Company Mill Trail & Inspiration Trail

Hike distance: 7.13
Total distance hiked: 179.41 miles
Miles remaining: 0!!!

I finished! Just in the nick of time! It was a nice hike, even though it felt quite chilly. The trail looked different than normal... chilly, gloomy, and no leaves. I saw a downed tree from afar that I tried to get around during a recent hike and realized it was actually a huge tree that had split in the middle, and each piece had fallen in opposite directions. I also saw a couple of people riding horses on the multi-use trail - I don't think I've ever seen horses out there! They were pretty. Toward the end of the hike, I was walking down a stretch of trail with nobody around. It was perfectly quiet except for the sound of I-40 in the distance. I heard a strange sound in the woods - like a weird loud quack or caw. I never saw what it was, but after I reached the creek, I came across a great blue heron fishing in the water ... so maybe that's what it was. It was cool to watch him stretch his neck out and poke around in the water.

Christmas Day walk/jog

Hike distance: ~5 miles
Total distance hiked: 172.28 miles
Miles remaining: 6.72

On Christmas Day, I was feeling pretty worn down, lethargic, and anxious.  I needed to get out to exercise!  So I went on a walk/jog through the neighborhood around my parents' house. Kids were out playing with their toys, families were taking walks, and a couple of neighbors had some lovely chickens hanging out in their yards.  I went a little less than 3 miles.  I felt a million times better afterwards.  Then, I went on a little bit of a walk with my parents to tack on a couple more miles.  I then rounded up to 5 miles because the night before, my cat decided to jump out of my car window on Wade Avenue in Raleigh and run off into the woods (long story, ugh!!!)... and I spent half an hour tromping through the woods with my cell phone light, calling his name, and crying.  That totally counts as a hike, right???  :)  Luckily, my parents came to the rescue and helped me find and grab him.  WHEW.  Talk about a Christmas miracle!

Suburban "hike"

Hike distance: ~4 miles
Total distance hiked: 167.28 miles
Miles remaining: 11.72

This feels like cheating because it wasn't actually a hike, but I did take the opportunity to walk to the Lowe's down the street and back instead of driving in order to get some exercise and fresh air on a nice warm winter day.  I would've driven if it weren't for this challenge, so in a way, it totally counts!  Gaining some miles and getting Christmas presents and parts to fix a toilet - win win!  :)

North Cary Park & the Greenway

Hike distance: ~5 miles
Total distance hiked: 163.28 miles
Miles remaining: 15.72

I went on a chilly walk/jog through my neighborhood, through North Cary Park, and on the greenway behind it along a creek.  My asthma was being a bit of a killjoy, but it was good to get outside for some exercise. I've gotten sloppy about tracking my miles, so I am having to estimate.