New boots!

What a beautiful day!


By nine it was already in the fifties and clearly going to get warmer still. Not much wind. And last night I learned that a package I’d been waiting for with some anticipation was waiting. So…


I went to town without D&L for the first time this season.

See my pretty new summer boots?


This bothered my inner skinflint because I could probably have gone another season on my old ones. They were getting pretty worn, but seven or eight years ago replacing these in this state would have been unthinkable.


If you spend a lot of time outdoors in the boonies you already know that you need to stay well-shod no matter what else you scrimp on. I got lucky with these, bought them in the big city that month I spent there in summer 2019. And they’ve been great, but…


The soles have gone really smooth. Slick, even. October 2016 I took a fall when my slick-soled boot went out from under me on a slope, and that shoulder has never been the same since. So much as I love those boots, I no longer trust them.

Still, good new boots always make me feel very self-indulgent.

About Joel

You shouldn't ask these questions of a paranoid recluse, you know.
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7 Responses to New boots!

  1. Tennessee Budd says:

    Nice boots, Joel! Being a skinflint (no offense, I’m a stingy bastard myself), I’m guessing you’ll keep ’em around for rough work than doesn’t require traversing rough ground.
    Joel, do you pedal that bike at all? I don’t even know if it’s possible for you.
    I kept my leg, but the knee is pretty much non-functional, so I could sit & pedal down, then rise as the right pedal came up, then drop my weight on it. Not optimal. Of course, I also don’t have to worry about a stump chafing.
    I’m going to go back & reread your posts about the bike; I’m interested in them. Just wanted to ask about that, so I’ll have a better idea when you mentioned range in the earlier posts on it.
    I saw one in an ad & thought it looked rugged, & might be good to look into. MSRP was $3300; I can buy a(nother) motorcycle for that amount. I’ll be getting used, methinks.
    Enjoy breaking the boot in. That’s the thing I hate about new boots, no matter how nice.

  2. Joel says:

    TB, yeah, I mostly pedal. Between the power assist and gearing it’s no big deal though my right leg does most of the work.

    Mine’s a Rad Rover from radpowerbikes.com. Currently advertised at $2000, which is 500 more than Big Brother paid for mine in 2019. I like mine; I use it mostly on dirt in hilly country. If you’re in a town there are probably better choices but I’ve been happy with the company’s service.

  3. anonymous says:

    Congratulations on the new boots. You are correct – bad shoes make Life a lot harder than it has to be. I hope your shoulder makes a better recovery soon.

  4. DaveS says:

    You can get by with a lot of sub-standard gear – but bad boots can stop you in your tracks.

  5. Tennessee Budd says:

    I’m not as far from town as you are, but I refuse to live in city limits; at 8 miles away, I’m still too close for my comfort.
    Thanks for the info! The one I saw was a Super73. Looks pretty capable, but beyond my budget.

  6. RCPete says:

    I’ll be the bad example for lousy shoes on slick surfaces. Left foot let go, while the right foot stayed planted. Needed surgery to reattach the quadriceps to the right knee, and it’s going to remind me of my foolishness the rest of my life. Only so much that physical therapy can do…

  7. Joel says:

    Yup, spent eight weeks on crutches from slipping on ice. Meat foot went out from under me, stump twisted in the socket and snapped my knee.

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