Ode to my convertible pants

I had these amazing convertible hiking pants.  They were "Titanium" and were made by Columbia.  I saw my friend Heather with a pair, and fell in love.

They were dark brown.

They zipped off above the knee, making them shorts.

They were super rugged. They were big enough for me to move around, and do the tiny bit of "climbing" that I ever did, getting my knee up super high.

And they were big enough to house a pair of jeans underneath them like below!

I loved them.  They are as ever present as the family dog in a sequence of family photos throughout the years. My go-to hiking pants, and most worn object on each camping trip!  They dried quickly, easy on easy off. Legs on, legs off.  Even had tear up sides to not have to remove my chunky hiking boots.

Well, long story, short... I lost some weight, and therefore, these pants became reminiscent of the Vanilla Ice/MC Hammer pants.

 I had to practically TIE them up with a belt.

But it was ok! Cause I would just ZIP over to REI and get a smaller size. I had already typed in "titanium" to the search and they came up! So I ordered the smaller size, with my 20% off member coupon and went to pick them up with their "free shipping to store" feature.

I ran to the changing room to try them on, you know, JUST TO BE SAFE... and AGHAST they did not fit! I was bummed, but just went upstairs to the women's department and scooted around looking for them to get the next size up.  I asked an associate, and then the realization came... my PANTS WHERE DISCONTINUED! And the ones I a newer version (the ones in my hands), which was NOT the same.  They fit differently, hugged differently, were not the same size ratio...

I sent my old pants to my mom, the day I placed the order for my new pants... not like I would taken them back...

But uuuuggggg, I have to find new beloved convertible pants for Big Hike! I always just assumed I would wear those!  I will see this as an adventure, and not so much as the travesty (yes, I'm being OVERLY dramatic)