About this episode

The episode tells the inspiring story of Grandma Joy Ryan, who at 85 experienced her first mountain adventure, changing her life and her grandson's perspective.

At 85 years old, Grandma Joy Ryan had never seen a mountain. She had spent most of her life in the same small Ohio town, raised a family, worked hard, weathered loss, and built a life filled with simple joys. Adventure wasn’t something she thought she had missed. It simply wasn’t something she had experienced. Then one day her grandson Brad Ryan called and asked a simple question: “Do you want to go camping in the Smoky Mountains?” Her answer? “What time are you picking me up?” That one decision changed everything. One Camping Trip That Became a Movement When Brad and Grandma Joy arrived at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, it was two o’clock in the morning and raining. Brad pitched a tent while Grandma Joy held a pink umbrella over his head. Most people would have looked at the situation and wondered what they had gotten themselves into. Not Grandma Joy. She simply saw an adventure. The next day she hiked to her first mountain summit, saw elk in the wild, and experienced a part of America she had never imagined. More importantly, something inside both of them changed. For Brad, who was struggling with burnout and mental health…

People in this episode

Host: Girl Camper

Guest: Grandma Joy Ryan

Topics covered

• adventure
• family
• travel
• inspiration
• nature
• mental health

Keywords

• Grandma Joy
• camping
• Smoky Mountains
• inspiration
• travel
• adventure
• mental health
• nature
• family

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Ohio, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Smoky Mountains

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