ON MEETING WITH BAREFOOT TED

                                                                

   So early one evening I get a phone call from my friend Paul Campbell he is requesting me to drop whatever I'm doing and come up to his place and  meet the myth in person that is Barefoot Ted . Paul said to get my butt up to his house right now and save him as  he is being bulldozed by Ted and  he needed my help and as I would find out just a short time later the Barefoot Ted is not a big man but he is larger than life its his personality that is large .Well of course I said I would be right over as Paul lived only about 20 minutes away . Barefoot Ted is featured in Christopher  McDougalls classic book "Born to Run" . I was excited to meet the legend in person and it was a pleasure we spent a long and pleasant evening together and Paul was right Ted is a true force of nature. Looking back I think Paul was not intimidated at all but just wanted me to meet Ted

   We talked of primitive skills and barefoot running staying in good shape as we age and many other very important issues that seemed very important at the time but it was an evening I will carry with me as long as my brain functions with any clarity .  Ted has a company that makes primitive sandals called Luna based on the sandals of the copper canyon Tarahumra people. Any time one was invited to Paul's home you were expected to eat all the wonderful goodies served up by Paul and his lovely wife even after begging that you could not eat one bite more was set in front of you. 

    I found that  Ted and I had a lot in common  the three of us laughed and joked  had a great time sitting out in Paul's patio . WE traded adventure stories and one upsmanship  This was in late 2013 or early 2014  my friend Paul died in Sept of 2014 from a brain tumor. Ted and I have remained friends. 

    If you are not aware who Paul was he wrote a few books that were instant classics Survival skills of native Californians  ... the universal tool kit . and Earth pigments and paint of the California Indians  a respected primitive skills practitioner and spokesman at many museums on the early native lifeways. Barefoot Ted can be reached through his website at...https://www.barefootted.com/

       by  Dude McLean