A Tale from the Trail

[Hetchy]

I will start this tale in the middle. My buddy Shootout and I were descending the incredibly over- engineered switchbacks from Mt. San Jacinto environ to Snow Creek. The trail literally drops 7000 feet in one day. Exhausted from the circuitous route and thirsty we at last arrived at the valley floor where there is a drinking fountain(Not kidding! It's in the middle of freakin' nowhere!). Next to the fountain is a small aluminum sign. On the sign a pair of very expensive Asolo boots were there hanging in the desert heat. Shootout and I puzzled over this. The boots were size 11. They would have fit either one of us but we were quite happy with our trail runners so we continued on towards the HWY 10 undercrossing leaving those boots hanging there on the sign.
Well not long after another hiker came tromping down the trail(Let's call him Luckyman). Spotting the boots he decided to take them and leave his old pair hanging from the sign. On he hiked quite happy with his almost new pair of Asolo's.. until he reached Big Bear Lake.
At Big Bear Luckyman ran into the original owner of the boots.. and he wanted them back!
Only then did the whole story come out.
The original owner of the boots was hiking down from the snowbound trail along San Jacinto's shoulder(Fuller ridge) when his beautiful Asolo boots became soaked through(Let's call him Knucklehead).
He decided to wear his camp shoes instead, hanging the Asolos from the back of his pack to dry. Well after descending for quite some time he stopped and realized in horror that one of the boots had fallen off his pack! Despite his buddies advice to go back for it He rashly(stupidly!) decided to just chuck the remaining boot off the side of the trail in a fit of rage. He then hiked away quite pissed off , his friends recount.(Knucklehead also threw a pair of jeans down on the side of the trail.. Yea, he ain't too smart or eco friendly!)
So along comes another hiker(Jack), finds the first lost boot square in the middle of the trail. He carries it down and finds the second boot where knucklehead had thrown it and brings the pair down to the drinking fountain in Snow Creek where he ties them to the sign.
So back to the confrontation in Big Bear Lake!
Both hikers are big dudes. There they are toe to toe in the parking lot. Knucklehead wants his boots back and Luckyman ain't about to give 'em back.
Luckyman tells knucklehead to hitch back and get his old pair and he will return the Asolos.
Knucklehead says nope.. give me my boots back now!
Probably the funniest thing about our stay at the hostel was the way Luckyman slept with those boots tucked between him and the wall !
So I was on my way down to the outfitter in town(Equada) anyhow so after I bought some new running shoes for myself I related the whole story to the owner Pete. We had a great laugh and then Pete had an idea. He had a half worn pair of HiTech boots someone had left behind at the store.
The owner of Equada outfitters, being such a cool guy, gave me the boots for free!
Back I went to the hostel where Knucklehead was nearly in tears . Noticing he did not get his boots back I offered the HiTechs which he took sorta non-plused.
Ironically he hiked in those worn boots for 100 miles before aquiring a new pair of the Asolos. His buddy took the half worn Hitechs and wore them for a while and even passed them on to a third hiker later on!

And that is the Tale of the Infamous Boots

Many Thanks to Pete at Equada Outfitters of Big Bear Lake for helping out Hikers!



The Infamous Boots on the sign in the background

[quentinc]

That's a great story. (Now only if Luckyman will return the sunglasses, hat, water bottle, sunscreen and bandanas I've lost in the Sierra recently....)

[Skibum]

Fun story!

[Ozark Flip]

Hetchy,

I am real envious of your PCT adventure. I read all your updates. This is a fantastic story and I hope you will continue to share more. After a hike like the one you recently accomplished, there has to be more sotries.

Flip

[packmule]

Thats funny! Although I probably would of gave them back, well if I was with Flip then maybe not (Flip's a big guy too) I agree with Luckyman. "You threw them away and if you go back and get my old pair you can have yours back." Funny about the sleeping part. LOL!! I thought you were going to say he slept with them on!!