Oh man, my poor boots. I kept meaning to go by a new pair of hiking boots this winter while it was the offseason, but of course I never got around to it. And now I will have to buy a new pair at non-sale prices and break them in somehow before taking them out on the trail. As much as I hate to do it, I have to retire my old boots, which have served me so well these past 8 seasons. They are Merrells, and Homie Bear heartily endorses them. I bought them for my Geology 298 Field School in 1995, and have seen many miles of service since, notably on the harsh asphalt of the Trans-Canada highway (while hitch-hiking) where they were worn down almost to slippers. Last year on the Chilkoot I noticed that there was a little leak in one of them, and they are no longer waterproof, and thus no longer (sigh) fit for hiking. Yes, I get way too attached to my stuff, but my boots (brown leather but with green highlights of course) and my little green jellybean have something in common- they both bear me to great adventures.