Pointless Prize: 2023 Photo Scavenger Hunt

[Serdar]

Hi Freezing Saddlers,

This year, Janet and I will lead Daily Photo Scavenger Hunt. We are happy to announce the topics for the first week.

Rules:

Like in the previous, we have two competitions this year: the main competition and participation prizes! You can compete in both simultaneously or just one.

To compete for a participation prize, you must (1) upload one or more photos of the item to your Strava ride for that day. (2) title your Strava ride with the hashtag #scavhunt. Please only hashtag ONE ride per day with #scavhunt. This hashtag will ensure you automatically show up and get ranked on our scavhunt leaderboard (https://freezingsaddles.org/pointless/hashtag/scavhunt).
To compete in the main competition (with one or more points awarded daily based on photo creativity, beauty, and/or the capricious whims of Serdar and Janet) your entries must be posted HERE on the Forum in this thread.

Detailed rules are below (with huge thanks to Rumi and Millie for spelling this all out last year and allowing us to mostly repeat their detailed instructions!):

1. Obvs, you should be a participant in Freezing Saddles ’23
2. It has to be on a bike ride on the day it was requested
3. For the main competition, it has to be posted in the Forum on the day for which it was requested, i.e., 12:01 AM EST to 11:59 PM EST for the day it was requested. Sorry, we won’t count the ones that aren’t posted for the day it was requested. That’s part of the challenge.
4. The reason we say “for the day it is requested” is because we will release a weekly list of scavenger hunt items ahead of time, with one item for each day — but don’t take and/or post the pic until that day comes.
5. We will update the Scavenger Hunt theme weekly on this thread and Strava. We will try to update it in advance of the week ahead so you have time to make plans!
6. Your Forum post must be titled with the date and the found object/theme. Example: IF the item for January 1st were “borscht,” you would title your Forum post: 1/1/2023 borscht
7. Description, short backstory, or location are optional (but nice). That said, if your pic is abstract or not relatable to my request, please explain (e.g., I ask for “happiness,” and you post a pic of a tennis ball you found on a ride, please explain how that tennis ball = happiness)
8. It has to be a picture you took. You don’t need to be in the photo, but if you are in it, it either has to be a selfie or done with a self-timer
9. Only one pic/day should be posted in the Forum. Please only pad by adding one pic/day. (You can include as many photos as possible on your Strava ride.)
10. It has to be a picture, not a video.
11. Let’s stick to things you find out there during your ride, not things you bring or make yourself (unless otherwise specified). Example 1: Don’t scratch it into the dirt if I say find “2023”. Example 2: if I say find a flower, don’t bring a flower with you on your ride and take a pic of that. This takes the fun out of looking for things, which is the whole point.
12. Unless specified otherwise, your bike does not have to be in the photo.
13. Found item needs to be clear and discernible (or legible if text) in the picture. If you are using Tapatalk and are having trouble posting pics that are large enough, let us know, and I/we can help you with it.
14. Filters are OK, but no obvious/blatant photoshopping… not that we would know anything about such things.

Scoring

Scoring will be similar to FS22, and there are two different prizes you are competing for simultaneously:

• Main Competition: To compete in this prize you must post in this thread complying with the rules above. Scoring will be arbitrary and capricious, and only one person per day is guaranteed to get the point each day. How will you be the lucky point winner for the day? Impress us with your creativity. Since we are publishing an entire week at a time, it should give you some time to come up with a creative idea. The rider with the most Main Competition points at the end of the competition is the… winner of the Main Competition.
• Participation Winner: There will also be one or more participation award(s) for the top daily participant(s). Tag one ride each day with #scavhunt, add your photo(s) of the item and watch this leaderboard https://freezingsaddles.org/pointless/hashtag/scavhunt . The leaderboard will score this automatically (one point per daily #scavhunt ride) and is honor-based. Please do not tag more than one ride per day with the hashtag. The top rider(s) (based on the number of rides, not mileage!!) will get a special prize at the end of Freezing Saddles!

