View Full Version : What about Bob Barker?
Leon Smith
01-15-2010, 09:08
Bob Barker hiked the AT sometime in the 1980s. He was an elderly gentleman with multiple sclerosis, needing to wrist-brace canes to negotiate the trail. Where did he live? Are there any published articles telling of his achievement?
Lone Wolf
01-15-2010, 09:10
Bob Barker hiked the AT sometime in the 1980s. He was an elderly gentleman with multiple sclerosis, needing to wrist-brace canes to negotiate the trail. Where did he live? Are there any published articles telling of his achievement?
he hiked the AT 3 times. i met him in 86. he has since passed away
CrumbSnatcher
01-15-2010, 10:55
he hiked the AT 3 times. i met him in 86. he has since passed away
i believe he's in the hiking movie 5 million steps.
he was a very positive guy.
bulldog49
01-15-2010, 13:01
How did he find time to do that and host Price is right? :D
He was a connectiion to our communtity here in Springfield, MO (I think he graduated from college here) and donated a ton of money to our Humane Society for animals.
Leon Smith
01-18-2010, 08:33
Thank you, Lone Wolf, CrumSnatcher and Erin for the details on Bob Barker. Now I have enough information to cast about for additional facts on this man of substance. Any more information would be gratefully received.
Click on Google Books (http://books.google.com/books?id=cN4DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA66&lpg=PA66&dq=Bob+Barker+MS+Appalachian+Trail&source=bl&ots=a2r12Jsk9L&sig=db7S7T4uujP3e9oky9r98uQZLpE&hl=en&ei=NY5US4mxEIud8AaMqfymBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CBUQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=&f=false) for more.
I checked. He graduated from Drury College, now University in Springfield, Mo in 1947. He gave the school alot of money also and the school has alot of information on him and more recent photographs on the web page for Drury University. He visited the school in 2007 and 2008 I believe.
there was also an article about him in the AT magazine in the late 80's or there abouts. when i was sectioning in 85 or 86, he was a day or two ahead of me around the NOC area of NC. when i read a shelter log entry of his, i thought it was a joke of some kind. met a sobo who clued me in... never complained about my aches and pains on the trail since then. definitely one of my trail heroes....
fifo
I agree; he was a gentleman and a hero of mine too.
I never met the man but his few minutes in the move Five Million Steps was an inspiration to me. I quit griping so much (not entirely) when I hiked, enjoying whatever came along and welcoming challenges, much as he did. My difficulties pale in comparison to those he faced daily with his MS.