Day 35: Welcoming Weathertop

I’ve finally made it to the top of Weathertop! At a cumulative mileage of 244.74 (393.9 km) I find myself safely to the next minor goal of my journey. The road here has certainly been much less eventful than what the hobbits encountered, but I am glad of that. It’s hard to believe I’ve come so far already! Time certainly has flown over the past month. I just hope that the rest of my journey progresses as smoothly, but I’ve probably just jinxed myself by wishing for that.

The fortress of Amon Sul was certainly a formidable place for the hobbits. It stood tall and imposing, even as a ruins, above the rest of the Weather Hills. From the distance the hobbits wondered if a barrow resided at its summit. Still, I doubt the events of their stay at the crumbling fortress of Amon Sul ever occurred to them prior to arriving.

The attack of the Black Riders on Amon Sul is a very big plot device to pay attention to. The threat of peril has been steadily growing ever since the hobbits left the Shire. However, they have managed to escape it at the last moment several times. On Weathertop their luck runs out. A nighttime attack ends in Frodo taking a Morgul blade to the shoulder.

The nighttime attack by the Black Riders reveals the forces that stand against the hobbits. For in a moment of weakness and temptation, Frodo dons the ring and is thrust into the world of the ring-wraiths. Here Frodo is confronted with the cold images of the kings of old whom the power of the rings consumed and corrupted.  And leading these wraiths is non-other than the Witch King of Angmar. This king is one of the nine kings of men given rings of power long ago. But the power corrupted and the kings became mighty wraiths under Sauron. To them the one ring always calls, always beckons them to come after it. And when Frodo is confronted with such strength and corruption, he falls to it and succumbs to the desires of the ring. It is not in an attempt to escape, but rather an overwhelming suggestion that cannot be ignored.  

However, the story doesn’t end there. Frodo manages in an act of bravery and defiance to call on the name of Elbereth and attack the Witch King of Angmar. Though his sword does little damage, the name sends the wraiths into hysterics and presents a glimmer of hope to Frodo. But Frodo is injured in the process. In one final act, Frodo manages to overcome the compulsion and removes the One Ring.

Here is presented several things that need to be paid close attention. One of the first is the growing power of the ring. Though Frodo has managed to overcome its temptations previously, he finally gives in to the ring’s power on Weathertop. And in submitting to the ring Frodo discovers that he was not obeying his own will, but rather the will of the ring. The continuing development of Frodo’s character is showcased very adeptly on Weathertop. Even though Frodo gives in to the ring, he quickly realizes that he isn’t following his own desires and that the ring will betray him. He puts up a fight, instinctively calling on one of the few names that cause fear for the ring-wraiths, and in doing so manages to stop the Morgul blade from piercing his heart. The resilience of his character will continue to be revealed and explored in the coming days and throughout the story.

Also revealed in this encounter are the mysterious Black Riders. The reader now realizes that these are kings and that they are not of the natural world. These kings seem to do the bidding of the ring and though their purposes are not made clear as of yet, it is made clear that they operate under a higher power. The morgul blade with which they stabbed Frodo will be both an immediate concern for the hobbits, but will also prove to show some of the workings of Sauron and to further the theme of Sauron perverting the natural order of Middle Earth (as always, more on that later).

One other important literary device to take note of on Weathertop is the introduction of Athelas (or Kingsfoil as it is otherwise known). This plant will not only prove to be extremely useful throughout the story but can also be viewed as a personification of Aragorn. Athelas has immense healing properties, but is generally considered a weed by many cultures in Middle Earth. Just like Aragorn, the appearance and pre-conceived notions concerning it, are misleading. This ties back into the poem the reader encountered in Bree very well. Not all that is gold glitters, not all those who wander are lost. In addition to the introduction of Athelas, Aragorn also begins to prove himself a very trustworthy companion. Despite some of the misgivings of party members, it is becoming quite apparent that the hobbits will not survive without their ranger.

From Weathertop with love!
~ Daisy Buttons

Day 33 and 34: Weekend Trekking

My weekends have been very bipolar. Sometimes I can get very little walking done on account of weather or other nasty surprises nature keeps throwing at me. Other times I manage to hit a particularly nice trail and keep slogging through for hours on end.

This weekend was one in which I was able to slog through. Looking for a change of pace, I loaded up my car and headed out to a remote trail that I only hike about once a year. The trail is hard and the drive out is dangerous, but the views at the top are truly magical and there’s a beautiful clearing I love to take lunch in. All in all, I managed to go 23.11 miles (37.2 km) this weekend.

