (note to self: next year, do NOT wear long sleeved shirt), but was beautiful nonetheless! Of course, I violated one of my reminders to you all...I did NOT bring sunscreen. For an Irishman...that's a mistake. I'm an Irish lobster now. Sheesh!
This Hunt was a great, fun Hunt. For me, it was one of the best Hunts in years. Dave and Tom wonder how I manage to both 'cover' and 'compete' in the Hunt, and I've wondered, too. Well, this year I had a great team behind me (MANY thanks to my wife, as well as Nick and Lysette!), and I had done a lot of preparation for today beforehand. What exactly? Well, working on and viewing all the videos I have here! Trust me, everyone...USE THIS SITE FOR RESEARCH! The videos are great, because watching them repeatedly can get you into the flow of seeing how the puzzles are constructed, and how to see numbers when they aren't obvious. For next year...prepare by...quoting the mantra here...KNOWING YOUR HISTORY BEFORE YOU HUNT!
I heard a mixture of comments that the puzzles were too hard or just right...from my experience, it was just right. My team had four of the five main puzzles within the first hour. But I'll get to that in a bit.
1) The first batch of Hunt photos are up. These photos are mine, and I'll be starting with some of yours next! Video will come a little later, as it takes some more time to work on. I'm not convinced the video from my new camera worked out that well...it will be 'jittery'...to be polite...so if you have your own video, please LET ME KNOW, because I will want it for the Archives!
2) CBS4 did a story on the Hunt during tonight's newscast.
3) I need to thank the following people from the Miami Herald (in no particular order):
ELAINE
TOM
JUDI
CHRISTINA
VIRGINIA
DAVE
REBECCA
MARIE
AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO PUT ALL THE TIME, PLANNING AND CREATIVITY INTO THE HUNT!
AND A GREAT BIG THANK YOU, HUNT VOLUNTEERS, SOME OF WHOM I'VE SEEN AT MORE THAN ONE HUNT, AS WELL AS DAVE'S BLOGITS FOR COMING AND HELPING OUT AS WELL! :)
4) CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL LOCAL WINNING TEAMS!
Mark...sorry I heckled you...but I needed to break the dynasty your team built up with all your winning lately. Congratulations to the Gordons for winning! (Jeff, you're a classy guy, and I'll catch up with you in email!)
5) In my continuing tradition, I offer the following review/thoughts on this year's Hunt:
Miami Beach: Great venue, lots of space and area to use for the Hunt...I've always enjoyed it, and some of my fondest Hunt memories come from this area...keep it up, 'cos I want to come back again!
Judging the difficulty of this Hunt...on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being hardest (2002's Hunt), and 1 being easiest (2004's Hunt), this year's Hunt seemed to be easier than usual...so I give it a 5.
My puzzle-by-puzzle analysis:
The Famous American: The second easiest puzzle of the Hunt. I got this one within a few minutes. I felt bad for the actor, as the costume he was wearing had to be hot as heck! But he did a great job, and some careful reading of the Hunt section beforehand helped speed the answer to this puzzle.
The Herald Hunt Pro-Am Invitational: An offset puzzle. This was, for my team, the toughest puzzle of the bunch. We got the answer right, but BY ACCIDENT. I conferred with another team (one member of which won the 1994 Tropic Hunt!) and they had the same conclusion that my wife had come up with: that since it was a Pro-Am tournament, you could look at the name on the left and line it up with the name on the right, since Pro-Am golf tournaments use two players on one team. Just by chance, the list of names was an odd number, so the left side had more names than the right, and the one that didn't match up with anyone on the right happened to be the right answer. All I will say: PHEW! We were lucky!
The "Four Part" puzzle: Another offset puzzle. THANK YOU BLOGITS (diverdowndoc, Meditrina, Siouxie and crossgirl!) FOR HELPING VOLUNTEER FOR THIS PUZZLE! This puzzle required a full team effort to solve; we got what the sandwich boards were redirecting us to, but the letters didn't make sense for anyone until I heard them over a cellphone call; I got it instantly at that point. Third most difficult of the Hunt.
Flag volleyball: This one stumped half of our team, but my wife and I got this independently from one another, but at the same time. Fourth most difficult puzzle of the Hunt.
