From the two introductory commercials, there are a number of clues that identify a 100-mile segment of the Dodge Journey (Midwest) route.
Find the latest on Dodge Journey Search (Midwest) Clues
Update #1: Two new locations added – Main Street, El Reno and Yellow Bridge crossing. Google map revised.
Update #2: One probable location identified – Hot air balloon ride, McKinney, TX. Google map route expanded.
Update #3: I was just contacted by someone who claims to work with Rohr balloons – “I can confirm that it was not our balloon or company used for this contest. Please stop overloading my phone with questions.” <- The power of social media (and a contest of interest)
Update #4: New clues added, part of the Midwest drive.
Update #5: New location added – Dairy Best, Clinton. Google map revised.
1. Yukon Mill & Grain Co, Yukon, OK
In the video, the Dodge Journey is traveling west along route 66 (the mill is on the south side of the highway).
Notes: Although you have a general location (Yukon, OK) and can google to find pictures and general information, the precise location took some detective work, via google street view (and the possibility that it could be along route 66, see next clue)
2. Route 66 National Museum, Elk City, OK
In the video, the Dodge Journey is traveling west along Route 66.
Notes: A quick search in google reveals the location of the Route 66 National Museum and google street view can be used to determine location relative to the highway.
3. “Main Street” – El Reno, OK
In the video, the Dodge Journey is traveling west along Sunset Dr (and old Route 66).
Notes: Revisiting the route and assuming that the Dodge is sticking to old Route 66, which cuts straight through El Reno, a virtual tour using google street view reveals this location.
4. “Yellow Bridge” crossing
In the video, the Dodge Journey continues to travel west along old Route 66.
Notes: This was contributed by Jason Y. Many thanks for identifying and sharing. Google street view for verification:
5. Dairy Best, Clinton, OK
Notes: This was contributed by Richard. Clinton, OK lies in between the “yellow bridge” and Elk City. Google street view to verify:
Google Map of partial Dodge Journey (Midwest) route using introductory videos.
Remaining Clues
These are the remaining clues for the Dodge Journey (Midwest) search, but there’s not much to work with:
Hot air balloon, location ??
Notes: Initially, a great prospect and contribution from Jason Y. Rohr balloons out of McKinney, TX provides hot air balloon rides and has the same hot air balloon. More pictures of the balloon here. A recent contact by Rohr balloons (or someone who claims to work with them) denies that their balloon or company was used.
Midwest drive
Notes: Not much to work with but this seems to be the identifying image for the Midwest search (like Hangtown Motel for the West and Uncle Sam for the East searches). Observations: Both roads are unpaved (so Google street view will be useless) with a line of telephone poles and power line poles, running parallel along the road.
Notes: A number of astute observers (in hi-def) noted the letters MB, on the fence, to the right, which may represent a ranch or landowners. The road signs, unfortunately, cannot be read (although the first letter on the bottom road sign appears to be N)
Midwest drive #2
The introductory video has two other shots (0:06) and (0:31) that are most likely 1) part of the same sequence. Note the dirt road (dust kicked up by the Dodge Journey), ridge along side the road, general terrain, including contours, and position of the sun. The (0:06) segment was shot first, note the position of the sun, and lack of shadows (early morning).
This second sequence (0:31) should be fairly easy to identify by satellite imagery (although I spent a good checking the areas north and south of Elk City with no luck). More importantly, they are traveling North, if this was taken at sunrise (my belief) or south if taken near sunset.
It might be worth noting that the main Midwest drive was shot around noon (shadow directly beneath the Dodge) but may be a destination for these other two shots.
Given that the Dodge Journey Search (West) started from a landmark city like San Francisco, Dodge Journey Search (Midwest) will probably start from Dallas, TX, traveling north, toward the two known destinations (estimated route length: 290 miles), although that would not leave too much room for additional travel.
Digital Detective & Treasure Hunter 
Steven, what do you think about Black Kettle National Grassland? Doesn’t the Journey need to be left on Public land where anyone can go to look for it?
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Hi Nick. Black Kettle National Grassland has been discussed and can’t be ruled out. The terrain didn’t look right to me but I’ll be reviewing the terrain west of Elk City, OK (again)
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Where was the first one found again?
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Hi Nick. South of Lake Tahoe, off Highway 89, I believe. I’m not sure if you’re looking for a precise location though.
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I think the hot air balloon clue is for the east contest – http://www.hotairballoon.com/Adirondack-Balloon-Festival/ That festival happens next weekend in NY, near the same area as other NY clues. . .
