Grandma Gatewood’s Walk

Author : Ben Montgomery

Genre : Memoir

This is an inspiring story of the 65-year old woman, Emma Gatewood, who walked the Appalachia Trail in 1955. She stood five foot two and the only survival training she had were lessons learned earning calluses on her farm. She had no map, no sleeping bag, no tent. She saved money and began walking around the block, extending it a little more each time. By April she was hiking ten miles a day.

Alternating with her hiking is her contrasting reflection of life with an abusive husband as she raised her children. They were used to her going off into nature; initially they didn’t know where she was. Newspaper reports along the way spread the news of her journey.