Yeah Boots!

As I'm sure the majority of my readers are aware I was part of a chena dome hike last weekend. As usual when I pack light the sky "Alaskas" all over the place. The last time I got caught under prepared was the donnelly dome. I've done several trips since then and never got weatherd on very hard untill this last one. So naturaly this is the one I decited to try an expiriment.

Normaly when ever people go on a hike the MO is to wear the biggest heaviest leather lug bottomed lace up to your armpits BOOTS. Being the rebel at heart I am I decited to challage the normal way of thinking and wear the lightest pair of trail running shoes I owned. Their's next to no ankle support they're very well ventilated and light as a feather compared to the usual clod hoppers people wear.

My light footed smirk lasted about 50 yards down the trail when it occured to me we were hiking through what resembled middle earths dead marches. Wet feet, I figured, were just part of the deal. I knew this was going to happen but I had hoped it would be from rain and not some useless puddle. Tobias was following me as the trips prom date (Caleb... takes FOREVER to get his stuff packed up... like a prom date... ok nevermind) was primping his pack, and Travis's to perfection. Any way we took a wrong turn at the sign that read:

<-this way to swampy stupid death.... this way to a hill and dry trails ->
There was a trail and we followed it faithfully even though it tried to throw us a few times. Eventualy it got so bad we stoped to wait up for the party when we heard them yelling from up on the hill.  Wow... that was fun. We could tell where every one was even though we couldn't see them but we had about a half hour of bush whacking to make it to the trail. When we came out ahead of them Tobi started cracking "short cut" jokes. Tough as nails that one, the detour hadn't thrown his spirits at all.

After another hour of hiking through tall grass (allergies just barely held off by the sympathetic nervous system stimulation) we suddenly popped out into the... how to even describe it.  Deep, wild, beautiful, sweet, slow and steady, a calm place thats open and cozy at the same time romantic and epic.  Say this word out loud to your self

, savour it quietly.  "Alpine."  God is in the mountains.  I wish I could take you with me in my pocket when I climb the snowy peaks in Juneau.  All it takes is one slope, slowly kicking steps up a blank white mountain in view of the glacier and city below and you're hooked.  Hopelessly in love.  Even though there was no snow there was wind, lots of wind, and rain.  Clouds and rocks, rocky craigy rocks.  crunch crunch under your boots.  (if this is all sounding melodramatic im surrounded by muses and Tobi is... doing his thing on the piano.  its like your brain can float on his music and just carry you around)  

Anyway this hike was mostly in the alpine.  As i stated above my expiriment was to find out if a person could hike comfortably in shoes.  Noah also wore shoes.  After thinking the trip over and talking to Noah about his experience I thin

k that I've come to a conclustion.  Noah said that his feet gave him no problem and mine didn't either.  Even though they were wet from the word go.  I have good enough circulation that what ever water I did soak up, which not wearing any cotton wasn't much, I was able to warm it up and then it acted like insulation.  This is the same principal a wet suit uses, it soaks up water and then you warm it up and then stay warm.  Now when I scuba dive in J-town we wear try suits because the water is 32-35 degrees.  Really wet shoes vs. dry boots is the same debate, and the application of both of them is dependant on the same thing, temprature.  Even though it was windy and rainy it never really got cold, maybe 55 degrees at the coldest but if you stay moving thats no problem.  Of course if you can stay dry thats ideal, but on a hike betting you'll stay dry is a good way to end up disapointed.  Anywa

y, the big problem I encountered was that when your feet are wet your skin gets soft.  You know how your hands look after you do dishes or swim all day or take a long bath?  thats how my feet looked all white and swollen a soft.  As described above rocky hilly nose griders are not very gentile on wet feet.  I stoped at one point to tape up a few hot spots I had developed, (I think that this should be a standard thing on hikes, if you've got a hot spot don't tough it out, make people stop and tape your feet up they will thank you later) and after we got back to the truck I pulled the tape off and tore a chunk of my hide off with it, ouch.  I also had a place on my big tow where the skin had folded over on itself like a wrinkle in a poorly ironed shirt.  Yeah owwie.

So... here's my advice for shoe choice on a hike.  First know if its going to get into freezing tempratures and if it is then nothing short of thick dry boots will do.  If it is going to be warm then you should go with a light boot or water proof shoe if you have one, especialy if you're going to do more than one over night.  If you are going on a day hike even if its going to rain then I think a light shoe is a good choice just because you'll be more comfortable and have more endurence with less weight on your feet.

I actualy just found boots that I wish I had bought before the hike but I'm glad I have them now.  I got them on the sale rack at Sportsmans for halfoff [Link here]

Ok I just finished Artimus Fowl.  This review isn't going to do the book justice, I'll tell you that right up front but if you're still reading you must be so bored that you don't care what I say.

It was clever, the word play and caracters were better than Halfmoon, the sci fi was origional and fairies have been redeemed from little girl drawings to worthy of existing.

I might come back and say more about this book later but for now I just need to post as its onetwo:threefour oclock.