07-16-2026, 08:44 AM (This post was last modified: 07-16-2026, 08:48 AM by Gone in 60.)
Cormanus’ comment sent me on an interesting musical journey yesterday. Before I headed out, I cued up Petzel Logic on Pandora and listened to it on the way to my first pickup.
Since I pay for the cheapest Pandora subscription available, it doesn’t just stick with the artist you ask for and also plays “similar artists”, bouncing back to whoever you asked for periodically.
I actually like that when I’m riding and don’t touch my phone. It wandered around to Dire Straits, Sting, Pink Floyd, and some of Mark Knopfler’s independent stuff (talk about strange lyrics regarding shoes..)
And regarding shoes, gotta say I really love the Indie Ridge boots. They’re vented, and I figured they’d be the better choice for yesterday’s predicted temperature spike. My dash display hit 107 a few times, and my feet were very comfortable.
I met up with our sales manager yesterday (he rides and does his other duties, like me). We had drop-offs at the same place near the same time, and I needed to swap bikes with him to bring his back for service and to recover the seat.
We chatted for a few minutes, and I noticed that he was wearing the same Amazon boots that the boss recommended to me. He was rocking the red laces...
I figured the boss must have recommended a pair to him as well. I pointed down to our feet and commented that we must both have the same footwear atelier.
07-21-2026, 08:00 PM (This post was last modified: 07-21-2026, 08:03 PM by Gone in 60.)
Ok, I guess I'm officially a boot snob. I had some time to kill this afternoon sort of kind of in the area where Indie Ridge's office is. I love my black boots, but they're a matte finish which gets a greyish "patina" easily, from the shifter contact area and anything that scuffs against them. It's kinda cool, and when rubbed with a towel spritzed with leather or VLR treatment, they go right back to black. I figured a brown pair in a traditional leather that can be polished would be nice. I called and asked about the "Walker" model, and they had my size in stock.
I appreciate that they've made exceptions for me to come over and buy directly rather than have them shipped. Picking them up on the work bike means I can't get a box as well. While I was talking with Stephanie at the front office, Steve, the owner came out of his office to say hi. He showed me some of the box art, and it's a shame I couldn't take a box with me. They have a different box design for each boot model. The design for this one was drawn by an artist they apparently found on Etsy.
I walked in wearing my Amazon boots and while I was trying on the Walker boots, he grabbed one of the Amazon boots and started bending it every which way. He didn't say anything, but I could see the "sure hope you're not wearing these if you ever go down" look on his face.
These will be nice next week when we're at a medical trade show and I need to dress up a bit!
I move so fast, you can't see the feet.
I took that pic to post with my review on Indie's website.
On a side note, this was uncanny... I had a conversation on Sunday with my friend who's been storing my Enfield since March, when it was evicted to make room for the rotation of work bikes.
I had not wanted to impinge on his generosity by asking if I can swap bikes in his garage, but really miss the Enfield. I broched the subject of swapping my Triumph for the Enfield in the parking spot he's so generously granted, and he just replied "sure, no problem... it's really not a bother!"
While I was riding around yesterday, thinking about the Enfield with some guilt, I had the scene from There Will Be Blood playing in my head, where Daniel Day-Lewis is shouting "I've abandoned my child... I've abandoned my boy!" When Steve from Indie Ridge invited me into his office to check out their box artwork, he had the movie poster from There Will Be Blood on his wall.
