Italy at a slow pace, Elia Origoni and his Sentiero Italia

Sentiero Italia at zero impact
Not only boots and legs in the Sentiero Italia lived by the sentinel. If anyone else would have used the ferry to go from Sardinia to Sicily, Elia made a radical choice. “When I started imagining the journey along the Sentiero, I was immediately faced with a big question,” he explains. “Arriving at the end of Sardinia I would have to cross a large stretch of sea, does it make sense to do it by boat? Do I leave to have an eco-friendly experience and then take the ferry? So I started doing some research on the web, discovering the existence of these small canoe-like boats. They are essential but also provide space to stretch out and rest overnight.” Everything changes from here on out. When planning your new departure, you no longer just have to consider a journey on foot, but also navigation. How does one conduct a rowboat through the Mediterranean Sea? “I didn’t have any kind of sailing experience. I did a few canoe rides in the lakes that are close to home and little else.” After saying goodbye to the Sardinian coast, for Elia intense days began. A few hours of sleep each night alternated with the many of paddling. “I couldn’t leave the controls for very long so I wouldn’t lose my course,” he explains. Eventually a handful of days were enough to reach Palermo and find himself firmly planted on land. From here on, nothing seemed to go wrong. Obviously, even the three kilometers of the Strait of Messina were overcome by force of arms, paddling from one coast to the other. But after facing the open sea, this must have seemed like child’s play to him.

An adventure along Italy
Landscapes that change at every stage, environments that are transformed, encounters, people. The Sentiero Italia has a life of its own and it shines through in Elia’s story. It has a soul that takes shape kilometer after kilometer, it tells about our country, our history, a population. “One step at a time, I climbed up and down every mountain in our country, blending the sporting component with a cultural discovery” Origoni explains. “The Sentiero Italia is unique in its kind and I hope that many enthusiasts can find the right motivation to set out to discover its long path”. An itinerary that is now 100% passable thanks to the work done by the volunteers of the Italian Alpine Club, who have been working since 2017 on the rearrangement of the trail. When you walk for so long, it’s hard to get used to normalcy again afterwards. “It was an intense experience,” Elia concludes, recalling the most complex moment of all, when last spring he was swept away by an avalanche at the foot of Monte Prado, in Tuscany. “In the end I was able to start again and close the project” but in between there was a big scare for him and his family, as well as a month of rehabilitation. In record time, he was back on his feet and grinding out miles. The goal? To complete the route before the fall snows began to whiten the Alps. And he succeeded just in time. As our walker made his way down to the seashore, the mountain peaks were already beginning to dress up for the winter.

Outdoor Sentinels, environmentally friendly outdoors
Elia is the latest enthusiast to join Lafuma‘s Outdoor Sentinels, the community of outdoor and nature lovers who share their commitment to protecting green spaces during their adventures and travels. The group of youngers offer their concrete contribution by picking up trash they find during their outdoor outings and sharing these moments, to inspire and raise awareness about this important topic. They come from all over the world, they love outdoor adventures, travel, nature and have a common goal, to contribute concretely to the preservation of our planet. Elia’s presentation as part of the team took place last October 9th at the Lafuma corner of Mega Intersport in Martignacco (UD). A few hours before telling the public about himself, the walker finished his walk, a small celebration and conclusion of a great project. “The idea behind this venture is simple. Legs, backpack, tent, desire to engage in a concrete way and get your hands dirty to show how even a solo trip and with little weight on your shoulders can be addressed respecting the environment.”