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Hi Lisa. It’s definitely for the Midwest search – confirmed by the release of the 200-mile clue. Cheers!
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So Robert are you saying that they headed south on 283?
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it looks like its north of where 283 and 34 meet.
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Yes, 283 runs into 34 just before Willow, its the only road with two sets of power lines headed west, I think that will put yo within a 10-20 mile radius, I’m 700 miles away in TN or I would be headed out, If U find it, come buy me lunch, Good luck
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Well you know 283 runs north straight up to DODGE CITY!!!
And what if anything did anyone get from the new commercial clue?
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dodge city is out of the radius.
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it is Sid’s in El Reno. The clue is shown as a marker on the GPS.
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Nick,
Are you the same person who keeps saying that on the other board? It is out of range….
Try again…..
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The city in the video is Oklahoma City with the Devon Tower in the background
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So right Mike. I thought I had the precise starting point (and just updated the post) but had to check to see if there were any towers under construction. Google street view was two years old!
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What about Black Kettle National Grasslands?
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Great work everyone! The route will more than likely follow from ELk City to Sayre, north on 283 to Black Kettle National Grassland.
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I agree, Donna. I bet the hot air balloon will be aired up (or whatever you call that) so that it is standing up and will be able to be seen if someone gets close enough. I am about 500 miles away in AR and could kick my husband’s butt for not going with me this morning when I wanted to go! I could just kill him! He said we don’t have the money to waste on gas, because you know someone will get there before us and we will have to stay overnight, blah, blah, blah! I’m so aggravated…
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Hi Melanie. If this search holds true to the West search, it will still be a tough search until they get to about 5 to 10 miles (Plus, this is a marketing campaign. They want to have a captive audience for a few days, at least, to generate buzz – if there’s isn’t already enough) I don’t believe they’ll have the hot air balloon inflated or even on site, but I sure could be wrong. Cheers!
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LOL we are also in AR and thought about heading to OK last night by my husband said the same thing
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@Donna, I say South on 283
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Hi Robert. I suspect the final drive will be north for a couple of reasons: 1) If I was shooting a commercial, I’d want to start off in the morning, without fear of running out of sunlight; 2) and we know, they’re either heading north or south.
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I disagree Steven. I’m from the midwest and there is one fairly easy way to get your bearings, the trees point North! 90% of the time the wind is coming from the South so in Kansas (where I live) and Oklahoma the trees lean to the North. Looking at the commercials where the sun is in the background it appears the trees are pointing to the right. Assuming North is right, that would mean the car is headed South. 🙂
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No worries. It wouldn’t be the first time I was wrong 🙂 I don’t you can get which way the trees point from the video though but if the sun rises from the east, if you were driving north, it would be on your right, casting a shadow on the left.
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First off, the bridge is located in Bridgeport, Oklahoma and is called the Bridgeport bridge. Second, the hot air balloon isn’t affiliated with the company you suggested, the one in the commercial has black in it… Elk city is the 121.76mi marker and it it the location of the National Route 66 Museum..
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As much as it hurts to say, knowing I can’t get to it myself, the location is :~{ McLean Texas.. Give me a bit and I’ll get you the Coords!
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No I am not the person who keeps saying that on the other site, but I did say Black Kettle National Grassland earlier, I think its off 283 going “TOWARDS” Dodge City, somewhere by Cheyenne, in between Cheyenne and Dodge City in the Black Kettle National Grasslands.
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You had it dead on! Sure with I would have given you my #! We wasted an hour on HWY 6 & 283 😥
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there are balloon rides out of Lawton….south off 283 Have to go to college football game…will check later…someone should have found it by the time i get home
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How do yo know its McLean????
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OMG… she is right, with the whole route 66 theme, its gotta be McLean TX, its the first route 66 meuseum!!! Crazy…. God I wish they would hide one in Wisconsin!!!!
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Yep McLean is right on the edge of the radius…. Tammy do you work for Dodge or Something????
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Wichita is right on the edge too (where I live). I’d love for them to be heading North but it appears it is headed West and then South IMHO.