Good Luck!
Janet and Serdar

Please, check the daily topics below. We will be editing/updating this post regularly.

1/1/23 Sunday — Fire
1/2/23 Monday — Ice
1/3/23 Tuesday — Lantern
1/4/23 Wednesday — Snow
1/5/23 Thursday — Lava
1/6/23 Friday — Ice Cream

1/7/23 Saturday ’90s
1/8/23 Sunday ’70s
1/9/23 Monday ’60s
1/10/23 Tuesday ’50s
1/11/23 Wednesday ’40s
1/12/23 Thursday ’30s
1/13/23 Friday ’20s

1/14/23 Saturday National Dress Up Your Pet Day
1/15/23 Sunday National Hat Day
1/16/23 Monday Martin Luther King Jr. Day
1/17/23 Tuesday Prohibition Begins, 1920-1933
1/18/23 Wednesday National Winnie the Pooh Day
1/19/23 Thursday National Popcorn Day
1/20/23 Friday National Cheese Lovers Day

1/21/23 Saturday – Waterfall
1/22/23 Sunday – DC Music
1/23/23 Monday – World Cup 2022
1/24/23 Tuesday – selfie with the maximum number of your FS teammates
1/25/23 Wednesday – Opposite Day
1/26/23 Thursday – Vietnam War ended
1/27/23 Friday – National Chocolate Cake Day

1/28/23 Saturday – Data Privacy Day
1/29/23 Sunday – National Puzzle Day
1/30/23 Monday – Franklin D. Roosevelt? He was born on this day.
1/31/23 Tuesday – National Backward Day
2/1/23 Wednesday – National Texas Day
2/2/23 Thursday – Groundhog Day
2/3/23 Friday – Feed the Birds Day

2/4/23 Saturday – Barbie Doll
2/5/23 Sunday – Apollo 14 mission
2/6/23 Monday – The Battle of Fort Henry
2/7/23 Tuesday – The Beatles
2/8/23 Wednesday – composer/conductor John Williams
2/9/23 Thursday – “The Simpsons”
2/10/23 Friday – Wild Card!

2/11/23 Saturday “Pointless” Kids
2/12/23 Sunday Superb Owl
2/13/23 Monday Architecture
2/14/23 Tuesday Errandeering
2/15/23 Wednesday Little Free Library
2/16/23 Thursday License Plates
2/17/23 Friday Calvinball

2/18/23 Saturday *Service Saturday*
2/19/23 Sunday *Sustainable Sunday*
2/20/23 Monday *Manic Monday*
2/21/23 Tuesday *Timeless Tuesday*
2/22/23 Wednesday *Wordplay Wednesday*
2/23/23 Thursday *Thankful Thursday*
2/24/23 Friday *Foodie Friday*

2/25/23 Saturday Wicked Witch
2/26/23 Sunday Silver or Ruby Slippers
2/27/23 Monday Yellow Brick Road
2/28/23 Tuesday Scarecrow
3/1/23 Wednesday Tin Man
3/2/23 Thursday Cowardly Lion
3/3/23 Friday “There is no place like home…”

3/4/23 Saturday Lines
3/5/23 Sunday Squares
3/6/23 Monday Donut
3/7/23 Tuesday Hole
3/8/23 Wednesday Sparrow
3/9/23 Thursday Rainbow
3/10/23 Friday Philosophy

Week 11 Scavenger Hunt: Reindeer Games! They call these Pointless Prizes “Reindeer Games,” so for this last full week of Freezing Saddles, play along and illustrate the name of these famous reindeer in a photo.

3/11/23 Saturday Dasher (No hyphens, please!)
3/12/23 Sunday Dancer & Prancer
3/13/23 Monday Vixen
3/14/23 Tuesday Comet
3/15/23 Wednesday Cupid
3/16/23 Thursday Donner &/or Blitzen
3/17/23 Friday Rudolph

3/18/23 Saturday Wild Card with action, emotion, and engagement
3/19/23 Sunday Action, emotion, and engagement, but with a bike in the photo see page 174

Topic

[Kbikeva]

@Nadine 225485 wrote:

I knew you’d brought her in your bike trailer. I love that you do that.

