Arafangwen paused on a hilltop to look around, Tinuviel of Denton was about a mile ahead of her, but speeding up sounded a little hard considering all of the mud on the wet ground. Turning around to the back she spotted Nurumaiel about fifteen miles behind her, she would probably catch up to her soon. Although, the idea of staying the night with Old Man Willow didn't sound to comforting to the elf, mabey a little mud wasn't to bad....

I've gotten to the Great East Road! That's 145 miles for me. Only 313 miles to Rivendell! [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img] [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img]

Cya,
Fëa

[img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] All right, I will. Even the not so glorious parts? Well, I used to think only young children were scolded, but elder people will be, I suppose, if it's a real show...

Oooh, so you know what a rise and grind is? That's very good. Most people I know would say, "A hide and find what?"

I don't know if my idea of hobbit dances are the same as the rest of yours, but I've noticed that the steps most like the hobbit dances I've imagined are side-steps. i.e. A hop (in which you bring your R or L toe up to your L or R knee and hop) and seven steps to the R or L (not just steps however: on your toes with one foot always in back and one in the front stepping to the side), then a rise and grind, then the same thing only the opposite direction. Ah ha! I've got it. Caeli dances are always very hobbitish, if anyone there has every seen one. Those are more 'partner' dances, though sometimes there can be groups of four all dancing together!

I used to have a CD called Irish Jigs and Reels where most of the dances I learned are played. Or maybe it would be more accurate to say I used to know where a CD was...

Excellent idea, Helen! About a month ago I learned the Highland Fling. Mind you, I don't take Scottish dancing (yet), but the normal instructor was away and so the Scottish dance instructor was the substitute. However it would need to be changed a little, I think, so it would be more of a dance for pairs actually adjoining hands, etc. Or not, actually. I'm not sure if Tolkien ever said anything proclaiming hobbits actually held hands when they danced?

A bit off-topic, but Tolkien-related nevertheless, so maybe the mods can forgive me. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Not really good walking weather here in the Chetwood today...thunderstorms with lots of lightning and rain. There were definitely fell voices on the air! Good thing I finally found the path, or I might have been washed away. Where are you, Strider?

--------------------

However, in the meanwhile, walking was not unpleasant. Indeed, if it had not been for the disturbing events of the night before, they would have enjoyed this part of the journey better than any up to that time. The sun was shining, clear but not too hot. The woods in the valley were still leafy and full of colour, and seemed peaceful and wholesome. Strider guided them confidently among the many crossing paths, although left to themselves they would soon have been at a loss. He was taking a wandering course with many turns and doublings, to put off any pursuit.

Alatariel, thanks so much for that quote. The best part of their journey so far? Amazing.

You know, this makes me want to do something else that's less distance related than experience-related... like Linzielf does, relating the terrain we walk to Frodo's journey-- only do it by season and date istead of distance. September 22 thru March 25-- duplicate the terrain. (That includes a two-month rest in Rivendell and another couple of weeks or a month in Lorien... say, this is sounding better and beter.)

That'll take some pondering.

Nuru-- Yes, Yes, Ceili dances for hobbits! Perhaps the Springle Ring was actually a Reel of Tulloch?

Nuru, this is funny; I've had mostly Scottish Highland and just a bit of Irish step, and you're vice-versa. I think hobbit-lasses would do lots of ladies' step. The Lilt-- I can see Rosie Cotton dancing The Lilt! (Just, not to the bagpipes. Fiddle or flute perhaps.

I think we should all get together on Weathertop and dance a Springle Ring. We could write our own.

(Pas De Basque- a polka-like,four-count, 123_123_-- but prettily done. Abbreviated PDB.)

So-- part one of the BD Ceili Weathertop Springle Ring:
PDB, PDB, side 1234567, rise and grind-- then what? Memory is as foggy as the barrow-downs. Nuru, help!
Part two of the BD Ceili Weathertop Springle Ring: Tulloch swing left, then right, then your choice of setting steps to your partner!

