From: Kriss Sands
Subject: NC trip: Barefoot in the woods
Date: Tue, 11 Oct 2005 15:30:04 -0700 (PDT)

The main reason for my trip was to check out the
progress of a road I was having built on my approx. 22
acres of mountain land. This land is heavily wooded
and is very steep in many places. But, in my opinion,
beautiful, and is where I plan to build a house
hopefully soon. It is about 3 miles or so from the
Appalachian Trail near the TN/NC state line.

On Saturday, I spent all day on the property doing
various things. My recently graveled road felt great
on my bare feet. I'm used to hiking on sharp gravel,
so it was no problem for my feet, and in fact, was
very stimulating. But I spent most of my time walking
all over the property putting up "No Trespassing"
signs. I was trying to get them near the property
lines, and most of the property lines are in very
steep, almost inaccessible places. I had walked
barefoot on the property before, but never this much
at one time. It was absolutely wonderful the way the
ground felt on my feet. If you've ever been in the
deep woods before, you probably know how it is. One
would think that there would be little broken sticks
sticking up or other hazards to bare feet hidden under
the leaves, plants and all the stuff I had to walk on,
but it felt like a continuous soft carpet everywhere.
One time I recall, I almost stepped on a brier. As I
stepped down, I started to feel something sharp
sticking my foot. But as soon as I felt it, I just
moved my foot and stepped elsewhere, no problem. I
think I was walking correctly for being barefoot.
Every step down was like an exploration, like feeling
it before I put my weight down. But very rarely did I
have to adjust where I was stepping. A few times I had
to step onto logs or limbs of fallen trees in order to
get through some area. That was fun, and I did step
quite gingerly on those limbs and logs, never knowing
if one would break under my weight, or prove slippery.
Going up or down very steep areas was so easy with
bare feet. I just kind of stuck my toes into the soft
dirt and gripped the ground with my feet as I went up
or down. I did have a hiking stick that helped my keep
my balance.

It was a wonderful barefoot day spent alone with
nature. This trip my wife didn't come with me, so it
was a great opportunity to just wonder around in those
woods with only my thoughts in my head and the
wonderful natural environment under my bare feet. I
loved the feeling.

=====
Kriss
Orange County, CA