Lost & Found Lost Shoes

[eils]

Hi, I was speaking to an American pilgrim in León today (24th August) who woke up in an albergue in León on Friday morning (maybe Unamuno but am not sure) to find his size 48 North Face shoes GONE!
I hate to think that they were stolen so please anyone, if you know someone who took them by mistake, do reply to this post.
Thanks.
(Mods, please transfer this to the appropriate thread if necessary).

 

[KFH]

Oh man what a nightmare. He won't sleep well for a while. How did he solve the issue? Wait for the last shoes left?

 

[ELHS220]

Hi, I was speaking to an American pilgrim in León today (24th August) who woke up in an albergue in León on Friday morning (maybe Unamuno but am not sure) to find his size 48 North Face shoes GONE!
I hate to think that they were stolen so please anyone, if you know someone who took them by mistake, do reply to this post.
Thanks.
(Mods, please transfer this to the appropriate thread if necessary).

My shoes are never out of my sight. Read into that what you will. Hope he gets them back or finds suitable replacements.

 

[Antonius Vaessen]

A pair of 48size shoes taken by mistake??? If that would be the case It would be

 

[eils]

Oh man what a nightmare. He won't sleep well for a while. How did he solve the issue? Wait for the last shoes left?

He bought new ones in León. I felt so bad for him because he's young and some young people are shy about making a fuss publicly even though they're desperately disappointed inside...

 

[eils]

A pair of 48size shoes taken by mistake??? If that would be the case It would be

I don't understand what you mean in your last sentence.
Are you implying it's theft? Could be...

 

[Antonius Vaessen]

I don't understand what you mean in your last sentence.
Are you implying it's theft? Could be...

I tried to delete my message but apparently it did not disappear from the thread. So my last sentence was incomplete. I wanten to say that to me the chance that big shoes like this were taken by mistake is small. The shoes of the pilgrim who took them should be left behind than

 

[dbier]

I tried to delete my message but apparently it did not disappear from the thread. So my last sentence was incomplete. I wanten to say that to me the chance that big shoes like this were taken by mistake is small. The shoes of the pilgrim who took them should be left behind than

One would think a smaller pair...although I wear size 46, and I'm only 170 cm tall.

 

[J Willhaus]

It does happen from time to time that shoes are stolen.

Try to put your shoes on the rack is a less convenient spot (not right in the middle at waist height where they could catch someone's eye). You can also get some colorful laces so they are easily identifiable if taken. Some people take their insoles out at night and into the dorm which make them less attractive, too.

You are not allowed to bring your shoes in the albergue as they make a terrible mess, but just like your pack and valuables, you want to do your utmost to safeguard your footwear.

 

[eils]

My shoes are never out of my sight. Read into that what you will. Hope he gets them back or finds suitable replacements.

My shoes are always out of my sight in albergues because they always have a special place for them.
There's obviously a risk of bed bugs if shoes are allowed in dorms (you'd get pilgrims putting them not only next to beds but on them lol).
I sometimes put socks in them or tie the laces because they're a popular Camino brand. But first time pilgrims don't know these tricks, unfortunately

 

[MikeyC]

I have always walked the Camino with my wife. She has small feet, mine are very large. I pair our boots with laces tied together and placed on different shelves.
It would be a very unfortunate pilgrim who tried walking with a size 4 left and size 14 right (or vice versa).

 

[JerryStroebele]

Well, it could be a mistake. On our first Camino I walked by the albergue shoe rack and noticed that my wife had not pulled up the insoles of her boots so they could air. This was back when leather Lowas were ubiquitous. The next morning I saw her pick up her boots, insoles snuggly inside. The other pair that I had "helped" was gone. Buen Camino

 

[Jeff Crawley]

It does happen from time to time that shoes are stolen.

Try to put your shoes on the rack is a less convenient spot (not right in the middle at waist height where they could catch someone's eye). You can also get some colorful laces so they are easily identifiable if taken. Some people take their insoles out at night and into the dorm which make them less attractive, too.

You are not allowed to bring your shoes in the albergue as they make a terrible mess, but just like your pack and valuables, you want to do your utmost to safeguard your footwear.

Or remove one of the laces altogether. A pain having to re-lace every morning but it's doubtful somebody would take footwear missing a lace "by mistake".

 

[longlost18]

Some people take their insoles out at night and into the dorm which make them less attractive, too.

I took my insoles (custom orthotics) out every afternoon to let them air/dry out. That this might deter theft is an added bonus. I once grabbed a pair like mine, and as soon as I put them on, realized "oops."

