Are people still barefoot mostly?

What do you do when the Seattle area finally dishes out some serious cold and snow---I know it's nothing like where I live, but I understand winter can dig in there for brief spells. Are you outside briefly enough that you can still go with flops even then? And ignore all the stares---I'm curious.

 

Actually, when we do get the rare snow and ice, I actually find I will ditch the flips more than I do in the summer. It's much more uncomfortable to get snow under one's toes in flip flops than it is to pad through the snow barefoot and then slip my flops on when I get where I'm going. I also love to think about all the people who come upon my bare footprints in the snow (because we rarely get more than a few inches, I leave behind very clear and defined footprints). But after being up here long enough I've yet to run up against a situation where I was too cold to wear my flip flops. I've come close, and my feet have gotten pretty cold.

I think the worst thing has been on those cold mornings when it's right around freezing, but still somewhat dry, and I have to stand outside scraping the ice off my windwhield for 10 minutes! THEN my toes start getting brittle!

 

Well, Matthew, it IS partially the cold for me...I'm from a relatively hot area of the country...I didn't get my hot summer, so I've been very cold. Not to mention, the wet is bothering me too.

And I just have this to say to you....It's going to snow here in western washington....in november......because I said so....

 

i love to go barefoot, always have and am barefoot now, the only time i put on shoes is when i have to, but i take them off as soon as i can, feel the same way about clothes, i think the american way of dressing is so uncomfortable, that's why i dress in comfortable and loose fitting clothes, love the sarongs (sp) and east indian way of dressing, light an flowing
hippiewise

 

Ah yes...I moved up from the East Bay of California where summers routinely hit 90-100+ degrees, so I know what you mean. The transition is tough for a couple years. You really learn to appreciate those warm days when we get them though!

You might just be right! We're having so much snow in the passes and it's certainly possible the temps could drop that low before the end of the month. I can remember either 1993 or 1994 that it snowed for Thanksgiving, which was kind of cool. I look forward to snow around here too, but for a different reason...because it's so rare, snow has a tendency to shut down everything and we all (or most of us do; I always have) get a "snow day"! Yes!!

 

That's right, I don't enjoy the squashed snow between my feet and the flops, or any other kind of sandal.

But I've already dealt with the kind of "at or near freezing" stuff you describe. I was working today in temps just above freezing (we still can't get it to snow, starting to be a tad late) and I worked fine barefoot except in the shadows (still frosty) or in any wet places (cold wind evaporating the wetness) and I declined to wade into a pond garden I designed, as it was uninviting in its shadow, the water's very cold and will freeze soon. And, the wind would have evaporated and cooled me further.

So I'm in and out of bare feet, flops, sandals, but NO shoes yet!