The Man With No Bike Shoes

Un...(wait for it)...Believable!
For the last few Thanksgivings, the mtb brother duo of Mark and Jack have lead a series of rides over the Thanksgiving Holiday.  The first ride (on Thanksgiving day) was going to cover two trails of Old Reedy Creek rd (ORC); let's just call them the rocky trail and the numbered trail.  I show up motivated to ride hard as I have put on a few lbs and am eager to start burning calories.  I get the bike ready, helmet on etc.  Oh wait, where the %#&* are my shoes?  You Have Got To Be Kidding Me!!!  Left them on the garage floor.  I look down at the Crocks on my feet and say outloud, "My ride is over."  Fortunately, Alex H. was willing to let me wear his kick around shoes (black leather, lace ups with rounded toe...think Popeye shoes).  They were a half size to big, and the thought of using these regular shoes on my SPD's was a bit daunting, but whatever. 
Now the rocky trail is one of the toughest in our area with many endo causing roots, rocks and holes.  All the leaf cover did not help either, but thanks to some strategic cyclocross like moves, I was able to make it through the 6+ mile course, albeit with very fatigued feet/legs as the shoes did not stay on the SPD pedals well causing major supination (opposite of pronation, duh).  After 6 more miles of the more flowy numbered trail, my feet had, enough.  We went through a couple river crossings and the wet rubber soled shoes did not want to stay on the wet SPD's so I short cutted it ~2 miles out to give me ~14.6 miles of riding.  Finished the ride almost 4 hrs ago and the feet/ankles are still sore.  I'm thinking I will remember my shoes next time.

Happy Thanksgiving