What happens when armies of treasure hunters fan out across the landscape?
They find all sorts of treasures.
Like the famed (in some quarters) Seventh Dragonball. Value: 50 egg rolls.
Ed Brodie, a veteran medallion hunter for the annual Pioneer Press Treasure Hunt — and other scavenger hunts — claimed the orange orb Wednesday near Lake Phalen in St. Paul.
The Dragonball hunt — inspired by the anime series “Dragon Ball” — is a promotion of Sumo Egg Rolls, a food truck on St. Paul’s East Side. On Jan. 1, owner Sou Moua stashed seven of the orange orbs and announced the hunt, which grew a cult following.
Guess what type of people found them.
“I didn’t know they were treasure hunters,” Sou Moua said. “These guys just went out there and found the first six right away, but the last one was the hardest.”
That last one was key because the 50-egg-roll-per-Dragonball prizes couldn’t be claimed until the last sphere was found.
“We just assumed it wouldn’t be found until the spring,” said Brodie, who found two other balls early on and has won treasure hunts from Woodbury to Northfield.
Like mushroom foragers in the spring, treasure hunters find all sorts of stuff rummaging and hacking around Ramsey County parks. Earlier this week, following the thaw but before the fresh coating of snow, woods and field edges seemed resplendent with garbage, including items like tires and Kit-Kat wrappers, which some suspect might have significance in this year’s medallion hunt.
Over the years, Brodie said he’s found a few keepsake items, but the seventh Dragonball is tops, and not just for him. “I promised 100 egg rolls to everyone else on the team,” he said, referring to his treasure hunting teammates, who throw an end-of-the-hunt party each year.
Sou Moua said it didn’t take long for other Dragonball finders to claim their prizes.
A future treasure hunt is being planned.
Copyright 2017 Pioneer Press.
