New Year’s Letter to Raischle

Dear Raischle:

Happy New Year from Oregon, USA!

I am writing to thank you for the excellent Raischle boots I’ve owned for 15 years now!  They’ve seen me through countless wilderness area backpacking trips, hikes in the Oregon Cascades, a trek to the top of the South Sister (elevation 10,358 ft / 3,157 m), and a backpacking excursion along the Wild and Scenic Rogue River.  I thought you might like to hear, and see, about my latest (and last) trip with what Backpacker Magazine called “the most comfortable leather hiking boots you’ll ever wear!”

My wife, a couple of friends and I decided to celebrate the new year the right way and go on a waterfall photo excursion in the Santiam State Forest.  When we arrived at my friend’s house and started loading up his car with our gear, I noticed a slight tear in the rubber edging on my boot.  I reached down to feel it and a piece broke off.  I commented to my wife, “Wow, it looks like my boots are finally giving out.”  Little did I know how prescient that comment would be.

We had fortunately made a list of three waterfalls in the same area we could visit.  Fortunate because the logging road to two of the potential locations was closed.  That left option 3, Abiqua Falls.  Abiqua Falls is on private land owned by a local Abbey that has graciously granted permission for visitors to hike on their property.  The road to the site, however, is pretty rough and descends a steep hillside a couple of miles from the maintained logging road.  The hike down to the falls isn’t too long, about a half-mile, with the first quarter mile the final scramble down very steep slopes.  Fortunately, someone has taken the time to string ropes along some of the steeper sections to aid in going down and coming back up safely.

We had no problem scrambling down the hillside until we hit Abiqua Creek.  After a couple of moments to gather ourselves, we headed upstream towards the falls, clambering on the rocky, heavily vegetated shoreline.  After about 25 yards I hear my wife Ann call out, “Dan . . .”, I turned around, “Did you lose something?”  She pointed to something black on the rocky shoreline with her trekking poles and I recognized immediately what it was – a boot sole.  Then I put two and two together and looked at my left foot – yup, I was missing a sole.  I lifted my left boot to Ann and she exclaimed, “Wow, I was only joking!”

I should have photographed the sole in place (remember, we were there to photograph things), but the thought never crossed my mind.  But this is what was sitting nestled tightly between a couple of rocks:

I didn’t even feel it come off my foot.

Being the conscientious hiker I am, I picked up the sole to pack it out.  Everyone asked if I wanted to go back but I declined.  Face it, we were half way there, the hardest part of the trek in was over and I was going to have to do the scramble back up with only one sole one way or the other so I said we might as well keep going and see the falls.

I’m glad we continued to our destination.  As you can see, it was an impressive and colorful punch bowl falls.

While it was somewhat strange to be walking on the shoreline of smooth river rocks with my left foot clucking like a wooden clog (the remaining rubber quickly wore off so I was down to the plastic last), it didn’t keep me from exploring around looking for more photos – the leathers were hanging in there and still protecting my feet from the rocks.

My determination to keep exploring paid off with a final photograph after having backtracked a bit down the creek and working my way down to a rock on the water’s edge.

Now it was time to head back.  Figuring I would need both hands to get back up, I strapped the tripods (I was carrying both mine and my wife’s) to my backpack and we headed back to the trail head.  Cautiously making my way back along the river wasn’t much problem, but as I looked up the steep muddy, rock-strewn trail with exposed tree roots galore, I was worried how I would ever make it back up.

It wasn’t easy.  Actually, the easiest parts were the steepest where I could pull myself up with the attached ropes.  The rest of the way was slow, very slow going.  A couple of early spills taught me that I couldn’t push up with my sole-less left foot, so it was a series of half steps up and a warning slip whenever I got too confident that I could just trudge up as I normally would.  Still, my left boot protected my foot, even though it couldn’t really grip like it normally would.

I eventually made it up the hill, with my friends amazed at how my damaged boot managed to stay in one piece.  Still, it was the butt of many jokes!

On the way home we decided to have an early dinner at a great Mexican Restaurant we know in Salem that serves freshly made tortillas.  As I got out of the car and started walking towards the restaurant, my right sole started flopping again.  “I think my right boot is starting to go too!”  More jokes followed.

Once inside I went to the bathroom and, on the way back to the booth, flop, flop, flop flop.  A few minutes later, I had to slide out of the booth to let my wife out and it happened.  The second sole fell off.  Both soles within 5 hours of each other!  What quality control!

Let’s just say I suspect this will be a source of laughter for years to come.  The story of how Dan’s boots self-destructed on New Year’s day, 2014.

Still, this inglorious ending should not take away from the fact that these things have given me over 15 years of great service and, well, even without the soles, they were still the most comfortable boots I’ve ever owned!

Thank you Raischle for making an excellent product!  I think 15 years exceeded the warranty period so no complaints on my part.

Best regards and the happiest of new years to you,

Dan