Finally stopped trying to spot gnomes from the car

I used to just drive around neighborhoods hoping to catch a gnome in someone's yard. Last month I started biking instead on the weekends. Saw 14 gnomes in one ride near Elm Park because you actually notice small details at bike speed. Anyone else switch up their spotting method and see way more?

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hugo_cooper2mo ago

Hang on, those aren't gnomes you're seeing from a bike. A garden gnome is a little ceramic guy with a red hat, usually hiding in flower beds. What you're spotting are probably lawn ornaments like deer or flamingos, or maybe some cool birdhouses. I made the same mistake my first year spotting. Still, biking is way better for noticing hidden stuff in yards, just make sure you're looking for the right thing.

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casey_barnes2mo ago

I actually read a whole article last year about how cyclists spot way more yard art than drivers do, so you're totally right about biking being better for that. It was in some biking magazine my friend left at my place, and it had this list of the most common things people mistake for gnomes from a distance. Apparently, little concrete statues of frogs and turtles are the biggest culprits, especially when they're painted bright colors. Honestly, I still think some of those weird yard decorations kind of look like gnomes if you're going fast enough, but maybe that's just me.

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