 

[trecile]

There's obviously a risk of bed bugs if shoes are allowed in dorms

Bed bugs coming in on shoes would be very unusual!

 

[Tincatinker]

That would be an excellent reason for banning pilgrims from Albergue. No feet, no sweaty bits, no dust clagged hair. Albergue would be lovely if it wasn’t for the/ pilgrims

 

[Jeff Crawley]

That would be an excellent reason for banning pilgrims from Albergue. No feet, no sweaty bits, no dust clagged hair. Albergue would be lovely if it wasn’t for the/ pilgrims

Exactly what we said when I worked at Rabanal!
No clearing the showers or unblocking the toilets, no laundering the sheets . . .

 

[francesbe]

It does happen from time to time that shoes are stolen.

Six or seven pairs of shoes were stolen one night at Granon this July.

 

[J Willhaus]

When we were at Grañón volunteering the local boys liked to play tricks and reset the light timer in the tower steps so it would not switch on. (Dangerous!) Phil and the priest caught then in the act and Phil snapped a photo of them and showed it to the local baker who spoke to the boys parents and the trickery stopped. It's possible that a new crop of tricksters has emerged and this time with shoes...

 

[RJM]

On my most recent Camino I met two pilgrims who had shoes stolen in the albergue. Stolen because there was no similar pair left behind. It happens fairly often.
I always remove my insoles and put them in an outer pocket of my backpack and there are times when I've had a bottom bunk I simply put the shoes under it in order to reduce chance of theft. I wash my shoes when I can on the Camino. Warm sunny days when I know they'll dry out. It reduces the shoe odors and more sanitary for my feet. Shoes are like any other piece of kit and need to be maintained and cleaned.

 

[dougfitz]

There's obviously a risk of bed bugs if shoes are allowed in dorms

I'm afraid it isn't obvious to me. Perhaps you can explain this.

 

[ShoshTrvls]

Another alternative is to bring a light stuff sack for your shoes, put your shoes in the bag, and then put the bag in or lashed to your pack. That way you aren't tracking mud and dirt into the sleeping quarters but don't risk losing your shoes. (If you've stepping in animal droppings, I would hope that you'd find a way to clean your shoes off before even placing them in the exterior rack, much less bringing them into the dorm).

 

[eils]

Another alternative is to bring a light stuff sack for your shoes, put your shoes in the bag, and then put the bag in or lashed to your pack. That way you aren't tracking mud and dirt into the sleeping quarters but don't risk losing your shoes. (If you've stepping in animal droppings, I would hope that you'd find a way to clean your shoes off before even placing them in the exterior rack, much less bringing them into the dorm).

Yes, all good advice. It's just sad because it's the guy's first Camino and I spoke to him again and he's pretty sure they were stolen.
What a terrible impression

 

[eils]

I'm afraid it isn't obvious to me. Perhaps you can explain this.

Bedbugs can live inside clothes and luggage.
Boots are dirty and some people wear sandals to walk, which they pack inside their backpacks.

There's a good reason why boots/shoes/sandals are kept APART from dorms.
We all know it and there are countless threads about it.

This thread is about a boy whose walking shoes were stolen so it's respectful to him to keep on topic.

 

[KFH]

Another alternative is to bring a light stuff sack for your shoes, put your shoes in the bag, and then put the bag in or lashed to your pack. That way you aren't tracking mud and dirt into the sleeping quarters but don't risk losing your shoes. (If you've stepping in animal droppings, I would hope that you'd find a way to clean your shoes off before even placing them in the exterior rack, much less bringing them into the dorm).

Makes me think of bringing an extra pair of light shoes to swap into right before I get to an albergue.

"That's me on the corner
That's me under the street light
Swapping out of my good shoes
Trying to keep up with you
And I don't know if I can do it
Oh no I've said too much
I haven't said enough"


This whole thing still blows me away. I'm pretty used to people acting badly and selfishly, but it never crossed my mind that someone might steal shoes during a Camino. I could easily see mistakes being made because so many look the same, but theft-- presumably by someone else staying at the same albergue-- wow. Disappointing and sad.

(As a former mischievous, unthinking boy, I understand the Grañón examples with a wince).

 

[nathanael]

Hi, I was speaking to an American pilgrim in León today (24th August) who woke up in an albergue in León on Friday morning (maybe Unamuno but am not sure) to find his size 48 North Face shoes GONE!
I hate to think that they were stolen so please anyone, if you know someone who took them by mistake, do reply to this post.
Thanks.
(Mods, please transfer this to the appropriate thread if necessary).

