Ohhhhhhhhhhh you are gonna love those Merrills. Happy Feet indeed.

While we're showing off shoes - here's mine:



But, I got another pair for normal walking:

SAS for the feeet

what kind of shocks did you get w/ those? I gotta get some good one's- maybe a thin pair for wicking moisture away, and then a thick pair- all non- cotton, if at all possible.


It all depends onthe fit of your boots whether you really need two pairs of socks. Stiff boots usually treat the feet better when there's two layers of socks( must be sized to handle this) - a thin "wicking "sock" and then a cushiony outer sock. This spreads out any developng friction on the foot- blisters sucks.

Newer boots tend to be better built for fit and comfort than waffle stompers of old-not necessarily needing 2 pairs of socks.

I used to do the two sock thing. Finally listened to the fine folks at REI last year and wore just the one pair of the moderate thickness for warm weather hiking.

First time I had no foot issues.

Nice choes DL! Did you buy those in Shandler?

I buyed them in Mesa. I also got 4 pair of light hiker socks - off brand. Andy & J got the Thorlo light hiker socks. I got me a camelback and Andy & J got themselves packs. J picked up a hammock. We have a list and will gradually pick up all the items, but yesterday was mainly get the footwear situation covered for us. We were kidding ourselves when we said we could buy what we needed for $500 - MAYBE each, but, maybe...

GOes unsaid, but WAlly World has some good bargains- saw a propane backpack stove marked down to $9.

Sears had propane lanterns marked down to $7.


Is it a bad thing if my 1 pound propane cylinders
( that I refillled) expand so much afterward that the paint flakes off?

Parking lot on the bottom and you can see the trail go into the switchbacks. goes up/down pretty quick.

Yo Bille just checking in on ya, getting ready?

I'm eating a pineapple upside down cake( lemon cake mix) as I write this.I think I've made 4 or 5 practice BUNDTs w/ my
suzy homemaker oven. Getting better at it.


Also breaking ina a new pair of WIGWAM hiking socks.

I wear my hiking boots everyday -courtesy of WORKLOAD boots( and Wally World) and the 20$ I had to let go to walk out of the store with them.

I've made a half dozen hiking staffs.
I couple are of the "ELECTRODE" model design-(thinwall aluminum) sold by home depot- of all things in the paint department. It's mislabeled, tho, as a
3-6 foot extension pole.

W/ a better grip, a lanyard, and other modifications they will do just fine.

The home grow paulownia staffs weigh the same as the HOme DEpot one's- about a pound.



Gut still aches from squating on the soloflex, back is aching from just completing a toss of a couple yards of soil mixture for a few hundred veggie plants..

And the backpack is in the shop for a little warranty work. It's about 35 years old

Nora's daily work has her walking around most of the time. SHe's a little trooper.

I will say there is nothing like the view at the waterfall on the way out when you're back packing it all yourself except for the rush you get when you actually get to the parking lot. Marshall got applause from strangers when he RAN up the last switchback with his 30 pound pack. BTW, we actually saw Condors that day at the parking lot, number 27 and number 4. They were scavenging so low you could read the numbers on their tagged wings.


-
Buca!