I cannot believe your DH had shoes that long, Emily. Even with repair, I am very hard on shoes, so 4-6 years is my limit. I am pretty sure no one around you will think anything of your shoe/pedal/bike combo!
Today is brutally humid and hot, so I left for work at 7:45, even though my first appointment was at 9. I took some shady roads off of Main St., just a little variation, since I do not ride there the way I drive. This brought my grand total commute this morning to 3.1 miles. I was sweaty, though and had to use all of my hygiene products. I rode in an Athleta sundress, which is wicking, with my commuter bike shorts under. They are long, so you could see them. I hate to ride looking like there's nothing under my dress!
The way home was not so nice. It has become partly cloudy, and it's breezy, but it feels like a humid day in Arizona, in July. My intention was to ride home the longer way, and I did start out on that route, but it was so uncomfortable, I was already past the point where I could easily get back to Main St. So, I turned on the next street, which is the way I ride there. It's pretty, but to make a left on the main road to get home from there is horrible. It's an incline with little line of sight, because there's an extended walk/block wall on the left side of the street. There is a crosswalk there, but on the right, and the only time cars seem to stop is when I have my granddaughter in the stroller. But, there's a dirt road right before the bad intersection that I can take for 1/4 a mile, that goes to the neighborhood next to mine. It gets wet with rain, and it's rutted, but it's cool and pretty. Not so great with 25 mm tires. I started cautiously and then I saw 2 Comcast trucks heading down there. I stopped, and finally, they backed out. By this time I was freaked out, there were patches of sand, so I kind of hoofed with one foot until the pavement. Then, I have to take another trail, very short, to my street. The beginning is rooty and not graded well, but most of it is maintained by our association.
I need a different bike to ride on these. DH is fine with it, but I am not. Still glad I rode, though.