Giardia, middle -aged crisis #2, and I’m walking along the Laugavegur path

On the way, pass Pumbaa. Outside the path, they are Brandy’s sales: 45 years, vegan, divorced, father of two incredible children, addicted to corn popcorn and a ICT ICT enthusiast who eats stress.

This year, I am doing the Laugavegur path in Iceland, which began the morning of my 45th birthday … with a giardia infection.

I spent the day trembling, sweating and running to the bathroom. Somewhere in the midst of that misery, I had a moment of clarity:

I’m running out of time.

That thought launched my second middle -aged crisis, and a new mission: a great walk every year until it turns 50 (and beyond). Start with Iceland and end with Mount Kilimanjaro.

But before talking about where I go, let’s rewind where everything started.

My history of origin

I grew up on the outskirts of Boston, one of the four black families in a mostly white community. My friends were great, but nobody talked about walking. We liked the construction of strong in the forest, street hockey, whiff ball, football, canoeing, fishing and Nintendo.

The hiking/outdoor adventure did not enter the photo until the end of the age of 20, when I finally got the cable and discovered Survivor. I was hooked. A few years later, I met Les Stud himself at a conference in Las Vegas. After a 30 second conversation with my outdoor hero, I was ready to explore the outdoors and I went to camp in New Hampshire!

From 2007 to 2009 I became an extraordinary camping and in March 2009 I was called to the Grand Canyon. I started training to walk through the cannon going to the white mountains. The morning I turned 30, I was walking through the Grand Canyon.

The Grand Canyon’s walk was not as planned. My then wife had not been able to train, and we reached a room on the road to the cannon when he had to return. It was frustrated (possibly a little frustrated to this day), but that «failure» opened a door.

A friend invited me to my first real Backpack trip: to Mount Garfield. That’s where I met M&M, through a trip about to finish the path of the Apalaches. We talked for an hour. When I went down that mountain, me knew: The backpack was going to be mine.

Life happens

In 2010, my daughter was born. The walk slowed down. I loved being a dad, but something inside me began to slip. There was a frustration that could not explain, but I was sure that it had nothing to do with changing diapers and a child who cries.

To distract myself, I launched a commercial video of video video. Then I moved to Los Angeles for independent work, leaving my newborn and wife in Massachusetts for three months while trying to build a new life for our family.

In a positive note, I walked almost every day in Los Angeles, Griffith Park, the Hollywood sign, where I could. But the Land was lame and 100 percent not for me.

When I moved back to Massachusetts, I used my free time as an unemployed new father to return to the way when I could. But quickly, I realized that it was difficult to find others who wanted to drive 2.5 hours every weekend to climb mountains. Then I started something new: hiking hearts, a family philanthropic hiking group.

At that moment, my mother was fighting cancer. We turned the group into a collection of funds for cancer investigation, and took off. We grew up to more than 300 members and raised tens of thousands of dollars.

The fall and the upward

Between 2012 and 2019, I entered the entire video business, I became a video producer awarded with 4 times international, and hiking became a type of things once in AA.

Because it has sounded, my life was actually blocked:

• My mother had died.
• My marriage had collapsed.
• I ignored my diabetes and developed a disease that affected my vision.
• I won 80 pounds.
• I put on a spiral in a depression.

In 2020, I had transferred my family to Tennessee when my video business was invested. On August 18, 2020, a friend invited me to a 40 -mile backpack trip in Yellowstone. I said yes immediately. The training for that trip returned me to life. I even started a Vlog called Black Man Handking to document the trip.

In 2022, I completed my first middle -aged crisis and broke with my girlfriend, officially closed my video business and lived in my car. Life was simple. I worked in a cafeteria, then I walked after work and I saw my children every two weeks (I didn’t worry, they didn’t live in the car).

That year, I also became a certified path guide in the Smokies, the National Forest of Pisgah and Big South Fork. It was the best job I’ve had. Life was great!

Life hit

And then, another bowel blow (no giardia).

My ex -wife filed a demand to reduce my time with children. Every dollar I won to guide was direct to legal fees.

I had to get away from the path of the path and depression returned to my life.
I found group therapy and walked forward.

The 5 -year plan

These days, I am back in corporate life, but the path is still at home. I have a plan. A long distance walk every year until I peel with Kilimanjaro on my 50th birthday. This plan keeps me motivated to walk, it keeps me mentally, emotionally and spiritually balanced. It also allows me to be the best version of myself, which occurs along the way.

• 2025 – Laugavegur Trail, Iceland
• 2026 – Wonderland Trail, Washington (or 10 epic days in the white mountains)
• 2027 – Circuit «O», Patagonia
• 2028 – West Highland Way, Scotland
• 2029 – Kilimanjaro, Tanzania (Birthday Summit! 🎉)

Why share this?

Because maybe you were there: Press, trapped, afflicted, angry, exhausted. You may have looked at the mirror and have not recognized the person who looks back. If that is you, I want you to know this:

It is never too late to walk forward.

You don’t have to accumulate a mountain tomorrow. Start with a walk. A small path. One step. Claim your body, your hope and yourself.

Who am I?

I’m brandy «pumbaa» sales.
Divorced. Dad. Vegan Lover of corn popcorn. ICT TAC ADDICT. Backpacker.
Massachusetts raised. Based in Tennessee.
But the path is my true home.

July 2025, I will try a laugavegur trail walk in Iceland.

Skillful to see you on the way.