...the most atrocious thing I'd ever done...

[RahRah]

Looking for some insights from the forum.....why most atrocious thing he'd ever done?

FENN: Well you know, it’s out of my hands now really. When I hid that treasure chest, there was nobody around. And I was walking back to my car and I looked around and I started laughing. And I said out loud, Forrest Fenn did you really do that? And I started laughing. I thought it was the most atrocious thing that I’d ever done. But, in the back of my mind, I told myself that if I’m sorry tomorrow, I can go back and get the treasure chest. But the more I thought about it, I said, no I’m not going to do it. And I told myself it’s out of my hands now. I’m an interested bystander at this point.

[antigroove]

CacheLaPoudre says it hints at F using an ATV.

Something I've considered: @ Roc IOUs

[CacheLaPoudre]

I've said it I don't know who else ever said it.

[KingBread]

Perhaps there are items with sentimental value inside of the treasure chest and Forrest had a small amount of regret after leaving it. Forrest wanted to create an opportunity for other people to use the treasure hunt as a reason to get outside, have hope, and maybe find a potentially life-changing treasure as a result. I think his selflessness outweighed his affection for the items inside of the chest. If this makes sense, I think the part of him that loved the treasure wanted to keep the treasure and that part of him manifested itself by using the word, "atrocious."

tldr;

Sounds like he was conflicted but his selfless attitude won in the end.

[voxpops]

No idea why he used that word, but it worried me for a time.

[ROLL TIDE]

Everyone be honest with yourself.
Without looking it up,what is the very first word you think of when you hear the word 'atrocious' ?

And if you say ATV, you're going on a special list I keep.
Why would F need to make two trips from his car if he used an ATV ?
Why would he say don't go where a 79 or 80 year-old man couldn't go, if he used an ATV ?
Why did he say he WALKED back to his car, if he used an ATV ?

Geeze. SMH.

[nmcc]

Outrageous.

[antigroove]

Expialidocious.

[RahRah]

First thing I think is loathsome.....unspeakable, perhaps outrageous. Probably why I'm missing something here?

[ROLL TIDE]

It helps to use it in a sentence.
Right off the top of your head, use the word in a sentence.

That is the most atrocious Christmas sweater I've ever seen.

Most of us will come up with several ways to use or interpret the word so, no one is wrong, as long as the word means 'atrocious'.

Here's mine ...
That is the most HIDEous Christmas sweater I've ever seen.

Now, F says we will be surprised(?) when we find out where it was hidden.
hideous = startle = surprise.

Look quickly down your quest to cease.
hideous = quest.
https://www.classicthesaurus.com/hideous/synonyms/4
hideous = cold.

And that's all I'm giving up on this one.

[RahRah]

RT....thank you, that was helpful!

[LuckyLove]

Hi RahRah , imo, he's corrupting the meaning of the word atrocious. I take it to mean devilish, evil genius, etc... in a playful and harmless way. Not thinking that the act of hiding the treasure is what he was referring to as 'atrocious'. Thinking he's referring to the gap in our imaginations between ordinary and realistically extraordinary that we'll have to span (*just like he or someone else did, imo) in order to bind his clues (at some point) into a cohesive unit (*his original vision?).... Probably not the best way to put it, makes sense to me though

[RahRah]

And I now understand.....