Your Vacation Mission? Find This Stolen Horse

Aug 28, 2016 · 39 comments
Eyes Open (San Francisco)
This part of the Bay Area is not "unexplored." The whole place is crawling with tourists, thanks to travel writers like you.
susanna van leuven (san anselmo ca)
these are the places near and dear to my heart. I write short stories about these places, called Point Reyes Sheriff's Calls under the pen name Susanna Solomon. the Nicasio Church where Fred finds his brother Henry in my story "Wings". The big barn is where I walk every weekend in the Giacomini Wetlands, the bar, Smiley's, with bunting, where LeVaundre Flynn met the cop in my short story "Flynn", Nicasio Reservoir where Matt drives by on his way to the Cheese Factory in my story "The Trumpet". WHat fun!.. Mildred is beside herself with excitement. thank you.
Devin (Oakland, CA)
Sound like the beginning of Westworld.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JctIuZfSsa4
Jasmin (Texas)
I'm surprised by all the negative comments. Does everyone have such limited time off these days that they can't even imagine trying something different on a long weekend? Of course this probably isn't something you'd want to do on every single vacation, but still.

Having done quite a bit of travelling, most of which was planned myself, this sounds like a different and very intriguing experience.
partlycloudy (methingham county)
Ack, as a horse owner for over 50 years,, I sure wouldn't want to even play a game about a stolen horse. Mine are chipped. I'd be calling all the vets.
independentinma (northborough, ma)
I'm in the second generation of DIY travelers, sometimes off the beaten track. As much as I like seeking out unknown treasures myself, I'm intrigued by the concept of having such an adventure as the author describes.

To each his own, I'd say. If such an experience is not up your alley, no problem. But allow that travel comes in many flavors to appeal to different tastes. Any given type does not deserve personal attacks on those who enjoy it!
Cool Aunt (Citizen of the World)
This sounds like FUN! If my husband doesn't want to go, I'll be bummed!!
Passion for Peaches (Left Coast)
I'm wondering when one of these props (the bloody hatchet, for instance) is going to be discovered by someone not in on the joke and mistaken for evidence of a real crime.

To my way of thinking, this is utter silliness. I just hope they pick up after themselves.
Gabe Smedresman (San Francisco, CA)
Hi, one of the creators of The Headlands Gamble here. We clear all these clues after each production, so there's little danger of accidentally starting a murder investigation.
Kayleigh73 (Raleigh)
Of course, it's silliness; that's the point. We spend a lot of our life being dutiful and earnest. We need to balance that with a little joie de vivre.
Roslyn Bullas (Wellington, New Zealand)
Some harsh comments here. There's no reason why you can't appreciate all forms of travel, independent and curated. In our years living in the Bay Area we explored all kinds of out of the way places on our own, including many of the ones mentioned. (Once we walked from SF to Point Reyes over 5 days, staying in 5 very different accommodations, an excursion that took longer to arrange than some foreign trips.) We also enjoyed the interactive Antenna Theater, whenever it popped up, and local theater of all kinds (oh how we miss Berkeley Rep!). First Person Travel sounds like a great way of mixing it up and combining theatricality with appreciating new or familiar places in a fresh way--and having an invigorating travel experience at the same time. I'd love to try it.
qqq (nyc)
The "cherry-red" Mustang is silver, AND there is not a trace of houndstooth (just a similar black-and-white pattern) on Sarai. Small details, maybe, but it smacks of Jayson Blair-esque creation. If the photographs were a re-enactment, that should be disclosed somewhere.
ChrisColin (San Francisco, CA)
The photos were taken on a different weekend.
Patrick (Bay Area)
They do. They have the names of the people doing it which aren't the names of the author.
Tom (Earth)
OMG!!!! What sorts of things do some people mistake for entertainment?
Dancing Bear (Vienna VA)
According to the photo, the "cherry red" Mustang was really silver. Gotta hone those detective observational skills.
Patrick (Bay Area)
Check the names on the captions.
Randy (<br/>)
How bored (and boring) must someone be to seek out this kind of manufactured "experience?" Honestly, it sounds awful, like the kind of thing one receives as a gift and gives away to the first unwelcome relative to comes to the Bay Area for a visit.
Wyoming Resident (Wyoming)
Yikes. Between this and the glamping
article, I am reconsidering my Times subscription. In the meantime, so thankful that I won't be running into any of these travelers in the backcountry.
J Reaves (NC)
So how did that cherry-red Mustang in the article turn into that silver one in the picture? I stopped reading at that point - I don't like to be fooled.
mc (Long Island City, NY)
Wait, what? You're mixing up the experience the author and his wife had vs. the couple in the photos!
Patrick (Bay Area)
Lol dude didn't you notice the names on the caption are not the author's. They were probably provided by the company.
Sasha Love (Austin TX)
It was a silver, not a cherry red Mustang
Anna (Brooklyn)
Anything that is referred to as 'disrupting' something make me want to run very quickly the other way.

Techies can't seem to stop making everything about them, can they?
Lisa Wesel (Maine)
The critics here are awfully crabby. Have you never played a game of someone else's creation? Scrabble? Monopoly? Poker? This is like Clue, only not played sitting at the kitchen table.
Julie Sanchez (Central Coast California)
Oh geez, you spoil sport commentators! This actually sounds like fun and an adventure. I would absolutely do this - with a friend, probably not with my husband (who is not much of a "joiner" to stuff like this). Like The Great Race but with better directions...and better food...and no reall pressure to "finish" or solve the mystery.

By the way - really enjoyed the story as it was written. very engaging and made me want to take the leap - or participate as a cast member!
Janna (Alaska)
Uh . . . OK. I can't imagine ever running out of ideas about things to do, and places to go, all on my own, but I suppose there is some logic to the benefits of the loss of control that something like this would allow.
Howard (New York)
At last, a vacation for a generation raised exclusively on play dates as a child. It is a generational divide that separates those sent out to play on their own from those with a more structured upbringing.
The younger folks will have a blast while the older generation will just scratch their collective heads. Virtual reality, anyone?
Kate (Texas)
I'll take the thrill of researching my own trip, good food as suggested by P (try Hog Island Oyster Company if you're near Point Reyes!) and an actual Agatha Christie novel any day.
JC (Oakland)
In the story, the author refers to a "cherry red Mustang"—however, the accompanying photograph depicts what appears to be a silver Mustang. A trick of the light? Maybe some kind of clue? Is the red mustang, in fact, more of a red herring? What about Chris Colin? What's his story? Someone needs to get to the bottom of this Case of the Color-Changing Convertible!
ChrisColin (San Francisco, CA)
The photos were taken on a different weekend. Guess they used a different car.
John (NYC)
I love mystery novels, and this sounds like an amazing experience. My only regret is that "the agency" is going to be booked months in advance now, and I won't be able to go on this trip anytime soon!
Cheryl Smith (Austin)
Captivated by the imaginative experience; charmed and delighted by the author's rendition of it. A joy to read.
FARAFIELD (VT)
I think it looks like fun!
PB (Montreal,QC)
I'll add my comment. This sounds fabulous! Worth a visit to San Francisco.
P (NJ)
Maybe 20 years ago. Now? I'll take a beach and good food, thanks.
Ivan Light (Inverness CA)
Most people don't need a rigged-up theater scheme to experience and enjoy scenery. It's enough just to go into some beautiful place on one's own without holding hands with somebody's travel business.
BirdDog (North Carolina)
I hope posting that made you happy.
John (San Francisco)
And, likewise, yourself.