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I’m in Wisconsin too… was hoping they’d do it somewhere here 😦
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Looks like the 3rd clue is Hinton OK. Look at the 1st image.
http://www.google.com/search?pq=red+rock+canyon+park+cabins&hl=en&sugexp=gsis,i18n%3Dtrue&cp=22&gs_id=4&xhr=t&q=red+rock+canyon+park+oklahoma&qe=cmVkIHJvY2sgY2FueW9uIHBhcmsgbw&qesig=dd2w0GLJhmjUFWYA5nf2pQ&pkc=AFgZ2tlzQHNT0jtxlRvSD4sPoKhD8p448o22DDUhixv3EcPGE3vNpp8RPS5aWPbYaJiLLrtM2vlClofIt9BWvnl8P8sbZAH9MA&gs_sm=&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.&biw=1680&bih=882&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi
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I’m assuming the third clue is to throw people off? There’s already hints they go through Elk City, OK so they must be doubling back north.
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Yeah this is getting so much attention, they need to do way more of these!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If there was even one close to Wisconsin I would drop everything to hunt for it, this would be so fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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probably McClellan Creek Grassland
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Steven, I found the MB fence! I can confirm it by the trees in the background!
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That’s a great find Jared! Are you on site? Location?
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I Dont know….. now it went through Hinton????
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Yeah Nick. They seem to be drive west along route 66, but chewing up miles running north and south along the way 😦
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Here is the MB location, note the trees… also move foreward one in the street view to help get another view. http://g.co/maps/euy3n
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That’s definitely the location. Fantastic job Jared. And yeah, satellite view shows the “V” line of trees. Time to update the post 🙂
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And the location in your pic here: http://stevenbarley.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/midwest-drive-3.jpg is just 500 feet NORTH of that location… you can tell by the trees.
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And it’s sunset, not sunrise.
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Yeah, so, they’re heading back to South (to Route 66) … they’re killing some mileage traveling north and south along the way.
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anyone get the e-mail clue? never got the confirmation.
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Hey Mikey. I didn’t on my primary but did on an alternate email account I registered. Post has been updated … Texola, OK.
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what about Haystack Mountain in Greer, OK?
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Hi Kimberly. Looks like Texola, OK is the place to be 🙂
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Mikey I never go the confirmation or email either so i just went by what others were saying on the Dodge youtube site and they were saying Texola.
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The email clue points to Texola, OK, on the border to TX.
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Texola, OK
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found it on the forum for dodge. about 10 minutes out. so far we’ve seen 2 other treasure hunters running around with laptops. Two guys sitting in an accord between EL Reno and OKC. And a girl at Denny’s trying to get wifi on a Mac. FInd it or not, the wife and I are having a blast. the 3 year old asleep in the back seat is oblivious to today’s happenings.
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Looks like the 50 mile clue is Route 66 museum In Clinton Ok.
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Definitely (and no surprise – they’re still heading west along route 66) – destination, Texola, OK 🙂
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…or the museum in Elk city?
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OMG… I seriously think Me and the Fiancee are going to take a trip to Vermont for the next one!!! this sounds so exciting!!! Steven you are amazing! I hope you are on here for the 3rd one! So is McLean just a red hearing then? was Tammy a subterfuge artist?
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It would definitely be an adventure Nick. A number of possible locations have been thrown around – you just gotta back ’em up 😉
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But according to the Radius Texola is out of range?
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You’re right Nick. I just updated the blog post: http://stevenbarley.net/2011/09/17/dodge-journey-search-midwest-clues/ with the radius relative to Texola, OK. Perhaps on the fringe …
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Where did you guys see all the clips for New York and Vermont? Apparently I am not as savvy as you all are?
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From the two general promotional videos they released. See: http://stevenbarley.net/2011/09/15/dodge-journey-search/ They had bits and pieces from all three regions.
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Dodge just said someone is about to find it!!!!
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I was going to guess around the quartz mtn area…but the Texeola clue is throwing me.
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its Found…… i watched live feed……. 😦 ………. oh well…….where was it though?????? where are clips for Vermont……
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off e0940 rd north of blackkettle to the west of 283
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ok got it… thanks…… so where was second one?????
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OH MY GOD!!!!!!! I SAID EARLIER…….. “but I did say Black Kettle National Grassland earlier, I think its off 283 going “TOWARDS” Dodge City, somewhere by Cheyenne, in between Cheyenne and Dodge City in the Black Kettle National Grasslands.” HOLY CRAP!!!!!! I TOTALLY CALLED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Congratulations to the winners!!!!
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Nick C. Where are you from? Hope I’m not going up against you for the East Coast Dodge Journey.
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I’m From Wisconsin! But I am heading out there! This is so fun! ok the truck has 283 horse power i heard, its on Public land just off Route 66 on the way to Dodge City…. how could they not hide it around there!!!!
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