Nash,

Thanks for clearing that up. The LBS showed me a pair of shoes with the toe cleats you described (they're removable, evidently) and called them 'cyclocross' shoes. The cleat recess was quite shallow. The shoes I have are fine for now, I just have to be careful where I walk. I only noticed the cleats when walking on concrete, so on smoother surfaces they might be ok for now.

Trombone,

Thanks for the links! It's good to actually see the differences in the soles and the depth of the cleat recess. This is quite the learning experience. BTW, do you play? I'm a tuba guy myself...

Ultimately I'll be looking for a more walkable shoe, but I have to 'keep it real' in terms of spending for the time being. Thanks to your advice, I'll look more carefully at the touring shoes to prepare for the next upgrade.

Gonna be a sloppy commute tomorrow - I'm looking forward to having my feet secure to the pedals instead of slipping everytime I hit a bump.

Thanks muchly for the tips!