10.21.2007:
Missing (well, kinda missing) Shoes - REWARD IF FOUND
8:59 AMI can't believe I'm going to do this, but I've reached a point where I feel I truly have no other choice.
About 10 years go, I lucked into the best pair of shoes I have ever put on - the Nike Air Minot.
This image is taken from this guy's ebay auction. If they were 13's, I'd have bought them without hesitation. If they were 12's or 14's, I'd have bought them with just a little hesitation. But 10.5... That's suitable for framing, but not quite what I'm after.These shoes... Man. The stories I have surrounding these shoes - you would not believe how much craziness in my life happened while these things were strapped to my feet. I showed my wife around her chosen alma matter in these, I chased down a mugger, I climbed onto the roof of... Well, MANY hotels and buildings to get stealth shots... Oh, and I worked out in them, too. They were a very very instrumental part of my training regimen back then. They were super light, completely waterproof, and stuck to the street or trail rocks or gravel or just about anything you put them against.
Then one day, Georgia State University found out that I wasn't actually an active student and cut the lock off my gym locker (the one I'd been using since the wrestling team was disbanded to make "room" for more basketball budget) and confiscated all of my stuff - including a bottle of Pert Plus shampoo (which I've been able to replace), a towel (again, replaced), a "Just Do It Bengals" shirt (who's print I've not seen again, but I do have another shirt saying the exact same thing), and saddest of all, my pair of Nike Air Minot size 13 Navy Blue & "Taxi" shoes.
Now, most people - NORMAL people - would just get over it. After all, it's just a pair of shoes, right? WRONG, these weren't just a pair of shoes. These were an extension of ME! These shoes... They spoke to me, man. They were powerful and strong and provided my feet with adequate protection against the dangers of the environment! Stray glass shard on the sidewalk? PSHAW! Huge puddle from a pre-dawn rain? WHATEVER! These shoes handled all of that and MORE - including being used as a device to convince my roommates to leave the room when I was on the phone.
Around 2000, I heard that there was a business being built around the acquisition and resale of vintage shoes. Wholesalers would sell off remainders from stock and people would sell these original model shoes from the 80's and 90's on Ebay for insane quantities of cash.
Natrually, my thoughts went to my Minot's.
For 7 years, I've scoured the net and the small boutique shops around Atlanta for someone selling these shoes - and for 7 years, I've been disappointed... Until very recently. For some reason, I've noticed the Minot - in the exact colors I want - showing up on Ebay and other online stores. The problem is, it's always size 7.5 - 10.5. I once even saw an 11 - but still, there's no way in hell I could squeeze my gigantic surfboard feet into an 11. I need at LEAST a 12 (which I can stretch out) - and I could live with a 14. But 13 - those are the sweet spot.
So here's where I'm at - I've noticed these shoes going for between 100 - 150 on Ebay, so I'm posting a bounty - I will pay upwards of $300.00 for an original pair of these shoes in Navy / Taxi colors, size 12 - 14.
Yeah, I'm an idiot, but I WANT THESE SHOES.
Just for reference, here's a few more pics:
See? Aren't they just beautiful?
Even from behind, they're gorgeous - which is fortunate for you, since you'll be staring atthem when I pass you. Haha! You get what I did there? I turned this into a contest!
Pretty.* * *
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3 Comments:
Those are the ugliest shoes I've ever seen...they are MICHIGAN colors (BOO!). The GorTex angle is pretty sweet.
I know how you feel. I had a few pairs of Nike Air Pegasus running shoes. I cried when they stopped making them.
Good luck on your shoe hunt. I sure wish they were not those colors, though.
I have a pair of size 13 if your interested. I wore them about 10 times. They are just to warm most of the time, I live in the Seattle area. I really only bought them because I grew up in Minot ND, the town for which they are named. You can contact me at coderighter@comcast.net
Hey Joe, where you going with those shoes on your feet?
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