Freezing Saddles 2021 - Daily Photo Scavenger Hunt

[rumipumi]

1/3/21 elf or wizard

[DCAKen]

1/3/21 - Elf or Wizard (as a nod to JRR Tolkien day). Happy hunting!

These wizards aren't too magical this year

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[Kbikeva]

1/3/21 - Elf or Wizard

I planned a route through a much decorated neighborhood and had captured several elves to choose from once I got home. Channeling my shire instincts, I decided to go OFF ROUTE to take a shortcut along a road I haven't traveled since schools went virtual. Coddiwompling along (see definition below), I came to a "T" intersection and Shazam -- Serendipity is best enjoyed via bicycle!



Coddiwomple (v.) To travel purposefully toward an as-yet-unknown destination. (English slang)

[komorebi]

1/3/21 - Elf or Wizard (as a nod to JRR Tolkien day). Happy hunting!

1/3/2021 -- There's a house in Alexandria that has an inflatable Will Ferrell from the movie Elf, but it was sadly deflated when I rode by this morning. My other idea was the same as DCAKen's, the Washington Wizards:

[Brownws]

1/3/21 - Elf or Wizard


Jolly old elf

1/3/21 - Elf or Wizard
Elf:

Explanation:
"He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself"

--- Excerpt from "Twas the Night Before Christmas"

[SusanG1693]

At the local game shop, Curio Caverns in Springfield, where Magic the Gathering is a big hit. No elves in the window, but you can see a pic of one on the inside wall.
Happy Twelvety-Ninth birthday to the professor!

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[CBGanimal]

1/3/21 - Elf or Wizard (as a nod to JRR Tolkien day). Happy hunting!

I was riding around on flat ground since my bike has decided it would rather be a single speed vs a real gravel bike and I came upon an elf lost on a canvas of white




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[historygeek]

1/3/21 - Elf or Wizard (as a nod to JRR Tolkien day). Happy hunting!

[LeftyLaura]

1/3/21 - elf or wizard

Elf climbing to escape the season

[reji]

1/3/21 - Elf or Wizard (as a nod to JRR Tolkien day). Happy hunting!

This one was fun! I wanted to look for a wizard, not an elf and since I expected that finding a Gandalf in the wild would prove too difficult, I did a little "research". I found that J.R.R. Tolkien was influenced by a wide array of influences including language, Christianity, mythology, archaeology, ancient and modern literature, and personal experience. (Taken shamelessly from Wikipedia.) From there, I honed in on Merlin, the most famous wizard of all, from the mythological King Arthur.

And I lucked out that there is a Merlin Way in Annandale not far off the Fairfax County Cross County Trail. But before heading that way, in the off chance of finding a Gandalf, I thought I'd try out Victory Comics to see if they had any wizards painted on their windows, posters, or whatever that I could take a picture of. Nope, so I headed on my ride to Merlin Way, took my photo and rode home. Strava route: https://www.strava.com/activities/4562210940

When I get home, my wife tells me that there is a cool wizard less than 1/4 mile from our house (!) that she spied on her walk: https://www.strava.com/activities/4561938383

So I hop back on my bike, go for another ride in the drizzle to the cool wizard. And it was cool! Some homeowner has set up a display of all sorts of things for kids to be amused by ... a wizard, a castle, a unicorn, a snail house and more! I snapped a couple photos and rode around to make sure I had more than 1 mile so it would count. Because really, who wants to submit a picture of a stupid road sign when you can submit a pic of a cool wizard? [Foreshadowing] Here's my 2nd Strava of the day: https://www.strava.com/activities/4562418990

Finally, here's my submission. A picture of a stupid road sign. WITH MY BIKE IN THE PHOTO. Because I didn't think to get a picture of my bike with the cool wizard. Oh well.
WAIT, scratch that since Accordioneur pointed out that I don't need to have my bike in the photo. So here's the wizard....