We slept late today. Well, Frodo did. Everybody else was up at daybreak. Frodo and Pippin argued about which way to head, mostly because Pippin had us all excited about drinking at the Golden Perch at Stock, but Frodo wanted to head to the Buckleberry Ferry. As usual, Frodo won.
His "shortcut" ended up leading to a thicket of brambles around a stream, which was none too fun to cut our way through. But it made for excellent cover, when Sam noticed a Black Rider checking out the river valley. We trudged through the bushes and brambles -- hot, sweaty, scratchy, tired, and lost. We waded through the stream, which Pippin recognized as Stock-brook, and came to a forest of oak trees that were extremely dense, but at least on level ground. It was pouring down rain by this time, and conversation was at a minimum. This leg of the journey will probably not go down in history as the best time ever had by a company. It didn't help matters or morale any when Pippin decided we'd turned too far south and suggested backtracking, which Frodo nixed.
Thankfully lunchtime was salvaged by our realization that the Elves had refilled our bottles with a pale gold drink that had a slightly intoxicating effect. After that, the rain didn't much bother us, and the walk was actually becoming enjoyable again -- until we heard the shrieking. Nobody said it out loud, but I knew the wailing came from Black Riders. So much for enjoying the trip.
Total miles so far:
54.98
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Elves, SIr!
We had traveling companions these last few miles -- exiled High Elves! Sam was thrilled and awed, Frodo took it in stride, and Pippin just about fell asleep every half mile. I'm more of a dwarf person myself, but I enjoyed the singing.
The elves have a strange effect on everyone. There is a peaceful quiet about them, even as they speak their ancient language. Once Frodo displayed his knowledge of the High Elvish language, there was little conversation thereafter. The path was green and woodsy and hilly, and you could see the lights of the village of Woodhall below us.
We camped at Woody End. The baby and I went to bed early, but the hobbits and elves partied into the wee hours of the night. What they could possibly be talking about for that long is just beyond me. I heard "black riders" mentioned a few times, which made me more nervous than I cared to admit.
Total miles so far:
45.88
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| Our Elven traveling companion, Gildor Inglorion. |
The elves have a strange effect on everyone. There is a peaceful quiet about them, even as they speak their ancient language. Once Frodo displayed his knowledge of the High Elvish language, there was little conversation thereafter. The path was green and woodsy and hilly, and you could see the lights of the village of Woodhall below us.
We camped at Woody End. The baby and I went to bed early, but the hobbits and elves partied into the wee hours of the night. What they could possibly be talking about for that long is just beyond me. I heard "black riders" mentioned a few times, which made me more nervous than I cared to admit.
Total miles so far:
45.88
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood...
The road, which had run straight for several miles, has now bent left and goes down into the lowlands of the Yale on its way to Stock. But another road branches off to the right, winding through an oak forest and headed to Woodhall. This is the road Frodo decides we need to take.
It's a picturesque route, in some ways, because one of the first things we came across was a huge hollow tree that would make a great playhouse.
We haven't heard hoof-beats for some time, so we're settling down a little bit. Frodo launches into a rather appropriate song:
Home is behind, the world ahead,
And there are many paths to tread
Through shadows to the edge of night,
Until the stars are all alight.
Then world behind and home ahead
We'll wander back to home and bed.
Total distance thus far:
39.68 miles
It's a picturesque route, in some ways, because one of the first things we came across was a huge hollow tree that would make a great playhouse.
We haven't heard hoof-beats for some time, so we're settling down a little bit. Frodo launches into a rather appropriate song:
Home is behind, the world ahead,
And there are many paths to tread
Through shadows to the edge of night,
Until the stars are all alight.
Then world behind and home ahead
We'll wander back to home and bed.
Total distance thus far:
39.68 miles
Sunday, May 26, 2013
BLACK RIDER! (And no, it's not Tom Waits.)
"Do Elves live in these woods," [Sam] asked.
"Not that I ever heard," said Pippin.
The day started out fine. The road we're on isn't used much, as it's not fit for carts, and there's little traffic to the Woody End.
