The Going Bananas link to Clue 1

Fenn has advised the way to solve his poem is to look for aberrations in his book and I assume elsewhere in his words. One aberration that has recently been reemphasized is his interesting banana story told to him by his father. He has repeated it several times and is excentially summed up as, “The train doesn’t go by the banana tree but one time, so I want to reach out and try and grab every banana I can.” I am sure his father as bright as he is could have used a much better analogy but he chose the banana. Mr. Fenn awarded a banana to the best pet award and now recently in Scrapbook 199 he said, “A mystery man wearing a banana suit with a cape drew the most laughs, especially when he splashed soon after he reached the 2 feet deep pond.”

So why the banana and train linked reference? I have previously linked this to the train that must be taken at clue 2 from where warm waters halt, but a good hint should link this to clue 1 so does it? I think it does because the banana is linked to crazy as in “going bananas.” Warm Springs is where I have linked to where warm waters halt and the link to going bananas is the fact that Warm Springs is home of the Montana State Hospital. This is also the place where we "take" the train south to Durant Canyon in clue 2.

Yes it sounds convincing to link the train/banana to clue 1 and 2 but knowing Mr. Fenn, he will enforce the clue with other meanings and links to other clues. A bunch of bananas is actually called a hand and a single banana is a finger. I have written of the link to the hand and fingers with Fenn’s quotes such as believing in a higher hand or pointing to the clues, but there is a much more convincing hint that supports my sun equinox finger pointing theory.

A type of banana is known as the Lady’s Finger. My solution suggests the finger of Our Lady of the Rockies' shadow will point to the treasure location on September 23rd this year (normally on the 22nd) and thus why he purposely changed the winner of the Slush Cup from age 22 to 23.

If you really want another more convincing coincidence. This Slush Cup was previously brought up in Scrapbook 140 which was the last time autumn equinox returned was on September 23. Scrapbook 140 hinted to the Easter Bunny, a hint to Easter, another Virgin Mary reference of which Our Lady of the Rockies represents, but after going quiet for months Mr. Fenn chose this day to write the scrapbook which is also the same day Notre Dame burned in Paris. I have linked the French pronunciation of Notre Dame previously to Our Lady, but we now have another peace (pun intended) fitting perfectly into the Mother Mary puzzle.

There are a couple of other Fenn related hints that forshadowed the Notre Dame Cathedral. The first on is the use of the gargoyle on the claimed 850 year old treasure chest that really is only 19th century. Notre Dame was built in the mid 12th Century just as Fenn claims the treasure chest originated. The gargoyle is synonymous with Notre Dame Cathedral and is prominently used in this treasure chest which is why Mr. Fenn overpaid for it as it was a the perfect hint. Additionally Mr. Fenn made this statement, "look at what fire did to the twin towers." from Mysterious Writings ironically hinting to the twin towers of Notre Dame Cathedral and the fire that happened on the day of this scrapbook.

One final link to banana is hinted by the feature of the banana, which is a peel but applying the listen good principle "peal" is the sound of a bell, and Notre Dame Cathedral is noted for is numerous church bells including one tuned to F sharp (could be why Forrest uses and f for his signature). There is a clever reason for showing us those 9 Fenn cast bells in his memoir. Coincidentally the location of Our Lady shadow pointing to the treasure location is marked by a floating bell.

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