Today we left our campsite at Dosewallips--two nights is never enough!
On the way out, we saw a trail head we'd been meaning to check out and never before have. We pulled over and jumped out with the hounds. It was a sweet and crooked little trail that led through a nearly primordial forest, high above the Dosewallips River.
I was inspired to try more totally barefoot hiking, and so did. My feet were filthy when we got home, but they loved padding over pine needles, dirt and branches---it was almost like acupressure.
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| Why are my kids so tall? |
We have FUN when we camp. Yesterday, we plowed though a big bag of Rainier cherries, then practiced spitting the seeds into the hole of a fallen old log.
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| It's vital to teach your children these life skills. |
Yesterday, my daily walk was completely barefoot for the first time ever, across asphalt, mud, dirt, rocks, sand and river stones. Dangling my feet for too long into the frigid Dosewallips while I sat on a fallen tree, I marveled at the little things that perhaps many folks never get to do. Like dangle their feet into a cold river while they listen to birds and soak in the sun on their shoulders. I like getting to do these things, and I'm grateful for not only those little things, but that I am able to enjoy them oh so much. Even if it gave me feet as red as any big-city pigeon:
See ya tomorrow!
Dani
Dani - didn't it hurt? - Tracy
ReplyDeleteIt did not, actually! I've been walking with only Vibram Five Fingers, or Bare Foot shoes, for the last 54 days. My feet have gained muscles I didn't know they had and felt better than they have my whole life. When you ditch conventional shoes, your feet learn to work as intended, and things like bunions, fallen arches and plantar fasciitis cease to exist. When the feet are stronger, they take pebbles and rocks and sharp objects much better, almost curving around the offending item and protecting your body. It's way cool. I'm completely hooked. And this is coming from someone who had the wimpiest feet on the planet.
DeleteI have a vivid (and good) memory of hiking while out camping, and at the crest of our hike stripping off hot sweaty boots and dangling my feet in the icy cold stream we had been following up river. Going back even further I was lucky enough to spend the 3 summer months each of my first 19 years at Lake Arrowhead here in CA and it was all spent mostly barefoot. Come to think of it, I've always opted for bare feet when I could. Nice to know that at some points in my life my instincts were spot on!
ReplyDeleteVail, sorry, I realise this is 3.5 years later, but Lake Arrowhead - was that at Arrowhead Provincial Park in Ontario? Because I'm thinking of reserving a campsite there this summer but didn't know anyone that had ever been there.
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