When I got to the horse meadow I again took off my shoes, and probably did about a mile barefoot, around the horse meadow and the overlook trail. It had rained the night before, so the ground was cold and damp, with squishy leaves. It was completely exhilarating. Feeling all the sensations of nature through the soles of your feet adds more than merely another dimension to the hiking experience, it transforms it.
And after the second barefoot hike, my feet once again showed no signs of abrasion, and were not tender. Maybe I'm already toughening them up.
This morning about 8 AM I decided to go for another hike, but the temperature was only about 50 degrees, probably colder in the woods. I went for it anyway. Initially I was pretty chilly being completely nude except for hiking sandals and a fanny pack, but as I began the climb up the trails, I began to warm up, and jogged part of the way to fire up the furnace.
I went about three miles, and when I got back, only my hands were a bit chilly. The above photo was taken about an hour after I got back to the trailer. Again, completely exhilarating.
Next year I will be helping with the maintenance of the paths at Cedar Trails and will keep barefooting in mind for anyone who wants to try it. Again, be careful before you try something like this, because injury is a real possibility, especially on public paths.
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