Just a few weeks ago, Westbrook’s Gretchen Carroll was still winding her way north on the Appalachian Trail, a six-month journey that began back in March. Now that she’s successfully completed a through-hike, Carroll will be showcasing her adventure Thursday, Oct. 8, at 6:30 p.m., at Walker Memorial Library in Westbrook. Carroll will share photos and stories from the trip, show her gear and answer questions. She was on the trail from March 15 to Sept. 16.

Carroll, 28, is a 2005 graduate of Westbrook High School and a former member of the Peace Corps. Her successful hike is another addition to an impressive list of accomplishments since high school.

Since 2005, Carroll has a earned a college degree, has taught three years of music in Auburn and two years in the Peace Corps, teaching English on a remote island nation. In 2014, Carroll traveled extensively with a 16-member choir known as Northern Harmony.

During her hike, she also raised money for Rippleffect, an organization in Portland that combines outdoor education and personal development for youth in Maine.

The American Journal spoke with Carroll this week about her hike and her presentation at Walker Memorial Library next week.

Q: What made you want to hike the Appalachian Trail?

A: When I was in the Peace Corps it crossed my mind that someday I would like to hike the Appalachian Trail and that I could probably find a fellow volunteer to go with me. Once the idea came into my head, I couldn’t make it go away. I thought if I could make it through Peace Corps than I could also complete a through-hike. I wanted to do something physically challenging, harder than anything I’d ever done before. I wanted to live outdoors and to have a simple life again. I love traveling and wanted to see parts of the U.S. I had never been to. The more I thought about life after Peace Corps, I knew I had to hike the trail the following summer.

Q: What are some things that you learned about yourself while on the trail? Did anything surprise you?

A: I realized I was more relaxed than I knew. Chameleon (my friend and hiking partner) and I would have a vague plan of the day or week but an exact plan for miles each day. It worked great for both of us but amazed other hikers that we didn’t have an exact plan. I also become aware of how much being happy is important to me. I would rather carry extra weight (a ukulele and food) and be happy than carry less. A lot of hikers were not happy and I felt bad for them. Weather is something I love. I love that it changes and that it is unpredictable. Chameleon and I never checked the weather and didn’t mind the rain. Feeling wind and breezes can motivate me more than any other weather.

Q: Talk about trail names. How did you come up with yours?

A: Nearly every through-hiker on the trail has a trail name – a name that was given to them or they chose as a way to describe themselves. After my second day on the trail a hiker suggested the name Ukalady for me. I was hiking with a baby blue ukulele and it seemed to fit. I thought about it overnight and accepted the name in the morning. From then on I introduced myself as Ukalady to anyone I met on the trail. I miss trail names a lot.

Q: What were some of your favorite parts of the trail?

A: The White Mountains (other than Mount Washington) were beautiful. Hiking them was challenging and slow going, but the hard climbs revealed gorgeous views. Virginia also had beautiful balds, mountains with low, grassy tops, allowing you to see for miles. The Smokies were unlike the Appalachian Mountains in New England and I loved seeing the texture of the valleys and ridges there.

Q: Did you meet any interesting people?

A: Of course. Every person on the trail had a story and a reason for being there. Whether it was a person fresh out of college hoping to put off the “real world” for a bit longer, or someone who had just retired and was living a dream, everyone had a story. I think even more important than interesting qualities were just how kind and accepting people were of one another on the trail. Through-hikers really care about one another and look out for each other. People would pass along information about terrain, hikers, and towns to help each other out. Complete strangers would offer help to each other because we were all on the same journey together, hoping that we all would succeed.

Q: What will your presentation cover next week? Do you hope that it may inspire others to hike the trail?

A: I am very excited to be able to show photos of my hike as I talk about different aspects of the trail. People have asked me about weather, food, shelters, people, and so much more. I plan to describe my journey while showing photos. I will also bring in some of my gear for people to look at. I hope to be able to answer everyone’s questions, as well.

I hope that I inspire people to take risks and seek what makes them happy. If hiking the Appalachian Trail is something that has been in the back of their mind, then yes, I do hope they will become more motivated to get out and try. More importantly, I hope people walk out thinking about a dream or goal they have had and decide to take the first step to make it happen.