Barefoot Hall of Fame
The Barefoot Sisters, Isis and jackrabbit
Isis and jackrabbit (Susan and Lucy Letcher) hiked the entire Appalachian Trail from Maine to Georgia--and BACK--in 2000 and 2001!! They completed almost all of the hike barefoot. Read about all their fun and adventures on this long adventure. Hiking the Appalachian Trail is an American experience and Isis and jackrabbit have some incredible stories to share from their journey. Read The Adventures of the Barefoot Sisters, Book 1: Southbound, then complete the tale of the trail with Book 2: Walking Home. These books are a must-have for any barefooter, any traveler or hiker, and anyone who appreciates good stories of the American experience. Read more...
Julia Butterfly Hill
JULIA "BUTTERFLY" HILL: This amazing woman is a barefooter extraordinaire with a compassionate and caring heart. She spent two years living in a California redwood in a crusade to protect California's last remaining old-growth redwood forest from destruction by Pacific Lumber, a powerful logging company known for extensive violations of environmental regulations. She always climbed barefoot in the tree, which she named Luna, even in the dead of winter, noting that she "has to have the connection." Her hike from Luna to a triumphant press conference at the end of her protest was also done bare-soled. Be sure to read her inspirational guide, One Makes The Difference (available from the Circle of Life Foundation , March 2002)
Barefoot Related Organizations Worldwide
The Society for Barefoot Living : The SBL was just about the first barefoot lifestyle group on the web (before the web even much existed) and continues to be the primary organization for people who choose to go barefoot just about everywhere as a lifestyle choice with over 1100 members worldwide. The group's Yahoo! mailing list membership is carefully screened to protect members from unwanted contacts and the list's posts are moderated to provide a haven from the SPAM and inappropriate content that many other more-open groups fall prey to. The website contains a wealth of information on the health and safety of barefooting, along with proof that it is neither illegal to drive barefoot nor to enter any business establishment barefoot.
Parents for Barefoot Children : An excellent site (though sadly not updated in years) exploring the benefits of letting children remain as barefoot as possible for proper foot development. Contains extensive information from noted doctors and podiatrists. Also features a large section about going "Barefoot to School," reporting on places past and present where children can go barefoot to school.
Things To Do Barefoot (Mostly Anything...)
Barefoot Hiking : Safe, natural, and traditional. Feel the Earth beneath your soles. A comprehensive list of Barefoot Hiking chapters around the country with links to Richard Frazine's instructional tome The Barefoot Hiker. Find one near you!
Barefoot Fitness : Proper movement and form when exercising are keys to safe and effective activities and good health. Our feet are the foundation of that for balance and strength. So, barefoot fitness is growing in popularity and support from the medical and fitness communities. For amazing fitness classes (online and in-person), focused from the ground up, feet first, check out Stacey Lei Krauss's Strong Like Silk. Stacey is a long time proponent of barefoot fitness (beginning in 1999 with her pioneering willPower and Grace and The willPower Method) and continues to lead as an innovator in the field.
Running Barefoot : Safe and natural. From the early Olympics to Zola Budd and more. Check out the excellent original site by CA barefoot marathon runner, Ken Bob Saxton. Ken Bob has been a proponent of barefoot running for many years (long before "Barefoot Shoes" were in vogue) and is often featured in print and on television.
Barefoot Parks (Barfussparks) : Growing in popularity in Germany, these nature trails--and even resorts--are specifically designed with a wide variety of ground textures for the feet to experience. These sites are in German, but an English version can be found here .
Barefoot Farming : Check out The Barefoot Farmer, an organic farmer in Tennessee who believes in organic footwear as well. The site contains a lot of useful information about organic farming, so check it out....who wants to be walking barefoot in pesticides?
Barefoot Readings
The Barefoot Times Series: Now a series of 6 science-fiction novels with a barefooting theme written by Australian SBL member Jeff Pages. Read stories of galactic adventure, prophecy and fulfillment in a universe where shoes are certainly not required. All available as FREE eBooks. My Review of Book 1, Barefoot Times: Barefooters Save the Universe! What a great and engaging sci-fi storyline. This book is quite a page-turner with sub-space travel in multiple dimensions/timelines, aliens, adventure, and a battle between good and evil. It's simply a must-read for barefooters or sci-fi fans, even moreso if you are a barefooter AND sci-fi fan.
The Barefoot Seek Wiggle Room : The article that led to an explosion of press for the SBL. This New York Times article features the stories of a number of SBL members (Gordon Hlavenka, Bob Neinast, "Barefoot Mayor" Elliot Adams, and more) and their barefoot lifestyle.
Barefooting to Save The World : A well-written exploration of the reasons for being barefoot and the deeper meaning that freeing one's soles can have in our modern society, written by "Antera."
Barefoot Friends on the Web
Barefoot Becky (and the Ivanhoe Dutchmen) : Becky is a lifelong barefooter in a polka band whose bare feet have become a trademark of the group.
Barefoot Myranya : Myranya is a long-time SBL member from the Netherlands who is almost 100% barefoot, even at work at the historical theme park Archeon. Don't miss Myranya's series of essays on barefooting, from "Bare feet, proper dress and respect " to "Why NSNSNS signs are wrong ".