Women I admire. First my Mom, second my grandmother Tera, thirdly this lady. Grandma Gatewood. She was born eighth of fifteen children of a civil war veteren and his wife. At the age of 67 she decided to hike the 2,168 mile Appalachian Trail that stretches from Georgia to Maine and she did. Not once, but several times and hiked other trails as well.After raising her own eleven children, Grandma Gatewood, who then was a great grandmother, set out on her journey. Hikers today wouldn't dream of setting out on a trail w/o the best and lightest of gear. Grandma Gatewood always hiked in her hightop Keds with a canvas duffel holding all her supplies slung over one shoulder. She was the first female to ever hike the entire trail and at 67! She proved once and for all that you do not have to be a young male to be an excellent athelete.
The book "Walking the Appalachian Trail" by Larry Luxenberg has this funny excerpt about her:
Walking the Appalachian Trail
"Grandma Gatewood's formal education in a one-room school ended at eighth grade, but she had the practical knowledge and self-sufficient attitude useful in farm life. Her store of medical lore made her prized among her neighbors. She had, as well a better-than-common knowledge of plants and often arose at 4:00 or 4:30 am to tend her treasured flower beds by kerosene lantern light before getting tied down with the day's chores. She was an accomplished quilt and rugmaker, poet, and prolific correspondent. Lucy (her grand daughter) said that a typical day's entry in Grandma's diary would say that she mowed the grass, worked in the garden, fixed the underpinings of some trailers, dug up potatoes, and on and on. At the end she'd write, "I'm tired""
What an inspiring woman- I want to be like Grandma!!
Another book I like about the A.T. is "A Walk In the Woods" By Bill Bryson. It is crack you up funny. Now if anyone thinks I am getting any more harebrained ideas....I AM!!!!
4 comments:
Kristi these look like great books....the kind I love to read. What an inspirational woman Grandma Gatewood was. I love your blog and am almost through catching up. I admire all you are doing and just wish I would have done this when my kids were young. Your children are very lucky.
Hi, should I call you egghead?:)
Thanks for visiting! Your blog is great. I love reading it.
Kristi
I got the Book by Bill Bryson last year. It is very funny. I also have a desire to hike the appalachian trail, but I'm not sure just how far I'll take it. :)
Sean has a good friend (part of the police department) who has hiked the entire trail at least once, but I think he did it twice. I am terribly afraid of bears. That just might deter me!
NeeKee, Come on lets hike the trail in sections together!!! You probably run faster than me so bears will not be a problem for you!
Love, Kristi
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