The clues are interesting for sure.
I will give the board one hint about them to help not get lost, as I feel that there is a problem with searchers getting "deep" into the Poem
Deeper than Fenn ever did, or intended to.
Fenn starts with:
As I have gone alone in there,
And with my treasures bold,
I can keep my secret where,
And hint of treasures new and old.
He tells you a landmark in the first clue to guide you along his road route
He tells you that he is being bold, or up front and obvious about his pride, and where he planted the treasure matches this bold pride
He then tells you to be watching out for tricks in the poem, as he uses new and old hints to guide you around the path the poem takes, so pay attention to the tone in each statement and the actual story he is telling.
Trust me, he set you up for a split decision to make, with two paths to take, but is that the route to take is the truest question....
....I elaborate more here.....
Begin it where warm waters halt,
And take it in the canyon down,
Not to far, but too far to walk,
Put in below the home of Brown
The WWWH had so many people hunting for a spring, or a dam........but Fenn slammed the door shut about numerous dam solves, people are still looking for a river and something that stops the warm waters from flowing
The Canyon is an obvious hint at a river with a journey, so it correlates with the previous clue, but should you take the journey to the End?
Obviously its further than you should walk to get to the river, driving to a trailhead and making your way, following the path an 80 yr old man makes, not in a raft
The Home of Brown.......a person, as it is capitalized....not a fish, not a bear, not an outhouse...LOL
From there its no place for the meek,
The end is ever drawing nigh,
There'll be no paddle up your creek,
Just heavy loads and waters high
Obviously he is saying from the point you are standing at, IF you take it in the canyon ANY FURTHER, you will meet your end, so dont go all the way down the canyon he is saying
Or you will be forced to take the path up a dry creek, one way out of the canyon or the other
If you've been wise and found the blaze,
Look quickly down, your quest to seek,
But tarry scant with marvel gaze,
Just take the chest and go in peace
He is now showing you that if you were wise enough to stumble on the blaze, you are into an easy win, your quest to cease.
but here is where he is saying if you go to one of the paths towards what you may think is a blaze, one of the hints of treasures new and old in the area, you will be seeing a scant nothing, having to breath deeply and move on, but he tells you you were close at the end, just so you know he duped you and to return to hunt the area some more....he shows this part right after duping you here
So why is that I must go,
And leave my trove for all to seek,
The answers I already know,
I've done it tired and now I am weak
He is telling you that as you are leaving you will find a clue to tell you that you are in the area.....I've done it tired or with tires on.....certain tires from a certain shop you see along the way as you are leaving the area
He is telling you that you already had the whole set of clues, and this hint is the one that makes you smile telling you to be ready to go back to your solve.
Now if for some reason that you got so far off course and couldnt figure out which way to follow the adventure up a dry creek at the split after the tragic ending, there would be a hint to show you the direction to circle back to find the blaze as you would be cresting a mountain overlooking the blaze and the chest.
This hint is the title to the gold he is speaking about, without showing you precisely any said clue, but referencing the way they circled around to find the blaze.
So listen all and hear me good,
Your effort will be worth the cold,
If you are brave and in the wood,
I give you title to the gold.
He finalizes this all to tell you to saddle up, and go for a ride through the blaze, like a real cowboy would.
Aint that some dart.
