I Sell Shoes...Have I Become Al Bundy?

Well, I may not have scored 4 touchdowns in a single game, drive a beat up car that needs a screwdriver to start it, hell I never even built a bathroom to get some peace and quiet from the wife. I also am not cruel to plus size women while I work but hey, that's just me. But like Al Bundy, I do sell shoes, but not the type of shoes you normally see in a mall or Walmart or even Target. These shoes are freaking bad ass and are great for your feet. They have a great toe box so it's comfortable for the toes, have an option to wear socks or not and there are a variety of them to suit you daily routine. 

I wanted a change of pace with the shoes I normally wear and see what the benefits can be. Safe to say, with the short time I've used them, already feeling better and lighter on my feet. I've worn them hiking, going on a regular walk, did DDP Yoga in them along with other workouts and just having a good time in them just for the hell of it. Like a lot of people, I loved having the support cushion and rigidness but I also like being barefoot and doing what I love. I gave the Bareway Shoes a chance after seeing them in a number of places on Social Media. I got the Elite Series and from the first steps in them, it felt like I was walking on air. 

They're very light, flexible and aren't stiff in the soles. They feel more natural and are durable as well. I never really had foot issues but that doesn't mean I don't want to keep strengthening them so I can avoid injuries there as much as possible. Having healthy feet especially as we age can be crucial to how our bodies stay in a quality state. Although comfort can be a good thing from time to time, it's also important to be grounded and feel the earth and take comfort in a whole other realm. Strong feet is part of having a strong body and not just in the muscles but the ligaments and tendons as well. Foot injuries can be a real bitch and it's no fun when every step feels like pin needles or having heaviness in that area. Like physical fitness, we should strengthening our feet as much as we can. 

The Elite shoes are just a piece of what you can use for daily life. There's the Boot Series which has a more vintage type feature that can be used for those who love to hike and work in a blue collar type environment. There's the Nature Series that's geared for outdoors and has that look made for camping in the woods or going on nature walks. All these shoes still are flexible, durable, waterproof and give you sensory feedback. You can do many things with these shoes and all are beneficial to giving your feet quality life and comfort while keeping them strong and mobile. 

Unlike Al who hates being a shoe salesman, I enjoy helping others find resources that will help them be in healthy condition and bask in the glory of a strong and confident mind and body. Find the type of shoe suited for you and look into what they can benefit you in the long run, not just a temporary style that lasts a couple years. Go kill it and have an amazingly awesome day. 

Robin Hood & Little John Walking Through The Forest

Oo-de-lally, oo-de-lally, golly, what a day. Love that opening to Disney's Robin Hood. This past weekend starting Thursday, me and the wife went out camping at a great spot in the forest up on this mountain here in Idaho called Fernan. Had a bump in the road the first day but we made it and got everything set up. After setting up the area, I started chopping wood and she would get the fire going. Teamwork baby.

Friends came up the second day and stayed with us until yesterday. Always a great experience with these guys: Her best friend, Bestie's BF, they're friend, friend's son and BF. Between us guys, we got some good chopping and hauling some chunks of wood. Partying it up, cracking jokes and having the time of our lives. Some of us have a nickname like there's Fire King, Fire Queen, Wind Queen, Fire Prince, Wood King & my wife's new one Fire Fairy. Still haven't gotten one yet but I'll take whatever cause they're good people, usually it's between strongman and lumberjack. 

I'm not even talking about those campgrounds where you pay to stay in some cabin, we go to these spots where you can set up camp at a closed in area and just claim it for the time you're there. Chopping wood isn't just an essential aspect of being out in the wilderness, it's fun and when you got those logs that are stubborn as hell, you break out the Chopping Maul to finish the job. Between us guys, there was always some great chunks of wood to split. 

When these people get together, you never know what comes out of their mouth and having more than "That's what he/she said" moments than a church goer can handle. Sharing stories, making each other laugh, bouncing off each other verbally and just living it up. Blast some tunes especially while chopping, our favorite is playing The Hu's Wolf Totem. That song just sounds tribal and awesome when we got the ax and maul going. 

It's not just the connection to nature you experience, you learn about people and having little moments that form a bond and getting the most out of being your true self. Being your true self isn't always easy, in my experiences ever since I was little, I've had to hide certain aspects of my personality and not have that "put it all out there" kind of thing. For some, they evolve and just run with it, others only give themselves their true self to a small group of people or just one person. As I got older and with the help of my wife and others, my openess expanded massively and just go with it. These days as I continue to learn, I only show my true colors to those who are worthy of it.

When it came to workouts other than murdering wood to keep warm, I also did Isometrics, Deep Breathing, Deep Squat Holds, Joint Loosening, Exercises With A Towel and meditation in a cold creek. Being active in the woods is a huge difference than just working out at a park, your home or the gym. There's a good time to chill and bask in the glory of nature but being active as best as you can has a great impact on being aware and alert cause you never know what's out there. I've seen moose walk and trot by, seen a lynx while driving up there, there are bears, mountain lions and other critters roaming. Like I said before, these aren't typical camping spots, some spots are at times a half mile to a mile apart and animals can creep up at any given time. A good portion of the time, animals will leave you alone.

This is one of my favorite things to do in the summer, I was never a camping kid growing up and before I moved to Idaho, I only camped once with friends in Yosemite. When I got together with my wife, it was either take a trip camping or leave my ass home LOL, guess what I chose? I picked up on some things and still learning little things here and there but over these last 7 years, camping is quite fun. Just the bonding and working together as a team and the family of friends that do their part and being there for one another is an experience I always cherish.