The hobbits have come far since I last left them. With Aragorn’s help they’ve manage to make the foothills of Weathertop. From him the hobbits learn a little of the history of Weathertop, or Amon Sul as it was called. Surprising them all, it is Sam who recites a section of The Fall of Gil-Galad and reveals the sad history that has come to bear on the lands. Amon Sul, once a great watch-tower, now stands crumbled and burnt after trying to withstand the evils of Angmar. It is somewhat of a depressing history that foreshadows more hardships to come, but that will have to wait until I actually get to Weathertop.

Just as the hobbits were left contemplating sadness, I find myself in the same situation. As I mentioned before, the drive to trail I was hiking this weekend is dangerous. The road is full of blind turns, hidden driveways, dangerous hills, and wildlife. Every time I drive down it, there is a new cross tied to a string or standing crooked at the side of the road. This time there was a new collection of crosses alongside the road. Accompanying these crosses were teddy bears, ribbons, and pinwheels in red, white, and blue. This marked the site where some teenagers ran off the road. Several of them died.

It’s always sad contemplating the lives lost to motor vehicle accidents. These people didn’t die for a cause, didn’t get to live their lives out, and for those teenagers, they barely got to live at all. These people died as a result of some distraction, stupid decision, or factor out of their control. Every time I drive this road I am careful to make sure I do not end up as one of these people. One thing is for certain, I will always hate that death-trap of a road.

The Road Goes Ever On and On,
~ Daisy Buttons

Day 32: Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens

I know, the title for today’s update is weird given this is a Hobbit inspired blog, but bear with me. Day 32 was dragging ridiculously and I had absolutely no motivation to keep going. So instead of throwing in the towel and doing nothing for this day, I decided to motivate myself. So I bought some new music to help me out the door. Enter the title for today’s update. I am currently on a 1950s rock ‘n roll kick and bought two CDs of Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens to give me the kick out the door. It was exactly what I needed, and now I must learn the correct pronunciation to La Bamba so I won’t hopelessly massacre it when I decide to sing along.

Over the course of Day 31 and 32 I have walked 13.03 miles (20.9 km). It seems an almost constant battle against my knees at this point. At the age of nine I was diagnosed with arthritis and have to go through just about every day of my life battling the pain of it. While walking actually helps a lot of the pain, it still makes my knees sore and after the five mile mark they start making their discomfort known. Day 32 was particularly hard, I was very glad of new music to help take my mind off of my pain.

For the hobbits and Aragorn, Weathertop is rapidly approaching. As they draw closer, crumbled ruins atop one of the taller hills can be seen. The day dawns early and brilliantly clear for the hobbits, an occurrence I wish would happen more often for me.

By now the hobbits are getting used to the amount of walking they are doing on their reduced diet. Pippin and Frodo comment on Frodo’s thinning figure, the latter hobbit joking about becoming a wraith if he kept losing weight. For me, I wish I lost weight as easily as Frodo did. But alas, I have rotten luck. So far I have only managed to lose five pounds and 8 inches in a month.

It is very intriguing for me seeing that this is the point in which the hobbits start becoming used to their journey (and of course my parallel experience is one of discomfort). They have already gone far and encountered much in their brief journey from the Shire. Frodo wished for an adventure, and he is certainly getting one, but is it quite the adventure he envisioned? Peril, as always, lies both ahead and behind. Their journey is far from over, but for now they are beginning to come into their own.

The Road Goes Ever On and On,
~ Daisy Buttons

Day 30: 200 Miles!

Day 29 and 30 have come and gone and I have finally reached the 200 miles (321.7 km) mark with a cumulative mileage of 201.78! It feels so good to be halfway to Rivendell. Before this journey began I never would have imagined that I could walk over 200, let alone do it in one month!

By Day 30 I am finally out of the marshes and on to dryer trails. If I never have to walk through a marsh again, I will be happy. I’m confident the hobbits must have felt the same as they came out of the Midgewater Marshes.

At this point in their journey the hobbits and Strider have managed to ascend out of the marshes. The Weather Hills loom in the distance and the land they trek over became dry and barren. There are very few birds to be seen or heard. I imagine for this part of the journey that the hobbits and Strider passed in silence. There is one brief conversation recorded, but not much is mentioned. In my experience, walking through barren lands tends to lead one into silence. Still, there isn't much mentioned about their journey in this part of the story.

The Road Goes Ever On and On,

~ Daisy Buttons

Day 29: Stuck in the Marshes

After two days I am still stuck in the marshes. At a cumulative mileage of 189.32 (304.7 km) I still haven’t managed to clear out of the festering sludge and clouds of bugs. So I am still trudging through the marshlands near my town. Part of me really wants to forget authenticity and go for a nice path on dry ground, but the hobbits didn’t really have a choice in the matter so I continue through my torture of ankle deep sludge.

