Our first hike of the season

Couldn't wait any longer to get out, so we grabbed our packs and went out yesterday. It was about 41 degrees and still had a few inches of snow, but when cabin fever hits, you go. :) We went to our favorite place which is about a 5-mile round trip. We saw a couple deer and they didn't seem to be afraid. They just watched us take photos of them.

Boy am I out of shape! By the time we got home, I could barely move. My legs were like jelly and my arms and back killed me from carrying my pack. It's not even heavy - maybe 6 pounds.

I got to try out my new hiking stick. Picked it last month at the chainsaw carving rendezvous. It's cared with an old man's face on the top. Nice and solid. Kept me from falling on my face when the tunnel was all ice-covered. My son loved that. He was skating around and posing with all the huge ice formations. Some of them were over 7 feet tall.

Hope to get out at least once a week now til I'm able to do it without feeling like I ran the Boston marathon.