Trolls Day 2

After a much-needed night of rest, we got up at 7:30 AM and prepared for the day.  The Fairfield Inn offered a simple breakfast, and we fueled up before starting our venture.  It was a typical hotel breakfast with scrambled eggs, sausage, waffles, cereal, yogurt, muffins, bread, and bagels.  By 9:30 AM, we were packed and ready for the adventure.

We seek out the remaining trolls (Barefoot Frida, Jacob Everear, and Long Leif) and a mirror to complete the word clue, leading to the Golden Rabbit. We have the first letter “D” and the fifth letter “R”. We decided against driving to Fargo, ND (50 miles) or Perham, MN (20 miles) for the clues. We hoped six of the eight letters in the word clue would solve the puzzle.

Barefoot Frida was the next troll on the list, but it was raining when we arrived. We checked the weather radar and saw that Frazee, where Jacob Everear, the fourth troll, is located, wasn’t raining. So, we headed to Wannigan Regional Park in Frazee, MN, to find the trolls out of order.

Finding this location was challenging due to a modified access road. We missed the turn but quickly understood the change since we knew the address. A sign indicated Jacob Everear was 2,067 feet north on the trail. The handout categorized the trail as easy to moderate, with trolls organized by difficulty. The trail was open terrain, providing warmth from the sun. It had a few rolling hills and a covered bridge. 

When we arrived at Jacob Everear, it was just as fascinating as the previous trolls.  Unlike the other trolls, you could climb on this one and see the construction details.  The amount of work involved in creating these works is hard to comprehend.  

The storyline for Jacob Everear is: Because he loves to listen, his ears have grown and grown.  Do you have a story to tell?

 Unlike the other trolls, where the clue was on a necklace, the clue was nailed to a tree.  

Clue on Jacob Everear, we thought this was an "H" based on the chart.

So the clues we assumed so far, based on three trolls, were D ? ? H R ? ? ?.

Once we hiked back to the car, we headed back to Detroit Lakes to find Barefoot Frida.  The rain had cleared, but we decided to stop for gas and a restroom break before the next hike.  

The Barefoot Frida trail was the first trail listed as moderate to difficult, featuring moderate climbs.  It was about a quarter-mile hike, with one significant hill.  At this location, there is also a small store and information center, although it is closed on Tuesdays, so we were unable to visit the facility. 

As we approached Frida, we noticed stepping stones leading to Frida. However, the water was high and too risky for Shelley.  Even without the water, Shelley would have taken the longer route around the pond! 

Stepping stones from the trial to Frida - we took the longer trail that looped around the water.

Once again, this is excellent craftsmanship, and I marveled at the creativity.  It was here that I realized the eyebrows were created using tree bark.  The storyline for Barefoot Frida is:

An outdoorsy type, she loves to build small yet fun challenges for her friends in nature.

The clue on Barefoot Frida led us to think this was a "U" based on the chart.

So the clues we assumed so far, based on four trolls, were D U?  H R ? ? ?.  We were baffled by what the third letter would be, with the DU?H.  It created so many questions in our minds!  We decided the best bet would be to get the next clue from the mirror in Detroit Lakes.  It was a short drive to the mirror, yet it was hidden between two walls.  

The clue on this mirror meant the 6th letter was an "O".

We were flabbergasted and had no idea what the clue could be as the clues so far spelled the word D U ?  H R O ? ?!  Thinking there must be a mistake along the way, we reviewed the map and clues again.  We realized we mistook Alexa's clue as the letter "D", but it was "M".  That made it easy to understand the code word was MUSHROOM, and we located it on the map.  The Golden Rabbit is just west of the Detroit Mountain Ski area!

Even though we knew the codeword and the location of the Golden Rabbit, we wanted to see all the trolls, so we headed to Long Leif. Long Leif was located near the ski hill, so it should be near the Golden Rabbit location.  Access to Long Leif was noted as a moderate to strenuous trail. The drive to the ski hill was in the middle of nowhere, and we had about a 1.5-mile washboard gravel road. You would think this would have been in better shape to paved, as it leads to a major attraction year-round.

Upon arrival, we started the journey to Long Leif.  The temperature was rising, and the sun made the open areas quite warm for hiking. This was the most challenging of the five troll trails, marked by uneven terrain, rocks, and roots. Upon arrival, the height of this troll was impressive. I was about 38 feet high and the tallest troll designed and built by  Thomas Dambo. There must be a solid foundation and supports to prevent this from toppling over in a storm.  The storyline for Long Leif is: A friend of trees, he has learned their secret of growth, and has become as tall as the best of them! 

The clue on Long Leif was an "O" for the 7th letter - we already knew that.

We sought the Golden Rabbit, west of the ski hill. At the open clubhouse, we found restrooms, ice cream, and refreshments. We completed our trek before indulging in treats. Just west of the chalet, we saw a sign that read "Golden Rabbit" with an arrow. We knew we were in the correct location and very close to finishing the quest.  

We read that the Golden Rabbit hike was the longest and had rugged terrain. Despite feeling the effects of the last three trolls, we were determined to complete the search. Shelley found it safer to walk sideways.

The storyline for the Golden Rabbit reads - It’s still a secret where the Golden Rabbit is located!  To find the Rabbit, complete all the riddles and decode the symbols to find the word that will give you a clue on how to find the Rabbit.

The Rabbit was constructed from yellow crates.	The wiskers are windshield wipers!

The quest was over, yet we needed to make it back to the parking lot!  We were both exhausted!  The trail was challenging for retirees!  Before we started the hike to the Golden Rabbit, we met a few people who opted to avoid the trail, and one who we thought was about to have a stroke climbing the last hill. 

The last downhill is about to begin!

On the last hill, the image does not reflect the slope.

 

Exhausted, we enjoy treats at the chalet before heading to the car for lunch and a break before going home.  

The drive was easy, but we were exhausted.  Although a portion of it provided some entertainment, I witnessed something I had never seen before.  In Royalton, MN, a large sprinter van sped through town.  It passed us, with a police officer right behind, sirens blaring.  They seemed oblivious and just kept going 65 MPH down the highway.  The police officer swerved left and right to get their attention, but they continued on their way.  They drove about 10 miles, and I followed the police car as they finally pulled over.  Less than a minute later, I saw three other police cars heading in that direction.  It's remarkable that for ten miles, they drove at the speed limit with the siren and flashing lights, as if there was no issue.

Overall, it was a fantastic trip that I highly recommend to everyone.  However, if you read this, you might find that the clues are already provided, which could lessen the enjoyment.  I apologize for that issue!

Carry on my friends, carry on!