One Final Summit

Well, as we left Acadia, it was time to say goodbye to my beloved Vasque Hiking Boats. While I was coming back down from our mountain goat trek to get to the bubbles, Dave was guiding me where to place my foot because I was coming down “blind” – not able to see down & where to place my feet. As he was directing me, he said, “I hate to be the one to tell you this, your boots are falling apart.” What? And well, that explains a lot. Between this trip and the trip we made to Utah in December, I noticed that my boots felt funny and not as cushy. I even replaced the insoles to try and help the situation. Well, the situation couldn’t be helped because the soles had separated from the shoe and the gel cushion had dry rotted and was flaking out the side.

I bought these boots in July of 2007 before my mom and I went on a hiking trip to Santa Fe, NM. At the time I spent somewhere between $150-$200 for them and I thought that was pretty expensive. Considering they lasted 18 years, I suppose I got my money’s worth. Dave and I started a list of where I have hiked with these boots:

• Santa Fe, NM
• Taos, NM x 2
• Canadian Rockies (Banff & Jasper)
• Glacier NP
• Waterton- Glacier International Peace Park
• Yosemite NP x 2 (Half Dome once)
• Isle Royal NP
• Mount Fuji x 3
• Numerous hikes all over Japan
• Lassen NP
• Crater Lake NP
• Big Sur, CA
• Redwood NP x 2
• Colorado x 3 (Aspen, Breckenridge, Boulder, Denver, Crested Butte, Maroon Belles and others)
• Rocky Mountain NP
• Arches NP
• Canyonlands NP
• Dead Horse State Park, UT
• Park City, UT
• Kings Canyon & Sequoia NP
• Hot Springs NP
• The Wave, UT
• Grand Staircase National Monument
• Bryce Canyon NP
• Zion NP (Angels Landing)
• Acadia NP
• Countless State Parks
• And numerous other “local hikes”

Rest in Peace my hiking friends. I hope the next pair of hiking boots treat me just as well.