Confused? I don't blame you.
Last time I wrote an entry here I was starting my journey across the nation and back to my home in FL.
Although a short time has passed, a lot has happened. I will be brief in my recollection of events, not from lack of wonderful memories to share but from lack of time and eagerness to start sharing my current memories.
Last time I wrote an entry here I was starting my journey across the nation and back to my home in FL.
Although a short time has passed, a lot has happened. I will be brief in my recollection of events, not from lack of wonderful memories to share but from lack of time and eagerness to start sharing my current memories.
I actually wrote two entries of my eastbound trip but mistakenly erased one, so here goes the short version of the sequence of events that has brought me to Tuscany, Italy, just a few weeks after my return from my first solo PCT hike.
After a quick walk in the Pa'rus trail and driving across Zion NP, I spend my first night of my east bound trip on route 9, a few miles east of it. I found a BLM campsite, slept like a baby and cleaned hotel prius for a few hours the following morning.
After a quick walk in the Pa'rus trail and driving across Zion NP, I spend my first night of my east bound trip on route 9, a few miles east of it. I found a BLM campsite, slept like a baby and cleaned hotel prius for a few hours the following morning.
- On my way to Grand Canyon NP, I stopped by Best friends Animal sanctuary, a place I never knew existed and could not pass visiting once it was in front of me.
- My guardian and I walked their water trail and enjoyed the sights a great deal.
- We spent our second night 6 miles east of the South entrance to GCNP, once again on BLM lands. The night was beautifully decorated with the most celestial bodies I had ever seen at once. I was in awe and felt blessed.
- After walking the South entrance trail at GCNP, I continued my way eastbound, having decided to skip my visit to beautiful Taos. This would give me an excuse to visit the land of enchantment once again and still tackle my first solo AT hike on this trip.
I had not been to the Gran Canyon in over 20 years. I remembered all that had occurred in my life between my two visits and the GCNP became my own. It will continue to be hereafter.
- Before leaving AZ, I drove thru Grand Stair Case monument and explored the Pareas wilderness area, looking for a ghost town. The town was not there anymore but the journey provided amazing views.
I also drove thru Petrified forest NP, another I had not visited in over 20 years.
- I crossed the continental divide line at 9:04pm, 7425 elev. 50F degrees. Somehow this type of fact is both amusing and important enough for me to note.
- I drove until 3:56 am when I reached Amarillo, TX. I slept in hotel prius at a super Texas style highway stop. It was big, very clean and well cared for. I felt very safe.
- I drove until 3:56 am when I reached Amarillo, TX. I slept in hotel prius at a super Texas style highway stop. It was big, very clean and well cared for. I felt very safe.
- Oklahoma went by in a blink. Although I had stopped at the visitors center and was eager to walk in a state that I had never visited before, the 98 degree weather convinced me not to venture into shadeless trails. So, on I went to Tennessee.
- My guardian got his rabies booster shot and a second microchip implanted somewhere in Tennessee, 22 days prior to April 13. This was the day we would leave for Italy.
- My first AT solo hike was 40 miles of (almost) perfect hiking weather; we walked from Dick's creek gap to Winding staircase gap. We passed our first state line (GA to NC) and the 100 mile mark.
- I will never camp at Sasafrass gap in GA again. It is a freezing wind tunnel. This is what my tarp set up was reduced to in the morning! I'm so glad I didn't blow away with it! lol!
- Within my first two miles on the AT, I met and greeted over a dozen section and thru hikers, reminding me of the stark difference between the PCT and the AT, specially at this time of year.
- Here are some of the hikers I met on my last section of the AT:
Tacos, a 28 yr. old social worker with unquestionable leadership skills, infectious chuckles and a passion for taking pictures of roots that resembled animals, which he will publish in a book at the end of his thru hike.
- Iowa, an 18 yr. Old HS graduate from Iowa exploring his new freedom and sporting new gear given to him by his outdoor loving dad.
- Fruit Snacks, a sweet 22 year Old grocery store cashier who had saved every penny she could in order to be out there hiking and smiling.
