The summer of pride & pines

There is a distinct moment when the heavy humidity of spring finally snaps, giving way to the sharp, clean scent of New England balsam and sun-warmed earth. It is the official threshold of a new season. And this year, as June 1st arrives, I am stepping across that threshold with a very specific intention.

Welcome to The Summer of Pride & Pines.

Historically, June is a month of noise. It is a beautiful, necessary noise filled with parades, neon, crowded city streets, and high-energy celebration. We dance, we visibility-raise, and we look back at how far we’ve come. But this year, I found myself craving a different kind of space to celebrate who I am—one that is a bit quieter, a bit more grounded, and entirely surrounded by the open air.

For me, this summer is about taking our pride out of the asphalt jungle and dropping it squarely into the wilderness.

Pitching Tents & Shifting Perspectives

Over the next three months, this corner of the site is morphing into a seasonal journal dedicated to the art of gay camping. We aren't just talking about surviving the woods; we’re talking about living in them.

From the perfect setup of a canvas basecamp to the quiet luxury of an off-grid morning with a hot French press, I’ll be chronicling what it means to disconnect from the digital matrix and reconnect with the land—and with other gay men who find solace in the rugged outdoors.

There is something deeply restorative about being completely yourself under a vast sky. Out here, far away from the algorithms and the performative hustle of modern life, identity feels less like something you have to prove and more like something you simply get to inhabit.

What’s on the Horizon

As we clear out the mental clutter and head north into the woods this season, here is a glimpse of what you can expect from this column:

The Field Notes: Raw dispatches and honest stories from the trail, the campsite, and the lakeside.

The Curated Basecamp: A look at the design, gear, and aesthetics of elevating your outdoor space (because roughing it doesn't mean sacrificing style).

The Campfire Conversations: Thoughts on modern queer identity, male camaraderie in nature, and the history of finding our own sanctuaries.

Whether you are a seasoned backpacker who lives for the trail or someone whose idea of camping involves a luxury canvas bell tent and a perfectly poured cocktail, there is a place at this fire for you.

The gear is packed, the coordinates are set, and the woods are waiting. Let’s see what we find out there under the pines.

Happy Pride, gentlemen. Let’s make it an adventurous one.