Monthly Archives: May 2012

Recommendations for Socks with Boots

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Frequently, visitors to this blog or my website are looking for answers to a common question, “What kind of socks do you wear with cowboy (or motorcycle) boots?” Good question — and despite marketing recommendations from some vendors, you don’t have to spend a fortune to have comfortable, dry feet inside boots. (And another reason why I never recommend wearing boots without socks… sweaty feet lead to awful fungal infections.)

Here are my recommendations for the socks to wear with boots.
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A Little Riding Time

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Somehow, everything came together and I had a chance to go riding my Harley with my friends yesterday. Nowhere in particular, just across four Maryland counties, enjoying the beauty of late Spring on a uncharacteristically warm day (92°F, 33°C).

Wore jeans, t-shirt, helmet (of course!), and my favorite Chippewa Firefighter boots. Photos taken from my own bike, with the camera mounted on the left saddlebag, pointing backwards. I was riding wing (second position.)

Life is short: ride!

Mt. Airy, Maryland

Moron Deserves Prayers

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I drove my partner to visit his mother in Pittsburgh for a quick two-day trip over this past weekend. I did some chores around her house, including (finally) heavying up the electrical system so I could install central air conditioning. None too soon — it was over 90°F (37°C), so the cooling was very welcome relief.

Unfortunately, my mother-in-law’s neighbor is a real sorry excuse for a human being. He called the cops on me twice while I was there.
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Go Ask That Gay Guy

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Oh fiddlesticks, I was outted. I was participating in a community meeting the other night, where we were discussing redevelopment of a tired old suburban shopping district, where I once lived and where I own several properties that I rent to community heroes so they have an affordable place to stay in the community where they work.

During the meeting, there was a fair amount of discussion about just what types of development we thought would be appropriate for this community. Currently, there are a number of small Mamma-and-Pappa Shops — I say that because most of the shops are owned and operated by people of Hispanic origin. Lots of stores and restaurants that cater to the large Hispanic population in the area.

Someone said, “there isn’t any night life here any more. There used to be a gay bar, but they closed. I wonder why?”

Then someone else pointed at me and said, “go ask that gay guy.”

Oh cripes….
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Dehner Patrol Boots on Cops

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Bal-Laced Dehner Patrol Boots

Continuing with a short series about the kinds of boots that motor officers wear (in the United States… I have to remember that a huge number of visitors to this blog come from outside the U.S.)….

While I was at the staging area for the Law Ride, an event that was held on May 13, 2012, in Washington, DC, I looked at the boots that the motor officers who were there were wearing. Interestingly (or should I say, “disappointingly”), there were relatively few motor officers wearing Dehner patrol boots.

Why?
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Chippewa Hi-Shine Engineer Boots

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Chippewa Hi-Shine Pride of Boots

While I was at the staging area for the Law Ride, an event that was held on May 13, 2012, in Washington, DC, I looked at the boots that the motor officers who were there were wearing. This post is a second in a series of three where I comment on what I observed.

Four motorcops from the Orlando, Florida, PD were wearing Chippewa Hi-Shine Engineer Boots, model #71418. These are tall engineer boots made in the traditional style with a large round toe and single strap across the instep, and a buckle closure at the top of the boot shaft. Many motor officers choose this style of boot over patrol boots with a bal-laced instep.

My opinion?
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Chippewa Trooper Boots

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Chippewa Trooper Boots on Motorcops

While I was at the staging area for the Law Ride, an event that was held on May 13, 2012, in Washington, DC, I looked at the boots that the motor officers who were there were wearing.

Two outfits — one from Florida, and another from Georgia — were wearing Chippewa Trooper Boots, model #27950. These are standard-style tall police patrol boots with a bal-laced instep.

My opinion?
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Living in Two Worlds

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Cops

Cops at staging area

This past Sunday’s motorcycle ride underscored to me how I live in two worlds simultaneously, and easily flow from one to the other. What worlds? The “straight bikers” world, and the “gay bootman” world.

I gathered and rode with a large group of bikers who are cops, retired cops, or are in some way related to a law enforcement professional or work in the profession. We rode to join an event that is held around the same time as “Police Week” in Washington, DC. Motor officers from only seven (7) jurisdictions joined that ride this year, which was disappointing.

Anyway, I digress… what two worlds?
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