Meet the Wander Women, an intrepid trio of hikers on an age-defying inspirational journey
Age is just a number, as the saying goes. And no trio embodies the spirit of that mantra more than a group of intrepid adventurers who call themselves The Wander Women. Their ages range from the mid-50s to early 60s. Kristy Burns, Annette Demel and Lynn Edmiston from Colorado Springs, Colorado, live up to their name with a nomadic lifestyle that's both age-defying and enviable.
As their golden years approached, the trio decided to quit their professional careers, sell their homes, and forego the securities of late middle age. Instead, they chose to fill their lives with the kind of bucket list experiences that most people only dream about. They became travelers, living out of motor homes and traversing the country to bathe in America’s natural wonders.
Watch the video to see the Wander Women's adventure of a lifetime
"So, we did the typical life where, you know, we got educated. We got our college degrees, masters. We had careers, but we wanted to write a new chapter of our life," says Burns. "We just felt like life is short, and there are many things to do. And so, we wanted to have as many experiences as we could have before we die."
Grabbing life by the horns, the friends took to the great outdoors and the Wander Women were born. They acclimatized to their new lives by hiking, biking and kayaking wherever they could. Their first big adventure was hiking all 500 miles of the Colorado Trail. But that was just a taster of what was to come.
In 2019, The Wander Women set off on the first leg of what can only be described as a mega marathon, a 7,947-mile trek along the Appalachian Trail, Continental Divide Trail, and the Pacific Crest Trail, known collectively as The Triple Crown.
"We decided to do the Appalachian Trail, which is 2200 miles," says Burns. "And we made it. We knew we loved to backpack, and we knew mentally and emotionally we could do it, but we didn't know if our bodies would hold up. But we did. We got stronger. We actually were amazed at our bodies."
After successfully completing the Appalachian Trail, the women turned their attention to the Continental Divide Trail, which winds for 3,000 miles from the Canadian border to the border with Mexico.
"The excitement of just doing the trail is always fun," Demel explains. "You don't know if you're going to make it, so you just start out like you started any other endeavor. You're like, we'll just see what we can do. We don't think about the end."
Though hiking is very much a physical endeavor, it's also been a mental and spiritual voyage of discovery. There's no doubt that the wilderness can make you feel tiny and insignificant. However, being at one with nature and having the fortitude to meet its daily challenges is also empowering.
"There's something so profoundly freeing to me," says Burns. "And that trail represents that in my life. I can totally step out there. I don't worry about the outcome or where I go. If I got sick of it, I would just stop. You know, it's not like I'm proving anything. It's like, you love being out there. And I believe in myself to deal with whatever comes."
Though they predate the point-and-click generations, the Wander Women have a modern approach to documenting their adventures. Their YouTube vlog, Wander Women Kristy, Annette & Lynn, has over 12,000 subscribers, who follow them step-by-step along their epic journey.
"We grew up outdoors," says Burns. "There are people who have not ever been out there. What I kind of wanted to do with the video is to take people with us on the trip and to show them the beauty of nature and of the United States because it is fabulous."
And inspiring others of a certain age has become part of the Wander Women's mission.
"A lot of people will feel like we are somehow special in that we have this chance. But we created it," says Burns. "We're here to say to people you're never too old. Find solutions and find a way to get outside. You might not do a hike but get into nature. Keep moving. Don't retire and shrink. Retire and expand your life."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: This incredible trio prove age is just a number