Meanwhile Rosie is off to one side doing her pretty PDB, flirting with Sam.

And who is going to do FrodoLijah's chicken-dance? Come on, somebody. BW, you're on!

[ June 06, 2003: Message edited by: mark12_30 ]

52 miles! and not to mention the other miles i haven't counted yet! so I guess I'm around 70.

Welcome to the challenge, BW!

Thank you all so much for the discussion of music! I've been looking for Celtic/New Age stuff here, but they've all mysteriously disappeared from the stores here, and i barely have much to go by (the Putumayo collectins are virtually gone!).

WHERE? is it a compilation?

I've listened to the soundtrack fo TT only three times: I found it too overwhelming to listen to liesurely...until I played while doing yoga. That did it for me.

Hmmm...unless somewhere in the movies did someone sneeze---out of a cold. But then again maybe not. Those hobbits were quite strong, and the atmosphere was cleaner and safer except for shadows creeping about.

Oh, and it isn't raining anymore! Maybe a walk outdoors is possible after all! *yay*

They had not gone far on the fifth day when they left the last straggling pools and reed-beds of the marshes behind them. The land before them began steadily to rise again. Away in the distance eastward they could now see a line of hills. The highest of them was at the right of the line and a little separated from the others. It had a conical top, slightly flattened at the summit.
'That is Weathertop,' said Vardamar. 'The Old Road, which we have left far away on our right, runs to the south of it and passes not far from its foot. We might reach it by noon tomorrow, if we go straight towards it. I suppose we had better do so.'


219 miles now. I am now trudging through the Marshes. As you can gather from the excerpt, I have Weathertop in sight, 9 miles away.

On a side note, do any of the people with high mileage want to toughen up the challenge by attempting to reach Rivendell by the time the TTT DVD comes out?

Vardamar,

By the DVD drelease! Interesting! Er... when's it supposed to be out?

How about a couple leap23's? [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] If I lived closer to town I would take Scottish dance as well as Irish. But I will get to work on that 'history' when I get home.

I've entered the Old Forest! The dog, however, decided he wasn't going to risk his neck there. A ways down the road he stopped and wouldn't go forward. I tried everything, but he would not move. Perhaps he smelled Black Riders? I had to walk back and let him go back up to the house before I could continue my walk.

I aim to do a 2-mile walk today, but there will be packing and driving back home, and unpacking, and trying to sneak out of the house while the cat isn't watching. Maybe I can convince someone in the family to hug him and pet him and talk to him while I sneak away... [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Congratulations Helen!

Yes, I would like to know when the TTT DVD comes out. It should be soon I think, and I know I still have a long way to go!

Frodo was restless. The cold and wet made his wound more painful than ever, and the ache and sense of deadly chill took away all sleep. He lay tossing and turning and listening to fearfully to the stealthy night noises: wind in chinks of rock, water dripping, a crack, the sudden rattling fall of losened stone.

Well, I'm just huddled up here in a ball for a little while. Wasn't struck down by pollen or Nazgul, but rather with a bad cold. That's what comes of dancing all night at high altitudes I imagine! I can really relate to the bit about "the ache and sense of deadly chill took away all sleep" though I'm quite sure Frodo's was a vastly different
sort. I would pick a nasty cold over a knife in the dark any day!!

Hilde, here I am at 264! Good long walk at lunchtime always helps.

Colds are nasty! Here, have a sweater, and some lozenges, and I'll start a fire and make some herbal tea. There must be some nice herbs around here somewhere.

I don't think you are. There was a gang of them, and I was ignoring them, then one said something along the lines of "She's a good Irish girl- she's waiting for marriage" then another said "OK, I'll marry you". Then I ran off. I don't know where they got the Irish thing from!

