Quest #1 Walk to Rivendell - Walking in the Chaos

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I had my first day that I have not "officially" walked in the morning or evening with Percy and Psych because my job had me on the road by 6:30 AM and I didn't get back to my house until 9:00 with everything going on.  I did, however, leave my pedometer on and managed to get in 3 miles today walking around the building (it was a large high school).  I was okay with that because I knew that I could get in the remaining 5 miles that I needed the next day and still reach my goal of 30 miles for the week.  Also, I have that first marker coming up and I can't wait to do something fun for it!

I'm learning to be flexible, but I also have to make sure that I stick to my guns and not let flexible resolve turn into slacking.  I've received a lot of encouragement, and I need it.  I can't do this alone.  But I am the only one who can make the decision.

When I actually got to the end of the day today, I only needed 2.5 miles to reach my goal.  I was DETERMINED to get them in!  I called a friend and asked her if she wanted to walk since I only needed that small amount and together we not only reached the 2.5 mile mark, we also set a new record for the fastest time I've walked a mile in 12:29 in addition to reaching my goal of 30 miles for the week (Tuesday-Sunday)!!!!  YAY!  Thank God for friends and I hope that next week is as good :) #walktomordor

Quest #1 Walk to Rivendell - Perspective along the Stock Road

The first week and I think I've already got aching muscles. . . wow. . .

Not giving up, but I kinda feel like a wimp already.  Most of the trek was done in 18-28 mile stretches per day. That's a lot.

But then again, if I could be in shape within the time-frame of a 30-second movie montage, then I'd do it.  Unfortunately, making a montage won't help.  But the stuff that takes for freakin' ever that actually makes the montage possible in reality?  That's what I'm doing now.

I've walked 22.7 miles so far this week (Monday-Friday) and I have 9 more to go to make my goal of 31 miles a week.  So far I've been knocked down trying to keep Brego (Percy) from running after mini goblins (squirrels), I've had to hide from an onslaught of wargs (fast-moving 5:00 traffic), and pick my way through a new route when the way I knew was closed.  Maybe not as bad as being chased by a black rider, but I'm sure I'll figure that out too.  Sometimes it feels like this, though:

I'm excited that several people have volunteered to be a part of my fellowship, whether in actuality or in spirit!  You don't have to physically walk every mile side-by-side, but knowing that someone else is out there walking to Mordor as well is pretty awesome!

So keep walking, faithful fellowshipers and I'll see you soon - on my quest to Rivendell and beyond.

Quest #1 Walk to Rivendell - Starting the Journey

For this first "quest" I'm just walking to Rivendell.

My goal is to walk 458 miles in 15 weeks.

I'm going to be doing this wherever I am and however I can get it.  I have a job that requires some crazy hours, but I'm on-the-go a lot, so I'm going to try to do this regardless of whether I'm at a hotel or at home where I can breathe easy.  I am determined to complete this quest.

Until I start traveling, I'm going to be walking in my neighborhood, on trails, or wherever I can get my mapping app to work!  I forgot to mention that I'm using the free "Map My Walk" app to calculate and record everything.

What about coming home from Mount Doom? . . .

When I dump that stupid ring in Mount Doom, then I'm expecting flying Eagles to scrape me off the sidewalk and get me back to Minas Tirith.  In other words, one step at a time and I've got to finish the first before I worry about any of the others.

So how are you going to make this fun?
I've mapped out approximate markers and how long it will take to get to each one.  Here they are:

• First Sighting of a Black Rider - this is about 32 miles out from Hobbiton
• Buckleberry Ferry - it's 70 miles to the Brandywine River at the Buckleberry Ferry crossing
• Meet Tom Bombadil - at 95 miles, the Hobbits and meet Tom Bombadil who saves their lives
• Bree (The Prancing Pony Inn) - at 135 miles out, the group finally gets to Bree, 
• Weathertop - where Frodo is stabbed by a Nazgul 240 miles in and it's Glorfindel to the rescue!
• Stone Trolls - Thanks to Bilbo's genius, three stupid trolls are turned to stone when the sun comes up, Frodo sees these troll statues 392 miles into the journey.
• Crossing the Ford - It's Glorfindel (not Arwen) who takes Frodo across the Ford to safety and they do so at 450 miles along the journey (or 8 miles from Rivendell. 
• Rivendell - Quest accomplished!  Travelled 458 miles to get to Elrond's home.  Hopefully the reception is decent!

