The Citizen's Egg Hunt ended Tuesday evening after a woman found the egg near the inlet in the Owasco Flats area.
Jody Muldoon, of Auburn, had spent several days reading the newspaper's clues trying to figure out where the egg was hidden.
“I did this because it was fun and it challenges your mind,” Muldoon said. “The money is nice, too.”
Muldoon, who won $500 for finding the egg, said she never won anything in her life until recently. She also won $250 in The Citizen's landmark contest last December and won $10 from a lottery ticket earlier this week.
Muldoon said she spent nearly $50 on gas driving around the county checking out different areas where she believed the egg could be.
It wasn't until Sunday's clue and a little help from her son that Muldoon figured out the egg was hidden in the flats.
“I went twice because there wasn't a lot of time on Monday after work,” Muldoon said. “It was getting dark and I went by myself with my dog and I didn't find it. But it was beautiful out there.”
Muldoon was convinced the egg was in the area and returned on Tuesday with her husband Kevin. After a short search, she found the egg in the crevice of a tree with a few pieces of bark placed over.
But the egg was not what Muldoon had expected it to be.
The egg had been painted in green and black camouflage and hidden in a tree facing away from the nature trail to prevent hikers from accidentally finding it. Last year, the egg, which was hidden in Bear Swamp, was a bright green color that could be seen from more than 100 feet away.
However, the clues helped Muldoon narrow down the kind of tree she was looking for.
“There are millions of trees out there,” Muldoon said. “If I was looking in every tree it would have taken forever. But one of the clues said something about a shattered base so it made me think the tree was broken and all that was left was a base.”
And in the end, Muldoon's searching, thinking and researching allowed her to find the egg despite the obstacles.
“My tenacity paid off,” Muldoon said. “It was a lot of fun. It's interesting cause you learn the history of Cayuga County and the surrounding area and it keeps your mind sharp.”
Staff writer Nate Robson can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or nathan.robson@lee.net
“I did this because it was fun and it challenges your mind,” Muldoon said. “The money is nice, too.”
Muldoon, who won $500 for finding the egg, said she never won anything in her life until recently. She also won $250 in The Citizen's landmark contest last December and won $10 from a lottery ticket earlier this week.
Muldoon said she spent nearly $50 on gas driving around the county checking out different areas where she believed the egg could be.
It wasn't until Sunday's clue and a little help from her son that Muldoon figured out the egg was hidden in the flats.
“I went twice because there wasn't a lot of time on Monday after work,” Muldoon said. “It was getting dark and I went by myself with my dog and I didn't find it. But it was beautiful out there.”
Muldoon was convinced the egg was in the area and returned on Tuesday with her husband Kevin. After a short search, she found the egg in the crevice of a tree with a few pieces of bark placed over.
But the egg was not what Muldoon had expected it to be.
The egg had been painted in green and black camouflage and hidden in a tree facing away from the nature trail to prevent hikers from accidentally finding it. Last year, the egg, which was hidden in Bear Swamp, was a bright green color that could be seen from more than 100 feet away.
However, the clues helped Muldoon narrow down the kind of tree she was looking for.
“There are millions of trees out there,” Muldoon said. “If I was looking in every tree it would have taken forever. But one of the clues said something about a shattered base so it made me think the tree was broken and all that was left was a base.”
And in the end, Muldoon's searching, thinking and researching allowed her to find the egg despite the obstacles.
“My tenacity paid off,” Muldoon said. “It was a lot of fun. It's interesting cause you learn the history of Cayuga County and the surrounding area and it keeps your mind sharp.”
Staff writer Nate Robson can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or nathan.robson@lee.net
The Citizens' Say
There are 1 comment(s)
cm wrote on Mar 27, 2008 9:15 PM:
Congrats! "