The road goes ever on and on ...

The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say.

The journey to Rivendell begins ... only another 457 miles to go as I walked the mile into town this morning instead of taking the car. I was intrepid, setting off supported by my trusty pushchair (and occupant) into something cold and damp and sufficiently white to suggest it was trying to be snow. Not intrepid enough to walk back, I'm afraid - Tevye was working at home so collected us in the car. In Lord of the Rings terms I have now left Bag End and am heading westwards along a lane around The Hill.

I'm hoping this will add enough interest to encourage me to walk more than I do normally, and to make the essential walking (I only have limited use of the car during the week) a little more fun. I have added a "Walk to Rivendell" section to my Motivated Moms folder with printouts of this pathway mileage and descriptions and a map of the first 73 miles so I can highlight the amount I have walked. The menu-planning section has the Hobbit meal planner - very civilised with room for second breakfast and elevenses. In town this morning I bought myself a pedometer that shows distance walked - inconsiderately in very un-Hobbitish kilometres, but it can't be helped. I already have decent wet weather gear and some very ancient hiking boots, and I'm hoping to get in a few serious walks (10 miles or more) over the year.

My target for January: the 37 miles the hobbits had covered by the time they stopped to eat and rest in the evening of their second day of walking.