I DID go hiking this morning and actually tracked things this time [1.02 miles in 28 minutes]. That is right at half my normal hiking speed on a "no personality" trail (I'm a fast walker naturally/normally) but I will take it for a starting point! AND...that was without my brace. I didn't forget it intentionally but as that trail is close to a half-hour drive from my apartment I wanted to at least attempt it. If the trail had more character I wouldn't have attempted it at all. I won't do that again for some time to come but it was also encouraging. Every day I seem stronger, and I will take that! I actually didn't expect to get far without my brace, but those hiking boots rock - apparently my knee likes them even more than I new! They are NOT light hikers, true backpacking boots but they are not heavy in weight and my arthritic feet like them as well.