Walk To Rivendell" aka "The Eowyn Challenge"

[Lyta_Underhill]

Many congratulations to Alatariel! Praise her with great praise! Now, let's have an Eagle in there to get her out before Orodruin blows! I've really enjoyed your closely written narratives, Alatariel; you must really have walked in two worlds down there in "Moria!" That's as Elvish as it gets, if you take my meaning!

I have been somewhat delayed by the wretchedly hot weather here and have made it 1113 miles, just past the Brown Lands (a thousand thanks to Mr. Barrow-Wight for the extended Walk to Parth Galen tool!) I was only estimating before! Strangely enough, I noticed Merry and Pippin looking for something on the Eastern shore...naaah! That can't be right! But they sure are interested in something!

The heat has been oddly hot, seeing as how far to the north I am, but a mere tripe digit temperature does not hinder me, especially not with a good supply of water.

Saraphim, you are hardier than I, and congratulations on making Weathertop! The heat has kept me from walking quite as much as I want to, and also the eternal Jokester in the Sky has seen fit to dump inches upon inches of rain in my area, usually at the precise time I schedule my walks (anywhere from 5-7 p.m. Central US time). As a rebellious act, I decided to walk at 10:30 a.m.! Mistake! The humidity here in Southern Middle Tennessee is about 1000%, AND it was 90 degrees plus! Translation...I was flattened before I could finish 4 miles! Luckily, my water bottle saved me, but only just barely!

The narrow strip of almost-pavement/gravel I walk down every day is a medium grey color, and I can imagine it to be like the winding course of the Anduin (or perhaps the Mississippi) . On a few days, I haven't had to imagine. Water runs freely over the thin road and into the riverlike ditches on either side (where there are ditches, that is!). It has been a wet summer indeed, and a long, hot, humid road. I'm considering walking at night again, except for the fact that a VERY LARGE animal tore up part of a building that is about 250 yards from where I live, and I'm still not sure if it was a mad coyote or even a bear! (One can only hope it would be more Beorn-like... It had very large paws, not unlike a very large dog, and it must have very large teeth. Well, the upshot is, my knife, sword and stick are not enough for something like that, and perhaps I should carry a .44 magnum too! Can we say Dirty Harry in Middle Earth? "This is Anduril, the most powerful sword in the world..." OK, I'm getting silly now, so I'll stop!

I have not posted very much lately also because I've been playing Samwise, as I do every summer, but it has been a race to save the garden from rotting from all the rain! I'm sure I'll either be burned beyond recognition or "nut-brown" like Sam by August. I just hope I'll have some tomatoes and peppers to show for it!

Bye now, and happy trails to all!
Cheers!
Lyta