Walk To Rivendell" aka "The Eowyn Challenge"

[Thenamir]

The sun hung low in the western sky as the aging hobbit closed the front door of Bag End. The late-afternoon heat was oppressive, not to mention the humidity, which was so thick as to unshape both the crease in his slacks and the curls from his lightly-graying head.

Thenamir, late as usual to any gathering or event, hoisted his pack onto his shoulder and left Bag End alone late yesterday afternoon. Being a hobbit of unusual heft (Fatty Bolger in comparison looked positively svelte) he was barely one mile down the road before he began huffing and puffing. He finally slumped down upon an old stump beside the road, on a small rise still well within sight of the brass doorknob in the middle of the circular door of bright green. "Well now," he wheezed to himself as he mopped the sweat from his brow with a bit of old kerchief, "only 457 miles to go. At this rate, I'll be longer getting to Rivendell than Frodo was for his entire adventure!"

He knew it would get easier as he got into better shape, and the distances would become less troublesome, but until then he knew he was in for some stop-and-go hiking. "Up again," he said with a groan. "Old Gaffer used to say 'Don't be afraid of slow progress, only of standing still.' I'd better try to make another mile or two before nightfall..."