I brought Pinky in my bike trailer once (awhile back cuz 6 years ago she died & sent us a cat) and you shoulda seen her reaction when she realized I wanted her to get into the trailer! She was like this dainty lady saying ” You want me to do WHAT?”

But fast forward to maybe a half hour later & we’re riding by a woman walking a coupla dogs on Military Rd….. I looked back cuz no barking, and she always barked at strange dogs unless they were special somehow. And there she was sitting in the trailer with her head held high like she thought she pooped vanilla ice cream & was above barking at those dogs [emoji16]

The imagery here, Nadine, almost made me spit out my coffee. You’re hilarious. For those of you who are playing this weekend, I’m out of the running so you may yet win the prize! I got hit by a car on Friday and while I’m super sore and whiny, I’m counting my blessings because it could have been so much worse. Getting back on a bike is NOT in my cross check for at least ten days to 2 weeks. So get out there for that fabulous action shot with bike today!

[Indiana]

@Kbikeva 225487 wrote:

The imagery here, Nadine, almost made me spit out my coffee. You’re hilarious. For those of you who are playing this weekend, I’m out of the running so you may yet win the prize! I got hit by a car on Friday and while I’m super sore and whiny, I’m counting my blessings because it could have been so much worse. Getting back on a bike is NOT in my cross check for at least ten days to 2 weeks. So get out there for that fabulous action shot with bike today!

Oh no! I hope you got a medical check up if needed and heal quickly! That’s always so scary. Take care of yourself!

[CBGanimal]

3/19/2023 post action emotion…

Happy drinking beer after a hell of a gravel ride…at least for me and my missing teeth

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[consularrider]

#scavhunt – 3/19/2023 – Wild Card, Action, Emotion, Engagement with bike

[ATTACH=CONFIG]30714[/ATTACH]

Wind, Honor, a walking loop around with a minute of silence

National Native American Veterans Memorial by the National Museum of the American Indian

[bikingjenn]

@Indiana 225488 wrote:

Oh no! I hope you got a medical check up if needed and heal quickly! That’s always so scary. Take care of yourself!

[mention]Kbikeva [/mention] Heal fast. That stinks so bad and I am so happy to hear you did not lose the fight with the car and the pavement.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Mtansill]

3/19/2023: wild card with action, engagement, and a bike

Rumi and I actually did randomly meet George on a bike on the trail. This photo encapsulates what I love about riding. Friends enjoying each other’s company on a beautiful day.

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk

[bikesnick]

3/19/2023 – action, emotion, and engagement
[ATTACH=CONFIG]30715[/ATTACH]
action: yet another very windy day, as seen by the unfurled flags
emotion: I really enjoy riding a bicycle, outside, everyday
engagement: A bicycle gives me the freedom to engage with the surroundings and explore places, art, and nature

“Bikes are an instant smile machine, at any speed.”
— Matt Allyn

“When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking.”
— Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, 1896

Thank you Janet and Serdar for a fun Photo Scavenger Hunt this year!

[sszibler]

@Kbikeva 225487 wrote:

The imagery here, Nadine, almost made me spit out my coffee. You’re hilarious. For those of you who are playing this weekend, I’m out of the running so you may yet win the prize! I got hit by a car on Friday and while I’m super sore and whiny, I’m counting my blessings because it could have been so much worse. Getting back on a bike is NOT in my cross check for at least ten days to 2 weeks. So get out there for that fabulous action shot with bike today!

Oh, no! Please make sure we are following one another on Strava (Steve Szibler) and keep us informed about your recovery, etc. I can at least send you anti-car infrastructure stuff. So angry recently with drivers hitting friends and coming so close myself.

Note the end of this video. It’s about more than making infrastructure easier for us.

https://youtu.be/bnFYOvcOn_E

[Kbikeva]

@sszibler 225499 wrote:

Oh, no! Please make sure we are following one another on Strava (Steve Szibler) and keep us informed about your recovery, etc. I can at least send you anti-car infrastructure stuff. So angry recently with drivers hitting friends and coming so close myself.

