I'm just a little concerned that Ellen is going to hit a bit of a snag when she gets to the back gate of Mordor and has to get past a ruddy great spider.

@birdjericho

Жыл бұрын

But she's been trained in Lordran by the best!

@editedcopycat9939

Жыл бұрын

Oh ya, shelob would scare her off before she gets into Mordor, Ellen would have to last medal missing until Samwise finally shows up and stabs the spider

@Gudamangipo

Жыл бұрын

Don't worry. I'll go seduce Shelob for her.

@TheFallingFlamingo

Жыл бұрын

I'm more concerned about Saruma- I mean, Sharkey's inevitable takeover of Oxtra and the hoarding all our list videos for himself. They're probably just as addictive as pipe-weed.

@coyoteartist

Жыл бұрын

Funny, my mother and I are re-reading the Hobbit and the Dwarves have just been captured by some ruddy great spiders.

That's quite a clever concept for a company. They're essentially just selling trinkets, but because of the work you have to do to get them (if you're honest) the rewards feel very valuable

@ivansobubblehead

Жыл бұрын

so it's a Battle Pass :P

@daftpant5

Жыл бұрын

I did the Mt. Fuji one because the medal is beautiful. It's surprisingly high quality!

@aq5426

Жыл бұрын

Well they're personally valuable as mementoes of accomplishing something that you may think impossible or insurmountable.

@caseykraft2002

Жыл бұрын

Surprised that they failed to mention how much you have to pay for each. I was excited and went to the site and was shocked to see what I’d have to pay, and then put the physical work in on top of that. You’re basically overpaying for LOTR merch and then having to perform physical activities on top of that. It absolutely reeks of corporate exploitation. “Pay us and then you do the work, we’ll give you something of lesser value if you can manage it!”

@ivansobubblehead

Жыл бұрын

​@@caseykraft2002For context, an official The One Ring from the movie costs almost 80 pounds. Like, the whole set is pricier than their other challenges, it's certainly not something I care to afford, so blame capitalism and corporation licensing all you want... it's just not overpriced when you compare it to other official merchandise.

That moment Ellen said she got ahead of the book and Luke knew exactly why 🤣

I've done several Conqueror challenges over the last 2 years, and I did feel a shift from being quite "bleh" about movement to actually wanting to take walks and bike rides for the funsies. Its a great incentive for physical activity :)

Was tempted to do one of these kind of things.. but I live in NZ so it's easier to just visit the actual locations

@UnderworldArtist

Жыл бұрын

A fellow Hobbit I see

@consolescrub4031

Жыл бұрын

I suppose there are some environmental implications for doing it with this but I am rather amused by the mental image they are just watching all the bottles floating down to the ocean and checking to see if someone had done enough before they fish them out or let them go on.

@CHALKNZ

Жыл бұрын

So much quicker to drive from Matamata to Mt Ngauruhoe

@Kurgosh1

Жыл бұрын

As brags go, that's pretty solid.

@skipskylark9525

Жыл бұрын

that's such a flex dude oml

This is crazy!! My wife has been into these for the last few months, and has been finding them a really fun incentive to exercise. We've just recently started binge-watching you guys, so to see you doing one of her favorite things is awesome. I'll have to show her this.

@akmal94ibrahim

Жыл бұрын

It would be cool if Oxventure can collaborate with them and create a Geth map and some of their quests to walk through while listening to the Oxventure podcast.

I can see this involving different genres of games. For example, you can have one of these based on the Legend of Zelda where you, as Link, go around smashing your neighbor's pots and cutting their grass with a sword to gain 'rupees'. I'm sure no one will be bothered by that.

@akmal94ibrahim

Жыл бұрын

Why not the world of Geth itself? Do a walk of one of their quests. We already have the map thanks to Jane.

@brentage5000

Жыл бұрын

Sign me up for the last of us challenge, then. I even live relatively close to Boston, so I'd almost be at the same starting point

@d-1381

9 ай бұрын

They are working with copyright, that's why they "only" have GoT and LOTR right now... it's not that easy to just get the rights for a whole bunch of games.

BTW, is Ellen aware of the recent PC demo for "Little Kitty In The Big City"? In which you play as a small cat that has to find its way back up to its apartment in a super-wholesome little game. You can give the cat collectible hats.

