"Grandma Gatewood's Walk" by Ben Montgomery

Emma Gatewood, fondly known as, "Grandma Gatewood" hiked the Appalachian Trail not once, not twice, but THREE times!  With nothing but a hand-sewn denim pack in which she carried raisins, peanuts, powdered milk, vienna sausages, bouillon cubes, a pocket knife, some drinking water, mints, and her pen and notebook, Emma set off to hike the 2,000 plus mile hike from Georgia to Maine.  She had seen an article on the Trail and "couldn't get it out of her head," she was reported to have said.  So she set out, telling her children, "she was going for a walk." 

 

Along her arduous and at times, "tricky and treacherous" hike, Emma encountered all kinds of wildlife including bears, deer, porcupines, field mice, and a rattlesnake that struck her leg.  Thankfully, the snake bite did not penetrate her dungarees. She also had run-ins with wild dogs, a plethora of bugs, was plagued by sore knees and huge bunions and she encountered all kinds of inclement weather.  She had later added a shower curtain, flashlight, slippers, Vicks Vapor Rub, iodine, and a warm coat to her supplies, but nothing would keep out the cold and wet when the weather was bad. She went through seven pairs of Keds sneakers by the time she reached the summit of Mt. Katahdin, Maine. At the top, she sang the first verse of America the Beautiful and soaked in the beauty of the mountain peak.

 

Emma met a lot of interesting people along her hike.  Many generous people offered her shelter and a warm meal and water along the way.  She had found that many parts of the trail were washed out, overgrown, not marked and the shelters either too run down, dirty, burned out, or non-existent. Her celebrity brought much needed attention to the necessity for repair and upkeep and it gained national publicity and the long overdue attention it needed.

 

As her story reached more and more news reporters, she became an instant celebrity and was called "the most celebrated pedestrian." Reporters would meet her along the trail and ask, "Mrs. Gatewood, why did you decide to hike the trail?" She would simply rely, "I thought it would be a nice lark." 

 

Emma was a mother of 11 and grandmother of 23. She was hard-working from a young age, helping to run a farm, raise a large family, and deal with the ongoing abuse at the hands of her husband.  All that she endured in her life apart from her success on the Trail, spoke to her inner strength and the belief that she could overcome anything.

 

My words on this incredible story of this AMAZING woman cannot possibly do her story justice.  All I can say is this book, by Ben Montgomery was an absolute delight!  At a time where I am craving uplifting and inspiring reads, I found this book and Emma's story to be just what I needed!  Not only did she astound people by being the first woman thru hiker to hike the Appalachian Trail alone, she also traversed the Oregon trail, as well, and she was the young age of 71! Can it be that the resounding message of her story should be "we are not limited by our age, but what we tell ourselves we can or can't do?" Emma Gatewood is a true heroine and an inspiration to all who know of her courage, determination, grit, and go-getter attitude. Her story will not long be forgotten by me! I encourage you to read it! Enjoy!

 

 

ReplyForward