Sabbatical - boots made for walking (traveling in the Azores)

After the Pico hike, and a few other small ones, I felt less motivated to do another hike at San Miguel, the last island I visited. There was no big urge, besides, my hiking boots got totally worn out after Pico. A good thing they took me up and back with no problem!! 

After summiting the the “Piquinho” (a small 70m volcanic cone), we took a break and I noticed that the sole was breaking up a bit. By the time we got down, the bottom layer of the sole was completely loose, but luckily, still hanging on from the front and the heel (see the one on my right hand). I was still able to wear them to the airport, but eventually, in one of the shoes, the sole broke off and was dragging badly.

On Terceira we did one more hike and I applied this ingenious hack to fix my shoe using shoe laces. Well, it didn't last very long, but long enough to enjoy a wet hike in awesomely strange green boggy marsh lands just outside Gruta do Natal. 

When a gobbler told me that he cannot fix them (because he does not have the right materials), my heart broke a bit. So the picture below is from the officially last hike with these well loved hiking shoes.  

I was sure I could try to clue them myself (with my expert knowledge of shoe making, por supuesto ;)) However, a dear friend had a word of wisdom and she convinced me that a new pair would be safer for my future hikes. After all, I don’t want to miss a summit because of a broken boot!!

So, with a bit of a heavy heart, I said good bye to my fidel companions of 13 years. They’ve taken me up Kilimanjaro (2009), Mulhacen (2016), Teide (2019) and countless other hikes. I bought them at Landers, Wyoming on a recommendation from Skipp's wife Diana. She had the same ones and she said, you'd love them. And I did, thank you for that!!

I already decided that I’m going to buy new ones from the same brand, I loved hiking in those boots. They were just right: the sole had good fraction so you didn’t have to worry about slipping or sliding. The soles are also thick and ridge enough so that you don’t feel any rocks or roots, and get a conformable gate on whatever surface. They were also the right size for hiking, I had enough toe room and in downhill, I never got black toenails. I hope my new Vasques boots will last me at least 13 years, if not even longer!!