"Jambu Waterbug-Barefoot - The Golden Gate Bridge"
I grew up directly across the bay from the Golden
Gate Bridge. On most days I could look out and see its vibrant orange towers spanning
the entrance to the bay, yet I had never stepped foot on its hallowed concrete
and metal. May 27th will mark the 75th anniversary of
that glorious feat of engineering. Not wanting to fight the massive crowds that
are sure to be there for the celebration, I decided that now would be a good
time to visit, especially since I had just received my sexy, black, Jambu
Waterbug’s.
The weather was un-San Franciscanly hot; I
knew that temps would hit close to 80 degrees. It rarely gets that warm in the
middle of the summer, let alone in the first few weeks of spring. Accordingly,
I set out in my lightest summer clothing.
Getting to San Francisco is a quick trip
under the bay on BART, (our subway), but finding the right bus to get from
downtown to the bridge was quite the walking experience. As I trekked up and
down Market Street and over to the very crowded Ferry Building in hopes of
finding the correct bus stop, I had forgotten that I was supposed to be road
testing my Waterbug “barefoot sneakers…for
women on the move.” I paused to reflect on this and realized that my feet
were as comfortable as they could possibly be. I gave the Waterbug’s an A+
rating for the first part of my adventure.
Then I stepped off the bus and nearly
swore; bummer, it was freezing! It
doesn’t matter how many weather reports one checks, it will always be cold on
the bridge with that wind blowing in from the ocean. Then again, that meant
that there was no cloud cover and I had picture perfect views of the bridge.
Stepping onto the walkway, trying to avoid
bicycles flying by, I shivered and knew I had keep my head down, battle the
chill and get to the first tower of the
bridge before stopping. Wind whipped through my thin cotton shirt and I gave up
on trying to wear the hat I had brought. Once at the first bridge tower, I
moved into a protected section and again felt the glorious heat of the day.
Time to rate the Waterbug’s and that’s when I realized that although I was freezing,
my feet were not. How strange; no socks, breezy shoes, and warm feet. What an
unexpected find! My feet were the only part of my body that had not suffered
the biting, cold wind.
It really was a magnificent day and I
thought about the men who had built this structure when the weather was never
this good and the winds were often much stronger. How did they do it? And that
was back in 1937!
Once warmed up, I sought out a fellow
tourist to take a picture of me and the Waterbug’s. I handed a willing lady my
pocket camera and she took two pictures. Only when I got home did I realize
that there were no photos of me on the bridge.
Although the bridge is only 1.7 miles, this
was not the day I would walk the entire length, although I know that my
Waterbug’s would have allowed me to do so. What I love most about the Barefoot
designs is that they allow your feet to move the way they are supposed to,
unlike those “sturdy” encumbrances which leave me with aching toes and throbbing
soles.
Maybe one day I will get back out to the
Golden Gate and walk all the way to Sausalito. If I do, I know that my Jambu
Waterbug’s will be on my feet.
Kate McVaugh
Thank you Kate for your great review on Jambu Waterbug-Barefoot! To purchase this style of Jambu footwear please click here: http://www.zappos.com/jambu-waterbug-barefoot-black