In the entire Fellowship of the Ring the Midgewater Marshes take up half of a page. Very little is mentioned past the discomfort and bugs which occupy the infernal lands. For half a page, and about two days’ worth or suffering, the hobbits and Aragorn struggled through the marshes.  Whenever they camped they were damp and unpleasant, unable to sleep in the lonely and unpleasant country. The only thing that seemed to live in the marshes were midges. You can hazard a guess as to where the Midgewater Marshes got its name.

Part of me wishes that the hobbits felt as miserable as I do trudging through the marshes. The other part of me, however, recognizes that the hobbits are going through much worse. After all, I am not the one trying to evade the Black Riders.

Later in the evening on the fourth day since Bree, Frodo sees flashing lights up ahead. Strider compares the lights to “lightning that leaps up from the hill-tops,” but they are too distant to make out. Later in the journey the party would learn that these lights are Gandalf making his stand on Weathertop.

The Road Goes Ever On and On

~Daisy Buttons

Day 28: Marshes, and Midges, and Mosquitos. Oh My!

Since the hobbits are wading through the Midgewater Marshes at this point in their journey, I decided to join them and headed to some marshy trails in a nearby state park. When all was said and done I had walked 9.02 miles (14.5 km), my shoes were soaked through, my feet had even more blisters, and my bug spray proved inadequate against the onslaught of gnats and mosquitos. I’m still wondering why thought walking in a marsh would be a good idea.

The hobbits were also having such a wonderful time slogging through the wetlands outside of Bree. The constant chirping of the NeekerBreekers (as Sam had dubbed them) drove them almost frantic. The path through the marshes was treacherous and almost nonexistent, even to a ranger of Aragorn’s caliber. Midges constantly plagued the party, gorging themselves on the feast of hobbits and making sure sleep was out of the questions.

I feel the hobbit’s pain. The only thing that managed to salvage this walk for me was the fact that I had brought my MP3 player and newly acquired “How to Train Your Dragon” soundtrack. Because nothing helps you trudge through ankle deep sludge and a cloud of gnats quite like Celtic sounding animated movie soundtracks about dragons.

The Road Goes Ever On and On,
~ Daisy Buttons

Day 26: A History of Hobbits

Since the hobbits remained in the Chetwood area for nearly three days, I’ve decided to skip writing a blog for one of those days. So on to Day 26!

Over Day 25 and Day 26 I walked 20.31 miles (32.7 km). The going was rough on both my spirit and my joints. Rain plagued most of Day 25; I swear I am almost used to being wet by now! Day 26 saw sore knees that desperately wanted to avoid the rocky terrain of my favourite trails. But I still continued my journey; after all, Frodo and the hobbits never let soreness and rain stop them!

At a cumulative 172.79 miles (278 km), I am nearing the point where the hobbits and Strider entered the Midgewater Marshes. For nearly three days the hobbits have trekked over the gentle lands of Chetwood. Before the colonization of the Shire, hobbits lived in and around the Bree and Chetwood areas. Of course, they didn’t originate there. Many tales tell of the hobbits coming from the Valley of Anduin between Mirkwood and the Misty Mountains. Sometime in the Third Age the hobbits undertook the journey over the Misty Mountains. All in all, the hobbits seem to have a fairly young history in terms of Middle Earth. Many of the records, especially those genealogical records tying the hobbits to the Big Folk, appear to be lost. I’ve often theorized that the hobbits, concerned mainly with keeping to themselves and their own kind, have long since forgotten much of the history that ties them to the outside world. This is corroborated by a general mistrust within the hobbits of the Big Folk, and even of other hobbits from different parts of the Shire. Farmer Maggot was mistrustful of the Hobbiton hobbits, and the Hobbiton Hobbits seemed to think ill of the Brandybuck hobbits. History and time has done to the hobbit culture what it does to many, drive a wedge between the differences of the races.

I point this out because I think the history of hobbits and their current culture is important to understand when considering how Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin act throughout The Lord of the Rings. As the journey continues on, it will become clearer that these four hobbits are Tolkien’s representation of the entire hobbit race. They show the good and bad aspects of their culture; they hold the redeeming and condemning values of the hobbits. And in the end these values will come to bear on the future of an entire world.

The Road Goes Ever On and On,
~ Daisy Buttons

Day 24: Home Once More

Nashville is in my rear view mirror, and home is ahead. Day 23 I left the conference to make the 600 mile journey back home. The day was long and by the time I could see the familiar lights of my town sitting on its hill, I was exhausted. There was no walking on Day 23.

