Alger has hiked thousands of miles including five treks through Europe. In September, she went on a 300-mile hike from Pamplona, Spain along the Camino de Santiago. It was a month-long solo journey with only her small backpack, a water jug and “curious spirit.”
“It’s simple. There’s nothing that I have to do other than get up and move one foot in front of the other,” Alger said in an interview with KTVU Fox 2. “I can start when I want and I can stop whenever I want and it just lets me be me.”
The mother of five and grandmother to nine is often on a hike in the East Bay Hills. These long hikes are chances for Alger to be free, and she is also able to recharge as the caretaker of her husband for the last two decades. And most of all, she’s become not only an inspiration for her fellow neighbors at Piedmont Gardens, but also for those she has met along the way during her many international travels.
“I was surprised they said having met me while walking I changed their lives,” said Alger.
Discover more about Alger’s hiking adventures and taking charge of her life now.