The roads up here are totally gravel covered for most of the winter, so it’s really hard to get a ride in. However, Sara and I signed up for Cycle Oregon this year, so we had to start figuring out ways to leave winter not completely out of shape. We landed on X-country skiing. And it’s awesome.

I took Cameron up yesterday, towing him behind me in his chariot while he slept, and I went for 4.2 miles. Which, considering I started this in late January, and I haven’t gone for two weeks because I’ve been sick, is pretty friggin good if I do say so myself. Here’s the route…turns out if I throw my bike GPS into the back of the Chariot it keeps track of the route pretty well.

As I get older, it seems that I start caring less what people think about me.  It’s not in the, "dude, I’m so cool, I’m wearing this T-shirt by a band you’ve never heard of," way, but more in the, "I completely realize I’m going to look like a fool, but my comfort just trumps that."

The first hump was probably the spandex cycling pants.  Sure, you may look cool in a rarefied group of people, but the vast majority of people look at you and chuckle, if you’re lucky.  Next came the recumbent bike.  Sara inherited my old one, so I’ll write more about the new fancy one later. 

Most recently came these sandals, inspired originally by an article in BoingBoing.  I inherited annoying foot issues from my Dad (which I will lovingly pass on to Cameron…circle of life baby) including a big toe that kinda wants to point up, and arches that are so high that my footprint is made up of the front of my foot, and then the heel…they aren’t connected.

That makes shoes pretty annoying, but when I came across that article, my first thought was, "those are completely ugly."  However, I’ve always loved going barefoot.  As I’ve gotten older, I can’t get calluses fast enough to overcome the pain I get walking around outside barefoot.  That, combined with the whole, "Britney barefoot in a German rest stop," thing makes it kinda skeezy.  I went to the sandal site to look around, and sure enough, they had them at two shoe stores in all of Oregon, one in Bend.

Last Friday I went down there to try them out…it was a runner’s store, and I definitely don’t look like a runner.  As I found out later, there are an increasing number of hardcore runners who are using these to run, up to and including ultramarathons.  Glad I didn’t know that going in, because I really just wanted them for walking around town.  I tried on a pair (they are notoriously hard to size…if you’re weird like me and want to try them, I’d highly recommend finding a store that carries them), and after getting a different size, walked around the store a bit.  They seemed pretty comfy, and they have sole wrapping up around your toes, so you can’t really stub them too badly (still possible, but not as bad as bare feet).  The original version didn’t have a strap going around the inseam (and those are still available) but with my arch I don’t think that would really work…as it is, it completely conforms to my foot shape, nearly giving me my two-part footprint again. 

So, I got ‘em.  They’re the red ones shown in the BoingBoing article, and they are ridiculous looking.  They look like you’re wearing gloves on your feet.  Bright red gloves. 

The site recommends not wearing them too long at a time, since most people’s feet aren’t really used for much other than stuffing into shoes.  But, I’m home so much, and I walk around barefoot all the time there, so I jumped right in.  I went for a long walk with Sara and Cameron over the weekend (probably about 7 miles all told) and…yep…my feet were really tired afterwards.  Feet and calves.  But, it’s ridiculously cool to walk around!  You feel every texture and temperature change under your feet.  We went under a bridge, and the concrete got cool…went over blacktop in the sun, and I felt the warm.  It’s all tempered by the soles, so it was never unpleasant in either direction, although I imagine that blacktop in 100 degree weather may be another thing altogether. 

I was convinced when I got back that there’d be sand in them, because when I walked over sand, I felt it so clearly.  You feel the texture difference going from asphalt to concrete to a wood bridge.  It’s fun, and makes you want to walk on all types of surfaces…

There were a few exceptions.  Big rocks.  Big rocks still just sorta hurt.  Even if the rocks are smooth, which they weren’t always, they just jumble your foot bones around too much to be comfy.  I’m hoping that changes, but even if not, it’s not too hard to avoid big rocks. 

I did try running in them a bit, and it’s a lot different than in running shoes.  You most definitely don’t land on your heels, or else it feels like your top teeth are gonna fall out.  So, you land on the outside edges, and roll up to the ball of your foot, then launch off the toes.  Fun again!

But, yeah, I look ridiculous.  I went out with Cameron in his backpack (oh how he will loathe me) and for once the kid took a backseat to my shoes.  Some guy actually wanted to know where I got them.  I assume because he liked them, although it seems equally likely that he wants to burn down the store to remove all trace of them. 

Sara laughed at me when she saw them.  Then she tried them on, and it was the single funniest clothing application I’ve ever seen.  Apparently her little toe is so used to being squished against her foot that she got panicky and claustrophobic having it separated.  To the point she needed to get them off her feet right away. 

But, after watching me walk around in them (chuckling every hour or so) she tried again, and has actually taken them running a few times.  So, there are some more muted tones at the site, I may hand off the red ones to Sara, who mostly wants them for exercise and get some I can walk around in without a big red arrow pointing to my feet.  ‘Cause damn, they’re comfy.

So, I was all ready.  Water, panniers for my business PO Box, yeah, I’m sure I didn’t forget anything.  Until, after stopping to give a guy bad directions, I jumped on the pedals again, and the rear wheel came out from under me.  Huh.  Turns out the rear wheel quick release was gone.

I had taken it off to use it on the recumbent for awhile, but never put it back on.  Bad move.  I turned around immediately and rode back super-slowly.  Bad day, bad ride.  No injuries, but I didn’t get to go very far.