@grumble

Жыл бұрын

omg thank you for that tip, i just looked it up and kitty looks exactly like mine T_T

@trinketsphinx3212

5 ай бұрын

Yes, she is. She gave it an honorable mention in her list of games in 2024 she's excited for. I am, too. I was interested in Stray until I saw how bloody hopeless and dour it ultimately is... Little Kitty, Big City is exactly what I want. I lived in Japan for five years, and that kitty looks exactly like mine. I'm more on board than a surfer cheating in a competition.

They’re a nice idea, but £40 for each one is a little too pricey imo.

@dannycartwright5632

7 ай бұрын

It’s actually 47 including postage lol

I've done about 3 of these, one was a Lands End to John o Groats that took me a whole year; The medal is a pretty incentive to be healthy.

@kenfreeman8888

Жыл бұрын

Cool! I'm halfway through Lands End to John o Groats. It's good motivation and through the postcards I'm learning about the areas I'm virtually walking through.

Ellen isn't worried about the ring letting Sauron see her because she knows he is already a big fan of the channel.

@Puppy_Puppington

6 ай бұрын

I wouldn’t say he’s a fan… maybe infatuated with taking over it and destroying whoever owns it now

Just a couple of tips for anyone who's been pretty sedentary for a while but thinking of starting up a walking routine: Get good footwear and make sure you have a plan b in case the way back happens to be longer than you think you can manage. There is nothing worse than getting in-grown toenails and cracked heels because you got adventurous on the way out and had to walk ten miles home in shoes that didn't fit. I usually walk fairly close to a rail line in case I suddenly get an urge to go further than I've gone before. That way I at least know I won't get lost and will also be fairly close to a train station at all times. Also: any kind of general body cream or similar is highly useful because it can be used both to treat cracked heels and chafing, both of which can be a real damper on wanting to go out walking two days in a row.

@caseykraft2002

Жыл бұрын

Also, it’s quite helpful to not pay for what you can do for free. Getting ripped off tends to lower one’s inclination to continue an activity

@rasmusn.e.m1064

Жыл бұрын

​@@caseykraft2002 If you're suggesting that I'm ripping off anyone, these were just some things I would have liked to have known before starting to walk because pain tends to be an even greater deterrent than a hurt butt. The things I mentioned don't even have to be that expensive. Cheap shoes that fit your feet are infinitely better than expensive ones that don't, and body cream doesn't need to be very expensive either and can be used to treat dry skin in winter. A tube tends to last me more than a year, too. Maybe you don't need these things and that's great, but some of us are in worse shape and that tends to cause issues when we try to get out of it; Walking for three or four hours can either be a breeze or a nightmare depending on your footwear.

@caseykraft2002

Жыл бұрын

@@rasmusn.e.m1064 at no point do I indicate that you were personally ripping anyone off. I believe that the company producing this LOTR program is using fitness to pull money from people indefinitely. I agree with everything you said about proper footwear and exercising responsibly. It seems irresponsible to lend a word to this money grabbing company.

If there was one person in all the realms that couldn't be corrupted because of their pure soul and good nature its Jane. Hahaha gotcha.

@consolescrub4031

Жыл бұрын

I think that would be an integer overflow and Jane would either corrupt the ring or start hugging butterflies and giving away only mildly poisonous baking. That said, no one specified what their soul has to purely consist of and what about their nature is good. Our dark overlord has a pure (evil) soul and good (at plotting world domination) nature for sure.

@billystokes3917

Жыл бұрын

We all know that Jane would corrupt the one ring. That's not even out of the question, for her power is immense, untamable, and unchallenged.

@jessicamochizuki962

Жыл бұрын

Pure evil is still pure and uncorruptible. ^^

@akmal94ibrahim

Жыл бұрын

Nothing can corrupt Jane because Jane will be doing the corrupting

@micahnewby7964

Жыл бұрын

Hahaha, can't believe you thought that's who I meant. You fell for it, you idiots!* *Not _actually_ calling anyone idiot, this is a Mom Can't Cook reference, to be read in Andy's voice

I have the first 4 on my shelf and am 60% through Mordor. It's been great fun and really helped me increase my general activity levels.

