I want to talk about a very serious issue for a moment today, and that is proper feet attire as these cold months set upon us. It's not even December yet and already I am sick of being chilled. Most vagrants tend to head south, but with my leg problems I am going to just need to buckle down this winter and bear through it. I know many of the rest of you are in a similar spot, and we all need to remind ourselves from time to time to be careful, be smart, and respect Old Man Winter and his unforgiving ways.
I've heard that a significant portion of heat is lost through the head, and that's why head coverings are so important. Equally as important--no, make that MORE important--is the foot coverings we wear. Our feet, unlike our heads, are constantly touching the earth. Heat can get sucked out from a warm foot very easily when walking on a cold road or sitting somewhere with no fire. Heed my words, friends, let's keep our feet warm and ourselves healthy this winter!
Usually around this time of year, in cold weather areas at least, it becomes very difficult to find warm shoes at the local Goodwill and Salvation Army stores. There's just too high a demand for them. If your current pair of shoes aren't up to par, consider tarring them to add to the insulation.
TIP: Tarring up a pair of old shoes
All you really need is a hot and steady heat source and a bucket of old tar. I prefer to coat the with a paint brush, focusing on the worn or holey areas, instead of the "dip" method. But do whatever works for you. Just make sure to get a nice seal and an even coat. And unless the soles of the shoes are in bad shape, try to avoid getting any tar on the bottoms (another reason I don't like the "dip" method). You'll never get a completely flat surface on the bottom, and it will cause you to walk funny. At the very least this is going to fatigue you, and at worst you could trip on your own shoe-tar and hurt yourself.
Also, make sure you're not wearing the shoes when you apply the hot tar. Allow them to cool completely before putting them back on. For very rough pairs it might take multiple coats.
Stay warm, friends. It's getting cold out there.
In solidarity,
Train Tom