Mermaids: Another offset puzzle. However, some studying of the map before the Hunt made this puzzle the easiest one to solve.
The final puzzle: We came very close on this one, but the PBNJ confused us; we solved the initial final puzzle hint quickly, and dialed the phone number. We got the hint that lead us back to the clue list...but the PBNJ (PB&J) was a stretch for us, because the map had P and B for the coordinates along the top next to one another, and just underneath them...a J! Right in the Hunt Stage area! I think that was coincidence...but because of that, we didn't think to look elsewhere. Owel. A good final game, overall!
Now let's look at my ongoing recommendations...
1) Can the Hunt be held in the spring (February/March time frame)? It's likely to be cooler, and there's no sporting events to try to schedule the Hunt around. (Not everyone may know that the Hunt is scheduled...as best as possible...around Dolphin games that are here in South Florida).
2007 Update: No rain after all...and it was rather hot. Yes, I was wearing jeans and a long sleeved shirt...are you implying something?!? SPRING PLEASE! :) More snowbirds would be down here, too, so you'd get a larger crowd probably. :)
2) Can out-of-towners be banned from winning?
3) Please?
2007 Update: Thank you. We stumped 'em gooooooood this year! :)
4) Can we have more 'original' content as part of the Hunt special section? This goes back to the original Tropic Magazine...it was nice to have the Hunt incorporate the actual articles (not always ads) from Tropic, such that you really had to review/research beforehand...and it allowed more flexibility in the final puzzles...(I really miss Tropic Magazine!)
2007 Update: BRING BACK TROPIC! BRING BACK TROPIC! Barring that, put some extra stuff in the Hunt section!
5) On a marketing note: I'd love to be able to buy a small poster of Otis Sweat's great work with the Hunt maps! If they could be reprinted on glossy/poster paper and sold at the Hunt for like $3 each...I think the Herald would be pleasantly surprised at how many would be sold! Otis' wonderful work is always something I look forward to...and he really knows how to capture the spirit and fun that comprises a Hunt in his maps!
2007 Update: Still no map for sale! I'm going to continue to lobby for this to happen. We love his work!
6) Do another online puzzle next year, but work a bit more closely with Dave and Tom on it. This year's was a bit...technical. Enlist the Herald web site folks a bit more, maybe a search of pages for hidden images/links could be better?
2007 Update: No online puzzle this year; from my understanding, it didn't work out as well as the Herald would have liked last year, so they didn't try this year. I understand...but it was fun last year!
Last but NOT least: I also need to thank YOU, my visitors. So many more of you came up to me today and said 'hi' than ever before. I hoped you enjoyed the 'Smartees' candy ('cos many of you ARE smarter than I am!), and many of you offered to send me photos and video from this year's Hunt. A very very very special thanks to Dave Harris, who personally brought old copies of Tropic Magazine from past Hunts to give to me, the Streit Brothers for their video (1992 is posted, 1993 is coming!), and also Jeff Gordon, one of the winners of this year's Hunt who went out of his way, before even acknowledging the crowd to come up to me and thank me for the site and offering to help out. I mean, that is class...and I genuinely appreciated it. This site is a labor of love for me, and it would NOT be the site it is today if it were not for your help and support, through donations to the site as well as you coming up to me at the Hunt and just telling me that you enjoy it. My goal for this site is not just to remember the past Hunts...but to ensure that we keep the Hunts going in the future...so please, do everything you can to make that a reality...write a letter to the Herald editors thanking them...tell the sponsors thank you AND give them business if you can...buy your Hunt shirts each year...it all adds up! And keeps us having fun each year after year. And now in D.C., too!
I've had a great day today, and I finally need to go to sleep. More pictures and video will be coming, and I'll be fleshing out more of the puzzles as well as older Hunt years, so keep coming back! Let me know what you think. Post your thoughts over at the Yahoo group (link above) and let me know if you agree or disagree with me!
IT WAS GREAT MEETING EVERYONE!
REMEMBER, KEEP CHECKING BACK OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS! MORE PHOTOS AS WELL AS VIDEO WILL BE GOING UP!
