Miles to Go...

 I made it out on 1/1/21 to hike.  It wasn't long, but it was outdoors, solitary, quiet, and much needed.  I woke up around 1 pm and checked the weather.  36 and cloudy.  I didn't hear any rain on the roof, so I dressed in my Duluth lined pants, a thermal long sleeve shirt with a T shirt over it, laced up my old Danner's loaded the dog, grabbed by bag and trekking poles and off we went.  Just to a local Metro-park about fifteen minutes away.  The drive there made it apparent I had slept through the deluge.  Ditches were flowing with water, and I started questioning my choices, but had already committed. Parking in the lot, I was the only vehicle, which is not often the case here.  Maverick and I got dressed, him in a harness, me in a hip belt for hands-free hiking, and my old North Face Recon pack, and set off.  Immediately the trail became sloppy and slick.  The initial uphill was gravelly, so not too bad.  The mud wasn't deep...

 Christmas has come, and almost gone.   I am itching to get outside and experience the outdoors again.....when the "feels like" temperature isn't -7*F.   So, I'm occupying myself planning this year's adventures.  I hope it to be full of hiking, riding, exploring and adventuring.  Moderate budgets keep me from taking huge guided/planned expeditions (well, that and COVID restrictions.)   This next year (2021) I hope to hike 52 times.  I want to get the horses out and ridden as much as possible.  Tent camp when I can, and hit cabins or hotels when I am with my boyfriend, since he doesn't like tent camping.  Already trying to plan an overnight in February.  Probably for my cousin, my dog and I to go somewhere, set up camp, hike, make dinner, hang out, read and relax before sleeping and having a lazy morning, maybe a short hike, and breaking down and heading back.  Due to work schedules, we can't get too many longer trips ...