Walk to Mordor and Back Again (2019)

[charlomechfry]

Walk to Mordor and Back Again (2019)

 

Whether you have been trekking to Mordor for years or just looking to get started, you are welcome to join us at anytime.

All miles/kilometers count. You decide how you want to accumulate distance. This is your adventure!

(ex. my journey has included walking/steps, hiking, running, biking (distance/3), and swimming (distance*3))

 

Begin Your Journey Now!

SPREADSHEET

Open the spreadsheet, click on the 'Sign Up' tab at the bottom of the page, fill in all fields labeled in yellow, and begin tracking and logging your distance in the appropriate monthly tab.

 

“It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.” - Bilbo Baggins

[bker1370]

Well, alright I was debating if I should start a new thread since no one else had or if we should just keep using the 2018 one.  Glad we got a new one.

 

Currently 20.25 miles along for this year.

 

@shaar and @Salinger come on over and join in, I know both of you are working on this right now.

[Salinger]

9 minutes ago, bker1370 said:

 

@shaar and @Salinger come on over and join in, I know both of you are working on this right now.

 

 

Thanks Bker! 

 

Yes ive began, just 4.1 miles in so far, better get moving and catch you up !! x

[bker1370]

3 minutes ago, Salinger said:

 

 

Thanks Bker! 

 

Yes ive began, just 4.1 miles in so far, better get moving and catch you up !! x

 

No problem, make sure and pop into the spreadsheet and let it do the math for you (also will allow you to choose whether to count in mi or km whichever is easier for you)

[shaar]

YES PERFECT thank you for the tag, I got searching for the spreadsheet and then got sidetracked!! (and no one was surprised)

 

[edit] Wowie wow wow that is a well designed spreadsheet, why am I surprised that nerds of all people would craft up a killer Walk to Mordor spreadsheet... and it's not in my bookmarks bar for easy access!  WOOOO! \o/

[bker1370]

Well, if you get sidetracked again...  I have the spreadsheet linked in my signature (so I don't get lost trying to find it again LOL)

 

Ok, just realized link isn't working...  going to have to fix that 

 

[Infinity.Creates]

Everyone else is in miles .... I'm going to be a Rebel

[Rinna]

I’m in, at least as far as Rivendell with @shaar and @Salinger.  We’ll see what we see after that.

[TGP]

cool!

welcome new walkers!  I'm still slowly working my way back to the shire... its a heck of a challenge !

 

 

welcome! and don't let the Nazgul get ya...

 

[Scaly Freak]

Thanks for this thread! I will update last year's sheet tonight, and join this one as soon as I know what my miles total for 2018 was

[Ellestar]

I'd love to join this!

I'm currently also doing the Country Walking walk 1000 miles challenge in 2019 so this would go hand in hand.

 

[Scaly Freak]

I'm all in and updated! 286 miles left to Mordor.

 

Let's see f I make it back before the end of the year!

[Ellestar]

23 hours ago, Ellestar said:

I'd love to join this!

I'm currently also doing the Country Walking walk 1000 miles challenge in 2019 so this would go hand in hand.

 

Walked over a mile to the gym last night. Have some kind of weird trapped nerve in my hip at the moment so not up to full walking capacity yet.

[IslandGirl_Becks]

I just looked at my last month of chaos, and realized that sometime in the midst of all that I crossed into the last stage of my journey. Goal for this year is to reach Mordor, and make it all the way back home! Here's to the miles ahead  

 

And for those of you who are map nerds, here's a great interactive map of the different routes through Middle Earth: http://lotrproject.com/map

[Ayrihn]

I'm in!!! Been tracking with the fitbit although this is the first time this New Year I've been able to get back on the forum. So excited for this adventure!!

[Tobbe]

Joining the party! 