Giving a physical representation of basically achievements popping up in your mail is such an interesting idea! Fitbit has challenges and it's always nice to see these virtual medal notifications with facts pop up in the app. This just takes it to the next level by actually giving those medals. And the tree planting and plastic removals are such a good way to incentivize.

@stuartmorley6894

Жыл бұрын

Especially in the apps that are monetizing you geolocation and covering the cost of buying the stuff they send you!

@mistaken68

Жыл бұрын

I get medals from a website for the years I've had type 1 diabetes. Really helps keep me motivated. I have a 5 year and 15 year I believe.

I've seen a few adverts for these and was initially skeptical, but maybe I might give it a try. I'm also listening to the audiobooks atm so it would give me something to do whilst listening to them

'One does not simply... do that.' Goddamn I laughed hard.

Came for the fantastic duo that is Luke and Ellen, stayed for the "One does not simply walk into Mordor." Meme references.😂

I read somewhere that in an interview, Tolkien said that Tom is actually a reference to a character from a something he wrote before LOTR. And that's why he says he was there before and he'll be there after because he was literally there before LOTR

It's Mordor on the OX floor. 🎵

But guys! Old Tom Bombadil is a merry old fellow! Bright blue is his jacket and his boots are yellow! XD But for real, I've heard a theory that Bombadil was there to help Frodo et all retain a sense of jollity and light in their travels, no matter how hard things get, similar to how Ox/Box/Tra have been shining beacons of jollity and mirth throughout all these hard times. ^^

I’ve had the adverts for these as well and was sceptical. But this has sold me. Gonna be doing this over the summer.

I've certainly found them useful in terms of incentivising activity and getting me out of the house - I think it does depend a little bit on the challenges you pick, because when I've done the longer ones of around 100 miles, it has been occasionally easy to fall into a bit of a lull around the mid part and not push on, but it's certainly worth trying. The medals are genuinely great, they've evidently put some money into the design of them, and it's a nice way to gently incentivise and change habits, be it just giving that push to go to the shops rather than ordering a delivery or of getting off a stop earlier when I take public transport. I have combined them with Pokemon Go as a good way to get me out and about, and it's had an effect - they also have conversion charts for people doing different types of sport to the equivalent in miles so you can more generally convert what you're doing into progress along the track.

I started this challenge earlier this year and am over halfway to Bree now. The area I'm living in isn't great for walking around, but the challenge includes a conversion chart that translates any sort of physical activity into miles.

@SolaScientia

Жыл бұрын

Ooh, that would be useful for me as well. My town isn't the best for walking either, but my current job has me on my feet around 4 hours a day (upwards of 6-7 one day a week, usually) and I'm in constant motion doing stuff for those 4-6 hours when I work. With no sort of smartwatch or fitness device I'd have to guess at how many miles I did though, and I'm not sure how accurate I'd be.

@toymachine2328

Жыл бұрын

@@SolaScientia if you can have your phone with you, you can probably get a free step tracker app

I did the London marathon virtually when the pandemic hit and that was a great experience. I also love the Zombies Run app

‘One does not simply walk into Mordor’ Meanwhile, Frodo and Sam on bicycles

With Luke so skeptical of rowing to mordor, I realized Eomer's men were not called the Riders of Row-han.

"If I don't walk in a day I don't notice. If I do notice I think: 'Nice!'" 🤣🤣🤣

12:19 "I am on my way - I can go the distance!" 🎶

I signed up for this within minutes of watching the video. The last time I was motivated to get out and do a lot of walking was the summer of 2016 when Pokémon Go first released. Thank you SO much for bringing this challenge to my attention, if I stick to my schedule with in the next month I’ll have arrived at The Prancing Pony.

I'm on the Fellowship walk at the moment as well! So cool to see that you're doing this. I chose the long route; I plan to be done by the end of the year!

After a combination of lockdown, having a kid and working from home, I needed a bit of exercise and to get out of the house. I signed up to this last year and have just finished part 3 with my son two days ago. Having paid in advance has provided a lot of motivation for me to keep going. Also, the company sells wall mounts so you can display your medals, not just put the boxes on the shelf.