That is nothing new I was told that it has happened a few times , plus someone went breakfast and her Backpack was gone.

 

[eils]

That is nothing new I was told that it has happened a few times , plus someone went breakfast and her Backpack was gone.

Since 2006 and several Caminos (and parts of Caminos) I have never personally heard of anyone getting their shoes or backpacks stolen until now. I'm not doubting that it happens.
But it's obviously rare, thank God.

 

[eils]

Makes me think of bringing an extra pair of light shoes to swap into right before I get to an albergue.

"That's me on the corner
That's me under the street light
Swapping out of my good shoes
Trying to keep up with you
And I don't know if I can do it
Oh no I've said too much
I haven't said enough"


This whole thing still blows me away. I'm pretty used to people acting badly and selfishly, but it never crossed my mind that someone might steal shoes during a Camino. I could easily see mistakes being made because so many look the same, but theft-- presumably by someone else staying at the same albergue-- wow. Disappointing and sad.

(As a former mischievous, unthinking boy, I understand the Grañón examples with a wince).

How I wish your comment consisted solely of the part beginning "The whole thing...".
If this happened to your 25 year old son or best friend on his first Camino (and on a limited budget), I don't think your reaction would be to go away for a few days and think up a puerile rhyme for the amusement of your puerile contemporaries (the laughing emoji reaction was no doubt what you were craving but since I know the boy whose shoes were stolen, it makes me sick).

No doubt this reply will be deleted by the Mods who allow alarming discourtesy, puerile asides, discourteous answers and unparalleled condescension but are aghast when anyone dares to call out inappropriateness.

May you all spend at least an hour contemplating the verses below.
To love someone "as yourself" means to put yourself in the shoes of another and feel what they're feeling.
[And since Scripture repeatedly tells us that GOD SHOWS NO PARTIALITY, that means strangers too].
If you're unable to, God will give you the grace to [but only IF you want].
That's the whole point: what He can do in and through us.
Matthew 22:35-40
Luke 10:25-37.

And with that, I'm unsubscribing from this forum and its subtle toxicity and unGodly hierarchies.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

How I wish your comment consisted solely of the part beginning "The whole thing...".
If this happened to your 25 year old son or best friend on his first Camino (and on a limited budget), I don't think your reaction would be to go away for a few days and think up a puerile rhyme for the amusement of your puerile contemporaries (the laughing emoji reaction was no doubt what you were craving but since I know the boy whose shoes were stolen, it makes me sick).

No doubt this reply will be deleted by the Mods who allow alarming discourtesy, puerile asides, discourteous answers and unparalleled condescension but are aghast when anyone dares to call out inappropriateness.

May you all spend at least an hour contemplating the verses below.
To love someone "as yourself" means to put yourself in the shoes of another and feel what they're feeling.
[And since Scripture repeatedly tells us that GOD SHOWS NO PARTIALITY, that means strangers too].
If you're unable to, God will give you the grace to [but only IF you want].
That's the whole point: what He can do in and through us.
Matthew 22:35-40
Luke 10:25-37.

And with that, I'm unsubscribing from this forum and its subtle toxicity and unGodly hierarchies.

So long and thanks for all the fish . . . .

 

[ShoshTrvls]

How I wish your comment consisted solely of the part beginning "The whole thing...".
If this happened to your 25 year old son or best friend on his first Camino (and on a limited budget), I don't think your reaction would be to go away for a few days and think up a puerile rhyme for the amusement of your puerile contemporaries (the laughing emoji reaction was no doubt what you were craving but since I know the boy whose shoes were stolen, it makes me sick).

No doubt this reply will be deleted by the Mods who allow alarming discourtesy, puerile asides, discourteous answers and unparalleled condescension but are aghast when anyone dares to call out inappropriateness.

May you all spend at least an hour contemplating the verses below.
To love someone "as yourself" means to put yourself in the shoes of another and feel what they're feeling.
[And since Scripture repeatedly tells us that GOD SHOWS NO PARTIALITY, that means strangers too].
If you're unable to, God will give you the grace to [but only IF you want].
That's the whole point: what He can do in and through us.
Matthew 22:35-40
Luke 10:25-37.

And with that, I'm unsubscribing from this forum and its subtle toxicity and unGodly hierarchies.

What the … ?

 

[C clearly]

Oh well . Let's hope the poor fellow either got his shoes back or found some satisfactory new ones. I'll close the thread!