10.9.08

For lack of wanting to talk about anything in the larger, school-related part of my life...

...not that there is any tragedy or anything, just nothing great right now; a mix of blah and Gahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!! pretty much, the "Gahhh..." portion being me, going crazy partly due to amazing amounts of work to do and partly due to blowing off same until the last minute (alas, no sign of last spring's highly impressive but apparently quite transitory work ethic)... Anyway I thought I'd introduce you to my new hiking boots, which had their maiden voyage Saturday seeing three different sets of waterfalls in Oconee Co.: Chauga Narrows, Riley Moore Falls, and Brasstown Falls (bringing my waterfall hike total up to 5 - woo hoo!) Two of these hikes are great choices if anyone's visiting and wants to go get in some nature but doesn't have hiking gear with them, since they're short and mostly flat footing with a big payoff beauty-wise. All three are reasonably close to my house - little over an hour away.

Basically, watch out Jessica and Harland! I'm finally catching up to you on hiking! :)

Anyway here are my beauties:



Found them at Bear Mountain Outfitters in Highlands, NC, when Andy and I were on our way back from kayaking weekend before this. Two of my hiking friends had suggested Bear Mtn. b/c they help you fit your boots really well, etc. I have Andy to thank for seeing this particular pair. The BM guy had me trying on another pair of Lowa boots and Andy happened to see a box next to us that was Lowa boots, too, with a big 30% off sticker - miraculously in my size.

They were great on the hike/s Saturday. Very stable and untippy for my ankle, plus nice stiff upper so I can make them super-supporty on occasion if nec. In addition, I guess I hadn't realized how scary my old boots were sole-wise. One of the falls in particular called for a fair amount of scrambling and I noticed pretty quickly that I wasn't having to be as paranoid about how to put my foot down - the new boots gripped on loose soil and inclines that would never have held with my old boots.

Best part: lots of toe space! My toes didn't fall asleep all day! (Some of you know that I partially inherited Mom's crazy toe problems - I don't have the regular pain she did but my toes fall asleep all the time in most constricty shoes, esp. athletic shoes or hiking boots.)

Anyway you'll have to trust me that this is way more interesting than talking about school/work just now, which I guess I'll get back to now.

4 commentaires:

Jessica a dit…

Well you're certainly going to surpass Jessica and Harland since I have information that their weekends before Harland leaves are pretty much booked solid and incorporate no hiking. I think we only have 2 or 3 weekends without plans and one of them will be spent visiting H's sister.

Does marching qualify as hiking? Because then Harland might beat you mileage wise. :) It'll be in boots...

Anyway, if you have a moment check out our Pittsburgh pictures!

Jessica a dit…

btw, how was the kayak trip? Was it super fun? Have any pictures of the waterfalls to share? Curious minds want to know!!

Anonyme a dit…

I want to see pictures of those boots muddy.
-nn

Applecart T. a dit…

yes, the boots look decidedly pre-hike. my boot and a pair of my traily runner shoes (not that i do that; i use them to urban sidewalk it to work 10 blocks) are all full of sand. your hike sounds tons better than mine. mine was missouri upper marshland, with too many insects. i do think i have a staph infection. trying topical, will likely go for antibiotics next week if worsens. there is always water where we hike, but my worst-favorite is the horse poop from the joint use trails. it's just no fun knowing the area is probably infected with something.