I always love sotw's editing, the bed drop on Luke saying "nice." was perfect given how subtle the backing music was already

Thanks for telling us about this. I was dubious about this when I saw the promos all over Instagram, but now I think it’s exactly the motivation I need after a year and a half of being mostly immobile with a smashed foot. I’ll be much more motivated by a (slow) walk through Middle Earth than by most of the real world locations they have. And the trophy ring is, of course, cool.

I've heard that Tom Bombadil was fan service for his kids, because he used to make up stories about Tom for their bedtimes.

"I can't pedal for you, but you can ride in my slipstream, Mr Frodo."

@Amaritudine

Жыл бұрын

"One does not simply pop a rad wheelie into Mordor..."

This is the first I'm hearing of this, but just the idea of getting shiny medals for completing these walks, and especially with them being so high quality... Oh, I'm so tempted, you have no idea.

Ellen wants to start walking daily. She wants to make it a…Hobbit.

Yes, would definitely like little updates when you hit the goals! Fun nerdy ways to do things are cool.

Congrats Ellen! Good luck getting to Rivendale!! I also kept getting these adverts and they're so gorgeous but the only thing that's stopped me from doing it too is it is quite expensive - especially as a non-excersier

Well done Ellen, that's a massive achievement. I saw a lot of the adverts for this but also thought it would be something I wouldn't stick with. I used to walking regularly before lockdown - I had also done a few 100km ultra challenges - but fell out of the habit. This year though, my friend and I are doing the London LOOP (London Outer Orbital Pathway): 24 walking sections making up a 150 mile / 242km ring around London. Starting in the South East and doing 1-2 walks a month, we've done just under half so far. Seeing lots of different parts of London, particularly lots of green spaces, has been really motivating.

I had not heard of any of these, seems like a walk in the park...

@damonstuart6821

Жыл бұрын

HAHAHAHAHA 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

Well done Ellen! I've been struggling to build an exercise / get outside routine since covid and this is genuinely inspiring. Fitbit is charging, gonna head out today. Thanks for sharing your story! Onward, to Mordor!

this is the best show on KZread. It really cheers me up. Thanks guys! :)

A long long time ago (probably 15 years ago), I had a friend who found some way to relatively easily calculate the route and would use it as motivation at the gym when he was using a treadmill or step climber. Cool idea for an app.

@akmal94ibrahim

Жыл бұрын

I think a treadmill with screens to show your journey walking through fantasy worlds would be extra cool. Kinda like those cycling videos.

Luke: " Quick cheese it!" Ellen: "where to?" Luke: " Towards Bree."

Ahhhhhhhh one of my favorite KZreadrs doing the same challenge!!! I finished the first three, am currently on the long version of Eye of Sauron. Good luck, Ellen!!! ❤

I love the silent princess on Luke's shirt!

I wasn't working over Xmas. Now that I have a new job, I'll be getting these for people as late presents. Thanks!

The price is quite steep but I guess it's part of the motivation. If I put that kind of money down it'll motivate me to really get out there and achieve the goals.

@thejason755

Жыл бұрын

The price is a bit breathtaking, but i mean your also getting the swag (which is costly) and planting trees (which is rewarding in its own way) so i mean the individual parts do bear out the cost. But there should be an option where you just do the journey but don’t want the extra frippery.

@akmal94ibrahim

Жыл бұрын

Do you have to pay upfront first or do you pay when you've done the achievement and want your medal?

@toymachine2328

Жыл бұрын

@@thejason755 you could get a free step tracker app on your phone and figure out the number of steps required

@caseykraft2002

Жыл бұрын

@@thejason755it does smell a bit of corporate exploitation

@d-1381

9 ай бұрын

@@caseykraft2002 you act like you hate it but yet you're in multiple comments crying about it, seems more like you are bitter that you can't buy it. Nobody is forced to buy them, get over it and let others enjoy it.

This is quite timely. I've been getting a lot of these advertisements on Facebook myself and found them tempting since I'm also trying to find ways to get steps in that are fun, but I wasn't sure how legit it was. Thanks for the review.