 

I've just added my numbers for Januari. Thanks for letting me enter km, so I didn't have to convert them all to miles   I'm just using whatever my phone says I've walked. The distance it reports is based on the built-in step counter. I suspect it over-estimates, but I haven't checked, so let's pretend it's super accurate  I do try to get 10k steps in every day though, preferably 12k if I can.

[bker1370]

Alright, let's get some updates posted here

 

First Milestone, Tookland, 5 miles, completed 01/02/2019

Spoiler

After some time they crossed the Water, west of Hobbiton, by a narrow plank bridge.  The stream was there no more than a winding black ribbon, bordered by leaning alder trees.  A mile or two further south they hastily crossed the great road from the Brandywine Bridge; there were now in the Tookland and bending south-eastwards they made for the Green Hill Country.  As they began to climb its first slopes they looked back and saw the lamps of Hobbiton far off twinkling in the gentle valley of the Water.  Soon it disappeared in the folds of the darkened land and was followed by Bywater beside its grey pool.  When the light of the last farm was far behind, peeping among the trees, Frodo turned and waved a hand in farewell.

 

 

Second Milestone, Encounter with Black Rider, 32 miles, completed 01/08/2019

Spoiler

 

Round the corner came a black horse, no hobbit-pony but a full-sized horse; and on it sat a large man, who seemed to crouch in the saddle, wrapped in a great black cloak and hood, so that only his boots in the high stirrups showed below; his face was shadowed and invisible.

 

When it reached the tree and was level with Frodo the horse stopped.  The riding figure sat quite still with its head bowed as if listening.  From inside the hood came a noise as of someone sniffing to catch an elusive scent; the head turned from side to side of the road.

 

A sudden unreasoning fear of discovery laid hold of Frodo, and he thought of his Ring.  He hardly dared to breathe, and yet the desire to get it out of his pocket became so strong that he began slowly to move his hand.  He felt that he had only to slip it on, and then he would be safe.  The advice of Gandalf seemed absurd.  Bilbo had used the Ring.  "And I am still in the Shire," he thought, as his hand touched the chain on which it hung.  At that moment the rider sat up and shook the reins.  The horse stepped forward, walking slowly at first, and then breaking into a quick trot.

 

 

 

Third Milestone, Meet the Elves, 41 miles, completed 01/10/2019
 

Spoiler

 

The hobbits sat in shadow by the wayside.  Before long the Elves came down the lane towards the valley.  They passed slowly, and the hobbits could see starlight glimmering on their hair and in their eyes.  They bore no lights, yet as they walked a shimmer, like the light of the moon above the rim of the hills before it rises, seemed to fall about their feet.  They were silent now, and as the last Elf passed he turned and looked towards the hobbits and laughed.

 

"Hail, Frodo!" he cried.  "You are abroad late.  Or are you perhaps lost?"  Then he called aloud to the others, and all the company stopped and gathered round.

 

1

 

Fourth Milestone, Edge of Farmer Maggot's Field, 61 miles, completed 01/15/2019
 

Spoiler

 

Their spirits rose with every step.  The line of the River grew nearer, and the Black Riders began to seem like phantoms of the woods now left far behind.

 

They passed along the edge of a huge turnip-field and came to a stout gate.  Beyond it a rutted lane ran between low well-laid hedges towards a distant clump of trees.  Pippin stopped.

 

"I know these fields and this gate!" he said.  "This is Bamfurlong, Old Farmer Maggot's land.  That's his farm away there in the trees."

 

1

 

Next milestone, Buckleberry Ferry, 70 miles, currently at 69.41 miles

[Ellestar]

On 1/9/2019 at 11:01 AM, Ellestar said:

I'd love to join this!

I'm currently also doing the Country Walking walk 1000 miles challenge in 2019 so this would go hand in hand.

 

 

Got some short walking in last week - slow and steady!

 

[TGP]

oh I love it

 

congrats bk!

