This story originally appeared in the University of Mary Washington’s student newspaper The Weekly Ringer and is being republished here with permission.
When a local merchant saw Steve Gardner walking through the streets of Fredericksburg with his four rescued greyhounds and his feet totally bare, he was moved to help him out. He began collecting donations to buy him a proper pair of shoes.
Later, one of Gardner’s friends explained to the merchant that the shoeless man could easily afford adequate shoes —he simply chose not to buy or wear them.
Gardner has attracted attention throughout the Fredericksburg community for his unusual barefoot lifestyle, but beneath his unique style lies a deeper belief in staying connected to the earth.
“In Eastern philosophy, they say you must walk softly on the earth,” said Gardner, sitting barefoot at Eileen’s Bakery, his favorite Fredericksburg cafe. “Stop stomping around on it with your boots and just walk softly.”
As a kid, Gardener was accustomed to walking barefoot. But when he volunteered to serve in the Vietnam War, that changed — going without shoes no longer felt natural. He spent 20 years of his life in military service, wearing heavy combat boots soaked in sweat.
“I had sweaty feet,” Gardner said.
After retiring from the military, Gardner drifted west, eventually settling on the beaches of California.
“I was a bit of a beach bum,” said Gardner.
Watching the waves roll in and out, shoeless on the sand and practically homeless, Gardner discovered a new sense of freedom.
“Shoes weren’t necessary anymore, so I just stopped putting them on — and it felt good and healthy,” he said. “I was a little bit of a hippie,” he added with a laugh.
Since then, Gardner has continued his life in Virginia barefoot without concern for social norms. Gardner walks the streets of Fredericksburg barefoot, usually accompanied by his greyhounds. His feet are calloused and weathered and they rarely see shoes — unless he absolutely has to wear them.
Eileen’s Bakery in Fredericksburg has become his go-to coffee place for a drink and a pastry.
“He comes in very frequently. I think at least once a week,” said Heather Brown, the front-of-house manager at Eileen’s Bakery.
Though now a regular at Eileen’s Bakery, initially Gardner had raised eyebrows when first entering the establishment barefoot.
“We were like, ‘You know, we understand. We also don’t like wearing shoes, but you just have to when you come into a restaurant,'” said Brown. “Kind of like how we don’t want your dog in here for obvious reasons.”
Eventually, Gardner and Eileen, the bakery’s owner, found a compromise: he wears black, thin sandals that expose his toes.
“These are the closest things I have to shoes,” Gardner said.
Though many assume it’s illegal to go barefoot, there are no federal or state laws in Virginia or Fredericksburg that prohibit people from doing so. Typically, you can go into any retail establishment barefoot, however it depends on the owner’s individual policies which may vary.
When it comes to walking the streets of Fredericksburg, Gardner says that there is little to worry about in terms of harm.
“I don’t worry about stepping on hypodermic needles,” he said, “I’ve never seen a hypodermic needle on the street. If I see glass on the street, I don’t step in it. I won’t step in dog poop, if I can help it.”
In fact, Gardner says that the only real challenge he faces as a barefooter in Fredericksburg is other’s perceptions of him.
Breaking social norms hasn’t always been easy for Gardner.
“The biggest challenge is dealing with people who don’t like you violating social norms,” he said. “Some people are offended by it, and to them you just have to say, ‘Sorry you’re offended, but there’s nothing wrong with it.’”
Gardner’s barefoot lifestyle didn’t stop him from maintaining a career. Before retiring, he spent 25 years teaching gifted students in Prince William County Schools. In the classroom, he stayed barefoot when he could, wearing his minimalist sandals only when necessary.
Gardner’s lifestyle is not singular to him. There’s a broader philosophy at work. He references a theory — one he says he only partly subscribes to — that the Earth’s surface contains free electrons that humans can absorb through direct contact.
“We have 20,000 nerves down there,” he said. “And we wrap them in pillows and walk around.”
Gardner is not alone in this belief. Across the world, a community of barefooters embraces “grounding,” the idea that walking barefoot enhances physical and emotional well-being. The Society for Barefoot Living, founded in 1944, advocates for this freedom and works to combat social stigma.
Clearly, the barefoot lifestyle is not a new thing in the world however it is new to Fredericksburg. Gardner has become a local legend because of his barefoot ways.
“He is a bit of a legend around Fredericksburg with his greyhound pack that he walks around town with, always barefoot,” said Jeremy Larochelle, a Spanish professor at the University of Mary Washington. “He’s definitely a bit of a character.”
However, for Gardner, it’s not about being a character. It’s about living simply, softly, and in tune with the Earth beneath his feet.
