“…my mother’s death was what made me believe the most in my security: nothing bad could happen to me, I thought, the worst is over.”
Hello, I’m Miguel!
I am a 34-year-old gay man originally from the suburbs of New York and now living in San Diego, California. I will be hiking the Pacific Crest Trail heading north starting April 17th. And I’m new to long-term hiking and backpacking.
Apart from an obvious deranged Passion for hiking and spending time in nature, I love traveling, musical theater, Broadway, Taylor Swift, singing, drag queens, reality competition shows and anything sparkly or pink. HENot exactly what you would expect from a typical nature lover or hiker. But I embrace the complex nature of humans and live life unapologetically as my authentic, stereotype-defying self. I consider myself a rude princess; I can be everything and anything. I like getting my nails done but also climbing mountains. I love listening to music but also riding my bike over 100 miles in a day. I challenge the expectations and “rules” created by society because someone It can be anything and everything.
For the last 34 years of my life, I have backpacking around the world (56 countries to be exact), I have He cycled over 4,000 miles across the United States of America.I biked 565 miles from San Francisco to Los Angeles twice in the AIDS/Life cycle, I’ve been skydiving over the Swiss Alps, bungee jump over the Costa Rican jungle, walked the Camino de Santiago in Spain, walked the West Highland Way in Scotland and experienced many other adventures around the world. I love challenging myself, both physically and mentally, to see how strong and capable I really am. And for my next adventure: a 2,650-mile hike along the Pacific Crest Trail from California to Canada.
“…my mother’s death was what made me believe the most in my security: nothing bad could happen to me, I thought, the worst is over.”
Those words have echoed in my head since I read them in Cheryl Strayed’s 2012 book. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail. They are forever engraved in my entire vital being. And they have become a personal philosophy of life; live in fear but dare anyway.
Like Cheryl Strayed, I lost my mother in 2009 to cancer. I was a momma’s boy and she was my best friend. Losing her was heartbreakingly devastating and incredibly liberating at the same time; both the worst thing that has ever happened to me and, in a way, the thing that most needed to happen to me. It catapulted me into anguish, depression, loneliness and endless pain. But at the same time it allowed me to spread my wings and fly. What worse pain could I endure than losing my mother, my best friend in life? It eventually gave me strength and boldness to achieve anything I ever dreamed of (and I dream big), despite how impossible or scary it may seem.
And beyond those words of strength, I haven’t stopped thinking about the Pacific Crest Trail either. 14 years ago I knew in my soul that one day I would undertake such an incredible adventure; It was just a matter of when. Well, fast forward to today, just one month from the start date of my Pacific Crest Trail permit on April 17th. Years of dreaming, procrastinating, training, researching and saving, and I’m finally about to embark on the hike of a lifetime. I can’t believe I’m actually here.
In terms of hiking, I’m pretty new to this. I’ve done a few overnight backpacking trips, but nothing more than four days. I’ve always loved the outdoors, nature, and pushing myself beyond my comfort zone, but the Pacific Crest Trail will be my wildest and most ambitious backpacking trip yet. I’m incredibly excited and nervous about this PCT hiking adventure and can’t wait to share the good, the bad, the lessons, and the opinions along the way.
Hello, I’m Miguel. And I hope you’ll follow my journey north in 2026 on the Pacific Crest Trail. 🏔️🥾✨
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