Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul,
Ash nazg thrakatulûk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul.
One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them,
One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.
The Hobbit & Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings were the second series of novels I read as an adolescent (2nd only after Little House). Finished LOTR twice, read The Hobbit 3 times. Foreign language, foreign lands – no surprise I left home right after high school, lived & worked in Russia, travelled much of the world. Wanderlust. Boy’s a dreamer.
Novotel Hamilton Tainui: final stay in NZ, fancy digs. Up early, last morning run – almost 4 miles on Hamilton’s River Path…marathoning tomorrow, USA return same day.
Rural drive thru sheep country, destination: Hinuera, Matamata. Rural drive thru Middle-Earth, destination: the Shire, Hobbiton.
Folks have attempted movie adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit for years. Not until Peter Jackson, did a Director get it right. Filmed in his Jackson’s homeland, much of New Zealand naturally LOOKS like Tolkien’s Middle-Earth. From South Island’s Mt. Cook & Remarkables (Southern Alps) mountain range to North Island’s rolling green-grassy sheep farms. Felt transported into one of my favourite childhood novels.
Generally, movie sets come down soon after filming ends. Not here – whatta treat! Queued near a rock carving of Gollum. Boarded our tour bus, quick intro/history, clips from the movie – then, the SHIRE.
Hobbit Holes – not one but an entire town of thatched Middle-Earth dwellings. Past the Garden, a frog pond, apple orchards – kept trekking UP, UP, UP. Bilbo Baggins lived high on a hill in the Shire. Retreating down Bagshot Row, paused at ‘the Party Tree’ [re: Bilbo’s “eleventy-first” 111th birthday], past the Mill – before stopping at the Green Dragon Inn for a Southfarthing beverage (just a cider for me). Couple minutes in the gift shop & my half-day had vanished. WELL WORTH GOING!
Bib pick-up for tomorrow’s run – then walked the afternoon thru the Hamilton Gardens. 21 gardens, called it after 13. Last night in New Zealand – fancy dinner [at Chim Choo Ree] with my travel bestie, Dawn. How does one say goodbye?
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- my Precious!
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- Hobbit Holes, 39 in all
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- the Garden
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- the SHIRE
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- Bag End: home of Bilbo Baggins
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- the Green Dragon
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- English Flower Garden
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- Chinese Scholar’s Garden
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- Indian Char Bagh Garden
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- Italian Renaissance Garden
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- Te Parapara [Maori] Garden
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- Tudor Garden
Woke an hour before my alarm, puked…’slow start’ day. Pushed thru a tough run 3 days ago in Narragansett RI. Yesterday, my second round of ‘chemo-lite’. Mind, not as dark as last Tuesday night – but still struggling to Pollyanna my present situation.
4:30am, 42°F, dark. Shorts, long-sleeve tech shirt. Started walking. Legs woke, stomach settled. Started to jog. Last 5 miles ran comfortable, 9:14/min pace. 7 miles total. Today again I chose life. Moving forward.
We all have dreams. Paul’s dream was to hike the Appalachian Trail.
Last year, Paul passed away before he could make his dream reality. But that’s not the end of this story – it’s the beginning. He left behind three pairs of polished hiking boots and a backpack packed for his dream hike: the 2,189-mile Appalachian Trail. Paul’s wife, M’Lynn, had an idea for a final gift for her husband. “How good would it be,” she asked, “for his boots to make the journey even if Paul could not?”
M’Lynn’s simple plea launched an incredible journey. The hiking community responded and carried the boots the entire length of the Appalachian Trail. Paul’s Boots follows the boots and tells the stories of the people who carried them. This is the story of how we all help each other achieve dreams.
https://www.ducttapethenbeer.com/paulsboots/
Hiking documentaries, niche audience (at best) – for me however, these are some of the best in film. This flic features a trek, high on my bucket list – thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail, Georgia to Maine.
Watch the first 2 minutes & the last 5. You will start the day INSPIRED!
Long 7-hour haul from yesterday’s trail marathon in Nebraska. Fitting I had tickets the following nite to this year’s Trail Running Film Festival in Boulder. My 2nd year attending, 4th year festival has been in existence.
Back at the Dairy Arts Center, arrived to a sold-out event. Guess word’s got out – HA!
12 films, 3+ hours of sit-down. Sat 2nd row – packed, crazy full auditorium. Festival organized by runners, for folks who appreciate trail running & adventure. Well done. Tough to pick ONE fave film this year.
All 4 feature documentaries were unique in their storytelling. “One step at a Time” followed 3 ultra runners as they attempted the FKT (fastest known time) on the Oregon section of the PCT. “Outside Voices” featured outspoken runner Jenn Shelton, an entertaining, train wreck of a gal. “2016 Orcas Island 100” documented a 100-mile ultra-race on Washington’s scenic San Juan Islands.
…but for me, this year’s fave: “The Hard Way”
inspirational story of Bob Hayes, an 89-year-old who runs 30 races each year, cuts his firewood by hand & does things the hard way to remain active and alive. The film takes us on a journey that’s about more than running, it teaches us to live life with purpose and momentum.
LOVE LOVED this guy’s determination. Absolute anything is possible…at an age.
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- Boulder’s Dairy Arts Center
The Hard Way (2016) by Jeremy Lurgio & Erik Petersen
