2021 mileage: 5512.5
Diuring this morning's ride, I watched the first half of The Fellowship of the Ring, which is the movie corresponding to the first book of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy (the extended version). This got me just through the council at the house of the Elves in Rivendell, where Frodo was selected as the ring bearer. It gave me a ride of 23.2 miles, in 1:45.
2021 mileage: 5489.3
Today I was so happy to be able to ride inside! At 1:00 p.m., we felt a raw 34° with a 22-mph wind howling at us out of the west, and snowflakes swirling. Climing onto the stationary bike, I had at one point considered beginning the film series on the Lord of the Rings today. But then at the men's devotional group I attend on Monday mornings, one of the guys today was talking about his plans to participate on the camino pilgrimage walk in Spain next year. As this is the subject of the 2010 movie The Way, I changed my plans and decided to watch that movie. But I was unsuccessful in a quick attempt to find it.
It was, however, a HUGE football weekend here in southeast Michigan, with the University of Michigan beating Iowa to win the Big Ten championship on Saturday night, so I settled for listening to sports talk radio on my phone, while I rode for an hour (actually 61 minutes), covering 13.8 miles.
2021 mileage: 5475.5
This morning I rode with my heart soaring, as Michigan defeated Iowa 42-3 in last night night's Big Ten Championship game, to earn their first undisputed Big Ten title since 2003! I climbed on the stationary bike and began riding about 7:40, and rode 29.1 miles in 2:12 while watching the third (The Battle of the Five Armies) and final of the movies covering The Hobbit.
2021 mileage: 5446.4
Today, rather than riding in the morning according to my usual preference, Michelle and I went to the soccer game of our grandson, Danny. (They won 2-1, and he scored both goals. 💗
Riding after getting home, I watched the second part (The Desolation of Smaug) of the three movies covering Tolkien's book The Hobbit, and tomorrow I'll finish it up. Today gave me a ride of 32.0 miles in 2:50.
2021 mileage: 5414.4
The book The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, has been made into a series of three movies, and today I watched the first (An Unexpected Journey, released in 2012) during my ride. This gave me a good ride of 32.6 miles (2:35). By taking this step, I've committed myself to the three Hobbit movies, and then the three Lord of the Rings movies following. (Our church handbell choir, to which I belong, has punned in naming ourselves "Rings of the Lord.")
2021 mileage: 5381.8
Mother day of riding on the stationary bike today. After watching the movie versions of the first two books of The Chronicles of Narnia while riding the past two days, I had hoped to continue and complete the series. However, I was disappointed to learn yesterday that they stalled out in the making of the series, and only completed three of the seven. So I watched the third today (The Voyage of the Dawn Treader), giving me a ride of 23.1 miles in 1:46. Tomorrow, for somewhat similar fantasy, I'll begin the movie versions of The Lord of the Rings (the first one being The Fellowship of the Ring, followed by The Two Towers and The Return of the King.) These three movies were released in 2001-2003. I may, however, begin with the prequel to these, The Hobbit, the movie version of which was released in three films between 2012-2014.
I found on YouTube a tremendously moving clip of the final goodbyes between Edmund, Lucy, Eustace, Caspian, and Aslan.
2021 mileage: 5358.7
I rode another big ride on the stationary bike today, inexpressibly grateful for that option. While yesterday I watched the 2005 American film adaptation of The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe (book 1 of The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis), today I watched the 2008 film of book 2, Prince Caspian, giving me a ride of 29.5 miles in 2:20.
2021 mileage: 6002.0 I am seeing the old year out with a day off -- something I hate to do. But a combination of factors brings it about: (1...
