#PoopSandals

Awhile back I was posting a bunch of pictures on Instagram and Twitter about my #Poopsandals. I'm thinking that soon, people will be asking about it and I'd better write the story.

The Poopsandals are more than just a story. They are more of a journey. A journey that started long ago (2007) when I needed a pair of water shoes for floating the Snake River. I happened upon these Airwalk Water Shoes at Payless Shoe Store. 

The inaugural dip of the poopsandals was when we (the poopsandals and I) dropped into the Snake river for a swim during a calm section of the river. At the time, I wasn't thinking much about the sandals. They weren't even called my poopsandals yet. I was mostly excited that my Burts Bee Balm was filled with water from the Snake for days afterwards. 

The term poopsandals was not even coined yet at the beginning of their journey. Something like the trail name that hikers of the Appalachian Trail receive while hiking it. 

I remember a quick hike with the Boy Scouts in them and many other nondescript times. Someone asked me about rocks in them and I was surprised myself that they weren't too much of an issue.

In 2009 I had my next notable adventure. I was packing the trusty Explorer for a getaway to the Grand Canyon. Navigating the garage in my flippy flops with an armload of gear, I kicked into the heavy duty cast iron Camp Chef stove. So hard in fact that it hurt like a mutha chicken!  I changed into running shoes and socks for the drive. By the time I reached the motel and I looked at my foot, my toe was black and blue! Thinking back, I know that I had to have broken it. Anyway, the sandals were again champions of the trail, protecting my toe with that Mickey Mouse looking rubber front. And with their rubber soles, I was insulated against the impending lightning coming our way while I watched my friend's hair rise up off his head!

We've had many, many trips, the poopsandals and I, down the Portneuf River through Lava Hot Springs. I think they saved my feet from a lot of lava rock-rash. They have also tubed the Ogden River and the South Fork of the Ogden River. 

Portneuf River through Lava Hot Springs

South Fork of the Ogden River

I took them on a kayak trip down the Bear River in Idaho. You don't get to see me in this one because I took the picture ...

I have also treked around Yellowstone in the Poopsandals. Usually just the little pull outs along the road. In 2013, they hiked a good portion of the Bechler Meadow and Canyon. The meadow is interlaced with sloughs and washes, streams and mud pits. We changed our shoes often to slog through the meadow and to cross rivers. We probably crossed the Bechler River and its tributaries a dozen times. I even took a picture of a poopsandal next to an old wolf track to compare its size. 

Crossing the Bechler River in Yellowstone. 44.287716, -110.897480

Wolf Track compared to the #poopsandals. Yellowstone 2013.

I should be able to add more stories but, to those of you who know me, you'll know I can't remember...well...POOP! 

Old Faithful. Yellowstone 2015.

Quake Lake. Montana. 

Bear Lake 2018

The adventure of the poopsandals continues with a trip to Hawaii! We hiked Makamakaole Stream. This trail is referred to as 13 Crossings because of how often you cross the stream. 

Crossing Makamakaole Stream, Maui, Hawaii, 2018.

By now you're probably wondering why they are called my Poopsandals. It goes back to a time at the Big D Sportspark along the Ogden River Parkway. We were there having a springtime family picnic. We played kickball, ate some food, stepped in some dog poop...well I did anyway. So as I recall it, My son in law started calling them the poopsandals. I asked him about this one night and he doesn't recall naming them. I'm quite sure it was him and his crazy sense of humor.

Follow me on Twitter under the handle @DarthOda and Instagram under JStoker421 for more adventures of the Poopsandals!