Emma Gatewood — called “Grandma Gatewood” by the world — was one of the early thru-hikers of the Appalachian Trail (A.T.), the longest walking-only footpath in the world. She was not the first person — or even the first woman — to hike the trail (路线). Her hike was notable because she was the first woman ever to complete the trail alone at an advanced age.
When Gatewood did her first thru-hike in 1955, there were few hikers and it was hard to follow the trail. There were also many fewer resources for hikers — fewer stores near the trail and much less information available about the trail. But still, Gatewood hiked it alone, carrying only a bag and a hiking stick. She ate a lot of sausages and trail mix. Sometimes she ran out of food and ate berries she recognized in the forest.
After her hike, Gatewood had this to say about the trail in an interview: I thought it would be a nice lark. It wasn’t. There were terrible burnt-over areas and sand washouts, and most of the shelters were blown down, burned down or so dirty I chose to sleep out of doors. This was no trail. This was a nightmare. I would never have started this trip if I had known how tough it was, but I couldn’t and I wouldn’t quit.
All things considered, the only thing more improbable than Emma Gatewood’s completing the trail at the age of 67, is that she turned around and did it again. Twice — once in 1957 and again in 1964, at the age of 76, but this time in sections.
“Gatewood inspired many hikers over the years,” says Luxenberg, president of the Appalachian Trail Museum, “People think, ‘if this elderly woman could do the trail by herself, then I should be able to.’”
【小题1】Which might be the title for Gatewood?| A．The first thru-hiker of A.T. | B．The first female to hike A.T. alone. |
| C．The only woman thru-hiker of A.T. | D．The oldest person to hike A.T. alone. |
| A．She met extreme weather. | B．There was various food. |
| C．She met many fellow travelers. | D．There was limited information. |
| A．Breaking news. | B．Great fun. |
| C．A big challenge. | D．An improbable task. |
| A．Well begun is half done. | B．Action speaks louder than words. |
| C．Success is failure turned inside out. | D．Nothing is impossible to a willing heart. |
