Nine Inch Nails: Points On The Earth Part 7

Next stop in the NIN treasure hunt: New York City.

? 5: NYC
No map this time. The photo is the clue.

This is the first time in the Points on the Earth treasure hunt that the clue didn't show up on the NIN Google Earth map. We had just a picture of a bridge and the words above.

I read on the forums that the picture was of Riftstone Bridge near 72nd and Central Park West. My brother and I grabbed a laptop and took off. On the way, I tried to read the forums on my cell for more info, but the service was terrible. Someone posted that it may have already been found.

When we got to the corner, I jumped out of the car, and Mark searched for parking. I ran into Central Park but had no idea where to look. Somehow I didn't realize how close I was. Running aimlessly, I passed Strawberry Fields. Where the hell am I supposed to go?

I asked a couple people for directions to Riftstone Bridge. They pointed me the wrong way and I ran. About 10 minutes into my clueless run, Mark called me. He told me he was in the tunnel but couldn't see anything because it was too dark, and it smelled like urine. He was all the way back near the entrance. It turns out I had already walked over the right bridge. Damn!

I ran back and found him under the bridge. Another guy and girl were also there searching.

None of the four of us had a flashlight. Note to future hunters: If you're searching at night, bring a flashlight! We've made that mistake twice!

I broke out my iPhone and opened the myLite application which turns the phone's screen white so you can use it for light. Mark used his digital camera. He was taking pictures with the flash and checking the captured images for the hidden envelope. Later he figured out that if he pressed the shutter halfway a red-eye reduction light would shoot out. The other two people were using their cell phones to see.

We ran our hands along the walls of the tunnel, reaching into the spider web-filled crevices. The guy said he had already been searching the area for an hour. Not good. I searched about three-quarters of the tunnel and went back out to check the surrounding area. I stepped over a small fence and rummaged through the plants. The girl asked, "Are you seriously digging in the dirt?" Nothing there.

I asked which way the picture was taken, thinking it might be closer to that side. I went back under the bridge. More fruitless searching. The four of us were dying from the smell of urine. About 15 minutes in, I heard the girl scream, "I found it!"

She was jumping - shaking + super excited. We walked out of the tunnel and she opened her prize. Like in the four envelopes previously found in the recent Nine Inch Nails treasure hunts, there was an autographed numbered souvenir [005] and a letter asking the finder to email a picture. The band will send a gift to the winner at the end of the tour. It looks like this is the same envelope that wasn't found in the bathroom in Toledo.

We hung out for a few minutes taking pics. The guy left, and the girl who found the prize joined me and Mark for food and drinks. Her name is Senada [AKA splitlip]. Lucky girl!

Fun night!

Ready for more? Read on... Part 8...

Or go back to the beginning... Part 1...