April 13, 2013. A date representing a tangible mark in my life, the division between the man who I was and the man who I was bound to become. Click here for Chapter Three Click here for Chapter Two Click here for Chapter One Click here for the Prologue There are dates with important meanings in everyone’s life: birthdays, anniversaries, celebrations, all have…
A White Foreign Guy at a HBCU: Chapter Three
Ever heard the saying “once you go black, you never go back?” Click here for Chapter Two Click here for Chapter One Click here for the Prologue Well eventually I did go back, but my college years without doubt gifted some of the most meaningful relationships so far in life. And the most intense headaches too. Before starting this passage, let’s…
A White Foreign Guy at a HBCU: Chapter Two
Entering the gates of new territories with a much deeper awareness of my surroundings. And a steady improvement on the quality of my English. Click here for Chapter One Click here for the Prologue After a whole summer spent in Italy worrying about losing most of my English, I was ready to go back to…
Mile 2190.9: The End (?)
The rain wakes me up. I’m already nervous for the day that’s about to start and the weather doesn’t help lowering my stress levels. I sit quietly in the corner of the shelter, it’s still dark all around me and the only noise comes from the boiling water on the stove. I’m not thinking about…
Mile 2185.7: Family, friends and fun
“There are no places to obtain supplies or get help until Abol Bridge 100 miles north. Do not attempt this section unless you have a minimum of 10 days supplies and are fully equipped. This is the longest wilderness section of the entire A.T. and its difficulty should not be underestimated. Good hiking!” reads the…
Mile 1742.9: Kindness Can’t Be Bought
“People won’t be as nice to you up north,” once told me a man in North Carolina. He assured me that I would’ve had a hard time finding rides, enjoying some trail magic, and that majority of people would’ve thought that I was homeless. God, he was wrong. The day after the Connecticut Challenge I…
Mile 1550.2: Challenges
The alarm goes off at 4am. Luckily, I’m the only one sleeping in the shelter, as everyone else around me decided to pitch their tents. It’s the first time I set an alarm on the trail, but I remembered how annoying used to be hearing loud buzzers in the morning in the middle of the…
Mile 1358: Hard as Rock
The light drizzle tapping on the shelter’s aluminum roof wake me up. I feel rested and ready for what was expecting me that day. “It’s time for some climbing,” I think, while tying my beat up shoes. The endless rocks definitely took a toll on them. While crossing the bridge at Lehigh Gap I look…
Mile 1257.9: The Other Half
“Damn, half gallon of ice cream is not easy to carry in your stomach,” I think while heading back to the trail, leaving Pine Grove Furnace State Park. I spent all morning sitting outside the general store, pondering the pros and cons of hiking with such huge amount of dairy inside my intestines. After finally…
Mile 944.4: Loneliness
Loneliness can be brutal, especially if your minds starts taking trips into unknown territories. Wednesday morning I wish Dubs a safe flight. He’s flying home for a wedding and won’t be back on the trail for another five days. Mac decided to go back to the trail early in the morning, mostly to avoid spending…