Walk To Rivendell" aka "The Eowyn Challenge"

[Maeggaladiel]

(Great! Thanks!)

Yesterday and the day before have brought me seven and a half miles into my journey. Sunday led me from the brightly-painted door of Bag End to Bywater, and by last night I found myself bidding Hobbiton farewell.

It is odd, but I feel I shall miss this land and its people greatly. I have been here for but a short time, yet the Shirefolk have made me feel at home.

Too much at home, I realized soon after leaving. I fear that the hobbit hospitality has made me a bit soft during my brief visit. I hadn't traveled a few hours before my stomach began rumbling. My companions found this most amusing, saying that my stomach was louder than the pack of wargs in Bilbo's story.

Our spirits are high as we leave the pleasant Hobbiton behind and take the first few steps into the wild. Of course, it's a very mild wilderness: the only wild animals this close to Hobbiton are a pack of hungry squirrels and some wicked crows that cawed at us as we drew closer to them.

It is another ten and a half miles before reaching our next landmark. I am in no hurry: the walk is almost as pleasant as the company of my friends. I shall miss them when we part ways.

[Nurumaiel]

Welcome to the Walk, Maeggaladiel! You seem to be walking very sure and steady, and making good time. It's a pleasure to have you.

48 miles, almost to Stock
For the past few miles we've had up and down roads, which can be quite annoying at times. At first it's delightful, for one is always trying to guess what will be over the next hill, and who will be over the next hill, and what will happen when one climbs the next hill... but after some time of such guessing, it grows dull and monotonous, and I begin to wish the road would make up its mind and go either up or down very steadily! As soon as I grow accustomed to walking up a hill, I'm going down one, and the other way around.

A few miles back we saw a frightening, crouching figure cloaked in black. It was no Hobbit, certainly, and none of the Elf-kind creep in that way. It seems most likely that it was a man, yet why he would go on in that way I don't understand. He crept along the road, stooped over, and he was sniffing, as if trying to catch some scent. I have never seen any man act that way, and nor have I gained such an impression of horror at the sight of any man... there was an atmosphere of dread as this cloaked figure passed by. Since I saw him, my heart hasn't been nearly as light. The bends in the road that used to give me a delightful expectation of what might lie around it now give me a chill of fear, wondering if perhaps that stooping black figure will be crouched down before me.

And furthermore, since I saw him, the weather has become more gloomy. Even as I write, a thick fog has descended and swirls about me. The feeling of light adventure had disappeared, and now where my feet once tripped and skipped, they drag now, as I glance apprehensively over my shoulder to make sure we are not being followed by that crouching figure.

It will be altogether comforting when we reach Crickhollow. To be surrounded by walls and covered by a roof will ease my mind, I am sure. I'm equally sure that my imagination has run away with me, and the fact that the man was shrouded in black excited my thoughts. It can't be something so frightful as it seems to be.

[Garen LiLorian]

What a delightful way to keep track of my various wanderings!

Let's see...
Day 1
The sky was cloudy today as I locked up the door of my beloved Bag End, placed the front-door key in my waistcoat and scurried to catch up with my companions, who were waiting at the entrance to Bagshot Row, eager to be off. We made good time for the first few miles, laughing and singing in time with our quick steps. We spoke of many things, (of Hobbit-lore and Númenor, and whether Balrogs have wings...) Still, too many second breakfasts began to tell on us, and our pace had slowed considerably by the time we reached Bywater, four and a half miles and nearly ninety minutes out. Only then did we realize that, like Bilbo, we had left our pocket-handkerchiefs back in our holes. Alas! Still, adventures must contain little adversities of this nature, so we were philosophic about the whole ordeal, and continued on. As I write this, the sky has begun to open, and it appears that much further perambulation will be impossible. So, with hearts still high our first day ends. We have not come quite so far as I had hoped; a mere six miles, and the lamps of Hobbiton are still quite visible in the twilight. Ah well. Tomorrow shall be better.
-Garen

[Alatáriël Lossëhelin]

We continue our homeward journey, and one-by-one our companions are left behind. At Edoras, we laid Théoden to rest and celebrated both the crowning of Éomer, and the betrothal of Éowyn and Faramir. They and Queen Arwen remained as the rest of our company continued to Helm's Deep and thence to Isengard.

At Isengard, we bade farewell to Legolas and Gimli, who were journeying to Fangorn Forest before returning to their own lands. Then at sunset 3 days past, we parted from Aragorn and his knights. The halflings were most grieved at this parting, particularly Frodo and Sam, even though the King has promised to return to his North Kingdom in the near future.

Our pace is still somewhat leisurely, for there is no need of haste, and we are enjoying the quiet arrival of Spring in the emptiness of Dunland. I spend a part of each day riding with the hobbits, and Elladan and Elrohir seem to enjoy their company as much as I do. In the evenings, we seven share tales and songs around the campfire, and the laughter of the small folk lighten the hearts of all our company.

_________________________

The travellers now rode with more speed, and they made their way towards the Gap of Rohan; and Aragorn took leave of them at last close to that very place where Pippin had looked into the Stone of Orthanc. The Hobbits were grieved at this parting, for Aragorn had never failed them and he had been their guide through many perils.

"...the Palatír of Orthanc the King will keep, to see what is passing in his realm, and what his servants are doing...remember, dear friends of the Shire, that my realm lies also in the North, and I shall come there one day."

