Meandering Thru documentary captures the Buckeye Trail and its community

A hiking film of perseverance, friendship, and community

Journeys that pertain to the Buckeye Trail are never straight, much like the trail they always meander. Four years ago, I met Everett Brandt. Little did I know that, at the time, my journey would result in creating my first feature length film Meandering Thru. At first, I was intrigued by his plan to the hike the Buckeye Trail. I thought it would make a good interview for the television program I was a producer for at the time. Everett came into the studio and shared his ambitious plan with our audience. The next day, he left for the trail and that is when my four-year journey began.

A goal, and a film

Everett Brandt planned to set the Fastest Known Time (FKT) on the Buckeye Trail. His original plan was to complete the trail in 38 days. Immediately, I started joining him on weekends and holidays or whenever I was able. We hit it off quickly, it was easy to become friends with our shared love of hiking and nature. In those early days on the trail, I helped him post updates on social media when he couldn’t access the internet via his cell phone; the more I went down, the more I captured.

Everett began his hike going south from the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and heading towards the Wilderness Loop in southeast Ohio. Along the way, his wife and father offered support. Those first days were challenging in so many ways. Everett always had better days when one or all of us joined him on the trail. Maggie and Everett were newlyweds at the time and having their relationship grow and evolve on the trail, I could see the foundation for a great story.

Learning along the way

As Everett hiked further into the trail, I started to learn about the trail culture. Obviously, I was aware there were people that maintained or built trails. Had I given it much thought when hiking on these trails? Not really. Then I started to meet these folks as they would come out to provide Everett with Trail Magic. I have even become one of those folks, now a member and volunteer of the Buckeye Trail. That is when I could see an even larger story than just one man trying to set a record. There was a much longer and deeper story to tell about the Buckeye Trail and the surrounding culture of hiking. Hiking 1,444 miles is a lot more complex then putting one foot in front of another. At first it striked me as odd that someone would receive so much support to do a hike.

A community discovered

To me, hiking was always a solo effort in the woods. Everett’s wife, Maggie, introduced me to the concept of “Hike your own Hike”. In the world of FKT’s there was a distinction between unsupported and supported. Everett’s hike quickly turned into the latter.

Without giving away the ending I will say Everett’s journey ended before the leaves changed. At the time I did not know that for the next four years I would then begin the real part of my journey. Through editing, animating, filming additional interviews and going back out to capture the most gorgeous parts of the trail, I pieced together a 90-minute feature length documentary. This has by far been the hardest thing I have ever done, but I can say I am very proud to see this personal project finished.

A story preserved

While making this film I have seen the world change in monumental ways. This has given me an appreciation for the passage of time and why stories need to preserved. Preserving this story of Everett and the trail for future generations of Buckeye Trail lovers becomes even more important as the memories of that magical summer fade into the past.

Last month I was notified that Meandering Thru had been accepted into the prestigious Chagrin Documentary Film Festival. With this I am thrilled to be able to share Everett, Maggie and the Trails story with the world. Following the festival, there will be several screenings in theaters around Ohio. It has always been my dream to create a film worthy of the largest screens possible and this fall I will be able to share this wonderful Buckeye Trail story.

To find out more about the film, click the button below.