Freedom Afoot?

[Graham]

In any case, Graham (or anyone else), don't be afraid to try it. Ten to one you won't want to go back. I know I won't!

Men who wear kilts all the time are considered unusual, even eccentric. People who go barefooted are considered unorthodox.

Both are misunderstood.

Now a kilted man without shoes, that's got to be the weirdest man on the planet......I like the sound of it

[Mike1]

Graham, here's an image that was taken circa 1893, at the Otter Ferry School located on the eastern shores of Loch Fyne.


A lot of bare toes in that one!

[Dreadbelly]

Graham, here's an image that was taken circa 1893, at the Otter Ferry School located on the eastern shores of Loch Fyne.


A lot of bare toes in that one!

Hey! That kid on the left is wearing a bonnet that looks just like the ones I make. Can I now make the claim that this is authentic Scots wear?

BTW, that is a really neat picture. A lot can be learned from looking at it.

Like a lot of those kids had wiiiiide feet.

[macwilkin]

You can't see them too well, but there are at least a couple of barefooted gents in this photo of the "St. Kilda parliament":



More on the St. Kilda parliament can be found here:

http://www.kilda.org.uk/facts.htm

Cheers,

Todd

[Dreadbelly]

Sorry for the off topic question, but can one of you gents with the cool historican photo collections send me some better pictures of some of those old bonnets? Please good sirs?

[Splash_4]

Graham, here's an image that was taken circa 1893, at the Otter Ferry School located on the eastern shores of Loch Fyne.


A lot of bare toes in that one!

Hope you don't mind. I like to play a little with old B&W photos....

[BarefootScott]

On another note I think its illegal to drive a car barefoot, I know I have heard that one somewhere, and I know it would be plain dumb to ride a motorcycle barefoot.

As someone has already given the link for, it is not illegal to drive barefoot. This is a common misconception. I have several other sites as well confirming this. Coincidentaly, I'm Town Councilman for the Town of Genesee and as such I've had quite a bit of experience with law. (I've just finished writing a Junk Control Law for the town that will be going to public hearing in a few weeks.) In the many hours research I've done, I have yet to find any country/state in which barefoot driving (of a motor vehicle) is illegal.

Related to that, there are no "State Health Department" laws banning barefeet in eating establishments of any kind. Any signs that claim that are illegal. Too bad the health department is too busy to deal with these small fries claiming a non-existant health ordinance. . .

I'm barefoot in the house most of the time, but you never know what's in the grass anymore and going barefoot on concrete isn't the brightest idea. Outdoors I wear shoes or boots always. Lord knows how many nails and bits of broken glass I've pulled out of the souls of my shoes.

I have NEVER stepped on anything or otherwise injured myself as a result of being barefoot. I've cut wood, been logging, moved heavy objects, walked all over campus after the weekend with broken beer bottles all over the place, and logged many miles walking barefoot, but I've never had any injuries. I'm not saying it won't happen of course (planes crash, people get into accidents in cars, and buildings collapse), but it's rare and overrated.
Mostly I attribute this to two factors:
One, WATCH WHERE YOU'RE WALKING! Most people have grown so used to shoes that they no longer watch where they're stepping.
Two, after a few weeks, your soles begin to seriously thicken, and small stones, glass, short thorns, and other objects are no longer a threat.

I do stay off lawns that are treated, however. There are some chemicals in use that I can't believe are legal. . . It's not a major concern around here though; most people out in the boonies don't care about a perfectly green lawn trimmed to 1.25".

How's this for a lot of barefeet:

(This is all one family!)

Now THAT's a lot of toes!

[Bob C]

On another note I think its illegal to drive a car barefoot.

That's a myth.

I could never go barefoot, though. Too many hazards out there. Plus, I have flat feet. I need arch supports or my knees and back are in agony.

[Kid Cossack]

A cultural note: in Russia and Central Asia, it is considered de rigeur to take your shoes off when you enter a home. You stack your shoes neatly in the entryway, and go barefoot inside (or wear slippers). I know there is a similar custom in Japan, and it just makes sense. Why track mud through the house?

I also love going barefoot. Most of the time we're in the backyard, I run around in a kilt, barefoot, and frequently shirtless. It's just more comfortable that way, and I like comfort.

[Andrew Breecher]

Several people have long-distance backpacked barefoot. Two of the most famous are the Barefoot Sisters, who hiked north on the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine, then turned around and headed back south, all barefoot. The only time they wore shoes was a little bit in deep snow.

There's a podcast interview with the Barefoot Sisters here.

Andrew.