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