Snakebite’s: Scavenger Hunt

I’m toast.

I participated in Snakebite’s Scavenger Hunt today. I almost won it too! There was just one problem: the small matter of being 7 minutes behind the actual winner. And being 2 minutes over the 3 hour limit, ok, two problems. Well, three, I messed up on one of the mandatory items which sort of disqualified me. But I was crossed-eyed by that time so I deserve a break. Don’t I?

The mandatory items were 1 canned non-perishable food item from a specific grocery store and 1 boxed non-perishable food item from a different specified store. Receipts were used to verify place of purchase. I bought a canned item at both places. I went home with “does not follow instructions” stamped on my manifest. My understanding is the food will go to the food bank. Smart guy that Snakebite:.

From a MinusCar perspective this was such a cool event too. There’s nothing quite like making people run errands on bikes to help demonstrate that running errands on bikes is possible. There was some conversation around the Applebee’s table regarding route selection, roads traveled and traffic experienced.

The winner and I were the only ones that completed all 15 items. Including my ride to the start I had a 3 hour ride time and 42.6 miles. The winner rode to the start too. He’s like that. A year ago he described his commute to work to me: get up and ride 20 miles. Return home and go to the basement to start working. That’s living close to ones job!

If you’re curious about what a Snakebite: Scavenger Hunt looks like, here is what I learned and the order I learned it:

Start – courtyard at the federal building.

The muzzle of the cannon at Lyon Park is stamped with NO 109 BH.

The sculptor of the Statue of Liberty in McKennan Park is Bartholdi.

1 can Bushes Orignial Baked Beans at Hy-Vee, 33rd & Minnesota Ave.

The gazebo in the formal garden at the top of Tuthill Park has four fenced and two unfenced sides. Did I mention it’s at the top of Tuthill Park?

The surveyor’s marker in Sherman Park was placed by the US Coast and Geodesic Survey in 1935.

The chain on the anchor at Sherman Park has 8 links.

The anchor displayed at the memorial of the USS South Dakota weighs 26194 presumably pounds.

The yellow sign at the gate to the Keuhn Park Golf Course is just a yellow board. It says nothing.

The splice plates on the pedestrian bridge over I-29 near Southeast Technical Institute have 12 bolts.

The serial number of the bridge over the diversion channel north of the airport is 2002218-2.

The monument overlooking Cliff Avenue and John Mmmmmorell’s was dedicated in 1999 by the Minnehaha County Historical Society.

There are 82 steps to the top of the Falls Park Observation Tower. I asked at the desk. If I hadn’t asked I would have counted on the way up. Mr. Smarty Pants Snakebite: would have ridden the elevator up and counted on the way down. Apparently you get the same number.

The sign on the west wall at the top of the parking ramp by the bus depot says “Dump Snow Here.”

The Statue of David was presented to the City of Sioux Falls and Augustana College by Thomas and Marie Fawick.

1 can Bushes Original Baked Beans at Sunshine Food’s, 13th & 2nd Ave.

Downtown Applebee's, where participants dined, I ordered food to go, and The Wife on her way home from downtown, stopped to pick me up. I'd probaby still be trying to find my way home had she not.