These three characters adopted me on my last two nights and last day of my hike. I appreciated their company a great deal and became pretty enamoured with the idea of becoming a thru AT hiker someday, hopefully sooner rather than later.
I also met Yoda, a young philosophy student who bowed before crossing any body of water and liked to attack strangers with sudden quotes of deep thoughts to ponder upon on their walk. Yoda walked alone and could easily earn his living whistling a tune. Here's his though for me:
"Life gives us challenges that we have to surpass. But it is what we do to surpass these challenges that defines who we are".
"Firecracker" was a recently retired fire fighter with the biggest blue eyes I have seen in a long time.
"MK" was a young lady from Brooklyn looking for a change of pace and scenery and enjoying every second of it.
"Blister", a fit dad in his mid 40's setting up his hammock at a shelter while he waited for his buddy to catch up.
All of the above were headed to Franklin and advised me to do the same in order to avoid the upcoming storm. I followed their advice and cut my section hike short by a few miles, ending at 40 miles.
"MK" was a young lady from Brooklyn looking for a change of pace and scenery and enjoying every second of it.
"Blister", a fit dad in his mid 40's setting up his hammock at a shelter while he waited for his buddy to catch up.
All of the above were headed to Franklin and advised me to do the same in order to avoid the upcoming storm. I followed their advice and cut my section hike short by a few miles, ending at 40 miles.
And so, came the end of my first solo AT hike!
- Once we reached Florida I celebrated my amazing trip with my favorite and most comfort giving food: Sancocho Colombiano. Nothing else could satisfy my hiker hunger and made me smile while I enjoyed and celebrated my recent memories.
Home sweet home.
Well, for now, at least.- Once we reached Florida I celebrated my amazing trip with my favorite and most comfort giving food: Sancocho Colombiano. Nothing else could satisfy my hiker hunger and made me smile while I enjoyed and celebrated my recent memories.
- My guardian visited the vet and the animal services office of the USDA in Gainesville within 10 days of departure to Italy, where all health certificates were produced and endorsed by the proper people. This trip came up rather unexpectedly, when a friend suggested I check out a place where they were looking for farm help in exchange of room and board. After a successful interview via Skype, I commited to visit Paradiso Pereti in a work exchange arrangement, for 7 weeks.
On Thursday, April 13, I left home in a rental car at 8:30am in order to catch a 3pm flight from Miami to Oslo.
Again, I had not visited Europe or a Nordic country in over 20 years, so this was a big treat for me!
It was snowing lightly in Oslo, where I had to wait a while for the vet to give BooBoo permission to go outside to the curb to relieve himself after 12 hours of being in transit. The vet inspected his documents, gave him, the OK, walked us outside, waited for us and walked us back inside the airport in order to go thru security again and catch our connecting flight to Rome. And so, my 3 hours of lay over in Oslo passed rather eventfully, I guess.
Again, I had not visited Europe or a Nordic country in over 20 years, so this was a big treat for me!
It was snowing lightly in Oslo, where I had to wait a while for the vet to give BooBoo permission to go outside to the curb to relieve himself after 12 hours of being in transit. The vet inspected his documents, gave him, the OK, walked us outside, waited for us and walked us back inside the airport in order to go thru security again and catch our connecting flight to Rome. And so, my 3 hours of lay over in Oslo passed rather eventfully, I guess.
The first thing I noticed when I arrived in Rome was the huge difference between the two airports I had just visited. The buzzling energy and noise level of the airport in Rome was the complete opposite of the one in Oslo earlier that morning.
I looked for the train that would take me to my destination and embarked in a 3 or 4 hour trip out towards the Italian country side, making sure not to fall asleep and pass my stop after transferring to the second train.
I looked for the train that would take me to my destination and embarked in a 3 or 4 hour trip out towards the Italian country side, making sure not to fall asleep and pass my stop after transferring to the second train.
PARADISO PERETI at last!
My kind host was waiting for us at the train station, with enough smiles and kindness to make it all worth while.
And so begins my memories of my visit to Agriturismo Pereti for the next 7 weeks, while I work for my room and board in exchange of being in this marvelous place, at this exact moment in time, just when and where I need to be.
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