This is a part two of a two part interview with the author of Grandma Gatewood’s Walk. The book is a New York Times best seller and writer Ben Montgomery was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2010.
Part one covers her younger history, the life and times she lived through in the early 1950’s, the abuse she suffered for 30 years and her discovery of the Appalachian Trail, before setting foot in it initially in 1954.
We all know the basic story, that in 1955 67 year old Grandma Gatewood set off on a remarkable journey, to accidentally become the first woman to walk the entire 2050 miles in 145 days of the Appalachian Trail.
Today her name is iconic within the lightweight backpacking community, as she carried only 15 pounds of supplies and a tiny amount of food in a simple knapsack, hiking in sneakers, sleeping under a shower curtain and living off the land.
Not only that, she did again 2 years later, followed by the Oregon Trail then aged 71.
This audio is an extract from the video live stream (which can be found on YouTube) I broadcast recently with the author Ben Montgomery who found that Grandma Gatewood was his Mother’s Great Aunt.
In it you’ll hear previously unearthed stories about this amazing woman, her diaries, her gritty life and what led her to set off on the trail all of which can be found in his fascinating biography - Grandma Gatewoods Walk.
Part two concludes with a few stories from the trail, her subsequent fame and celebrity status and how she became the iconic ambassador for walking with her name and legacy living on.
No 506 - Christmas Day Walk on the Hills
No 505 - The Next Challenge
No 504 - Alice Bowers
No 503 - Atom Packs made in the UK
No 502 - Abbie Barnes
No 501 - The Thomas Theyer Foundation
No 500 - 14 Years In The Making
No 499 - Nearly Wild Camping
No 498 - The Cairngorms Strikes Back Pt2
No 497 - The Cairngorms Strikes Back Pt1
No 496 - Recommended Listening - Pt 3
No 495 - ISPO Outdoor Fair Highlights 2019
No 494 - Adventure Queens
No 493 - One Hour Outside
No 492 - Tough Soles - Ireland Waymarked Trails Completed
No 491 - Katie-Jane Endurance - 600km Iceland Traverse
No 490 - Jenny Davis Pt2 - Endurance Women In Sport
No 489 - Jenny Davis Pt1 - Antarctic Record Attempt
No 488 - The 82 Island Challenge
No 487 - Beth Foot Forward
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