[at-l] Verna "Gran-ma" Soule passed away today

[pudscrawler at aol.com]

Bits and Pieces:? I met her at the 1998 Gathering but had heard about her from another woman online previous to that so was already kind of dazzled.? ?She was tiny and absolutely not puffed up by her fame.

In 1999 she hiked with Pittsburgh's group, thinking she would get her trail legs that way.? I came across her on Snowbird Mountain.? She had set up her tent a few feet off the trail.? There were three or four of us who hiked in on her.? When I recognized her, I exclaimed, "It's the famous GrandMa Soule!"

She seemed exhilerated by that recognition, but she was feeling all washed out and felt she could go no farther.? Those of you who know me know that I am a very slow hiker.? I told her to come along with me, we'd make it to the next shelter about 2.5 miles away.? 

She agreed and packed up her tent again.? Knowing her reputation, I assumed that she would be irritated to have to walk as slowly as I do, so I took off (foolishly).? Within 50 feet she was calling that she couldn't do it.? We talked.? Again, so at awe of her, I assumed that she knew what she was doing.? I went on up to Groundhog Creek Shelter with the assurance that we'd meet and hike on to Hot Springs together the next day.

When I got to the creek, the others wanted to know where she was.? When I told them, Sage (who had EMT training) asked if she had enough water.? I didn't know the answer.? That's what I mean about my awe of her.? I'd just assumed that she would ask for anything she needed.

The next morning I waited for her here and there.? Then Sage came along and said that he had run into her, that she was behind me and would come along.? All day I kept sitting on boulders and watching for her from the rear.? When I got to Hot Springs, I found her already there.? Some turkey hunters had given her a ride in from Garenflo Gap.

A bunch of us had birthdays that day, Earth Day.? We went to the Bridge for supper.? She wouldn't come along.? She was too tired, and Ken was on his way to get her.? That dear man had already done that once before on that hike when she called from the Smokies.

She couldn't understand what was wrong with her.? She had never experienced that kind of weakness before.

We always talked about hiking the trail together.? The next year she tried once more, being supported by some dear friends, hiking 12 miles/day.? She sent me her itinerary, but by then I was deep into foot surgeries (Thank you, Vasque Sundowners.).? That time she made it all the way to Manchester Center, but by then she was stricken with Lyme.? She'd never found the tick, which was in/on her ear.

What a heart that woman had!? Thank goodness, she'd already completed the trail previously.

One thing I forgot to mention, I asked her about setting up her tent right beside the trail back at Snowbird Mountain.? Women are supposed to be very careful, extremely careful, to stealth camp completely out of sight.? She said she would be afraid to do that on any other trail but not on the AT.

We exchanged posts off and on during the years that have followed.

She walked at home eight miles/day when she wasn't out on a trail.? I believe she told me that she had a course worked out in her town.

A hero of mine has died, Wonder Woman herself.? 

Happy Trails, Verna.

Kinnickinic






-----Original Message-----
From: Sloetoe <sloetoe at yahoo.com>
To: Mark Hudson <mvhudson at gmail.com>; at-l at backcountry.net
Sent: Thu, 6 Sep 2007 11:51 am
Subject: Re: [at-l] Verna "Gran-ma" Soule passed away today




### Can anybody rough out a bio for this legend? I
shook her hand once, but other than that, ...

--- Mark Hudson <mvhudson at gmail.com> wrote:

> *This was sent to me by Ed Sidote...
> I met Verna many times at Gatherings and along the
> trail... she'll be missed.
> Skeeter
> 
> From:* Soule492 at aol.com
> 
> HELLO ED, SORRY TO HAVE TO SEND THIS NEWS TO YOU BUT
> VERNA PASSED AWAY TODAY,SEPTMBER 5, 
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