So lots of things have kept me far from the blog for a number of days. Sometimes it seems I'm living crisis-to-crisis, but it's not that bad. Just life stuff.
Me about to get out of bed this morning:
"Firetruck this, I ain't training today. My neck hurts, my back hurts, my hip hurts, my legs hurt. I'm sore and stiff. I've done enough this week. I can take a day off."
Me after I got moving a bit:
"Well, I'll do my weight room stuff. Then we'll see."
As you may recall, I have a certain fascination with and appreciation -- perhaps even love -- for jumping spiders. I watched this one stalk and catch a housefly in my garage yesterday.
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| "Get yer own, Bub!" |
Which has little if anything to do with Ambulate ad vive, or Walk to Live. I got the idea for the title of this post from the old foot soldier's axiom; "take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you."
The reason I was thinking about feet -- my feet in particular -- and about taking care of feet, is because it's time for new shoes. Unless I get hit by a bus I'll have logged well over 200 miles for the month of May, and my shoes are wearing out.
I've been wearing sneakers when walking in and around town, and those are kinda-sorta okay, but I really need serious hiking shoes if I'm going to be able to keep piling up the miles. Sneakers don't have the kind of support I need, and old fat guys need well designed shoes to keep the foots fit as well as the leg joints and spine.
When hiking the prairie I've been wearing Danner hiking boots and shoes. Danner makes great boots, even if they're chinesium in the present century. But they are heavy (3.5 and 2.7 lbs./pair, respectively), and they are old school when it comes to design, so I figured there was likely something better out there.
And oh boy is there! Just get on your computer or phone and gargle up "lightweight all terrain hiking shoes" and try to figure out which ones to buy!
Fortunately, I got a 30-percent-off e-coupon in the email and out of the blue from Arc'teryx the other day. Reviews and description had put several of their shoes on my rather long short list, so I decided to jump on a pair. The ones I settled on were the Norvan VT shoes. They arrived today.
These shoes weigh only 1.6 lbs. for the pair, which is great. They also fit well, have excellent orthotic support, and have an advanced all terrain sole which is good on the asphalt or gravel as well as the shortgrass prairie. So far today I've done 8.25 miles (that's 13.277 kilometers outside the U.S.) in them and it's almost like having new feet. We'll have to see how they hold up, but so far they seem to be a winner. A steal at only $170!
The shoes did well and felt good on the road as well as on the prairie. And you never know what you'll find when clambering around in prairie canyons, especially when you're wearing great shoes.
Bideo, too...
Buenos adidas!
Good shoes are important and those look like just that!
ReplyDeleteIndeed they are important, and I think these will be good shoes. Thanks for stopping by Brig!
DeleteI have always liked Bates Patroller boots. They treat your feets right, too.
ReplyDeleteSomeone turned me on to Danners back when they were made in Oregon. Back in the stone age of the previous century. I wore them as unauthorized flight boots even then, and I used to run in them. They fit great, were well designed and long lasting, and I was a fan for life. This new(ish) shoe technology though, it's quite good. Thanks for stopping by Scott.
DeleteI should try a pair, you are not the only person who has told me how much they like them.
DeleteOn rough ground with a load, boots are better than shoes.
DeleteI'm going to have to start checking by here just before I go to bed. I checked morning and afternoon yesterday and no new post. So I check today and find that you posted after my afternoon check.
ReplyDeleteOh well, the important thing is, you posted. Happy I am that it is only life getting in the way of your posting. As I have written before, I know that I should start doing what you are doing ( walking ), but I'm still too lazy.
Thanks for the post.
Paul L. Quandt
Thanks for stopping by, Paul. As Jocko sez, https://youtu.be/tOYgiWEoJgs
DeleteDanner still makes boots here in the USA.
ReplyDeleteThe easy ways to tell are the little flag and the big price tag.
You have to sing up for their email and about once a quarter, Danner has a sale where the price on the closeouts is reasonable.
But they go fast.
Most if not all of the the USA made Danners are rebuildable.
Had my Mountain Light 2's rebuilt and the only part that was not replaced was the upper outside leather.
The only thing light about those boots is the name though.
You can sign up here, https://www.danner.com/?gclid=CjwKCAjwrqnYBRB-EiwAthnBFl3On5z10MBlZ8bNIgikhuRDVAYW-XU0j4vznH0xvffDXaxZkqfP5BoCOsIQAvD_BwE
$170, too steep for me, though Arc Teryx makes great gear and you have to take care of your feet. My best rain jacket is an AT. I'll stick with my Merrell Moabs for now.
ReplyDeleteStay safe in your wild weather, my friend.
ReplyDeletePaul L. Quandt
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ReplyDelete