Goodby old friends

I have purchased new hiking boots.

It is time to throw the old ones away.  I have worn them out.  The treads on the bottom are almost gone, and they are actually a little bit dangerous in the wet.

When I look back on the places these boots have taken me, and the things we have experienced together…

Several Toronto Winters….Walks on the concrete sidewalks of many cities ( Toronto, Vancouver, Tokyo, Seoul, Quito, Loja….) Hikes in the backwoods and trails of 3 different continents, down into the mouth of an inactive volcano, or hiking up the side of another.. walking at night over the continental divide, horseback riding in the andes, exploring caves,wading through streams, hiking up mountains, motorcycle rides, walking on beaches to see the sunset on one side of the Pacific, or the Sunrise on the opposite side…

There are a lot of memories in these boots.

My new boots are lighter, and the treads seem to be more high tech.  It will be interesting to see what memories they will help me create.