No crocodiles were harmed during this walk.

I have a tradition, which is every year on the last Wednesday before Christmas I walk from my home along a disused railway track about 6 miles each way to the town of Patrington, to see their Christmas lights, which are far superior to the ones that go up in our village. I did it last year and I've done it again this year. I didn't say it was a very old tradition, but they all have to start somewhere. Some might argue that two occasions is simply a co-incidence, but as I plan to did it again next year I maintain it is a tradition.
I know it was a Wednesday last year because Patrington is one of those quaint little towns that still has some shops observing half day closing. This probably made sense back in the year dot, because the market took place on Wednesdays and took all the trade from the shops anyway. Now however it makes no sense at all, particularly if you forget and have walked six miles without any lunch. Finding a shop open eventually I realized I had left my wallet at home.
The walk was pleasant enough though, with some lovely clarty mulch to trod through, and with pheasants, deer, rabbits, a squirrel and countless birds to be seen going about their business.
The purpose of this stroll though, apart from seeing pretty lights, was to test by walking boots for hillworthiness after the Three Peaks tried to kill them in the Autumn. My original boots, which if I recall had their epitaph published on this very blog, were leather, old fashioned and as tough as - well old boots. I bought them when I was 19 and gave them a viking burial after many miles when I was 42. Well used and only disposed of due to the leather splitting in a place that couldn't be easily repaired. The boots that Whernside tried to kill were the replacement modern lightweight gortex and suede jobbies my wife bought me for Christmas two years ago. Basically I think the peaty muddy bog water and the endless rain must have combined to eat the glue holding the soles on. Moorland is acid soil, so there might well be some science to support that theory. Walking boots that are not suitable for use on moors? Well, I suppose when I bought my sons mountain bike it did say in the instruction manual that it was not suitable for off road use - a mountain bike unsuitable for mountains.
Any how as ever I digress. The soles were parting from the boots and they were letting in water as the side seam began to give. I thought I would have to condemn them with barely 200 miles on the clock. But then I had a thought. My workboots had a similar problem from new, and I had, after trial and error found the perfect glue to fix them. Now I don't normally endorse products by name, but I have to say that this stuff is so good I will name it, because you'll never have heard of it and probably won't find it in the shops, as I have only ever seen it for sale in our local builders merchants, and nowhere else. Gator Glue. Why it's called Gator Glue I don't know. I have checked the ingredients, and so far as I can tell it contains no alligators whatsoever. Nor does it attract or repel them so far as I can tell. Well I suppose it might be repelling them as I wouldn't know, I would only know if it failed to repel them. The point being that alligators, and reptiles in general do not usually cause me problems on the walks I do. The bottle has a stylised cartoon of an alligator on it, and says that it "grips like a gator." I expected this to be an American product, but the label proudly boasts it to be made in Great Britain. Great Britain note, not the United Kingdom.
Well, I certainly wouldn't want to be bitten by a gator and I would agree that once in it's jaws you would have little chance of getting out again. But grip? With those poorly developed little legs I doubt it has much grip anywhere other than it's jaws, and that's a bite not a grip. And whilst it has many sharp teeth and a nasty nip, the grip isn't that good, it has to thrash about and wear you down, and beat you into submission against the rocks in the shallows or drag you in to drown you before it finishes you off. I think there's a been a missed opportunity here. The symbol of Britishness always used to be a bulldog. There indeed is a beast with grip. Once a bulldog has you in it's mouth in can actually lock it's jaw and will not let go no matter what. As a name for a strong glue Bulldog is right up there. I can only assume the name was already taken.
Anyway, I can report that not only has the expanding foam like Gator glue restored cohesion twixt sole and shoe but it has also rendered them leak free once more. After a 12 mile road test the are once again fit for purpose and will hopefully last another season.
I can't help wondering though, if it would work on Crocs?