[bker1370]

Fifth milestone, Buckleberry Ferry, 70 miles, completed 01/17/2019
 

Spoiler

 

They turned down the Ferry lane, which was straight and well-kept and edged with large white-washed stones.  In a hundred yards or so it brought them to the river-bank, where there was a broad wooden landing-stage.  A large flat ferry-boat was moored beside it.  The white bollards near the water's edge glimmered in the light of two lamps on high posts.  Behind them the mists in the flat fields were now above the hedges; but the water before them was dark, with only a few curling wisps like steam among the reeds by the bank.  There seemed to be less fog on the further side.

 

Merry led the pony over a gangway on to the ferry, and the others followed.  Merry then pushed slowly off with a long pole.  The Brandywine flowed slow and broad before them.  On the other side the bank was steep, and up it a winding path climbed from the further landing.  Lamps were twinkling there.  Behind loomed up the Buck Hill; and out of it, through stray shrouds of mist, shone many round windows, yellow and red.  They were the windows of Brandy Hall, the ancient home of the Brandybucks.up

 

 

Next milestone, Crickhollow, 73 miles, currently at 72.25 miles

[bker1370]

Sixth Milestone, Crickhollow, 73 miles, completed 01/18/2019

Spoiler

 

As the walked up the green path from the gate no light was visible; the windows were dark and shuttered.  Frodo knocked on the door, and Fatty Bolger opened it.  A friendly light streamed out.  They stepped in quickly and shut themselves and the light inside.  They were in a wide hall with doors on either side; in front of them, a passage ran back down the middle of the house.

"Well, what do you think of it?" asked Merry coming up the passage. "We have done our best in a short time to make it look like home.  After all Fatty and I only got here with the last cart-load yesterday."

 

Frodo looked around.  It did look like home.  Many of his favourite things -- or Bilbo's things (they reminded him sharply of him in their new setting) -- were arranged as nearly as possible as they had been at Bag End.  It was a pleasant, comfortable, welcoming place; and he found himself wishing that he was really coming here to settle down in quiet retirement.  It seemed unfair to have put his friends to all t his trouble, and he wondered once again how he was going break the news to them that he must leave them so soon; indeed at once.  Yet that would have to be done that very night before they all went to bed.

 

 

Next Milestone, Old Man Willow, 95 miles, currently 80.5 miles

 

[Tobbe]

26 minutes ago, bker1370 said:

Sixth Milestone, Crickhollow, 73 miles, completed 01/18/2019

  Reveal hidden contents

 

As the walked up the green path from the gate no light was visible; the windows were dark and shuttered.  Frodo knocked on the door, and Fatty Bolger opened it.  A friendly light streamed out.  They stepped in quickly and shut themselves and the light inside.  They were in a wide hall with doors on either side; in front of them, a passage ran back down the middle of the house.

"Well, what do you think of it?" asked Merry coming up the passage. "We have done our best in a short time to make it look like home.  After all Fatty and I only got here with the last cart-load yesterday."

 

Frodo looked around.  It did look like home.  Many of his favourite things -- or Bilbo's things (they reminded him sharply of him in their new setting) -- were arranged as nearly as possible as they had been at Bag End.  It was a pleasant, comfortable, welcoming place; and he found himself wishing that he was really coming here to settle down in quiet retirement.  It seemed unfair to have put his friends to all t his trouble, and he wondered once again how he was going break the news to them that he must leave them so soon; indeed at once.  Yet that would have to be done that very night before they all went to bed.

 

 

 

 

 

Next Milestone, Old Man Willow, 95 miles, currently 80.5 miles

 

 

Thanks for posting an update. Prompted me to update my numbers in the spreadsheet  

[Isaac10991]

I'm totally in! I'm going to get a cheap step tracker from a dollar store while waiting for my good one so I don't waste any more time.

[MattSkywalker]

Signing up for 2019 as well.  At this moment, I'm rowing somewhere in the Anduin river and the Argonath will come into view in a few days.

[Tobbe]

I'll hopefully reach Rivendell tomorrow!