These Boots are Made for Walkin’…
A little more than seven years ago, I purchased a pair of hiking boots to wear on a dream trip to hike the Inca Trail in Peru. I love those boots. Rather, I loved them. I loved them till they looked like a ratty old doll in the bottom of the toy chest. That pair of boots carried me, my pack and my dreams on countless adventures. They have hiked trails on 2 continents. They have been on my feet as I helped build new trails. They’ve played in the rare Arkansas snowfalls and kept my feet dry while throwing the snowballs I’m lucky to make every couple of years. They’ve crossed streams and rivers and mountain passes yet have never once given me a blister. The boots must love me too. They carried me along when I was in front of, behind, and most importantly beside my treasured partner in outdoor adventure.
Alas, as all good things must come to an end, so it was with my boots this past week. About halfway through a 27 mile hike we were walking along a rocky riverbed when something didn’t feel quite right. I looked down to find that the sole of my boot was flapping freely in the breeze. And the other boot was about to blow too. Did I immediately worry about how I was going to finish the hike with no sole? No. My first thought was “How will I ever replace these!?” Everyone knows that duct tape is essential. Not only when hiking in backcountry…duct tape should be mandatory equipment for life. My boys quickly bound both my boots at the toe and we continued on our way. Those duct tape covered boots made it through the rest of the day, over rocks and roots, up steep hills and back down again and then I asked for more. We still had another 6.5 miles to go on day three. The terrain would not be as demanding but it would be wet. And they held together. I’m tempted to keep them regardless of appearance. Perhaps like the worn out and hard loved Velveteen Rabbit, my boots will have another life after this one.
Thanks to LOWAfor 7 years of fantastic adventure. Guess I’d better start shopping.
Frenetic Fitness 
Shoot, if they were that fantastic I'd just have those babies resoled.
I would think about it but the kids left their dog at our house over the weekend and exhausting other options to contain her, we leashed her to the pole in the garage. Where she chewed through the leash. And my boots because they were nice and smelly.