Of course I could not ignore the need to walk and Day 24 saw me back on the trails around my home. My country trails seemed almost monotonous after several days in the hustle and bustle of Nashville. Still, it was wonderful to return to everyday life. All together I walked 8.42 miles (13.6 km) on Day 24.

The hobbits haven’t met any more misfortune thus far. They are enjoying a seemingly rare peaceful journey. Though Strider is taking them slightly out of their way to avoid showing where they are actually heading, their journey is also monotonous.

I have come to wonder about how the hobbits handled going from a fairly ordinary life into one of adventure and near constant peril. How did they manage to go from a life of good food, inns, and company to life on the road? As much as I like to compare myself to the hobbits on this blog, the reality is that I am still continuing my own life without much of a change. I am not facing the peril the hobbits did, nor am I even attempting this journey for some of the selfless causes the hobbits are. I fear this part of the journey will always be a mystery to me, and that’s probably for the best. After all, much of Tolkien’s profoundness and timeless work comes from an understanding of something that the everyday person could not fathom.

The Road Goes Ever On and On,
~ Daisy Buttons

Day 22: Gyms

This hotel keeps getting larger the more I explore it. There is so much to see, so many things to do. Work is keeping me on my feet constantly, but in the moments I do get to myself I have found that I’ve developed a propensity to sit and watch the fish in the atrium river below my window. I’m hundreds of miles away from home, in an unfamiliar city and in a colossal hotel full of fun stuff and what do I do? I watch fish. I guess we all have our ways of coping and having fun and I enjoy sitting silently and watching life.

It was storming ferociously for the majority of Day 22, so I was confined inside the hotel for all of my 5.48 miles (8.8 km). So I decided to make use of the workout room. I should have figured it would be just as grandiose as the rest of the hotel complex. Everywhere I looked there was workout equipment, mirrors, yoga mats, a fountain in the corner, and a glass wall that overlooked one of the atriums. There was only one treadmill free and I nabbed it before anyone else could. Of course this put my between a 90 lb. speed walker and a tall and slender young woman running at 7 mph. And there I was, a short and stout girl with a jiggling backside. God I hate gyms…

The hobbits were also having a not-so-nice start to their day at this point in their journey. Upon waking they find their ponies gone and breakfast a hurried affair. Frodo is dismayed with the loss of their mounts, for now he is faced with having to get to Rivendell on foot while trying to outrun Black Riders. Only one replacement pony can be found and it is an ill looking and straggly thing rescued from the local neighborhood menace: Bill Ferny. Sam gives the sour and jeering man a parting gift of an apple to the nose.

The atmosphere thus far is continuing to get darker. More and more setbacks crop up in Frodo’s way as he struggles to get to Rivendell. It seems misfortune is a companion the hobbits cannot sway. But in leaving Bree one of my favourite characters is added to the party, Bill the pony. Bill won’t be a significant aid to the plotline, nor an unlikely hero. However, Bill is as steadfast and faithful as his master Samwise. One of these days I will look into the relationship between animals and characters in Middle Earth, but for now I join the hobbits in saying farewell to Bree and hello to the fields of Chetwood.

The Road Goes Ever On and On,
~ Daisy Buttons

Day 21: Bree at Last!

It would appear that I am terribly behind on blog posts. Life has gotten quite busy, but I have found that it has a tendency to do that. All the more reason for me to keep walking, because I am finding that every time I step out onto the next part of my journey I get to take a small break from stress and daily tasks. Sure, they are almost always at the back of my mind, but for a few hours a day I can push things aside and enjoy nature and the wonderful (and not so wonderful) surprises it has in store for me.

Day 21 has brought me the 135 miles (217.26 km) to Bree! It seems fitting to me that the mile marker of the hobbits arriving in Bree should occur while I am at a 3,000 room hotel complex. The hotel is larger than any I have ever seen, small streets and conservatories contained within it's glass roof and brick walls. All around I am confronted with the sheer foreignness of everything. There are so many people going about their own worlds, there are new foods and customs, and too many halls to navigate! I wonder if the hobbits were struck by how different Bree was. After all, this was the first time they had ventured to a city comprised mainly of Big Folk.

