EISPIRATEN

I recently decided to give barefoot hiking a shot and it turned out to be one of the best decisions I've made so far. My only concern is the amount of dogs and poo on the trail I frequent.

I was wondering if anyone has hiked barefoot and experienced PARASITES!

...or any other experiences hiking barefoot.

Well, well, well, I guess I'll just up date ya'll if I end up noticing worms crawling around in me.

SageUrsus wrote: ↑Well, well, well, I guess I'll just up date ya'll if I end up noticing worms crawling around in me.

That'd go in the Fauna section of this forum.

When I was a kid my father would run the trail from the Mt. Baldy waterfall to the summit a couple times a month, barefoot. We would walk to the notch and meet him as he headed back down. His feat was even more incredible considering that he was born with no toes. The front of his foot looked like the back. His running style was different from others because he had no spring from his toes, he would make a slight jumping motion at his hips to raise his foot off the ground. He did this to build the calluses on his feet because there were no shoes available for him. He would run marathons in sweatsocks with the bottoms covered with caulking. Long after his prime Addidas made custom shoes for him with a lifetime replacement, at no cost. His name is Pete Strudwick, 'The Footless Runner'.

Incredible feat and incredible feet.

Diamond-x wrote: ↑ His name is Pete Strudwick, 'The Footless Runner'.

I know of this man from my dad who is also a trail runner. he, Pete, was in runners world in the 70s i think. he ran Pikes Peak, too. and many others. he should be more well known than he is.

That is an awesome story. The moment I come across his book I'll definitely pick it up.

We saw two people hiking barefoot in Chino Hills Park today and one last week. It must be the new fad.

I've definitely seen people doing it in Ice house. I've done it in Griffith, but off trail. And in Ojai where it's so sandy it's like being on the beach. I hike in 5 fingers normally, have for years now. And my Husband barefoot runs in Pasadena. I feel like you encounter a lot less problems than you'd expect. I have never encountered parasites

SageUrsus wrote: ↑I recently decided to give barefoot hiking a shot and it turned out to be one of the best decisions I've made so far. My only concern is the amount of dogs and poo on the trail I frequent.

I was wondering if anyone has hiked barefoot and experienced PARASITES!

...or any other experiences hiking barefoot.

So I take it, you step in poo when wearing your hiking boots? help me out here...........

I've been known to turn and walk "backwards" on trails, obviously after eyeballing ahead, then I let the Force guide me, 8)

For me, that group of muscle use, gives me ole slightly worn, never raced or wrecked "normal" forward motivation group a quick break , but then why be normal anyway? thats why we are up there ain't it? Besides you should see the looks I get if I meet someone on the trail.

Some people are like Slinkies. Not really good for anything, but they bring a smile to your face when pushed down the stairs.

No, I don't have a problem stepping on chunks of dog poo when I hike. My concern was the ground AFTER the waste is picked up. The trail that I was referring to, the Mt. Wilson trail in Sierra Madre, reeks of dog poo for the first mile or so and I figured if you can smell it on the ground or on your feet/shoes there must be enough particles of poo to be of "concern". Ya digg?

So, we're all stepping on poo or at least little bits of it on the trail .

Sage, dogs don't carry parasites that will burrow into your feet. Now you probably would get sick if you hiked barefoot on the Mt Wilson trail, then ate lunch using your feet instead of your hands.

I got a small cut on my foot while soaking in the hot springs last week. Figured I would get brain-eating amoeba for sure, but so far, all good.

(*scatological note: dogs can spread distemper and parvo to local wildlife, though it stands to reason if your dog has distemper or parvo it probably isn't up to hiking the Mt Wilson trail. I've always found the idea that hiking dogs are an infectious problem to wildlife to be a bit of a stretch.)

I hear you, Magic. My worries about parasites are a thing of the past.

no harm meant sage.....jus wondering.

As all we do the endeavors we do, listen to everyone, follow no one.

be safe.

✌

cougarmagic quote:

Sage, dogs don't carry parasites that will burrow into your feet. Now you probably would get sick if you hiked barefoot on the Mt Wilson trail, then ate lunch using your feet instead of your hands.

They certainly do. The diagnosis is often missed by physicians who are unfamiliar with the disease or its presentation, or just plain fail to think of it. Early on it can mimic tinea pedis (which patients may have as a comrbidity anyway), and is often mis-treated as such until the correct diagnosis is made.

LMGTFY:

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