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 426 - Adventure Travel Show Pt1
No 425 - GR20 from the Archives
No 424 - Tread Lite Gear
No 423 - Tom Way Wildlife Photographer
No 422 - Alex Roddie Pt2
No 421 - Alex Roddie Pt1
No 420 - Recommended Listening Pt2
No 419 - Chris Townsend Pt2
No 418 - Chris Townsend Pt1
No 417 - 7000kms on a Shoestring Pt2
No 416 - 7000kms on a Shoestring Pt1
No 415 - Competition Time
No 414 - Cycling London to Athens
No 413 - Nicky Spinks
No 412 - Recommended Listening Pt1
No 411 - Say Yes More
No 410 - The Perimeter of the UK
N0 409 - A Walk On The Hills with Martin Rye
No 408 - Slackpacking on the Pennine Way
No 407 - Running the Outer Hebrides Pt2
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