At this point the fellowship of Hobbits hears the distinct noise of a pony or horse behind them (some thought it might be Gandalf) and they leave the main road and hide. It was the Black Rider, sniffing for them, and fortunately Frodo didn't get a chance to slip on the Ring and turn invisible. And of course Sam only just then remembers the curious and queer fellow who was asking around about Frodo. (Really?)
So now we're off the road proper, and walking about a stone's throw to the left of the road. It's uneven ground, and at home all the rain has turned the dirt to mud, so we're moving slower than before.
Total Miles thus far:
34.48
"Not that I ever heard," said Pippin.
 |
| Photo credit: Alexander James - http://images.elfwood.com |
The day started out fine. The road we're on isn't used much, as it's not fit for carts, and there's little traffic to the Woody End.
At this point the fellowship of Hobbits hears the distinct noise of a pony or horse behind them (some thought it might be Gandalf) and they leave the main road and hide. It was the Black Rider, sniffing for them, and fortunately Frodo didn't get a chance to slip on the Ring and turn invisible. And of course Sam only just then remembers the curious and queer fellow who was asking around about Frodo. (Really?)
So now we're off the road proper, and walking about a stone's throw to the left of the road. It's uneven ground, and at home all the rain has turned the dirt to mud, so we're moving slower than before.
Total Miles thus far:
34.48
Friday, May 24, 2013
Elevenses - Did you know this is real?
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| (Graphic by Jake at GhostGlide. http://ghostglide.tumblr.com/) |
I swear I should have been born a Hobbit because I'm always looking for an excuse to eat. Wasn't I surprised that the Hobbit mean "Elevenses" is actually a real thing in England and Ireland! Gotta love you Brits!
Elevenses is kind of like Afternoon Tea, only it's eaten in the morning -- around 11:00 am, thus the name. This meal typically consists of something sweetish -- cookies or a pastry or coffeecake, with tea or coffee.
Now WHY exactly aren't we doing this in the US?
Today: More walking. The road rolls ever up and down ...
In other news, Baby and I went exploring since I found my old Magellan GPS and wanted to see if still worked. Actually I don't think I ever used it, so I guess I wanted to see if it worked at all. It was a good thing I had it with me because we got completely lost in one of the subdivisions behind our house. Pretty pathetic, getting lost in your own backyard, basically. The good news is the GPS works fine and now I know how to use the "Backtrack" feature.
We can JUST see across the Woody End to the River. For the next 3 miles or so, the road seems pretty straight and level. I suspect our next day's journey to be nothing terribly exciting. No adventure, danger, or anything of that sort ...
Total Distance thus far:
28.98 miles
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Breakfast! First or second, whichever.
Still trekking on the same path. Nothing much to see here.
Literally.
'Cause it's dark.
Today's post is also inspired by LOTRO (which if you're a Tolkien fan and you're not playing, you should be. It is really one of the best MMORPGs out there, if only in terms of the beauty of the graphics and how faithful the game play and scenery is to the "real" Middle Earth.)
Another one of the first recipes cooks can learn is for the humble "Eggs and Onions" item, which gives you +3 might for 20 minutes. So I'm going to offer the real-life alternative for +200 calories for energy throughout the early morning. (Or whenever you need a quick snack!)
It's simple:
(I'd recommend making these eggs a little firmer than your typical runny scrambled eggs. When the mushrooms start to release their water, it thins out the mixture, so cook at a slightly higher heat to steam off the excess water.)
For the cholesterol-conscious, you can use any egg substitute. I personally don't see that it changes the taste much. And remember, breakfast foods don't "expire" after 11am. Scrambled eggs make a great teatime treat or midnight snack.
Now if you're still hungry after all this, it's probably getting close to Second Breakfast time! (Usually eaten between First Breakfast and Elevenses.) In the game, an interesting meal choice is called "Shire Porridge" which when eaten gives the player + 964 non-Combat Morale Regeeration and +1035 non-Combat Power Regeneration for 30 minutes. In non-gamer terms, this means you "fill up" faster.
