Day 47: Shikokuchuo-Ikedacho Sano
Success! I did in fact have a room reserved for me at Minshuku Okada. It’s as old school as they come, but in very good shape. Comfy! It’s also likely not a surprise that there is no Wi-Fi here. As a result, there will be no newsletter today.
Congrats, by the way, to the incomparable Rene Hebert, International Mr. Leather 2025!
When I got back from Madrid in May 2023, I ordered a pair of used Wesco engineer boots off of eBay. I hadn’t worn boots in a while; I had a pair of Sears engineer boots in high school that I loved, but that was a long time ago. I’d wear them with 501s and a white T-shirt or flannel as that’s what I thought a Bear should look like. A career happened, though, and I lost touch with that part of myself along the way, but moving to Palm Springs got that going again. The used boots were a little bit dinged up, but Rene made them look brand new again.
Rene was the first bootblack I’d ever met - he used to have a stand at the Barracks before it imploded - and I’m lucky to know him. He exemplifies many of the qualities I aspire to myself, especially that of being of service to others. He takes meticulous care to make sure others look and feel their best - one of my mantras (as it were) has always been “leave it better than how you found it” and he’s damn good at that. I’m extraordinarily happy to see him take home the title this year - it’s always a pleasure to see hard work pay off and good people recognized.