I volunteered last week at a boys camp with over 3,000 people in attendance. It is much like a Boy Scout Jamboree, but is for Royal Rangers and called a Camporama. It has people from around the globe, but mostly the United States of America.
Upon arriving I entered the main building to register and was told that the building was also the dining hall and I had to wear shoes. I told her it was not a health code requirement. She said you need to wear shoes to eat at McDonalds and I told her I just ate at McDonald's without shoes. She was surprised, but stuck to her request that I wear shoes. So I told her I would in the dining hall. Doesn't look good so far.
The roads also didn't look promising to walk on. They were dirt with pieces of flint, which for those who don't know are rocks with sharp edges. I was able to walk down or across the road if I was careful, but when I needed to move along I would need to put my Zero sandals on.
I was assigned to the swimming pools, so I had a reason to be barefoot most of the time. The pools were on top of a very small gravel that was more square then round. I managed to work the whole week at the pools without having to use my sandals. By the end of the week I could feel and see a layer or two of skin that had worn off. Of course having wet feet often from vacuuming inside the pools probably helped soften the feet up a bit and contributed to some of the damage.
On the first full day I was walking up to the Safety Official while barefoot, we had met and had become friends at a previous event years ago. If anyone could tell me I had to wear shoes it was him. As I got closer another person told me that I had to wear shoes due to the sharp rocks. Not finding a name badge that identified him as a person of authority I told him I was being careful and I was not planning on wearing shoes. The Safety Office heard the whole conversation and I explained he didn't appear to be an official so felt no need to obey him. They look amused, but said nothing. So I felt I had the blessing to cut myself if I wanted to.
I did get several other comments when I did walk about without my shoes, most of the people would comment on how tough my feet must be, only a couple warned me that I would get cut and should be wearing shoes. I never was officially told I needed to wear shoes, so I felt very fortunate. At the end of the camp my immediate supervisor camp up to me in the dining hall and inquired about the Zero sandals I was wearing. I was a bit surprised he recognized the brand and he told me his son had gotten him a gift certificate for a pair. He also told me he always went barefoot at home, so I figured that might be another reason I was not hassled at this event.
The only thing about walking barefoot that surprised me at the event was how hot the dirt was. I felt it was hotter then the asphalt in the city. One afternoon when I took a walk to see some of the camp I was walking down the dirt road and had to get off and walk on the grass when possible. Not only was the dirt very hot, but even the dust, when it rose up between my toes felt very hot.
Even though I was not able to be 100% barefoot on this trip I was very happy with the outcome. I wore my shoes only a few times to appease someone else and the rest of the time I wore shoes when I felt it was to my benefit. I do wish my feet could have handled the gravel roads better, but the might never be able to easily walk that type of terrain without minimal protection.
My feet were sore every morning, especially for the first few dozen steps. I think part of the cause was I was not walking on a smooth surface, like a sidewalk, but rather an uneven and surface. Also the material at the pools was not always solid, but at times was soft and would conform to my foot, so it gave my foot more of a workout than just a plain flat surface. Three days after I finished my feet still feel a bit bruised when prodded, but nothing that impacts me when I walk barefoot. Overall I am pleased with how tough my feet are becoming and are doing so faster then I thought possible. I guess you never really know unless you push yourself.
Upon arriving I entered the main building to register and was told that the building was also the dining hall and I had to wear shoes. I told her it was not a health code requirement. She said you need to wear shoes to eat at McDonalds and I told her I just ate at McDonald's without shoes. She was surprised, but stuck to her request that I wear shoes. So I told her I would in the dining hall. Doesn't look good so far.
The roads also didn't look promising to walk on. They were dirt with pieces of flint, which for those who don't know are rocks with sharp edges. I was able to walk down or across the road if I was careful, but when I needed to move along I would need to put my Zero sandals on.
I was assigned to the swimming pools, so I had a reason to be barefoot most of the time. The pools were on top of a very small gravel that was more square then round. I managed to work the whole week at the pools without having to use my sandals. By the end of the week I could feel and see a layer or two of skin that had worn off. Of course having wet feet often from vacuuming inside the pools probably helped soften the feet up a bit and contributed to some of the damage.
On the first full day I was walking up to the Safety Official while barefoot, we had met and had become friends at a previous event years ago. If anyone could tell me I had to wear shoes it was him. As I got closer another person told me that I had to wear shoes due to the sharp rocks. Not finding a name badge that identified him as a person of authority I told him I was being careful and I was not planning on wearing shoes. The Safety Office heard the whole conversation and I explained he didn't appear to be an official so felt no need to obey him. They look amused, but said nothing. So I felt I had the blessing to cut myself if I wanted to.
I did get several other comments when I did walk about without my shoes, most of the people would comment on how tough my feet must be, only a couple warned me that I would get cut and should be wearing shoes. I never was officially told I needed to wear shoes, so I felt very fortunate. At the end of the camp my immediate supervisor camp up to me in the dining hall and inquired about the Zero sandals I was wearing. I was a bit surprised he recognized the brand and he told me his son had gotten him a gift certificate for a pair. He also told me he always went barefoot at home, so I figured that might be another reason I was not hassled at this event.
The only thing about walking barefoot that surprised me at the event was how hot the dirt was. I felt it was hotter then the asphalt in the city. One afternoon when I took a walk to see some of the camp I was walking down the dirt road and had to get off and walk on the grass when possible. Not only was the dirt very hot, but even the dust, when it rose up between my toes felt very hot.
Even though I was not able to be 100% barefoot on this trip I was very happy with the outcome. I wore my shoes only a few times to appease someone else and the rest of the time I wore shoes when I felt it was to my benefit. I do wish my feet could have handled the gravel roads better, but the might never be able to easily walk that type of terrain without minimal protection.
My feet were sore every morning, especially for the first few dozen steps. I think part of the cause was I was not walking on a smooth surface, like a sidewalk, but rather an uneven and surface. Also the material at the pools was not always solid, but at times was soft and would conform to my foot, so it gave my foot more of a workout than just a plain flat surface. Three days after I finished my feet still feel a bit bruised when prodded, but nothing that impacts me when I walk barefoot. Overall I am pleased with how tough my feet are becoming and are doing so faster then I thought possible. I guess you never really know unless you push yourself.
