A New Song and Dance: Bobby Whittaker Growing up in Seattle, Bobby Whittaker didn’t expect to become a hardcore trail advocate, but “being a part of something” has always been important to him. Whittaker thrived in the city’s music scene, which shaped his 25-year career in the industry, He’d walk about 12 miles a day, though sometimes more and sometimes less depending on the distance to the next town. For the self-professed city guy, “it was cool to visit these smaller towns, like in Rocheport, where I think I met half the town—places where people just showed up and were hospitable.” Throughout the journey, he had the support of what he called his “trail angels,” people who would adult, he had a lot of firsts to catch up on, like his first visit to a Missouri state park during his 2022 challenge. For this new endeavor, he landed on the Katy Trail after deciding that he wanted something that would be “obtainable but also could be tough, and I also wanted to meet as many people as I could along the way.” spent less than an hour together on the phone, Maxi’s warmness, curiosity and kindness showed through. Here, we share the inspirational words about his experience and what he learned from the people with whom he crossed paths. Growing up an athlete, “every- thing I did was sports,” he told us—even his birthday was spent on the football field—so as an
invite him to family meals at the kitchen table, cover his housing for the night or warn him to take shelter from impending storms. “I grew up with one parent, with my dad, so it was cool to have, like, 76 mothers who were looking out for me.” Using his Facebook page “Walking Across Missouri,” he was also able to connect with others who wanted to join him for parts of the hike. “A lot of steps were taken with me. That meant a lot, because it was challenging mentally and emotionally more than physically.” But the best thing about the experience? “I think seeing how that journey created a little community, and that community was so kind to one another. I’d see them interacting with each other in the comments on the page, and it’s awesome just to see different people meeting up with one another. I’ve always been confident that if you put good energy into the world, somehow, in some way, it’ll come back— even if it’s not to you.” If you would like to support Isaiah Maxi’s family during this difficult time, contributions are welcome at rtc.li/isaiah-maxi. including as a manager and tour manager with iconic bands such as Mudhoney and R.E.M. Read about how Whittaker went from rock music manager to trail manager in this 2016 article by Rails to Trails : rtc.li/ bobby-whittaker-2016. He’d often take breaks from the frenetic pace of touring life in nature, especially in northeast Washington’s rural Ferry County.
In Memoriam: Isaiah Maxi Aug. 16, 1994–July 10, 2025 There’s a picture of Isaiah Maxi smiling in front of a colorful mural in Sedalia, Missouri, that says, “Let’s Cross Paths”—a motto that perfectly incapsulates his worldview. In 2022, he challenged himself to visit every Missouri state park, where he enjoyed sharing his experiences with others on social media. That adventure led him to create a Facebook group called “The Journey to 100 Hiking Friends” to connect with new people across the state. His 2024 challenge was to walk across Missouri on the 240-mile Katy Trail State Park (rtc.li/katy-trail). RTC interviewed Maxi about that journey on July 1 before his sudden passing on July 10 of a heart condition. While we When she reflects on the experience, Pavek noted, “Skating has gotten me to like my body a lot more. I think it makes me focus less on what it looks like in the mirror and more on what my body can do. It’s about the strength and the power and the endurance that it has and how I can appreciate that.”
Rails to Trails MAGAZINE | FALL 2025
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