Wander Women: Kristy & Annette — From Retirement to the Triple Crown of Hiking & a Life of Bold Adventure
- Tough Girl
- Jul 8
- 4 min read
In this episode of the Tough Girl Podcast, we meet Kristy and Annette—two inspiring women who completely transformed their lives after retirement. In 2015, they sold everything they owned, bought an RV, and set out to live life on their own terms. What began as a “retirement gift” hike on the Colorado Trail quickly evolved into a bold new chapter of full-time adventure.
Since then, Kristy and Annette have completed the Triple Crown of Hiking—the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and Continental Divide Trail—and spend each year splitting their time between life on the road and life on foot.
Together, they share their journey of choosing freedom, rejecting fear, and expanding the limits of what life after 50 can look like. This episode is a powerful reminder that it's never too late to chase your dreams, explore the unknown, and live life unapologetically.
If you’ve ever felt the urge to change direction, embrace the outdoors, or reclaim your time and energy for what truly lights you up—this conversation is for you.
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Listen to Kristy and Annette Now!
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Show notes
Annette - working as a teacher and school Librarian
Deciding to retire in 2015
Doing a lot of backpacking trips before retirement
Giving themselves the trip to do the Colorado Trail as a retirement present
Getting hooked on long hikes
Travelling and hiking full time since them
Growing up in California and being outdoorsy, but not getting into travelling and hiking until moving to Colorado as a senior in high school
Loving the South West of America
Hiking the Appalachian Trail and having a blast!
Meeting Kristy, born in Washington, USA before moving to Colorado at 8 years old
Growing up adventuring and spending time in the mountains and woods
Going to college on a basketball scholarship
Always being active
Really enjoying the backpacking and spending long periods of time in nature as she’s gotten older
Working as a mental health therapist and working with children who had early trauma
Making a change in 2015 and deciding to end that chapter
Thinking that life is a gift and it goes by really fast and wanting to live it up while they can
Wanting to do all of the hard things
Wanting to write a new chapter and try new things
Selling everything they owned and buying an RV
Deciding to walk more long distance trails
Wanting to hike the triple crown
How Kristy and Annette met at a sweat lodge (sauna) in 2003
Meeting for a coffee and saying ‘wanting to walk the earth’
Starting to go on weekend trips
Wanting to stay out in nature for longer
Seeing a financial planner
Starting to think differently
Figuring out how to live the cheapest way and to do the things they love
Starting adventuring 10 years ago full time at 51 and 57
Having a 5 year plan
Completing the plan in 4 years
Not caring about stuff and not being materialistic
Loving this lifestyle
Hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2019
How demanding it was (aged 62)
Starting slow and building and seeing how their bodies held up for the long haul
Having to change plans due to covid
Starting the continental divide trail
The amazing people met along the way
The simplicity of life on the trail
Sharing their dreams with family and friends
Other people’s fears
The dream verses the reality of this life
Wanting to create her life how she wants it
Planning for the year ahead
Wanting to expand the confines of their life until they die
Claiming space in the world and making it exactly how you want it
Handling disagreements
How plans evolve overtime
Having low expectations and why it can be a key for happiness
Planning a trip to South America
Booking the hiking part of the trip and keeping the rest free
Working within a framework
Annettee doing the researching
Creating the grand plans!
Training and doing a marathon while selling the house!
Getting into pack rafts
Leaving the RV while hiking
Making this life work
The triple hike and the differences between the big three hikes
Water carries, desert, hiking at elevation, sun levels, resupply
Why the Appalachian Trail is a good beginner trail for newbies
Watch the videos on YouTube
Wanting to inspire people to get outside especially older people
Words of advice for women listening
Starting small and find what you love
Building success into it
Figure out what works for you
Setting yourself up for big success
Why life is a huge gift
Don’t let it (life) go to waste
Be in your power
Social Media
Instagram @wanderwomen_kristy_annette
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RVsters/
Youtube: @wanderwomenkristyannette5021
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