I would like to do something special at each of these markers and I have some ideas, but we will see how it goes!

I actually started this at the beginning of this week, so I am 15.1 miles into the trip and have reached the Stock Road.  To accomplish this in the time that I've set for myself, I will have to average 30 miles a week.

I hope to pick up some friends along the way so that we can have our own "Fellowship" but for now, Brego, Bill the Pony (see picture at the top of the page on the right), and I will trudge along on our own quest.

If you're interested in your own quest, tell me about it and we can be an online Fellowship!

Last but not least, you have to see the "Google Maps" mock up of the walk to Mordor.  If you're not inspired, hopefully you're laughing.  See you on the quest tomorrow!

from: http://geekologie.com/2015/01/walking-into-mordor-middle-earth-as-a-go.php

Quest #1 Walk to Rivendell

If you're like me, you dread certain kinds of exercise.  You don't want to go to the gym and work out on the treadmill, or do the elliptical.  Heaven forbid you have to encounter the dreaded villain Stair Master.  Think about it.  It sounds like a villain's name!

I've never been in great shape, although I have been in better shape than I am now.  I've given myself lots of excuses - some of them legit, others not - but that time is over.  It's time to get busy and get into shape and live life to the fullest.

You might be thinking, yeah, easy for you to say, you're a glass half-full kind of person.  Actually, I'm not always - or probably even usually.  I tend to be very sarcastic.  You and this blog just caught me on a day that is a glass-half-full kind of thing. That's why I'm trying to get this done now, so I can keep myself inspired so that I don't quit!

The first quest I wanted to take up was to walk to Mordor.  I'm a huge Lord of the Rings Fan.  I'm working on wearing out my second copy of the books (and when I say wearing out, I mean I read it till the pages fall out and the cover comes off).  I follow another blog called Nerd Fitness and when he came out with an article about walking to Mordor, I thought this was the coolest thing ever!  In fact you should check it out:  http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2012/07/23/walking/

Mordor is 1779 miles from Hobbiton they way the Fellowship went.  That's a long way.  So my and first quest is to walk the first leg of the journey, 458 miles to Rivendell in 15 weeks.  Now for those of you who are in great shape and run 10-15 miles a day and get to do this in a month or so, go for it.  But shut up about how easy it might be.  In fact, my challenge to you is to go to Mordor and then back the way they came.  For those of us who haven't done anything like this before, this is an adventure that we start one step at a time.  And first, we're heading to Rivendell!

Courtesy of Nerd Fitness, here's the layout of the journey:

458 miles: Go from Hobbiton to Rivendell
462 miles: Start with the Fellowship from Rivendell, through Moria, to Lothlorien
389 miles: From Lothlorien, down the Anduin, to Rauros Falls
470 miles: Follow Frodo and Sam on the quest from Rauros to Mt. Doom

The quest back:
535 miles: From Minas Tirith to Isengard
693 miles: From Isengard to Rivendell
397 miles from Rivendell to Bag End

Bonus quest:
467 miles: Follow Frodo to the Grey Havens and return home with Sam

If you want the complete breakdown of each of the journeys, here's the site:
http://home.insightbb.com/~eowynchallenge/Walk/walk.html

So you ready?  I am.  Maybe.  I'm hoping to pick up some fellowship members along the way!  So let's walk to Mordor!

(Soundtrack Music of your choice plays now)