...With that they parted, and it was then the time of sunset; and when after a while they turned and looked back, they saw the King of the West sitting upon his horse with his knights about him; and the falling Sun shone upon them and made all their harness to gleam like red gold, and the white mantle of Aragorn was turned to a flame. Then Aragorn took the green stone and held it up, and there came a green fire from his hand.

[Garen LiLorian]

And now I have been out on the open road for a whole week! Such a short time it seems!
Day 2
The rain continued today, albeit with furor somewhat abated. Despite protests from one or two of my younger companions, we decided to make the best of it and continued on. It was nearly midday before the clouds parted, but the sight of a gorgeous rainbow, leaping from the crest of a hill far to our right and spanning the whole length of the sky before disappearing behind the horizon, more than made up for our muddy feet and wet hair. The day was warm even during the rain and now the sun promised to turn the afternoon hot. We have not made very good time today; stopping several times for snacks and rests for the comfort of our younger friends. The afternoon had barely began to stretch towards evening when we halted our day's march. We have only made four miles today, but such is the price for traveling with children. Their laughter and gamboling play throughout the day makes such a price easy and looked forward to.
Day 3
I am alone today; My friends have opted to stay the day in camp and take a cart to catch me up in the afternoon. I shall miss their merry companionship, but it does mean that I shall be able to make better time. The day is fine and clear, a cool breeze out of the East caresses my brow from time to time. From time to time I can see small woods from the Road, and each time I want to leap from the stolid and dusty trail to go bounding through the forests. I am longing today for the more wild country, the 'pleasure in the pathless woods, the rapture on the lonely shore' and for the first time I am looking forward to leaving the Shire. I have set an end for today's march; I shall not rest until I reach the firwood some seven miles out.
Days 4 & 5
These days run together; there is not much to distinguish one from the other. I have been rejoined by my companions, and we have been walking easily along the road; only making a few miles a day. At the end of the second day we are treated to the view of Woody End, with the river looking small and faint in the distance. I always love looking out at the horizon, marking a point on it. It never ceases to amaze me when, a few hours or days later, I stand at that point I marked, looking out at an entirely new horizon, or back at (perhaps) the exact spot I stood at such a short time ago, making plans. It is perhaps the closest thing to time travel that I will ever know.
Day 6
A feeling of adventure overtakes me as I set out this morning. I do not know from where it comes, but the road ahead of me looks strange and exciting. Bilbo's words echo in my ears; It's a dangerous buisness, going out your door. You step into the Road, and if you don't keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to. Do you realize that this is the very path that goes through Mirkwood, and that if you let it, it might take you to the Lonely Mountain or even further and to worse places?
It is only three miles before I come to the spot of adventure; A large tree overhangs the road, and my feelings of excitement turn to apprehension. The sound of horse hooves can be heard around the bend, and I am barely off the trail when a large horse comes careening around the corner, passing within a foot of where I stand, shielded by the tree. I catch but the most fleeting glimpse of the beasts' rider; I cannot see his face. I do not think that he saw me, for he offered no apology for nearly ending my adventure tragically, but was soon out of sight along the trail.

-Garen

Note; This last part is true. I couldn't have been more than half a mile from where Frodo spotted his first Nazgul when I was nearly run down by a man on a gigantic horse. My first adventure!

[Nurumaiel]

61 miles, almost to Buckleberry Ferry
Our walking has been slowed much by bad weather. 'Twas snow at first, the pleasant kind of fluffy flakes. But later things became quite miserable, for the snow turned into rain and the thunder and lightning didn't spare us in the least. It was fascinating to crouch under the tree branches and watch the flashes that lit up the land. It was slightly frightening, as well, bearing in mind that cloaked figure we met earlier.

Despite the fears that still linger over our heads, there's no lack of time to sit and observe all of nature. I've always appreciated the Shire for being almost untouched, as the habitants are quite close to the land and have done hardly anything to mar it. We see all varieties of birds... jays, nuthatches, and chickadees. During mealtimes, in particular breakfast, we'll sit back and close our eyes and listen to the different bird notes, trying to identify the singer by his notes, and then search him out. We caught sight of the jays and the chickadees, but couldn't find the raven that called loudly overhead.

We're only a few short miles from Crickhollow now, and then it will be time to bid farewell to the hobbits and continue on to Rivendell.

[Maeggaladiel]

//I know I haven't posted in a while, but I have been keeping track of my miles. I've walked 21 miles now! Wow!//

It has been some time since leaving Hobbiton. 21 miles have passed since I stepped past the threshold of Bag End and began my adventure. It seems a great distance to me, yet looking forward I realize that I have many more miles to travel before I reach Rivendell. Somehow this fact comes as both a comfort and a pain.

The weather has been kind to me and my companions, although my less travel-seasoned friends sometimes complain about the colder night air and the dew that seems to get into everything. I have told them that they may face much fouler weather than this, to which I have recieved nothing but laughter. It seems hobbits are not the adventuring types.

We have crossed the road from Brandywine Bridge some time ago and are now in Green Hill Country. The Tookland has been kind to us. The sun shines warmly on us as we walk through tall grass and great alder trees, over trickling streams and great rolling hills. We still have plenty of food, although at the rate these hobbits eat I fear it may not last as long as I had planned. Perhaps we shall need to stop and resupply sooner than I had expected.

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 with leaning alder-trees. A mile or two further south they hastily crossed the great road from the Brandywine Bridge; they were now in the Tookland and bending south-eastwards they made for the Green Hill Country.