I really really miss Irish dancing. I did it for years but it what with practice, lessons and feis (what is the plural of feis? [img]smilies/confused.gif[/img] ) it took too long. I gave it up when I got to GCSEs. I wouldn't really describe most of it as Hobbit. though. My favourite was hard shoe. I was a lot better at that too. I won a few prizes for the hornpipe- not that I'm boasting or anything! What is a rise and grind? We must have used different names. I noticed at area-wide feis (Once again I'm stuck on the plural!) that people called things differently. I used to do English country dancing too, and I have to say that they (and Ceili dances) strike me as more Hobbitish. Do you know anything of English ones, or is it only Gaelic dancing that floats your boat? can't wait for your link!

Eek- this has been very un-Tolkien. I will try to limit my nostalgia for the good old days in future.

[ June 06, 2003: Message edited by: Lyra Greenleaf ]

[img]smilies/eek.gif[/img] [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img] That is rather scary. I must admit I'm shocked. It kind of makes me think of my first marriage proposal when I was 6 years old. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] My feelings then were turning bright red and looking confused, then becoming indignant and stomping angrily into the house, saying 'forget it!' [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

In my class what we say for rise and grind is "hop, hop back, hop back 234." But steps often do have different names, because I've heard 'leap23' and 'leap cross step' both.

To return to the topic, is there anyone located at 98 miles like myself so I could know who I'm walking with?

Nuru, I think your leap23 and my pasDeBasque (paddyBarr) are pretty close. Hobbits would do lots of either one. I thought rise and grind was back first then front? Ignorant me. But hobbits would do them anyway.

Lyra, you too? One more and we'll have enough for a foursome reel. Hobbit ceili on Weathertop! And another big bash at Rivendell! Wooohoooo! Come on, Sam, ask Rosie for a dance!

Bless you, Helen! And bless your quick feet too! Some tea sounds good about now. Must be some wild rose hips about.

The theatrical version is scheduled to be released on August 26. The extended dvd is scheduled for November 18. Rivendell by November should be a piece of cake, and even an August deadline is very doable, approximately 3.5 miles per day.

(That would be 3.5 miles per day for me, as I'm currently at 172 miles with 286 still to go and 81 days till the theatrical release of TTT.)

[ June 06, 2003: Message edited by: Alatáriël ]

Erm..I could get to Rivendell by the date of the EE release, not sure about theatrical version. I end up doing lots of miles when I do walk, but can only walk a max of 4 days/wk due to working three 12-hr shifts on the other days. I'll pray on it...

Helen, I hope the Tolkien ensemble appeals more to you, didn't mean to frighten you off. It's not bad music, and I may start to enjoy it for listening purposes as it grows on me. But as music to learn and perform in some fashion oneself, it doesn't seem awfully accessible to me. Reminds me of a comment made by a choral director in another life, about The Messiah, that Handel intended people to leave the performance humming the melodies! That's not so bad a thing, and the music doesn't have to be simpleminded or banal to fall into that category. The Tolkien Ensemble didn't seem to have that intention in mind. Likewise much of what Donald Swann composed forThe Road Goes Ever On. Lovely music, but lots of intervals (either octave jumps or half-step chromatic progressions) that the average person might find daunting. Sigh. Howard Shore actually seems to have come the closest to what I'm thinking of. Maybe if enough fans clamor for it, there will be an edition of the songs from the movie which include The Walking Song (which Gandalf and Bilbo sang bits of)and the Lay of Luthien, and the Hobbit Dance Music...
*Peony pauses for breath, and to wipe up the drool*
I know there is sheet music out for much of the soundtrack already, just haven't got around to looking it over/thinking about purchase yet.

Lyra:
ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!
Forgive me for being naive and American, but I have to ask: do you have any legal recourse? It just makes my blood boil, imagining these yahoos standing around making these scary remarks. If it's a daily occurrence, I can understand that (a)the police would take no notice because it's just too common to bother with and (b) you don't want to waste more time on this than you already have.

