shoe tree and missing shoe

Approx 20 k's out of Morgan on the Morgan Burra Rd, South Australia is this shoe tree.  We came across it on our way home from Clare.

The day seemed to have a shoe theme to it.  I kicked my runners off sometime after we left Clare on our way home.  Got out of the car several times including to change drivers.  Didn't bother with the shoes there was no need to.  I was driving when we finally reached home around 10 pm well Thornbury anyway.   We unloaded the car and I reached across the drivers seat to pick up my shoes and socks from the floor.  Two socks, one shoe.  Mmmm that's not right.  I searched the car, David searched the car I even searched outside the car by feeling around the wheel in the gutter.  There was no vision as the night was not even moonlight.  I finally accepted the fact that somewhere between Clare and Thornbury there was one lonely pink laced shoe.  David liked to think that the shoe had decided to join the brigade on the shoe tree.
I walked out to my car early next morning after David had left for work and there was one pink laced runner in the gutter.  It was slightly worse for wear looking a little crushed but otherwise fine.