The Legend of Grey Beard: A Chance Encounter with AT Royalty By Emily Patrick
Though the Appalachian Trail doesn’t directly pass through Greenville, occasionally whispers of a thru-hiker with a unique story reach the lapping shores of Moosehead Lake, a stone’s throw from where the world-famous trail intersects Monson, ME. Writing about AT hikers is one of my favorite subjects- always a rare and special treat. First, because I’ve always dreamed of hiking the AT. Second, the first front page feature I ever did for our very first edition of the Journal was about a local gal who hiked the AT with her fiancé and got married on Katahdin.
Third, thru-hikers are hands-down of the most interesting people I’ve ever met and often challenge my interview skills in one fashion or another (take, for example, Sun Up, the first deaf woman to earn her Triple Crown, whom I had the pleasure of interviewing before she summited Katahdin using a Telecom Relay Service in an area with…spotty service). About a week ago, my mother, the Editor, messaged me saying a hiker named Grey Beard was on track to become the oldest person ever to hike the entire AT. I knew I had to meet him.
Now, if Grey Beard sounds more like myth than man, that’s because he is. In anticipation of meeting him (I somehow knew I would have the chance), I did a little bit of research. Grey Beard wasn’t just aiming to be the oldest person to ever thru-hike the AT…he was aiming to break the record for a second time! He broke the record in 2017, but it was bested just a couple of years later by someone else. Now, at 91 years old, he aims to take back his title. This time, I have a feeling it will be difficult to beat.
The other morning, as I was getting ready to drive my daughter to work and already feeling behind on my day’s to-do list, I got a call from my mother. Grey Beard was spotted at Indian Hill. Feeling a little perturbed at the Universe’s timing, but unwilling to miss the chance to meet a literal legend, I threw a Moosehead Lakeshore Journal zip-up over my house clothes, took a look in the mirror and, totally horrified, dashed out the door. AT thru-hikers don’t tend to be judgmental of one’s appearance or overall hygiene, so I thought I could risk it.
It was a grey day when I met Grey Beard coming out of a grey truck that said “Appalachian Trail Base Camp on Wheels.” Usually, one thinks of legends as being elusive, but maybe somewhere along the line Grey Beard gave up on that- he tells me people recognize him everywhere he goes, so what’s the point?
“Are you Grey Beard?” I asked.
“I am,” he said.
He and his companion were heading into the Hill to shop around a bit, they informed me, but they’d be happy to meet for a quick interview and photoshoot downtown. I took down Grey Beard’s number, just in case, and one of his stickers with his website on it, and I gave him my card. With no more than an informal plan to meet downtown at no particular time, I hurried to drop my son off and stop back at home and hastily pour my now-lukewarm coffee into a to-go mug (my belly was rumbling but breakfast would have to wait- again).
I pulled into the Katahdin parking lot and thought our meeting again was probably a longshot- I should have just taken the photo op when I had it. Grey Beard told me after he summits, he won’t be passing back through Greenville. I was kicking myself and after a good 20 minutes with another interview looming, I was about to give up when I saw the AT Base Camp on Wheels pull into Northwoods Outfitters across the street, turn around in the parking lot, and take off again. My heart sunk- I thought for sure I had lost them, but out of curiosity I thought I would see if I could see them down Pritham Ave. or maybe heading back up towards Indian Hill.
As luck would have it (for me, not for Grey Beard), the truck was parked right out front of Porter’s Garage. ‘
Feeling wholly and unashamedly like a pesky reporter, I hastily parked and flagged the pair down across the street. Instead of thinking me a stalker, or maybe in spite of thinking me a stalker, Grey Beard was actually quite happy to follow me down to the lake.
I pointed out the sign to him as we entered Thoreau Park and said this is the spot where Henry David Thoreau, another Northwoods legend, first put in to Moosehead Lake. “Is that right, that’s why they call it that?” he said. To be standing with an AT legend at the exact spot another famous adventurer launched his expedition many years before, right before Grey Beard took off into the same wilderness to break a world record for a second time, was surreal and not at all lost on me.
I pointed out the Steamship Katahdin and Grey Beard said he thought he took a ride on it years ago, the last time he passed through on his way to the Northern terminus of the AT. What a sight that must have been! Grey Beard sounds like a one-man pirate cruise, with his young and adventurous spirit not one bit masked by his trail name.
He was also very happy to follow all of my silly instructions as we had an impromptu photo shoot. During our conversation, I was scratching notes down on an old grocery list I had in my purse (maybe I should have grabbed one of my reporter’s notebooks at home instead of my coffee but, you know, priorities).
Grey Beard playfully stood on one foot at the end of the dock by the Katahdin like a grey flamingo, lost his balance a bit and turned around towards my lens with a childlike grin on his face. Then, he knelt down and felt the water with his hand. It’s apparent this man has a lot of experience being photographed, so luck was on my side again, because I’m an amateur photographer on my best day.
We got back together by Café Crepe and I was going to buy him breakfast (or lunch) but he said he had already eaten at Auntie M’s that morning, and as far as the Greenville experience goes, Auntie M’s is hard to beat. Still, I suggested one of Lauren’s famous crepes for lunch and he seemed agreeable.
I told him if we could walk back towards my car, I would give him some copies of our newspaper. He wanted to go the other direction, to the bank, and told me matter-of-factly, “I want a copy of the one I’m in.” It made me laugh. Honesty is so refreshing in a world that wastes time with niceties.
I took down his address and we made plans to reconnect after the summits the big mountain and breaks the world record- for the second time. He says he plans to summit on August 9 if all goes according to plan. Though he has to travel south to finish six days in the Smoky Mountains, which were under three feet of snow when he first passed through, if he finishes by September 5, he will have broken a world record…again.
As I went to shake his hand, my hand closed around a closed fist. We both chuckled, and then I “pounded” it. We parted ways after I looked him in the eyes and told him I had no doubt he would complete his mission. He thanked me, but I would like to thank him for taking the time to indulge a green young journalist after just having spent three days hiking with none other than the Associated Press. Grey Beard’s spirit is one-of-a-kind, and looking through his Facebook page, I can tell he makes an impression on every single person he meets- on-trail or off.
“I will break the record,” Grey Beard told me. “I’m not gonna quit.”
Admirable as those words are, one thing he said really stuck with me.
“Time is on my side,” the 91-year-old said, without a trace of irony. May time always be on your side, Grey Beard. Until we meet again! As promised, I will be more prepared for our second interview, but thank you for making our first encounter unforgettable nonetheless.