Not that this is a good reason to adopt a dog, but if you were walking with a dog who barked fiercely at anyone that yelled at you, I bet they'd shut up pretty fast. (My dog would probably have them wetting themselves. A lovely thought!)

I walked for over 3 or three miles in the sun today...all because I was too stuborn to spend money on a jeep ride...wish I had a camera with me to take pictures of all the trees in Manila...and this huge truck that was clogging this street would've looked cute.

A marriage proposal...knew I read that right. I had one myself two weeks ago. And that was my second one, though the first was part joke, part possibility. Anything can happen.

aaaaanyway, I'm believing that I can reach Rivendell by the time the extended dvd's out. Still I'm somewhere around the edges of the barrow downs (that is, for all my counted miles). Hope the wight isn't stalking me... [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img]

Nuru: If I have all my miles in check, I may be somewhere near you. I have lots of miles unaccounted for, but I keep track of all the places I've treaded on. So maybe more or less, I'm really out of the downs [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Yay! Hobbit dancing. I always liked country dancing although it wasn't "cool". It would be great to have a Ceili. Maybe someone would suggest it to Mithadan for next year's BDs party? ( [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] ).

Someone asked if Black Rider activity was a daily occurence- it is. Me and my friends tend to compare notes. And when we're together we gang up on them right back!

I was trying out the 5 senses today as I walked, thinking of the best and worst things about walking down city streets.

SIGHT: Litter is a big problem. It's great to see kids running around, my area has the highest birth rate in the country.

HEARING: Traffic noise is horrible, but it's nice to hear people talking in lots of different languages. I live in a truly multicultural place, as "White British" I'm officially an ethnic minority.

SMELL: Diesel fumes from busses. It was really hard to think of anything positive. I used to love the shoe repairer's shop which smelt of leather- gorgeous!- but he retired a few months ago.

TASTE: Car fumes in the back of your throat when you breathe is terrible. What is nice is Thai Sweet Chilli flavour crisps!

TOUCH: Concrete is not nice to walk on. It's nice stroking cats sunbathing in front of their doors- but then that's cheating because it's usually mine!

Oh! the senses list! forgot to do that!

sight: there was this huge sky-blue truck that was stranded in the middle of the street. other than that...i decided NOT to bring sunglasses with me, thinking "my ancestors never had sunglasses, ans so maybe I can get used to the sun. The trees were gorgeous, and small and petite.

smell: miraculously, there was nearly no pollution...either that, or the cars sped by me that I hadn't noticed, or of course, there are the trees

touch: or feel, rather. The atmosphere was hardly humid, and I never had a heat stroke, nor did i faint!

hear: this bus blew its horn like wild. and condtruction sites here and there broke through concrete beyond walls my eyes couldn't reach (wow, that was poetic!)

taste: the taste of shilled ices tea was dancing in my head.

Ah, and this walk was such a feat: I walk more than 2 miles in 5 inch heels with a backpack hanging behind me!

*COUGH COUGH COUGH* What? Are you SERIOUS? No hobbit (nor elf either) would EVER ... EVER... oh, Nef, Nef. Don't you think Legolas' "light shoes" were more like sneakers or even like boat shoes??

Nef, PLEASE, sweetie, let go of the heels. Not good for your feets, your ankles, your legs, or your back. And trust me-- nobody in ME wears them. Nobody.

Welllll, maybe Saruman.

Nurumaiel uthe helpful hobbit updated the milage on the opening page, thank you Nuru!

Bree was the chief village of the Bree-land, a small inhabited region, like an island in the empty lands round about. Besides Bree itself, there was Staddle on the other side of the hill, Combe in a deep valley a little further eastward, and Archet on the edge of the Chetwood. Lying round Bree-hill and the villages was a small country of fields and tamed woodland only a few miles broad.

Bree! I can't believe it! I've walked 155 miles! [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img] Only 303 to Rivendell!

