A few months ago I received two pairs of boots from someone on Heights Montrose Freecycle. One pair I wear quite often, Dr Marten 10-eyelet boots. The classic black original. Can’t beat it for free.

Also a few months ago, between being offered my new job and starting it, I was at a store with TG looking for good work shoes for her, and they were having a discontinuation clearance on several shoes. One was a Vasque Breeze XCR Hiking Boot, and it was less than $70.

Every good computer programmer needs a pair of hiking boots. My last pair was purchased just after my last software job melted back into the job pool and I took some time off. I went to Puerto Rico and hiked about in El Yunque rain forest.

Those boots have seen many a pavement pounding day beneath them, including a trip to Belgium, Amsterdam, and France, and need to be retired. So, the new boots it is.

What I really like about both pairs of boots is the bootstraps. More shoes should have bootstraps! Helping you to pull on those snug-fitting comfortable and useful shoes.

Hooray Bootstraps!