September 27, 2009 Middle Earth
From the Misty Mountains to the Mines of Moria to Mordor, I feel as if I’ve been traveling some alternative version of Middle Earth in The Lord of the Rings recently.
Ah, but you know it wouldn’t be an adventure if the Hobbits never left the Shire now would it? With no Dwarfs, Dragons, Trolls, Orcs, Spiders, Ring Wraiths or Nazgul what a boring tale it would be! What would the Lord of the Rings be without Aragorn and Arwen? Without Legolas or Gandalf? I had to venture out to see the world…
Saturday, Jason decided to venture out to the Coyote Bike Shop in Northwest Denver. We meandered right through Mordor. The Oil Refinery is technology as it’s most foul. The putrid stench is difficult to deal with. Studying all the steel pipes twisting and turning as we drove by, I was reminded of the Fright Zone in She-Ra. It was the center of evil and depressing to pass by to say the least.
We explored Central City briefly. It was a nice old 
mountain town now filled with Casinos. We stopped at a cemetery on the outskirts of town to take pictures of the golden fall foliage. I was inspired by the Aspen-filled graveyard marked The Knights of Pythia. It had a subtle gothic charm to it.
Then we drove onward to Nevadaville. An old mine was off to the left of the dirt road that led to the town. The abandoned Gold Mine could have been the Mines of Moria. We didn’t venture inside the deep though.
Nope, we stopped at the only store open amid the ruins of the once flourishing community. It was an old book store and antique shop. The old woman who ran the place gave us a brief history and sold Ana a book. Jason became obsessed over restoring Nevadaville to its former glory. He thought the crossroads contained a great deal of positive energy that could be tapped into. Why didn’t Nevadaville turn to gambling and Casinos like Central City Jason wondered?
So how do I surrender my fears and forge a new path? How do I overcome my Orcs? How do I defeat my Ring Wraiths?
Yes, the ring is a perfect example here. Back in my August
11, 2006 diary entry, I recalled feeling invisible as a teen, which led to pretending to slip on a magic ring to become invisible and then shoplift. The ring of power has indeed corrupted me. It is time to throw that ring back into the fires from whence it came. Will I falter and lose a finger to Gollum or will I have the courage to toss it in myself?
Coincidentally, the Goonies on right now. Little Mikey is played by Sean Astin, who goes on to play Samwise Gamgee in The Lord of the Rings. If only I had my own Sam to stand by me steadfast and loyal. Perhaps this journey is one I must finish alone.
