Gail Muller is an adventurer, writer and educator. She was told at 14 she’d need to use a wheelchair by the age of 40, but at 41 embarked on one of the world’s toughest treks over 6 months in the USA – The Appalachian Trail.
For fifteen years she struggled with muscular-skeletal issues, chronic pain and the mental health issues that arise from them, but she never gave up hope of healing and resolution.
Her debut memoir 'Unlost' is an inspiring, uplifting and moving account of one woman’s incredible journey into the unknown. A love letter to the healing power of the wild outdoors and an incredible testament to the strength of the human spirit, Gail’s story is for anyone who has ever felt stuck in a rut, lost or scared.
She has recently returned from the Continental Divide Trail - a massive hike across the United States where she battled with unmarked trails, grizzly bears, wildfires, weeks at altitude and raging snowmelt-filled river fords. Gail will recount how through all of her journeys, she found has grit, determination, and hope in the darkest of times.
Unlost: A journey of self-discovery and the healing power of the wild outdoors by Gail Muller, published by Thread, was released on the 7th September 2021.
*Content Warning - Mention of sexual assault and thoughts of suicide.
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Show notes
- Who is Gail Muller
- Being a teacher and an educator
- Talking to us about her adventures and what she’s overcome
- Growing up in Cornwall and what it means to be Cornish
- Her teenage years
- Being told she would end up in a wheelchair in her 40s
- Working on super yachts and in the film industry
- Dealing with back pain which became chronic
- Learning to treat herself with kindness
- Finding a solution while in Italy
- Feeling suicidal and wanting to end it all
- Don’t give up hope and why a solution is just around the corner
- Wanting to use her body to do something magnificent
- Losing a loved one
- Starting to save to go up on a big adventure
- Learning outdoor skills
- Fears and concerns before heading of to hike the Appalachian Trail
- Dealing with sexual assault and panic attacks
- Heading south bound on the AT- starting with Mt. Khatardin and the 100 mile wilderness
- Enjoyment, love and magical moments
- Trail magic and trail angels
- Making new friends and connecting with a trail family
- Snacks…
- Deciding to go south bound
- Wanting to be more alone on the trail
- Walking on the CTD in summer 2021
- Not wanting to road walk in smoke
- The plan for 2021 and how it changed
- Full time adventuring….
- Writing her first book - Unlost
- Hiking with 2 broken bones in her foot
- Making a plan for 2022
- South West Coast Path, UK
- Being diagnosed with ADHD recently
- Becoming best friends with her body
- How to connect with Gail
- Meet Bill
- Words of advice to inspire you
- Why you should never quit on a bad day
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