Things are meant to be used and people are meant to be loved. Not the other way around.
I've always gone by this adage. Still, there are some things I have that I treasure dearly because they've impacted my way of life.
One of those are my very first hiking shoes – a (used-to-be) pretty pair of baby-blue-tinged-with-gray Merrell Gore-Tex shoes. I got it in an outlet store shoe sale sometime in early 2009 and it's never been missing from my climbs since then.
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| I'm already missing you... :( |
This pair of shoes strode through the beaches of Laiya, Batangas to get to Mt. Daguldol and
traipsed on the trails of Mt. Pulag in Kabayan, Benguet to see the famed sea of clouds.
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| Merrells and me on the trails of Mt. Pulag |
It
stumbled on the rainforests and sharp crags of Mt. Apo in Davao and slipped, slid and dove on the
muddy paths of Mt. Batulao in Nasugbu, Batangas.
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| Putik ba kamo? :D |
This pair of shoes
scrambled up the steep slopes of Tarak Ridge in Mariveles, Bataan and
gripped on the stalagmites of the caves in Sagada, Mountain Province.
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| At the cave coffins in Sagada before our spelunking |
It
waded in the rivers of Mt. Manalmon in San Miguel Bulacan and
dipped in the sea after a hike up Mt. Gulugod Baboy in Anilao, Batangas.
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| Goofing off ala-'127 Hours' at Bayukbok Cave in Mt. Manalmon |
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| Natural high in Mt. Gulugod Baboy |
It was with me on several other climbs and countless outdoor trips and have saved me from either sure death or painful injury at one time or another.
It's just a pair of shoes but after almost four years, I felt like a lost a buddy. :,(
Now I have to go shoe-hunting again and find the perfect hiking shoes.
*
sigh*
And yes, that's a first that a girl does not look forward to shopping for shoes. ;D
It's still on the list of things I want to buy - trekking shoes. Planning to get one maybe next year pa. This is a nice story of your beloved pair, Mel! Ewan ko kung kelan masisira yung current shoes ko. It's still on its 2nd year. :)
ReplyDeleteI always get kilig when you drop by, Ed! Hahaha! :D Di ba you're in Thailand now? Parang they have outlet stores ata ng Merrell and North Face dyan, go na! :D I seriously miss my Merrells, sana makahanap ako ng perfect pair ko ulit. :(
DeletePS: I always check your posts, hiya lang ako magleave ng comment. Haha!