Her Shoes Are Too Big For Me To Fill

I have been able to squeeze in a decent amount of riding lately thanks to copious amounts of suitable riding weather. The weather in Arkansas can be rather fickle, so it pays to have options when it comes to riding gear, especially shoes. My feet usually do not survive long in the cold and they, along with my hands, tend to be the limiting factor in how long I can stand being in the great outdoors during the winter. My feet do not die; they just get cold and I cannot stand the discomfort. Over the past few years, I have acquired a few pairs of shoes and I usually keep one of the pairs in my truck as a backup (in case I actually forget to bring my shoes) to the footwear I have chosen for the day.

Strong Chance of Ride
and Good Reason to Try

Yesterday, as we checked the weather in the morning, we decided there was a strong chance we would be able to ride. We quickly grabbed shorts and jerseys so we could change, conveniently, into our bike costumes after work and hit the trails. We carpool to work so I had to pick up my wife at her office before we headed to the trailhead. All was going well. It was at the trailhead that I discovered that I had arrived sans shoes. Luckily my wife has had, on a daily basis, a pair of Mavics that she has been trying to discover whether she loves or not in the truck. She decided that it was one of those days that she would wear the Mavics. Luckily, her winter (optional) shoes were in the truck. To date, we have relied on Specialized Defrosters to keep our feet warm and dry during the winter sub 40 degree weather rides. (I did not know prior to writing this entry and doing a little research, that these shoes appear to be great at shedding "durt.") On this day, it was her winter shoes that I would have to wear, not to keep my feet warm but, to keep them attached to the pedals. 
We rode 5Mile, which is quickly becoming my new-old favorite trail, before it was time for her to call it quits and head back to the office. I decided to stay in TA02 and do a little trail maintenance. I found her shoes to be warm and comfy with plenty of room for my feet to roam. I was admiring the quality of the experience despite the fact that they were a size too big when a friend rode up. It was time to ride again even though I will never be able to fill her shoes.