The following is copied from Shaal's original opening post here, and from Emerlute's first post here:
TORC Walkers who have reached Rivendell!!!
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shadowcat, Emerlute, Rowanberry, Nandiel, Shaal, Dazzling_Moonlight, Calaquendii, Niggleleaf, Amrunelen, Nienna99, Katarina, ConMan, Kambo, Rosie_the_hobbit, LalaithUrwen, Carnimiriel, Kementari-Harimad-sol, Anorial, Aranis, Starshadow, *E*V*E*N*S*T*A*R*, AlexSnitzel, Yona, MrsSmeagol, Frelga
TORC Walkers who have reached Mt. Doom!!!
shadowcat, Anorial, Aranis
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Welcome, All, to the Road to Rivendell and Beyond!
In March 2003, Shaal introduced us to this exercise challenge. It was initiated by a group of Tolkien fans over at WeightWatchers.com who then sent letters out to various Tolkien websites encouraging other fans to join them in the Rivendell challenge. This led to the creation of The Shieldmaidens' website which we use as well as this forum--but the challenge is not restricted to women!
The object is to increase your health and wellness by covering the same distance as the Hobbits en route to Rivendell. You can walk, hike, jog, swim, roller-blade, bike, whatever your favourite self-powered mode of transport--but it's not virtual, you're really in it to get your heart pumping and your body moving. Declaring milestones you haven't really reached will only stand in the way of your own weight goals. This isn't about speed, or even distance really, it's about applying The Professor's wonderful creation to the benefit of our own good health and lifestyles.
We started down this Road on March 24th (significant date!), 2003. Some of us have already reached Rivendell, and found the Road to be so beneficial that we're carrying on across Middle Earth to follow-up destinations. We're now strung along from Hobbiton to Mt. Doom (and heading back!), from the great East Road itself to various game trails in the wilds, so there's a place for you, too, if you're just starting out!
It's 458 MILES from Hobbiton to Rivendell!
Modified from Jax's and Shaal's foundation posts:
Keep a log and record your daily or weekly miles and the type of exercise. Many of us have found pedometers a great tool. Otherwise, you can estimate your distance at 1 mile for every 20 minutes of brisk walking on a flat surface. Obviously most of us can't dedicate all day every day to the challenge like the Hobbits, since we have to work our exercise schedule around family and work tasks. Still, if you are looking for impetus to drop weight or increase your overall health, this is a terrific location, with milestone celebrations and maps to chart your way for great motivation. Our reference book is The Atlas of Middle-Earth by Karen W. Fonstad; p. 157 gives the date, hours traveled, mileage, where they ended, and even mph!! Copy the map from The Professor's book or better, from a Middle-Earth atlas, and mark your progress along their trail. To make your goal a physical reality, having a daily visual reminder of your progress and goals can be that extra push you need to get you out of the door! Don't think about the entire 458 miles at once. Just think about making it to Buckleberry Ferry, and then Bree, etc. Frodo and Sam's first campsite is 18 miles from Bag End!
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Recently, the Tolkien Estate required the closure of all personal websites which featured maps of Middle Earth. These maps were good motivators, when you could print one out and put a pin or dot on the map to mark your progress. One fellow in the UK even had maps with elevation lines where it was great fun to imagine yourself going up and down the slopes in the Misty Mountains, or toughing it out across the long plains between Weathertop and The Last Bridge. There's at least one generic large-scale map which is tough to chart on, but it's here.
Alternatively, though you can't print it to mark your progress, there's a neat interactive map here.
To make the visualization easier, here are milestones for your journey, based on Fonstad's Atlas of Middle Earth, and provided by the Shieldmaidens.
For a specific description of your location, enter your current mileage here.
Here's another motivator. Have you reached a 25-mile milestone? Celebrate your achievement by adding a shield to the reward page at the main "Walk to Rivendell" site. If you want to be part of the shield page, follow this link and sign up once--it's easy!
If you are interested in buying a Walk to Rivendell t-shirt or other merchandise please e-mail Emerlute ('Lute) for details at tolute@hotmail.com.