I spent the morning adding to my LotR action figure collection, the afternoon walking on the treadmill, & the evening watching TTT again at the local discount theatre. I've almost made it out of the Chetwood...hope those darn Black Riders aren't waiting for me in the Marshes. If anybody sees Strider wandering around, tell him I said to hurry up!

--------------------

Whether because of Strider's skill or for some other reason, they saw no sign and heard no sound of any other living thing all that day: neither two-footed, except birds; nor four-footed, except one fox and a few squirrels. The next day they began to steer a steady course eastwards; and still all was quiet and peaceful.

I woke up this morning before getting into the shower, before putting my makeup on (:eek [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] I put on my shorts and a sweat-shirt and running shoes and jogged to the beach, I ran along the beach and back home! *few*!!! But I got the shower I deserved!!

I have crossed the Great Road and headed south (264). It is 4 miles to the next landmark. I only have 190 miles to Rivendell!!! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]… Hurra!!!

Hello, Niluial! Welcome to South of the Great Road. Would you like to join Hilde and myself? Although, we walk and you run, so conversation might be a bit difficult.

*glances at the running shoes* Hilde, the elf's wearing those fancy elf-shoes. It might be tough for us to keep up. Can she walk on snow with those?

Well, elf-lady, it's good to see you anyway-- perhaps we can just catch up to you at the campsite each night. (Then, you could sing for us. Those elvish songs are pretty nice.) Oh, and you wouldn't happen to have any of that nice elvish waybread about you, would you? Or Miruvor-- might help Hilde's cold.

Hi ho, you’re still here Helen! How nice… and nice to see you too Niluial! Lovely shoes, though I think Helen its right, we may not be able to keep up with you, being hobbits and walking.

Feeling a bit stronger today. Will try to get some walking in and see how far I get. Maybe a mile at least! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

It's not Ceili dancing but I always loved the three-hand, where the two outside people hold hands over the middle one's head. Of course it's best if you're in the middle and don't have aching arms!

Senses: SIGHT: Today I saw a hubcap fall off a car and spin on it's side for at least 100 metres. I had to stop and stare!
SMELL: The clean smell of grass directly after rain.
SOUND: People flying model aeroplanes.
TOUCH: Grass poking through my flip-flops (well at least they're not killer heels!)
TASTE: Is there anything nicer than the first mouthful of water when you're thirsty and hot?

For my fellow Hobbits- a word of advice. It may be highly irregular for our kind, and perhaps it's the dryad in me ( [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] ) speaking, but I would strongly urge you to try tree climbing. It's fun, good exercise for the upper body, and FREE! It also provides a great sense of achievement.

I'm leaving for Rivendell sometime this week. I'm hoping to get there about as quick as Shadowfax would (I can dream, can't I). Actually, it depends on how much free time I have. Good luck to everyone.

Well, Phantom, glad you joined us! And welcome!

Lyra, the threesome dance sounds fun. I don't think I'm familiar with it. Tree-climbing, though-- well, some hobbits (Bolco, Gamba, even Lindo) are VERY fond of climbing trees. Our local pine isn't very well-suited. But now, with all the woods I go through, I have more options-- for instance, that LOVELY, majestic beech... Hmmm, I'll be passing it again on Tuesday... [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

I've walked three miles today. While walking I spotted many beautiful wildflowers, some that I would absolutely love to have in my garden. I also discovered that I could walk a mile in 15 minutes!

Tomorrow I'll be going on a long trip, but I think I'll be able to walk during that time. I was really excited about being able to spend some of my WTR time with my pony on Tuesday, but no such luck, since plans have changed and I'll be away. It makes me rather unhappy, but I can live with it... I guess. Even though I haven't seen her in over half a year. Oh yes, I forgot, she's crippled now and can't be ridden. [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img] But I can still see her and walk with her new pony pals, Tootsie and Snickers.

Miss Brandybuck is approaching Old Man Willow at 101 miles... I can already feel danger...

