Dale Sanders, 82, completes full Appalachian Trail hike
Dale Sanders finished all 2,190 miles of the Appalachian Trail in October 2017 at age eighty-two, making him the oldest person to thru-hike the route. He spent seven months on the trail. The hike was not easy. He fell twenty-five to thirty times in New Hampshire. In July, heart palpitations and internal bleeding nearly forced him to quit after hiking through Maine's Hundred-Mile Wilderness. He came home for ten days, then returned to finish. More than 3,000 people attempt the full trail each year, but only about twenty-five percent complete it, according to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.
Sanders' completion shows that age does not have to limit physical challenges. His persistence through setbacks offers a model for older adults who want to stay active and take on ambitious goals.
Source: Dale Sanders (healthyaging.ucsd.edu).
Written by the HappyGood desk from the primary source linked above and checked against it. Every story links its source. Corrections: [email protected].
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