Cod Pond and Little Joe Lake

Yesterday Randy and I hooked up with Kathy and Gail to hike to Cod Pond and bushwhack to Little Joe Lake. Randy and I underestimated the amount of snow that would be there and foolishly elected to leave snow shoes at home. Kathy and Gail were smarter and brought thiers. Anyway, the mile or so to Cod Pond was difficult as there was still 8 inches of snow on the ground, even more in drifted spots. The pond is generally not all that wonderful a destination. In summer it's a giant mosquito breeding ground. This time of year it was quite pretty. Both Cod Pond and Little Joe lake were still iced over. We bushwhacked south to Little Joe lake, about .8 of a mile with conditions not much different than the hike to Cod Pond. Little Joe is apparently a fishing spot tho we didn't see any of the fishing camps supposedly located around the lake. We did spot some pitcher plants in the swampy edges. We had enough frozen ground still around for us to walk out to the water's edge. Something we would not be able to do in warmer weather. Speaking of which, we were hiking in shirt sleeves as it was in the upper 60's yesterday. Kind of strange, all that snow and no snow gear. All in all, a hefty work out for me and my hubby. We both are experiencing a little stiffness in our calves. A little bike riding today as temps will be in the mid-70s should work that stiffness out. I'm wondering if I'll encounter similar conditions in Georgia next year in mid-March?