Interesting to find out about this! I don't really have a big investment or interest in TLoTR but big into my fitness. I work doing Warehouse Nightshift 5 days a week picking for grocery stores and probably cover the guts of 10-15 mile a night (I walk into work sometimes). This seems like an awesome and inventive way to get people up and going, definitely going to mention it to the one in work as they already have weekly and monthly leaderboards in the break room. Cheers for making this known to more people! Love you Guys, Girls and Others! 💗😸💗

You can really feel all their love for the Lord of the Rings which is delightfully wholesome.

Yes these are great! I used to be a semi-professional swimmer and after I stopped that, I was finding it difficult to get back in the pool after years of not swimming. So I took up the English Channel challenge to allow me to work towards something and it worked wonders. Smashed it in a month and got my medal and I've been swimming regularly every since

The sad thing is that if Ellen understood the role of Tom Bombadil in LOTR and the aspects of nature etc that he represents she'd LOVE him. (Plus his role in the story of giving them the means of killing the witch king and showing them the scale of the world beyond the shire and saving them etc makes sense, but Luke would still hate him regardless lol)

Love the conqueror challenges, I've done 4 of them, and they are a great idea to get out and get exercise

I am also doing them and yes they do motivate me to go out. also you can do more then walking. many do cycling, swimming and rowing. the community is very supportive as a lot of elderly use it to keep active

Oh man, I remember walking to Mordor. It was recommended to me as a way to stay engaged with walking as a cardio-workout. You log your distance, focus on perfect posture and collect 1800 miles of logged distance. Boom. Mordor.

Loved doing these challenges, can’t wait for the next unboxing 🎉❤

Love the idea of lord of the rings on bikes. Sam and frodo in tandem, gollum on a unicycle, gandalf on one of those old big wheel ones etc

I love everything about this episode. My favorite people geeking out over my favorite fantasy series just makes me so happy.

As a massive LOTR fan myself, this made me smile this morning from ear to ear. Thanks guys ❤.

Awesome Ellen! Going through them myself after doing a few of the others! Got the first four and got a spot, waiting for the fifth medal 😂

I get so many Instagram ads for these challenges and honestly assumed they were a scam 🙊 So happy to see the medals are actually high quality and Ellen found it so motivating!

I’ve done over a dozen of the challenges now and got absolutely hooked with the first round of LOTR challenges. I’ll do the ROTK trio soon. Happy walking Ellen!

The council of Elrond is another section which will take forever, been a few years but I remember it taking 3 chapters (and they weren’t short chapters either.)

I love this! Please keep us posted

I'm getting an image of Monty Python's "the Cycling Tour," set in Middle-Earth. "I'm on a cycling tour of North Mordor, taking in the Plateau of Gorgoroth and Ered Lithui! But the pump caught in my trouser leg, and my sandwiches were severely crushed."

Tom is the best character in the fellowship lol

If Ellen liked that I think she’d also like Zombies Run it’s a great running motivator. Or if you just want to walk they made another game The Walk. Both tell pretty good stories that progress as you move

@bast713

Жыл бұрын

Zombies run is really fun unless you tend to treadmill at night 😅😅😅

@ecchikitty1395

Жыл бұрын

I did the first chapter of Zombie Run, then hurt my knee, fell out of habit, and never got back in. For those not familiar, load the app, your GPS tracks how fast you're going. There are now zombies. Run faster, or get caught and lose supplies getting away.

@Laira348

Жыл бұрын

@@ecchikitty1395you can turn off zombie chases and just listen to the story at your own pace

@ButMadNNW626

Жыл бұрын

I _loved_ “The Walk”. Found it when I was living somewhere where I had to do a lot of walking, partly because I had no car and US public transit sucks. The app entertained me during my necessary walking and sometimes I kept going just to find out how that segment of story would turn out. Wish the company would do more in that area, I’ve never been interested in the zombie angle.

I’ve done the whole set of these, they’re quite fun 😊

Wait, producer Jon is Sauron? he could still see Ellen...

Not wanting to defend Tom Bombadill - who I believe was based on one of his children's toys - but he's basically immune to the Ring's influence for the same reasons he would have been no good for carrying it to Mordor, vis, he's a hippy slacker who would get high and leave it in a box under a tree somewhere.

Now all I can see is Sam & Frodo desperately trying to reach the pedals, without catching their hairy toes in the spokes😂

Giving the impression of growing and putting out all the candles of the room could probably be done with prestidigitation

Good to hear about a fun walking game. Thanks for sharing!

