On July 24th—my last day in Italy during the “2026 Italian Daughter Tour”—I activated Monte Sasso del Ferro (I/LO-279). With those two points, I reached the 1,000-point mark and achieved my first “Mountain Goat” status.
Reaching this goal was made possible by the initiative and planning of my daughter Esther and my son-in-law Victor, who wanted me to achieve Mountain Goat status during this trip. (It hadn’t originally been my idea or plan, but I quickly warmed up to it.)
It brought me great joy and personal satisfaction; after eight years and 204 summits, it has been a long, steady journey.
First, I want to thank Carmen—my partner and companion—for her help, company, and support; she has never let me head up a summit alone.
To my daughter Esther (“The Italian”) for her involvement and excellent organizational skills during our trips to Italy, and to my son-in-law Victor—my personal “Sherpa,” a skilled mountaineer and climber—for those ascents of Monte Zeda, Monte Tamaro, Tête de Comagne, Spitzhorli, and others.
To my grandson Eric, a companion on several SOTA activations, and to my grandson Nil, my first Sherpa, who made rapid ascents and descents of Matagalls.
And to my son Xavi and daughter-in-law Monica for their unconditional support.
Finally, I must express my gratitude to the essential players in this game: the “chasers” and activators who have made QSOs with me from the mountains. Thank you for your contacts and your patience.
…I have just one more thing to say… as long as my body holds up, I’ll keep at it.
As the poet Antonio Machado said: “Wanderer, there is no path; the path is made by walking…”
Santi, EA3O