Note the end of this video. It’s about more than making infrastructure easier for us.

https://youtu.be/bnFYOvcOn_E

Thank you Steve and everyone — I’m actually doing a lot better today. My son is checking the bike out right now. I think it’s fine too (I was kinda hoping for a new bike …) . Steve, I’m not on Strava except during FS so I’ll be signing off it tonight. I’m very involved with bike safety in VA, but that doesn’t help me much down here in El Paso. But thanks. Have fun tonight everyone! Be safe!

[Serdar]

And … another round of the main prize winners!

3/4/23 Lines – sszibler for a great shot of the tunnel on CCT

3/5/23 Squares – LGRides and bikesnick for outdoors squares. And LeftyLaura for finding many colorful squares. With the grandchildren!

3/6/23 Donut – karenbikes2@gmail.com for donut art & drevil for donut moon halo

3/7/23 Hole – ALClayville‘s tree hole; Kbikeva‘s cyclist in a hole; LeftyLaura bike in a hole

3/8/23 Sparrow – Mtansill‘s house sparrow in front of her house!

3/9/23 Rainbow – Nadine for rainbow on fence plus spirit socks, karenbikes2@gmail.com for rainbow painted fence, CBGanimal for finding a little girl in a rainbow dress

3/10/23 Philosophy – Kbikeva‘s gorgeous Buddhist temple shot

A bonus point for bulldog wearing pants – sszibler and cvcalhoun

A bonus point for alligator dancing – cvcalhoun and Kbikeva

A bonus point for something from Pago Pago bikesnick and Kbikeva

3/11/23 Dasher – Kbikeva, JoM, and cvcalhoun for action shots

3/12/23 Dancer & Prancer – Kbikeva for Tigua dance troupe rehearsing the Buffalo dance

3/13/23 Vixen – CBGanimal for finding a lovely statue of a vixen

3/14/23 Comet – bikesnick for finding an encyclopedia on a trail and looking for a comet in it, Boomer2U for finding an interpretation of Comet in Utah

3/15/23 Cupid – CBGanimal finding a heart clinic to save those who get shot by Cupid

3/16/23 Donner &/or Blitzen – consularrider for a photo of live deer that have been so elusive for many scavenger hunters

3/17/23 Rudolph – bikesnick for finding a Rudolph flag

Congratulations to the winners! Janet and I will announce the winners of the two last days soon.

[karenbikes2@gmail.com]

3/19/2023 Wild Card – action, emotion, and engagement

These young people are playing hockey, and judging from their joyful whoops and hollers, are fully engaged in the game and having a blast!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[sszibler]

Serdar,

Did I also get a point for Pango Pango, which was also on the official list? �� ����

[cvcalhoun]

3/19/2023 Wild Card – action, emotion, and engagement (with bicycles)
Participants in FSLNHPP were definitely emotional about the end of Freezing Saddles.

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk

[sszibler]

Getting the 3/19/2023 Wild Card – action, emotion, and engagement (with bicycles) shot I wanted tonight was difficult, but I’m pretty happy with this.

On my ride you can see where the glass (which was A LOT and it’s hard to see how much of the “protected bike lane” it covers. It’s been there for WEEKS!) ended up. I wouldn’t be surprised if this was responsible for one of my flats. But the satisfying CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCHITY CHRUNCH of cars rolling over it was well worth the time and trouble.

I also took pics of Congress with a lone office lit by TVs. Who was it since they’re out of session? Do they live there? Were they working?

Almost got a pic of someone PARKED in a PROTECTED bike lane after circling the block. I guess my yelling worked. Last seen they were blocking cars instead.

Should have stayed at Hains even later. I see some showed up! It was cold even earlier. 30 min. 36 average according to the 1030.

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[Kbikeva]

Wow – thanks, Serdar and Janet for a great motivator to get out and ride! I always look forward to the scavenger hunt each year!

[Author]

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