Current Relationship

The other night I looked down at my shoes … I love my shoes, Asolo Trekkers … they looked a bit sad. They’ve been down rivers, across mountains, through desert sand and on many streets U.S.A. & abroad. I wear them almost everyday hence the worn tread, dusty suede, and lining formed to my foot.

Meeting someone for the first time

Online I went, since they are hard to find around Boise, or at least the style I love. Which of course, every 2 years when I need another pair, they’ve changed them up in some form or other and I have an inner hissy fit complaining about  messing with a good, nay great thing. After the hissy fit, I ordered ‘the new style’. When UPS dropped them at my door, I immediately ripped open the box, ordering online is a little like Christmas, don’t you think?  … and … what did I see? a ‘gore-tex’ lined tag. (I don’t know why I didn’t see that little addition in the description).

First Love & Best Friends

When I first discovered this particular shoe I was looking for a great hiker, that wasn’t a boot, and weren’t tennis/trainer/running shoes and didn’t have some splash of neon.  I love that the laces go clear to the toes which gives a great fit and the moderate tread is excellent on the mountain, but not so heavy that I trip walking across the floor. No break in time … ever … and though I buy a new pair every couple of years, the old ones have yet to be turned out to pasture.

I did say I wear them almost every day? It’s a good thing too. One day on the spur of the moment I decided I’d do an overnighter on the river for an evening and a morning of flyfishing.  I tossed my gear, tent, and cooler of food into the Escape and headed out.  Pulling in just in time for the evening hatch I setup my fly rod, pulled on my waders, and DANG! I left my boots 1 1/2 hours away, in the garage, next to the recycle box. There was no way I was turning around and heading home.  So what did I do? I opened the laces of my trekkers as wide as possible, slid them over my wading socks, tied them up and stepped into the river.  Excellent traction and they dried out the next day with no damage at all.  From then on we were friends for life.

Buying new shoes gives me angst … Will I love them as I’ve loved each pair I’ve owned? Will the addition of the gore-tex end my love affair? These are serious questions … well, I won’t know until I take the leap every new shoe buyer must take.  Slide them on, tie them up and hit the road, or rather I’ll spin them around the house, down the street and around the corner. The trails here are snow covered and my ski boots are still my best friends.

Cheers to new trekkers, new trails, and new adventures!