Shire Porridge is described as a "simple porridge of oats and spices" but I noticed one of the ingredients is blueberries. Personally I've never eaten oatmeal with any fruit other than apple, but I found this recipe and I want to try it out:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/28/health/nutrition/28recipehealth.html?_r=0
Of course, a far easier version would be to make packaged oatmeal and just throw in some fresh blueberries, if you're feeling lazy.
Total Distance Thus Far:
25.78 miles
Literally.
'Cause it's dark.
Today's post is also inspired by LOTRO (which if you're a Tolkien fan and you're not playing, you should be. It is really one of the best MMORPGs out there, if only in terms of the beauty of the graphics and how faithful the game play and scenery is to the "real" Middle Earth.)
Another one of the first recipes cooks can learn is for the humble "Eggs and Onions" item, which gives you +3 might for 20 minutes. So I'm going to offer the real-life alternative for +200 calories for energy throughout the early morning. (Or whenever you need a quick snack!)
It's simple:
- Take 3 eggs and mix them together with 1/4 cup of onion and 1/4 cup of mushrooms.
- Now scramble the mixture.
- Spice as desired (a little salt and pepper, tabasco, whatever)
- Enjoy.
(I'd recommend making these eggs a little firmer than your typical runny scrambled eggs. When the mushrooms start to release their water, it thins out the mixture, so cook at a slightly higher heat to steam off the excess water.)
For the cholesterol-conscious, you can use any egg substitute. I personally don't see that it changes the taste much. And remember, breakfast foods don't "expire" after 11am. Scrambled eggs make a great teatime treat or midnight snack.
Now if you're still hungry after all this, it's probably getting close to Second Breakfast time! (Usually eaten between First Breakfast and Elevenses.) In the game, an interesting meal choice is called "Shire Porridge" which when eaten gives the player + 964 non-Combat Morale Regeeration and +1035 non-Combat Power Regeneration for 30 minutes. In non-gamer terms, this means you "fill up" faster.
Shire Porridge is described as a "simple porridge of oats and spices" but I noticed one of the ingredients is blueberries. Personally I've never eaten oatmeal with any fruit other than apple, but I found this recipe and I want to try it out:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/28/health/nutrition/28recipehealth.html?_r=0
Of course, a far easier version would be to make packaged oatmeal and just throw in some fresh blueberries, if you're feeling lazy.
Total Distance Thus Far:
25.78 miles
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Mushroom Pie!
(Boring zigzag road continues. We logged 2.5 miles today.)
In the Lord of the Rings Online game, (LOTRO), one of the crafts that characters can learn is cooking, and one of the first recipes that apprentice cooks learn is for Mushroom Pie.
In the game, when you character eats the Mushroom Pie, he or she is awarded the following buff:
In reality, a real Mushroom Pie is a reasonably healthy choice for people (and hobbits) who are tired of roast chicken. This following recipe comes highly recommended and the eater is awarded the following nutritional benefits, per 1/8 pie serving:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/13/health/northern-greek-mushroom-and-onion-pie-recipes-for-health.html?_r=0
Total Distance Thus Far:
21.74 miles
In the Lord of the Rings Online game, (LOTRO), one of the crafts that characters can learn is cooking, and one of the first recipes that apprentice cooks learn is for Mushroom Pie.
In the game, when you character eats the Mushroom Pie, he or she is awarded the following buff:
- Removes up to 1 Disease, Fear effect with maximum strength of 10 from the target.
+30 in-Combat Power Regen
+30.7 in-Combat Morale Regen
+404 non-Combat Morale Regen
+450 non-Combat Power Regen
In reality, a real Mushroom Pie is a reasonably healthy choice for people (and hobbits) who are tired of roast chicken. This following recipe comes highly recommended and the eater is awarded the following nutritional benefits, per 1/8 pie serving:
- 166 calories
- 9 grams fat
- 18 grams carbohydrates
- 2 grams dietary fiber
- 5 grams protein
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/13/health/northern-greek-mushroom-and-onion-pie-recipes-for-health.html?_r=0
Total Distance Thus Far:
21.74 miles
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