Alexaâs Elixir
đˇ Canon Elan 7e | đď¸ Fuji 200 (developed in Cinestill) | đDetroit Lakes, MN
They say forests have their own inhabitants. In Detroit Lakes, they happen to be giant wooden trolls with expressive faces and a better sense of purpose than most people I know.
I saw this trail, Alexaâs Elixir, in TIMEâs list of 50 places to visit in 2025 and decided to check it out. Danish artist Thomas Dambo, eco-activist, created these trolls with help from hundreds of volunteers. All from recycled materials. The final task of the forest quest? âDonât buy anything new today.â Naturally, it ends at a gift shop selling âI found the rabbitâ t-shirts.
It was my first time in Detroit Lakes. Canât say I loved the place. The town recently refused to fly the new Minnesota state flag - the one that finally doesnât stereotype Native Americans. That tells you a lot. And if that wasnât enough, the mile-long beach featured the entire Lordâs Prayer, displayed foot by foot along the sand. It felt less like a vacation and more like stepping into a lightly sanitized cult.
But the trolls? They were worth it. Playful, strange, slightly haunted. Like they know something we donât. Like theyâre watching us scroll through Amazon right after finishing the âdonât buy anythingâ quest.
Anyway, I found the rabbit. But I didnât buy the shirt. Small wins.
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