Grandma Gatewood’s Walk

In 1955 at the age of 67 Grandma Emma Gatewood became the first solo female to complete the 2,168-mile Appalachian Trail. She would do it three more times before her death nearly 20 years later.

Emma’s story, as chronicled by Ben Montgomery in Grandma Gatewood’s Walk, is one of the most inspiring things I’ve read.

Inspiring because she had so few resources: a denim sack for a backpack, a shower curtain for shelter, a blanket, a few food items (most would be collected along the way), one coat, a pair of Keds tennis shoes (she would wear out seven pairs before she was through), a Swiss army knife, flashlight, a pen and small notebook and less than $200 in cash.

And inspiring because she figured it out completely on her own. For instance, Emma trained by walking around her own block in a small Ohio town, gradually going further until she could do 10 miles a day.

And she didn’t tell any of her 11 children and 23 grandchildren of her intentions. She said she was afraid they would try to stop her.

Why did Grandma Gatewood do it? Through the years, she gave several answers:

“Just for the heck of it.”
“Always wanted to take this hike.”
“On a lark.”
“Because it’s there.”

I like to think there was another (maybe unconscious) reason. Gatewood makes me think of Tennyson’s lines in “Ulysses.” They are the words of an older person who has decided that he still has something to accomplish in life. Something big to accomplish:

“Old age hath yet his honour and his toil;
Death closes all: but something ere the end,
Some work of noble note, may yet be done,
Not unbecoming men that strove with gods.”

Some work of noble note—yet to be done. OK, it’s not going to be as extreme as the Appalachian Trail, but maybe you and I have something similar in our futures.

*Most of this entry came from my book, The Best Retirement Gifts Are Free, November 2021.