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Redwing_dave

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Everything posted by Redwing_dave

  1. @JSARCHE this link might be helpful to you http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category...onardo_da_Vinci. You could also try a google.image search for "da vinci mausoleum" @GoldBugGirl. It's just a cool coincidence that Arago is present in one of the anagrams. I noticed this myself when submitting the sketches to the mint, but it was an unintended fruit of the design phase. Just one more coin? I was thinking three more! What do you think of that? @MV - You win the award for being most dedicated to solving this puzzle. Your work on the icons is very impressive. I hesitate to comment too much on your interpretations, as I don't want to spoil the puzzle. I do like these concepts: skull=death, apple=life, chest=treasure, and sword=war.
  2. Check out this link http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/leonardo-da-vinc...tory?id=9662394. I personally think disentombing da Vinci to try and fulfill our own curiosities is going a bit to far. It kind of sickens me. What are your thoughts?
  3. @jsarche: I didn't have any input in the selection of activation codes, so unless there was some higher power at play, your activation code wouldn't hold any clues to the puzzle. That being said, I'm very interested to know what this mysterious activation code is. Once your coin is activated, the activation code should be safe to share. @Vitruvius: It looks like you're the most diligent seeker in this mission. Thanks for hanging in there. 1st: Nice observation of the two filled squares in the mausoleum. Also nice observation in picking up that they face or oppose one another. These are important clues, but they are not a reference to the two paintings you referred to. 2nd: A deep red route, do be mute, and nor us again each works independently 3rd: I will confirm that the cipher requires multiple steps to decode. I'm not ready to disclose the number of steps required to decipher it. First, I feel that it gives away too much about the puzzle; second a nominal answer such as 2 or 3 alone may be misleading. Hope this helps. I'll be watching for additional questions. Thanks, Dave
  4. Well, I must say that I'm more than a little embarassed about how long it has been since I lasted visited this forum. Since my last visit over 2 years ago, I got divorced, had a couple knee surgeries, got remarried, took up scuba diving, did some vacationing, did a lot of business travel, and was generally overworked at my job. In the words of the great BB King, "It's funny how time slips away". Sorry to keep you all waiting so long. I haven't been very involved in geocaching over the past few years, and I haven't even taken the time to log most of the caches I have found. Thus I haven't maintained my GC account very well. If you've been sending me emails, I probably haven't gotten them, since my GC.com account has been linked to an inactive email account. I will remedy this situation, but in the meantime, if you need to contact me, please use this email "dave dot peterson dot 19 at gmail dot com" - just remove the spaces and put in "." and "@" where applicable. I've got to hand it to you all, you are a persistent bunch. Your persistance resulted in my return today. Someone from this forum tracked me down with some questions a few weeks ago, and since then I haven't been able to get the puzzle off my mind. I dusted off my da Vinci project folder and started reworking sections of the puzzle and contemplating where to go from here with this puzzle, and starting some initial work on a different puzzle that has thus far only been stored in the recesses of my brain. I'll have some questions for all of you in the near future regarding the direction you'd like me to take with the puzzle for the future. I respect your efforts, and want to involve you in the decision making process. But, before I start asking questions of you all, I'd like to make myself available to answer some of the questions that have been rattling around in your brains. Here's your chance....ask away. I'll drop in over the next few days to provide you with answers. All the Best, Dave P.S. somebody made a nice observation regarding the placement of the Vitruvian man's navel over the map of Europe.
  5. No camera with me currently, so can't post a pic yet, but lets just say that Yemon Yime finally made good on his bet with me back in 2008. THREAD The result was awesome, and will be unveiled at our Geocoinfest booth!