What a fantastic idea! Positive reinforcement in the form of rewards like that is such a good tool for encouraging healthy behaviour.

I recently listened to the audiobooks narrated by Andy Serkis and it was such a joy! But I absolutely loved hearing you both trash Tom Bombadil in this video. I've had almost word-for-word the same conversation you have about him here many many times in my life -- basically, every time I re-read FOTR. :)

Love Luke's Zelda flower shirt. Just wanted to point out the cool t-shirt. :D

I've also been getting loads of ads for these and have been considering it for a while. Might just do the first one as the whole lot is a bit pricey. Loved that some of the background music was from the Shire section of the non film affiliated 2002 Fellowship game. That takes me back!

My favorite Lord of the Rings headcanon is that Tom Bombadil is actually a self-insert of Tolkien himself.

Luke deadpanning the camera and exasperatedly sighing "Tom Bombadil" embodies the energy of anyone who has ever tried to re read the books only to fizzle out when they arrive at Tom "I might be God" Bombadil's chapter.

My sister and I are doing these! We’re trying to run to Mt Doom, just finished the fourth one - good luck Ellen!

I've been watching the ads for these and debating getting them for awhile now, thus night have just pushed me into doing it.

My wife has recently started her journey, very excited to see her medals.

I like stuff like this. One of the reason i play Pokemon Go. My gf and i hardly ever exercised. We started to play Pokémon go and we try to go on a walk at least once or twice a week. It is very nice and it gives us something to do together.

I've only seen two of the prequels, the desolation of smaug and the battle of the five armies, but I do know some of the lore behind the Lord of the Rings. The world was created by Eru the supreme deity of the setting and his angels with a song and that one of these angels called Melkor went rogue and renamed himself Morgath. One of Morgath's followers was named Mairon but he changed his name to Sauron. Morgath was eventually defeated, but Sauron saw it coming and chose to escape. Eventually making his return later. Sauron is also responsible for corrupting the nation of Numenor which prompted Eru to sink the island with Sauron still on it which didn't stop him. Sauron just used the one ring to build himself a new body.

Is everyone currently listening to Lord of the Rings audiobooks?! I'm currently on The Return of the King (the Andy Serkis versions), listening at 1.5x. Andy reading actually made the Tom sections reasonably interesting, and the poems/ songs worth not skimming over. It's been so long since I read them I'd been brainwashed by the movies. It's amazing how raw a deal Merry and Pippin get in the films!

Jon made a "Red Dwarf" reference; I am happy. I'll smoke you a kipper, Jon.

Started my journey in may. Loving it so far! Sad only the shire is the correct length, but oh well.

Climbing the Endless Stair in Moria is going to be brutal on the legs.

Iv been completing the Conqueror challenges for a while, they are great inspiration and the medals are gorgeous and very well made

Been doing the same challenges, only cycling, The Mines of Moria was quite quick cycling, as it's only 62km, also done Route 66 and the Apalachian Trial! Go Ellen!

I pictured the orcs cycling in a pack and Legolas yelling ”they’re taking the hobbits to Isengard!” 😂

I wonder if there's a Proclaimers version ? 🤔

I'm walking too and nearly finished the second challenge. Will enter the Mines of Moria soon 🚶‍♂️😊

The Conqueror Challenges have a conversion chart so you can manually add a wide range of activities towards your goal so they aren’t aimed at just walking or cycling 😊

A few good mountain bikes would have made quite a difference to the story. Imagine the Nazgûl on their horses trying to keep up with mountain bikes. Day one: Nazgûl reach Weathertop. Frodo camps in Eregion. Day two: Nazgûl reach the Last Bridge. Frodo decides Moria looks like a bad idea and heads down the Sirannon and Bruinen to the coast. Day three: Nazgûl reach the Bruinen. Frodo is already at Dol Amroth. Day Six: Balrog still sleeping, Frodo paragliding off Mt Doom.

I've been seeing ads for these for a couple years and I've been wondering for a while whether it's worth it or not. Honestly great to see someone actually do them to see if it's worth it haha

I just got my shire medal last week and just finished the fellowship stage It's a fun way to track exercise