Oh, my. Lyra, I empathize completely. (Well, except for the proposal part. [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img] ) I get these catcalls all the time. Except for the other day. I have a reeeeeaaallllyyyy bratty little brother. He made a HUGE mess of himself the other day at the park, so guess who had to walk him home (my mom didn't want him in the car. Not that I blame her.) I walked with him, and while I got stares, nobody wanted to come near me, not with that Gollum thing along. (I know it's way too early in the story, but I swear, he was acting like Gollum when Frodo and Sam put the hithlain rope on him.)

I went on a retreat this weekend, and what with going to and from the dorms, waiting tables (that was my job, I was a team member) and running errands for my sisters, I walked about eight miles. My feet hurt.

[ June 09, 2003: Message edited by: Tinuviel of Denton ]

[ June 09, 2003: Message edited by: Tinuviel of Denton ]

Kally from the original WtR site sent me this message, and it's really for all of you. Nice to be invited!
I responded with a resounding "Yes", and she replied thusly:

As soon as Kally lets me know that the Barrow Downs group has been added to the database, I will post that here, and those who want to can start using that database.

But please-- DO keep posting your milage in your "FROM"! I find that very encouraging, and I suspect that others do too.

[ June 09, 2003: Message edited by: mark12_30 ]

Alaklondewen is laid up in Bree with a bad back. She's taken the last several days to rest and hopes to leave Bree tomorrow. Butterbur has been very kind to her while she's lounged around, even called a local doctor to come see her.

*********************************

The Inn of Bree was still there, however, and the innkeeper was an important person. His house was a meeting place for the idle, talkative, and inquisitive among the inhabitants, large and small, of the four villages; and a resort of Rangers and other wanderers, and for such travellers (mostly dwarves) as still journeyed on the East Road, to and from the Mountains.

[ June 09, 2003: Message edited by: alaklondewen ]

That sounds like it'll be fun Mark12_30! I'll sign up as soon as you are notified we're in!

With a distance of 164 miles, I am just inside of Chetwood Forest. Only 294 miles to Rivendell! [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img] [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img]
***
Whether because of Strider's skill or for some other reason, they saw no sign and heard no sound of any other living thing all that day: neither two-footed, except birds; nor four-footed, except one fox and a few squirrels.

This elf is extremely tired of the bad weather we have been having lately. It makes walking and running a misery (I hate the treadmill--very boring.)

The only good thing about it is it seems to keep the Black Riders away. (I guess they don't like to get wet!)

My elf shoes are drying by the fire. It looks like fine weather tonight to continue the hike. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Attention all walkers/joggers/runners.

I have added several landmarks between mile 0 and mile 220. I will continue to add more further along the trail. Also, I have changed the Mileage tracker a bit so that it will tell you what the next landmark is when you have covered half the distance to it. This means that if it is 10 miles between landmark A and B, when you have walked 5 miles past A, the name of B will be revealed.

Have fun!

*Sniff* The BW is too good to us. (Or maybe I'm just emotional since getting a PT, who knows?).

I was thinking about how empty my life will be when I've finished this. I take it we will be carrying on? Walk to Lorien, Walk to Mordor etc? (Please say yes, please say yes!)

Dear, delightful Lyra, how could we not?

(Unbeknownst except to a few, there's this simple, plain, round, unadorned ring, dangling on a chain... How to destroy it? Hmmmm. "Walk to Mt. St. Helen's..." Unfortunately, they won't let you get that close. Darn. Perhaps if I fired it from a crossbow? Then again, I might get blamed for the next eruption. Justifiably so, perhaps. Any other active volcanoes in North America?)

I did whisper about continuing on beyond Rivendell in the old thread, but not too loudly, for fear of... well, you know. One way or the other, I suspect we'll keep walking. Not to fret.

[img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

And speaking of PTs, I like yours, and I LOVE the way it meshes with your wonderful sig. Flutes and little drums and happy feet, deep in the woods!

[ June 09, 2003: Message edited by: mark12_30 ]