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Home > California Frontier > 089: The Mission Walker with author Edie Littlefield Sundby Part 1
Podcast: California Frontier
Episode:

089: The Mission Walker with author Edie Littlefield Sundby Part 1
Category: Society & Culture
Duration: 00:42:39
Publish Date: 2026-03-19 17:00:00
Description:

Today's guest is Edie Littlefield Sundby, author of the memoir The Mission Walker, about becoming the first person to walk the full Camino Real of both Californias while living with stage four cancer. 

In Part 1, Edie recounts being initially denied treatment, finding aggressive care at Stanford, surviving extensive surgeries and chemotherapy, and using walking to purge toxicity and rebuild her body and spirit. 

She also describes her first mission journey, walking from San Diego to Sonoma in 55 days by following mission bells and a hiker’s guide, as well as the hospitality of Franciscan missions.

Chapters:
00:00 California Mission Trail Intro
00:40 Meet Edie Littlefield Sun
02:40 Stage Four Cancer Turning Point
04:54 Walking as Medicine and Pilgrimage
08:13 Mission Bells and First Trail Walk
10:48 Chemo Walks and Healing Mindset
15:56 Follow the Bells Decision
18:14 Planning the 800 Mile Walk
21:18 Trail Logistics and One Lung
24:03 No Shortcuts Long Walk Lessons
27:04 Maps Over GPS Ground Truth
30:03 55 Days Mission to Mission
32:50 Mindfulness Outside the Head
34:56 Santa Susanna Pass Breakthrough
39:29 How the Trail Defines California


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damian@californiafrontier.net
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