83 Year Old Hiker Becomes Oldest To Complete Appalachian Trial

Hiking the entire Appalachian Trial is an adventure that not many can lay claim to, especially if you are in your 80's.

That is, unless your name is M.J. Eberhat, or as he is known on the trail, 'Nimblewill Nomad'. According to an article on centralmaine.com, the 83 year old from Alabama decided that once he retired, he wanted to hike the entire 2,193 mile A.T., and even though he was an avid hiker such an undertaking for a guy his age was risky.

He decided he would be logical about the hike, and break it up into sections rather than trying to do a straight hike thru from Maine to Georgia, or the other way around. He knew that above everything else, having the best hiking weather would aide him greatly on his journey.

At the tender age of 83, completing his hike of the Appalachian Trial makes him the oldest person to ever complete the hike, in the process he displaced Dale "Greybeard" Sanders who was the oldest person to complete the hike at 82.

Eberhat is no stranger to hiking but his age was catching up with him, he said he had to limit his daily hikes to 8 hours and his reflexes just weren't what they use to be. But, where there is a will , there is a way! And who says that you can't still inspire people well into your 80's, M.J. is living proof, because I know I am truly impressed and inspired.

Congratulations, Nimblewill Nomad, on a journey most of us can only dream about. After all, age really is just a number. I wonder what's next for M.J.?

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