2024 Photo Scavenger Hunt – Rules and Alternate Words

2/22/24 HEAVY

“HEAVY is the head that wears the crown”

Lady Liberty has had a tough job the last 8(?) years. No wonder she looks so tired.

(Reclining Liberty Statue is in Virginia Square)

My quote above is likely a common misquote of Shakespeare 

2/22/24 heavy
Heavy frost on the field at Fort Hunt park was beautiful- this poem captures it perfectly:

Frost-Morning

The morn is cold. A whiteness newly brought
Lightly and loosely powders every place,
The panes among yon trees that eastward face
Flash rosy fire from the opposite dawning caught,—
As the face flashes with a splendid thought,
As the heart flashes with a touch of grace
When heaven’s light comes on ways we cannot trace,
Unsought, yet lovelier than we ever sought.
In the blue northern sky is a pale moon,
Through whose thin texture something doth appear
Like the dark shadow of a branchy tree.—
Fit morning for the prayers of one like me,
Whose life is in midwinter, and must soon
Come to the shortest day of all my year!
[Archbishop William Alexander]

Since people are complaining… what’s the deal with people going to cool/interesting places? I’m sitting here in “not really freezing” DC , trying to cobble together miles and clever photos while having a full time job… it just doesn’t seem fair!  😕

For the scoring… I will admit that if I were king, I’d structure this a bit differently. I’m not sure how (that’s what’s great about not actually being in charge), but sometimes the days when I’m proudest of my effort, I don’t get a point. But that’s because I’m not the judge. That’s weird to me. I like to be the decider. But I’m still proud of my efforts. And that’s almost as important as the pointless points.

Anyway, getting to know what wins (sometimes amazing photos, sometimes oddball/nostalgic things) has helped me curate my efforts. Getting it “on the nose” doesn’t do it. Being insightful doesn’t often do it. Having supporting text/explanation only sometimes helps. Focusing on the photo and the feeling is where you can bank it. My brain wrestles with this.

That’s OK. Because, THIS competition is what gets me on my bike EVERY day now. My FS team is, on average… average. And I’m doing my part. But I’m working hard to fight to be a contender in this silly competition. Win or lose, I can’t wait until it’s over and I can sit on my ass and let my leg muscles atrophy for a few days. 😉

Thanks Kelley and Serdar for your initiative and hard work. My mileage for the year is way up, and my motivation to get up and on the saddle every morning is way up.

And to my fellow competitors,  thanks for the awesome/clever/insightful/funny photos. Even if you are biking in places that make me jealous. And even if you composed an image that really puts to shame my lame submission that day. It just makes me that much more motivated to get out there and do better tomorrow!

I hope those of us who are “regular contributors” in the competition can meet and drink or bike together at the end (winners pay 😀).

@aaron-bikes – I may be one of those people who posts pictures from other places and probably a few lame ones.  I put in my time and I’m retired.  I enjoy life and riding my bike (in nice weather).

No way would I ever want to run this contest.  I’m pretty sure I could get everyone pissed off at me if I was judging.  I really didn’t mean to open a can of worms with my comment. Oh, well.  At least it got people interracting with each other.

2/22/24 HEAVY That must be one HEAVY flag requiring many strong soldiers to hold onto it.

2/22/24 HEAVY

Traffic was heavy on my ride tonight.

You’ll note that the light was green, which meant both the cars and I were moving, when I took this pic.  And for my next trick…

2/22/2024.  I’m glad I’m on the other side of this barrier on the I-66 Parallel Trail so that I’m separated by the HEAVY vehicles.