For the last 33 days, I’ve been on an epic quest to deliver a magic ring to Fire Mountain, where I must destroy it before it falls into the hands of an evil wizard with a rather large eyeball. I’ve walked 97.4 miles and I’m currently spending time with “Old Tom”.

I’m talking about an app I recently discovered called Fantasy Hike. It tracks your steps and reports your progress through a very Lord of the Rings-like journey, without actually using any Lord of the Rings intellectual property.

If you’ve read the books, you’ll find plenty of Easter eggs sprinkled throughout, a nod to Sam and Frodo’s adventure. The nerd part of me loves this application. It’s a 1,700-mile journey, and it may be a while before I reach Mountain Doom…ahem…Mount Fire. But I intend to enjoy every step along the way.

The developers describe it as “a fun way to get moving: set off on an epic journey, take real-world steps to progress, and unlock achievements along the path.” And honestly, it feels exactly like that.

If you’re even remotely Lord of the Rings-adjacent, I recommend giving Fantasy Hike a try. It’s the perfect excuse to walk a little farther.