Should I?

Keep track or not?

So far this year I've gone on a walk/hike every single day with the exception of two days with the dangerous wind chills. On some days I remember to take my cell phone and activate a free app called MapMyWalk. 

I don't always remember to activate the app while taking my daily hike/walk. 

When the temps got up to 11 degrees I thought Charlie and I should go check out the old ridge road on the neighbor's land. Part of that old ridge road is used as a snowmobile route in the winter.

I thought the footing would be nicely packed and I wouldn't have to break trail.

I activated the app and thought it would be fun to see exactly how far it is to the creek and back using the road and the old snowmobile road.

The footing was not great. Charlie decided about a mile in that he wanted to be carried and we trudged all the way to the creek. AND I mean trudged. The trudging was downhill and as I trudged I thought, this is going to be very difficult going back up.
Normally with good footing, this is an fairly nice hike, yes it is uphill but it is not difficult. It is a good cardio workout.

We did stop at the creek where I wanted to look for some beautiful frosty formations along the water. The snow was over my knees when I climbed down to look for ice and frost.

I got a few shots to prove to myself that I was there and decided to head back up the hill.

With the drought, the creek has really been diminished. It flows, but the grasses and weeds that grow along its bank have taken over.

Still, I like to just go down into the valley and listen to the water. The sounds it makes are so pleasing and relaxing.

Here is Charlie standing guard on the trail while I climbed down next to the water to try and get a shot of the frosted grasses.

Frosted grasses and multi flora rose growing into the creek:

Returning UP the HILL was

demanding. And exhausting.

I figured it would be with the slightly churned up trail. IF I'd worn snow shoes I may have had a better grip. 

I decided I wasn't in a race and took my time.

Of course, I've never mapped out this walk and checked the details carefully. From where the mile numbers are in the map ---> 1 and 2, to the creek is a descent of 300 feet in a half of a mile. One section is very steep.
In 2/10 of a mile the ascent from the creek is 100 feet.

Huh.
No wonder I was struggling! Did I mention that I was carrying Charlie too?

When I got to this point I heard a snowmobile coming so I scooped up Charlie and stepped off to the side of the trail.

What a nice surprise. The fellow that was traveling, stopped and asked if I was okay. Did I need a ride somewhere?

[OMG...did I look that bad???]

I replied that we were fine, just out hiking and I lived about a mile away. 

When he continued on I looked up and saw a Sun Halo!

Cell phone shot....

Well indeed! That alone made the whole trip worth it.

When I got home Charlie and I stretched out on the couch and snuggled. 

So in the end. I wonder if it would be fun to track my daily mileage -- when I remember to activate the app. 

My second wondering...

Snowmobiler to friends: So out in the middle of NOWHERE, was a lady with a tiny dog and a backpack walking out of the valley on the trail! Was SHE nuts or what?

So far with my 'tracking' this month, I've had 16 miles of hiking just around home. I missed those subzero days for obvious reasons.