In this episode of the Tough Girl Podcast, we’re joined by Sharon Evans, also known as the Free Wheeling Kiwi—a 58-year-old adventurer, storyteller, and passionate advocate for women embracing the outdoors, especially later in life.
Sharon shares the incredible story of walking the full Te Araroa Trail, a 3,000km thru-hike stretching the length of New Zealand. Alongside her partner, she tackled harsh weather, blisters, foot pain, and relentless terrain—proving that age is no barrier to adventure.
Five years ago, Sharon made the bold decision to walk away from her rural real estate career and pursue a life filled with purpose, exploration, and connection to nature. In this conversation, we explore her motivations, the magical (and muddy) moments on the trail, and her mission to empower women over 50 to step into the wild with confidence.
Sharon also shares practical tips for low-cost adventuring, content creation on the go, and how she’s continuing her journey by heading to Australia’s rugged Larapinta Trail next.
If you're looking for inspiration to follow your passion—no matter your age—this episode is for you.
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Show notes
- Who is Sharon Evans aka Free Wheeling Kiwi
- Based in New Zealand
- Going on adventures and telling stories
- Spending time in the outdoors - often being uncomfortable and wet
- Spending time at the beach
- Gen X, 58 years old
- Having a huge amount of freedom and spending time outdoors
- Her passion for travel
- Living in the jungle in Borneo, Malaysia
- Growing up without social media
- How technology has advanced
- Her first camera (film camera) at 15 years old
- Deciding what to do with her life
- Being shy and introverted
- Where did the name/brand freewheeling kiwi come from
- Working as a rural estate agent
- Riding bikes
- Deciding to make a change 5 years ago
- Planning to go to Everest Base Camp
- How plans got derailed because of Covid
- Making the transition and changing your career to follow your passions
- Planning…..
- Lowering her cost of living, being a careful spender
- Wanting to encourage more women to spend more time in the outdoors in nature
- Especially women over the age of 50
- Focusing on her why
- Te Araroa Trail, 3,000 km, the long walk in New Zealand
- Being concerned about the cold
- Starting on the 2nd October
- Walking with Andrew - as a couple
- Having their 1st anniversary on the trail in the Richmond Rangers
- Keeping the pack weight down
- The highlights, challenges and magical moments from the trail
- Not wanting to quit
- Advice for new hikers
- Keeping costs down and sending resupply boxes
- Big food carries
- The extreme conditions and the impact on gear
- River crossings and being cautious
- Gusting winds and being blown off her feet
- Wet feet…. Sand walking, mud walking, road walking
- Blisters…. Losing toe nails
- Getting off her feet and dealing with unbearable foot pain
- Palette fatigue with food
- Coming to the end of the journey and what it was like
- Creating content and stories during the journey
- Creating a 1 min reel/tiktok every day
- How to connect with Sharon
- Final words of advice
- Believing in yourself and your abilities
- The next challenge and heading to Australia to walk the Larapinta Trail (230km trail through the outback)
Social Media
Website www.freewheelingkiwi.com
Instagram @freewheelingkiwi/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/freewheelingkiwi
Threads: @freewheelingkiwi
TikTok: @freewheelingkiwi
YouTube: @FreewheelingKiwi