The hobbits had quite the time in Bree. Frodo tried to explain his travels to Bree by using the cover of an author writing a book. He was subsequently adopted by a family of Underhills (the fake surname he had adopted at the suggestion of Tom Bombadil). Barliman Butterbur, the inn keeper, proved an odd man in danger of Gandalf’s revenge for his forgetfulness. Pippin discovered that beer came in pints. Merry nearly got himself killed by Black Riders after an ill-advised nighttime walk. Frodo had a small “accident” involving a disappearing act courtesy of the ring, much to the shock of those in the inn. Strider makes himself known by hauling Frodo off. Sam makes a brave stand trying to regain Frodo. And the hobbits find an ally in Strider, even if he is still regarded with suspicion by some.

Altogether, Bree is an entirely action packed and important place that poses quite the challenge for trying to squeeze into a blog. Since there is too much to really talk about here, go read about Bree and save me some work!

Bree is very important to the storyline that has unfolded thus far. While in Bree the hobbits discover that Gandalf, previously missing in action, did indeed try to contact them and urged Frodo to get an immediate start on his journey. Thanks to the forgetfulness of Barliman Butterbur (is that an intriguing name or what!), Gandalf’s letter was never passed on. Gandalf aside, the most important aspect of Bree is the introduction of Strider.

Sitting in the corner of the Prancing Pony Inn, Strider surprised both the hobbits and J.R.R. Tolkien himself with his sudden and mysterious appearance. Strider will become a very important character in the books to come, but for right now, the hobbits are suspicious of him and Tolkien wants to find out more about him.

As their stay in Bree continues a nasty series of event unfold in which Frodo puts on the ring and vanishes in front of the crowded inn, Merry nearly dies at the hands of Black Riders, and Strider joins the hobbits’ travelling party. Strider has knowledge of both the burden Frodo carries and of that which pursues the hobbits. It is only thanks to him that the hobbits survive a surprise nighttime attack by the Black Riders.

It is very characteristic of Strider, and quite the foreshadow of his character, that he should come into the story unannounced, shrouded in shadow, and posing quite the dilemma for the hobbits. They are confronted with the choice of whether or not to trust Strider. In Gandalf’s letter to Frodo, the wizard gave two verses of a riddle that should be used to identify Strider. This is the famous “all that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wonder are lost” riddle. However, as the story goes on this riddle will prove to be much more. It will prove to be a prophecy of Aragon’s coming actions and a roadmap to his history. But we’ll learn more about Aragorn as the journey continues.

The Rode Goes Ever On and On,
~Daisy Buttons

Day 19 and 20: The Adventures of a Hobbit in Tennessee

Saturday (Day 19) dawned overcast and much too early. My day, however, began long before the waking sun. At four in the morning I was up and preparing for the journey ahead of me. This week my summer internship has taken me to a conference in Nashville, Tennessee. Though my job is about as low on the totem pole as you can get, I was drafted to accompany four senior level employees to the conference as their personal assistant/courier.

Sunday (Day 19) was spent running back and forth delivering goods, making sure paperwork and registration was taking care of and everything was set up. By the time work was over and I could actually relax in my hotel room, I had walked over four miles already! Tennessee is a beautiful state and I immediately set out for a journey along its famous Cumberland River. Even though I was stuck in the city and not in my beloved country, walking along the river was a wonderful treat. At the end of the walk I stopped to feed ducks. Alone on the river bank I took advantage of the rare chance to stand still for a moment in time. Everything around me was calm and in stillness I could appreciate the little piece of nature I was allowed to enjoy. Of course, given my luck, my moment was disrupted by a young boy on his bike careening down the hill behind with his frantic mother running after him. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a dressing down quite like this mother gave her son when she finally caught him. Over the course of the weekend I walked 12.15 miles (19.5 km), not bad considering the current circumstances.

At this point in their journey, the hobbits are enjoying a rare moment of peace. They have been rescued from the wights by Tom Bombadil. The hobbits enjoy their new found freedom and frolic about on the grassy hills without fear of encountering more wights. They are pleasantly to find that their ponies have been recovered by Tom’s horse Fatty Lumpkin. With this peril past, Frodo and company set off again on their journey (because we really can’t call it a quest yet, and it’s up for debate if you can even call it a quest at all). Tom rides with the hobbits until he reaches the ends of his lands and then turns back home to Goldberry. Part of me really wants to continue this post with a lengthy discussion of Tom Bombadil and his literary merits, but for now I shall leave Tom alone. For most readers it is only important to remember Tom Bombadil as the man with the bright blue jacket and gold boots who the terrifying one ring couldn’t fool and whose home was safe. We will have to wait until we get to Rivendell to find out more about Tom, but for now we must join the hobbits in saying farewell to the jolly man and his underappreciated pony Fatty Lumpkin.

The Road Goes Ever On and On,
~ Daisy Buttons