Adventure Newsletter

Welcome to the August 2023 updates of Freewheeling Kiwi (FWK)

If this is your first time here, welcome and thank you for stopping by 💚

In this letter I share with you news on the following topics.

• It’s long been a dream of mine to provide you with more than simply inspiration so I’m hugely excited to share with you news of our very first GROUP TRIP which I’ll be personally hosting in March 2024.

• Preparations continue for my first thru hike, TE ARAROA which I begin walking in Spring. One of the challenges has been figuring out how to keep my electronics charged, especially the camera so that I can continue to record the journey to share with you.

• Campers Pantry are the latest brand to offer support to the FWK mission and Community. I’m always on the look out for good pre-packaged trail food and these guys had my attention immediately with just their breakfast menu!

• The New Zealand Great Walks season opens in Spring and I share below some of my favourite videos to inspire you to head on out there!

• I was humbled to be invited to represent New Zealand on “Solo the Series” the groundbreaking show that follows ten brave solo adventurers from around the world.

More details on all of this below.

Freewheeling Kiwi Group Trips

It’s long been a dream of mine to provide you with more than simply inspiration so am hugely excited to share with you news of our very first overnight GROUP TRIP which I’ll personally host in March 2024.

Save the Date; Friday 8th to Sunday 10th March 2024. 

I’ve searched far and wide for a suitable venue and can now confirm that we’re going to the most isolated spot in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand!

On this introductory trip, we’ll be taken by vehicle all the way to the campsite which will then form the base for our activities. There’ll be plenty of hiking, swimming, wildlife watching and camp life activities including sleeping in a tent, cooking over a fire and of course lazing around.

Our FWK Group Trips are aimed at those of you who would love the opportunity to immerse yourself in nature, learn new skills, gain confidence and most importantly, make lifelong friends.

HERE are the trip basics for the NGATUHOA WEEKEND GETAWAY. 

While you’re checking out the GROUP TRIPS sign up for the FWK Group Trip Newsletter so you’re notified as soon as Applications open . It’s a separate Newsletter to the one you’re reading now and it is specific to the Trips. Sign up at the bottom of the page 🏕️

Te Araroa - Preparations

Keeping my electronics charged

There are sections of the 3000 kilometre Te Araroa Trail where I’ll be days in the mountains. The Richmond Range and Nelson Lakes are two of the most demanding sections and take around eight days each. That’s a long time without power!

Deciding how to keep my GoPro camera, phone and other electronics charged is a challenging one. As I’ve committed to sharing daily video updates on social media I need a reliable backup source. 

In anticipation I plan to carry a hefty 16,000 milliampere power bank however this will only recharge my phone three times and leaves no power for other electronics.

Before leaving I’ll upgrade to the GoPro Enduro Batteries for their longevity as well as a GoPro Volta which is basically a battery grip combined with a tiny tripod. This combination will boost my current battery runtime so on those extra long sections, I’ll be able to capture fabulous content to share with you.

It’s a delicate balance between having the camera equipment necessary to make videos yet at the same time not becoming needlessly weighed down. 

While researching the options, I came across a host of useful tips on how to save your phone’s power which I’ve made into a VIDEO for you to watch. These tips apply equally well for everyday use.

Keep your phone charged while hiking #fwkta #teararoa

Deciding how to keep my GoPro camera, phone and other electronics charged while walking the 3,000 kilometre Te Araroa Trail is a challenge.

New Zealand Great Walks Season

The Great Walks Season opens in Spring and includes ten premier tracks that pass through diverse and spectacular scenery. You’ve the option to hike through beautiful native forests, alongside lakes and rivers, climb to the top of rugged mountain peaks before dropping again into deep gorges and vast valleys. 

I’ve filmed a number of the Great Walks which you can watch here and including:

• Milford Track

• Kepler Track

• Routeburn Track

• Waikeremoana Track

• Tongariro Northern Circuit and Alpine Crossing

and will be filming the Whanganui River as we canoe down it while “walking” Te Araroa Trail 🛶

This video will help with your planning and preparation, although it was made for Routeburn, many of the tips will apply equally to other Great Walk Tracks.

Campers Pantry

Our newest affiliate partner, CAMPERS PANTRY have generously offered the FWK community a 10% discount off their entire order. Campers Pantry are Tasmanian based making this an ideal offering for those of you based in or travelling to Australia for your next adventure. CAMPERS PANTRY offer home style comfort food which is trail ready 😀 

When making your order, use this code FREEWHEELINGKIWI or the link below to receive a 10% discount:

camperspantry.com.au/freewheelingkiwi 

Solo the Series 🥾

I was humbled when invited to represent New Zealand on “Solo the Series” the groundbreaking show that follows ten brave solo adventurers from around the world.

I never think of myself as brave but rather as someone who feels the fear and does stuff anyway. Click these links to watch my PROMO TRAILER and SNEAK PREVIEW

Let’s be social

Freewheeling Kiwi is active on multiple social channels, hopefully including your favourite.

Please follow along and also, share the channels with your friends so that together, we can spread the message and benefits of spending time in nature.

• 🔗 Freewheeling Kiwi Website

• 🔗 YouTube

• 🔗 Instagram

• 🔗 Facebook

• 🔗 TikTok

• 🔗 Twitter

• 🔗 Threads

Would you like to work together?

As a content creator, I have built a strong presence online with a variety of formats that offer opportunities for brand integrations.

If you’re interested in joining as a partner or you know a brand who you believe may have similar values and would like to find out more about brand integration or becoming a channel sponsor you can find out more here:

Read more

Thank you for reading this far 💚

If you’ve read this far, thank you so much, your interest and time are greatly appreciated.

Remember, if you want to be involved in the Group Trips, register your interest HERE

This is a very busy time as I work through the logistics and preparations for leaving on a four to five month long thru hike, hopefully, everything will fall into place in the end.

As I’ve time, I’ll add more resources to the FWK website, in the meantime, check out this PAGE for great discounts including Campers Pantry and Radix.

Do drop me a line or send a direct message to say hello and if you’ve any questions or to let me know what type of updates you’d like to receive.

If someone forwarded you this Newsletter and you’d like to subscribe, you can do so HERE. Please also thank your friend on my behalf for sharing the Newsletter 😀

Take care, lots of love Sharon 💚

Disclaimer:

Some of these links go to my websites and some are affiliate links where I'll earn a small commission if you make a purchase at no additional cost to you.