  6. I for one appreciate your coins and efforts. Everyone knew from outset there might never be a full understanding. Marcus Vitruvius communicated with me after acquiring coins. We both agreed to continue trying to determine full meaning. Just this last week I checked out another book on Knights Templar because of interest created by this challenge. Thank you for relenting a bit with a few more suggestions. I intend to keep my coins as they represent one of the highlights of geocaching. We are going to use as instructional tools for a planned introduction to geocaching. Should you decide on production of another coin please sign me up. This challenge was priceless!! Thanks for the kind words. You bring up a point that has been rattling around in my brain since the beginning of this whole thing: should I do a 4th coin? Obviously, from my prior posts, you can tell that my life is a bit chaotic right now, so it might take awhile, but I already have some preliminary sketches that I started over a year ago. I found myself holding back on my reply to M.V.'s post, because I didn't want to eliminate that option. However, the last thing I want is for people to think I'm just doing it to make a buck, and that it's not a sincere effort. So, I'll leave it to the people to decide. Let your voice be heard. If you'd like a 4th coin with additional clues to help solve the challenge, let it be known. Likewise, if you'd prefer that there not be a 4th coin, please do the same. If the good people of geocaching would like a 4th coin, I'll refine my sketches and get that ball rolling as time is available. If not, I'll keep my sketches to myself. I look forward to your input. Thanks, Dave
  7. Thanks to everyone for the kind regards. I didn't mean to over-react in my initial "coming back" post. Thanks for being understanding. Things continue to be a struggle, but I'm hoping for an up-swing soon. Thought I'd stop by and answer some questions. M.V. had some VERY good observations in his post, so I chopped them out to comment on them. Regarding the Cipher, I think you've got a good idea there Marcus The second paragraph above has some nice observations in it. I really liked the parts about Verocchio's Workshop and Leonardo's Treasure. (That's all I'm gonna say about that right now.) I like what you're trying to do with the star placement, but you're not quite there yet. The mention of Santa Maria delle Grazie is once again very good. I'd recommend comparing the depiction of the mausoleum on the coin closely to pictures or drawings of the mausoleum. Hope I haven't spilled the beans, but I didn't want to leave you guys with nothing to go on after some very strong effort. -Dave
  8. Looks like I missed a question. No, the coins have nothing to do with the circle of churches, although there is A church that is very important to the solution.
  9. Thanks for the slander. Boy, that's what I miss the most about not visiting the forums for so long. There always seems to be somebody whose greatest joy in life is muck-raking...glad its not me. Anyway, for anyone discontented by my not revealing the answer, I apologize, but please remember that at the very beginning of the challenge I issued this statement: "Just so we're all clear on this, if no one solves the puzzle during the allotted time, I don't plan to reveal the answer. It will go unsolved until someone figures it out. The July 20th deadline is just to make sure I don't take the coins to the grave with me. I may take the solution to this puzzle to the grave with me. Leonardo's life wouldn't be nearly as intriguing if it was all spelled out for us, so in his honor I don't plan to spell out this puzzle either. Good Luck. It's up to you...." I apologize if this rubs some of you the wrong way, but I have been straight from the get go. For the record, I have been extremely swamped in academic endeavors that, unlike this challenge, directly impact my real life (not just my cyberlife). I have also had a fairly long bout with serious illness that I don't care to discuss with current company. I haven't had a chance to visit this forum for several months, nor have I even had a chance to open my email account associated with my GC.com account. As for the suggestion that there "Is no answer to the coins, as suggested by the fact that I haven't visited the forums in over a year", I assure you that there is an answer. As for my long absence, check out my profile and see when I last logged a cache...it's not because I don't love caching, and its not because this challenge was a gimmick, its because sometimes a little bit of re-prioritization is necessary in life. If an apology is necessary for "wasting peoples money" because I've stuck with my predisclosed plan, and because my life has been very busy and frought with illness, then I guess I'm sorry. I'm not promising to visit the forums more often, as the cogs still seem to be moving in life at a very fast pace, but I will try to answer some of the burning questions out there: 1-Yes there are definite answers to this challenge as I stated before! 2-Yes, there is a map of Europe in the background of the vitruvian coin, and it is significant to the solution (although the resolution isn't great on the map, I promise all the detail you need is there, and apparent). 3-The 31 letters on the front and the back is merely a coincidence; something that I in fact had not noticed before, but I find it kind of cool now that I know of it...balance is a good thing. 