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TORC'S FELLOWSHIP OF THE ROAD (If you've been inactive for over 6 months, your name may appear in italics. If you're gone from The Road for a year, you'll be listed among the Fallen)
Serya Mi Seere: Those Who Have Fallen to Orcs and Other Dread Foes (like time constraints):
Lain, Eirien, Silverscribe, RangerABN, Dima, Alys, Vana, Saroneuroe, Leoba and friend, Rholarowyn, satch, grumpy-dwarf-mom, Shelrond, Kaimelar, Waiting For Frodo, eyes4legolas, Galadriel, verruct~madchen, Shieldmaiden_Pippin, Newra, Elven*Warrior, Inwe-Taralom, FairElvenArcher, nimrodel_89, cemthinae, indril_greenleaf, Evenstar_of_Imladris, Eruname127, fantasy_fanatic24, Aramel, Kayre, Newra, Elven*Warrior, MariaHobbit, Chameleon, Muad-Dib, littlerabbit, Damalur-sol, Waiting For Frodo, Shieldmaiden_Pippin, cemthinae, Evenstar_of_Imladris, frodos_cousin, XXIluvatarXX, frodolivesstill, Northerner, Cemenamme, Leithelas, Honeyelf, Jnyusa, Elenath (designer of our t-shirt!), Ithiliel, Lidau, Dazzling_Moonlight, Rosie_the_hobbit, LalaithUrwen, Amrunelen, theduffster, Myrtle_Greenhand, Carnimiriel, TheE.I.Cebu, legolas_is_mineOB, Suenote, Asfaloths_daughter, Calaquendii, Kementári_Harimad-sol, Liana_Lemonflower, Pippin4242, Shaal, The Gypsy Scribe, Damaris & Glorfindel-fan, Nandiel, Nienna99, Niggleleaf, Katarina, ConMan, Kambo, evenstar1, Starshadow, *E*V*E*N*S*T*A*R*, Aranis
Bag End
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Lady Lalaith, A Simple Poet, Blackcrayon, Melanippos
On the Road
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Elven-Ranger, Dubatuluk, Klonkku, Elflover, laureanna, SilverScribe, Tigerlily_Took, earendil81, Swordsman_Of_The_Tower, ArwenElrondiel
Crickhollow (73 miles)
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Erufailon.Atanvarno
Tom Bombadil's house (98 miles)
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Bree (135 miles)
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Ivriniel, Canamarth, MithLuin
Midgewater Marshes (173 miles)
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Vanaladiel
Weathertop (240 miles)
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Last Bridge (358 miles)
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eamane_helyanwe
Stone Trolls (393 miles)
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Rivendell! (458 miles)
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MrsSmeagol
Wild Country Path (525 miles)
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Misty Mountain Foothills (615 miles)
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Mrs.Haldir
Hollin Ridge (690 miles)
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AlexSnitzel
The West Door of Moria (795 miles)
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Nimrodel Rope Bridge (863 miles)
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Frelga
Caras Galadon! (920 miles)
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LalaithUrwen, Yona
North Undeep (1065 miles)
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Higher Emyn Muil (1236 miles)
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The Argonath (1290 miles)
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Choose Your Path! From here you can follow the separate routes of the divided Fellowship (still under construction, sorry!)
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The Ring-bearers' Route, Being the paths taken by Frodo and Sam, and accompanied by Smeagol for some days and ways:
Falls at Rauros! (1309 miles) , The Dead Marshes (1421 miles), The Black Gate (1475 miles), Henneth Annun (1533 miles), Shelob's Lair (1600 miles), The Fires of Mt. Doom (1781 miles MD+), Back at the Morannon (1881 miles), the Field of Cormallen (1949 miles), Minas Tirith (2001 miles), Cross the Mering Stream to Rohan (2225 miles)
Edoras (2361 miles)
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Shadowcat
Helm's Deep (2480 miles)
Isengard (2536 miles)
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IsildursHeir
Hollin Ridge (3059 miles), Rivendell (3227 miles), Stone Trolls (3292 miles), Last Bridge (3306 miles), Weathertop (3431 miles), Midgewater Marshes (3466 miles), Bree (3546 miles), Brandywine Bridge (3586 miles), Bag End! (3631 miles), Grey Havens & the end of the Fellowship (3891 miles)
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Back to Bag End with Sam (4098 miles)
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Anorial
The Paths of the Three Hunters, Being the routes covered by Aragorn II before coming to his throne, in accompaniment of his friends Gimli, Son of Gloin, and Legolas, Green Elf and a Prince of Mirkwood, in their progress from the Falls of Rauros at Parth Galen to Orthanc Tower then on to Gondor:
Falls at Rauros! (1309 miles) , Where Pippin's Brooch Lay (1339 miles), Where The Hunters Met the Rohirrim (1444 miles), Fangorn Forest (1475.5 miles) , Golden Hall of Meduseld (1604 miles), Helm's Deep (1723 miles)
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Orthanc Tower (1779 miles) OT+ , Return to Helm's Deep (1839 miles), Return to Edoras (1958 miles), The Dark Door to The Paths of the Dead (1980 miles), The Stone of Erech (2037 miles), The Dawnless Day (2147 miles)
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Pelargir (2412 miles)
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Emerlute
Pelennor Fields (2562 miles)
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The Cross-roads (2598 miles)
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Rowanberry
The Desolation of the Morannon (2671 miles), The Battle of Morannon (2703 miles)
The Ways of the Halfling Champions, Being the peregrinations of Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took, in conjunction with the Last War of the Ents, and their terms of Service to the Men's Kingdoms of Rohan and Gondor:
Falls at Rauros! (1309 miles), Where Pippin's Brooch was Dropped (1366 miles), Fangorn Forest (1475.5 miles), Wellinghall, Treebeard's Home (1579 miles), Isengard (1664 miles)
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