Michigan Winter

[Longboard]

Home Depot and Lowes are selling boot trays and stocking them up front near the checkout this time of year since they feel EVERYBODY needs a new one right about now. As a barefooter I figured I would never have any use for one so I felt kind of left out. Then I noticed how lonely the garden center looked with all those bags 'o gravel with frost on them, and suddenly it clicked! I did'nt need one, I needed THREE!

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Sweet!  Perfect for keeping

Sweet! Perfect for keeping the soles conditioned during winter months...and preparing for a 100 mile barefoot run like Todd Ragsdale did. (Seach the site for his article, if anyone is interested.)

 

[Ddubb925]

awesome idea, i love walking

awesome idea, i love walking on gravel and rocks. sitting around and using shoes to go out really makes my feet feel like their losing their toughness. sounds a lot cheaper than my solution to the cold this winter (I'm headed to hawaii until the spring comes).

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Seriously?  Hawaii?  Just to

Seriously? Hawaii? Just to get away from winter? Must be nice. Jealous here.

 

[Longboard]

If I do decide to market the

If I do decide to market the kit I'll be sure to include lava rocks and call the entire setup "Hawaii in a Box"

 

[Ddubb925]

I signed up with WWOOF (world

I signed up with WWOOF (world wide opportunity for organic farmers) Hawaii to basically go volunteer on some organic permaculture farms in exchange for housing and food. i just had to buy the plane ticket and the 25 dollar registration fee to get the listings of farms looking for volunteers. I leave next week. I do love the snow, and my original plan for this winter was to teach snowboarding in Vermont, but the snow drought made me change plans. It was either learn how to farm in Hawaii where I can totally ditch the shoes, learn to surf and eat and grow fresh fruits and veggies, or sit around (as I've been doing for the past few weeks) and flip burgers at McDonalds or something.

 

[Longboard]

For $25 I could have gotten

For $25 I could have gotten you into three gravel trays AND and Indo Board for surf training without any airfare.

I think you made the wiser choice though.

 

[Ddubb925]

that's true, but I think I'll

that's true, but I think I'll still have more fun in Hawaii

 

[buzzie]

Sooo... ya have any leftover

Sooo... ya have any leftover gravel???

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Lovely program.  Brilliant

Lovely program. Brilliant really, when you think about it. Perfect for someone who doesn't have to stay in one place for any length of time, a wanderer that is.

 

[Longboard]

Half a bag of each. You gonna

Half a bag of each. You gonna use a litter box or boot trays?

I can drop them off next week or you can demo the setup here first if you like.

One tip for anyone considering this.......RINSE the stuff first!

There is a lot of dusty dirt mixed in w/ the aggregate, I use a towel to wipe my feet on before stepping back onto the carpet.

The dirt's rapidly settling to the bottom, but I still recommend a quick pre-placement rinse.

The thing next to the trays is a board with 36 grit sandpaper taped to it. It's a good quick abrasive alternate but not really that much of a challenge. I've located a source for 22 grit anti slip tape (WAY coarser than the common 3M stuff) but I'm not sure if the particles are pointy enough.

A few weeks ago in Cocoa Beach we crossed A1A on the most incredible pavers I've ever set bare foot on.....sharp as anything!

I think they were treated with a slurry coat after the normal manufacturing process, but I'm working on finding something similar.

I would LOVE to have a few tiles like that indoors for February.

Ran BF outside Sunday at 23 degrees F, but the sun had been out all day warming up the asphalt a bit.

Yeah so Liz........Let me know!

 

[Barefoot TJ]

So, do you and Liz fly

So, do you and Liz fly together, Board?

 

[Longboard]

We only met in November. But

We only met in November. But check out this post.....it's just a few days old , you'll get a kick out of it.

And remember to schedule the last week in July for the Runway 5K!

(he doesn't know I lurk the site)

http://forums.jetcareers.com/threads/your-flying-history-in-pictures.132838/#post-1832803

 

[Barefoot TJ]

He's been asking me if we're

He's been asking me if we're going to fly-in to Oshkosh this year, but you know.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Love the photos.  I didn't

Love the photos. I didn't see your family's history there though.

 

[Longboard]

That was it. That's my boy!

That was it. That's my boy! (and his brother as well in the ultralight on floats)

 

[buzzie]

Love the story and photos!!

Love the story and photos!! What a LUCKY kid!!

And 284AC... good times! (And you know, I'm pretty sure it was that same summer that he was clogging up the schedule at Flight101 - Adler always had a plane booked!)

Back to barefootin...

I have no containers yet. Looking at your photos, it seems like the trays are pretty shallow. Does the gravel stay put?

 

[Ddubb925]

"Lovely program.  Brilliant

"Lovely program. Brilliant really, when you think about it. Perfect for someone who doesn't have to stay in one place for any length of time, a wanderer that is."

agreed. a barefoot wanderer, like me.

 

[Longboard]

As shallow as they come, but

As shallow as they come, but deep enough that every chunk stays in bounds.

Don't know why they were calling it marching in gravel "buckets", trays is all it takes.

Oh, and it was probably because TWO Adlers were hoarding those trainers while you were trying to schedule.

Ask Willie to translate, I guess we were all born to run, but some were destined to fly as well.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

I just showed my hubby your

I just showed my hubby your pictures, Board. Of course, he sat there identifying all the different aircraft. Sick.