4-At the conclusion of the first round, I was considering a 4th coin to provide additional hints regarding the solution, but after being accused of wasting people's money, I will probably not issue a 4th coin, cause I'd hate to put time and effort into something that may be viewed as just "a wild goose chase designed to get as much public interest involved so that the owner could sell his coins and make money." 5-The relative location of the spear-tips on the "Knights Templar" coin is IMPORTANT, as are the locations of the stars, and the fact that one of the the markings on the rim is not EXACTLY a star. 6-The 3 phrases on the front of the Vitruvian Man coin are anagrams, but they're not simple anagrams...it is necessary to decode the anagrams using a fairly common method. Somewhere on the coins is a hint about the manner of decoding, but you'll have to find that yourself. Well, that seems to be about enough clues for right now. Although it has been expressed that "When you start something like this, you are obligated to follow it through to the end, not just leave it hanging out there in cyberspace. 'Taking the answer to the grave' is shucking responsibility to all of the people that bought in to this game", I personally have a different opinion. I don't feel that I am bound by any cyber-laws to dole out hints for the rest of my life. I think I'm a pretty nice guy, and I'd love to help anyone out, but not because I feel that I have a cyber-obligation in direct contrast to my own disclaimers prior to the beginning of this challenge or the sell of any coins. I have fulfilled the promises I laid on the table at the beginning of this challenge...the coins didn't come with a lifetime guarantee of my time and effort to assist you until you solve the challenge. I have stayed true to my word, and I feel no shame in that. I'm sure I offended someone here. That was not my purpose. I appreciate all of the people that have taken part in the challenge, and their efforts and past praises. I will do my best to check in more regular to answer any questions that might be lingering. In return, I would hope that you might return the favor, and lean towards giving the benefit of the doubt. It really makes for a happier world. -RD
  10. Well its been a rollercoaster ride the past several weeks, with lots of "W's", and luckily a lot less "L's". I think I've been holding my breath since April. The play-offs are rough on the players (especially Malone - a broken nose followed by a vulcanized rubber face lift...ouch), but I think they're equally rough on some fans, like myself. My blood pressure is all out of whack, my left eyelid is still twitching uncontrollably, and I wake up sometimes in a cold sweat only to realize that the puck that just slid past Osgood was only a bad dream. It was a great Finals series. The game 5 triple-OT loss was heart-wrenching, and the last second shot by Hossa in game 6 almost killed me. In the end I have to say: Way to go WINGS!!!! Congrats to the Pens on a great season. Crosby has got a lot of games ahead of him, and in a lot of ways he reminds me of a young Steve Yzerman who also proudly wore the "C" on his jersey at a young age, and through his leadership finally ended the Stanley Cup Drought in Hockeytown. I've always admired Hossa, and the Pens would do well to hang onto him. And Fleury - other than hatching the game-winning goal for the Wings, he was spectacular. Who knows, maybe we'll meet again next year...I know I plan on my Wings being there. Give me a call Yime...we need to talk. P.S. Roddy, I hope things are improving. My prayers are with you.
  11. Too bad the Stanley Cup lives so close to Pitt, means it better get on the road soon so its polished and ready for game 5 in Detroit on Monday night. Also, could someone please tell Sid the Kid to quit trying to grow play-off facial hair (I dare not call it a beard or even a stache) until he has completed the maturation process? He looks like he just got done eating a bag of Oreos, and his mom hasn't wiped the crumbs off his face yet.
  12. Please do; anything to help THE team. I'm ready for a "W" in Mellon.
  13. My biggest question at this point is not whether the Pens will WIN at home, but whether they'll even SCORE at home?
  14. Despite missing the last SIX games due to "concussion-like symptoms", Johan Franzen is still tied for the most goals in this post-season! Pretty amazing, and it looks like he'll be hitting the ice (skates first, unlike Fleury) in about 60 minutes. If he hasn't lost it during his weeks of not playing, watch out Pens!!
  15. I like the way the Pens started out their lulling, shear artistry if you ask me: Play of the Game All kidding aside, I don't expect a sweep by the Wings. I have great respect for the Pens, and I think we'll see them come out strong in game 2 (hopefully they come out a little more gracefully though..sorry couldn't help myself).
  16. GAME ON!!! Yime, I'll let you pick the minter, since it'll be your dime. It looks like you paid-off the refs to negate that first goal by the wings; make sure you don't spend too much on the refs...save some for the coin!! As for Sid the Kid, don't get me wrong, he's got some great moves, he's a hall of fame shoe-in, and he even thinks he can fight sometimes (for his sake, I hope he doesn't think he can take on McCarty), but my eyes are on #13 and #40 in RED. Pass my regards on to my other favorite Pittsburghites. -Dave P.S. you wanna raise the stakes? A Primanti Sandwich for some Mormon Jello?
  17. Yime and I have had a nice, long, friendly history, starting when he and his buddies took me night caching in Pittsburgh while I was visiting on a business trip back in '05. In the early days of geocoins we included him and a couple other Pittsburghians in our local COOL (COin Ordering Liaison) group despite the hundreds of miles separating us. I've always considered myself an honarary member of TRIGO, despite this same distance. He's helped me on some memorable geocoin endeavors, including the Original Stash Coin, and the da Vinci Challenge Coins. It's too bad this is all going to come to a screaching halt during the next couple weeks. You see, Yime being a Pittsburghian, is a fan of the local hockey team, despite the fact that their mascott is a flightless bird. My loyalties lie elsewhere, as apparent from my geocaching handle (a lifetime commitment to Mr Hockey's team). Over the next couple weeks, the Wings and the Flightless Birds will face-off for the ultimate prize in Hockey, the Stanley Cup! Yime, if you're out there, here's my offer: a combination YemonYime/Redwing_Dave Geocoin (notice I was cordial enough to put your name first...hoping to ease the blow from your teams impending defeat). We each get one side of the coin to design as we please (ie, there are no bounds to how much gloating the winner does for his team). The catch is that the loser pays the minting fees, and we split the coins evenly between us. The first puck hits the ice in less than 90 minutes. I'll be waiting for your response. -REDWING_DAVE
  18. No, not Leo Minor, but their positioning is important to solving the puzzles. -RD
  19. Just sent my request. Too bad I didn't notice this last night. I was really hoping to lock up #19 for Steve Yzerman. Crossing my fingers that my 2nd choice (#9 for Gordie Howe "Mr. Hockey") is still available. Great coin. Great idea. -RD
  20. After a huge delay (sorry about that)...... I can finally announce the winners of the da Vinci Challenge! First off, no one solved the complete puzzle, and GPXNavigator is correct, that I will not be revealing the full solution, I will however give a few clues (read to the bottom). The winner of the Copper Set for the closest answer is RangeroverNV for identifying that Leonardo's final resting place is the St. Hubert Chapel. This is just one part of the multipart solution, but it's more than anyone else got. (Maybe I made this a little too hard...) The Winner of the Random drawing is Drew8 from Texas. This was determined the old fashioned way, by writing names on slips of paper, and drawing them from a cardboard box (don't have a hat with me right now, so I'm using the resources I have present). Congratulations to both of the winners. I will mail their Copper da Vinci coins out shortly. Thank you everyone for your participation! I know a lot of you put a lot of time into this challenge, and I hope that you feel like you have learned something, and that you have something to take away from this contest even if you didn't win. As for the solution, you now know that "St. Hubert Chapel being the final resting place of Leonardo" is one part of the solution. There are at least a few more parts (I'm not saying the actual number; there are several clues regarding the number of parts you're looking for). Hopefully this will get you started. Essentially, you are looking for a number of locations, and the events, people, or physical structures that make those locations important. Figuring out those locations will take some knowledge of history, a lot of decyphering, and some navigational skills. That's about all that I'm obliged to share right now. Once again, I can't thank you all enough for your participation. Congrats to our winners. -RD
  21. Glad to hear you'll be getting sleep again. Fishing was hit and miss. The Silver Salmon fishing was super. Unfortunately the Kings decided not to run upstream, so that outing wasn't as successful. I guess that's why they calling Fishing, not Catching.
  22. Your son has a good eye. Unfortunately, the only significance this has is that I was so meticulous about getting all of the encryptions perfect, that I overlooked this inconsistency in the naming. Oooops.
  23. Did anybody notice that the last three numbers on the first set appear to be larger than the others. Is this meaningful, or just part of the casting process? Haven't found any sunken ships at those coordinates. We noticed but not sure if there is any significance. Sorry not more helpful. We have tried in reverse still nothing of significance established. There is no significance to the size of the last three numbers. In fact I didn't even notice a difference myself until it was pointed out to me in this forum. Well, I'm back from Alaska now. Leonardo has received quite a few responses in his email account. Leonardo and I don't have time to confirm each email individually, but we are keeping track of them. Remember that tomorrow (7/20) is the last day to submit solutions/entries to davincicoins@hotmail.com. As a reminder, one copper set will go to the person/team with the largest portion of the puzzle solved, and a second copper set will be drawn randomly from all entries, regardless of whether the solution is correct or just a stab in the dark.
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