2,800 miles. 6 million steps. A walk to meet America.

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From Different Paths

In July 2025, a handful of pilgrims left Eugene, Oregon on foot with a goal: walk 2,800 miles to Washington DC and meet their neighbors along the way. Exhausted by political polarization and media-driven division, they sought connection over confrontation through a modern-day Forrest Gump moment.

Before long, only two remained: Esther, a chaplain and grief counselor, and Bob, a 70-year-old adventurer. Complete strangers who met the day before departure, they walked side-by-side across America, relying on the kindness of churches, community centers, and strangers who became friends. Over 2,800 miles, they formed a unique bond, and discovered who America is.

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Two hikers walking on a mountain road with backpacks, with trees and wildflowers along the roadside and mountains in the background at sunset.

"The people that I've met walking across this country embody the spirit of America. It's the spirit of welcoming the stranger, of generosity, of grace, of human kindness "
-Bob Hall

The Journey Captured, Step by Step

Snapshots from the epic 2,800-mile walk

Four people walking along a rural road next to a harvested field at sunset.
A person walking with hiking poles on a narrow path between tall grass and fields, seen from above.
Two women serving food at a buffet table with bowls of salad, vegetables, and condiments in a community dining room.
Person wearing a pink hood and gray jacket walking along a road with a bright orange backpack holding a water bottle.
View through a vehicle windshield of a vast harvested field under a cloudy sky, with three people reflected in the rearview mirror inside a wooden room.
Middle-aged woman sitting inside a vehicle caring for her foot with a first aid kit nearby.
Aerial view of a rural landscape with green fields, clusters of trees, a few buildings, and mountains in the distance under a partly cloudy blue sky.
Two people dressed in outdoor gear smiling, one wearing a yellow beanie and the other holding a folded umbrella.

"There can be a connection that is so embodied from one end of the country to the other, that isn't relying on satellites or fiber-optic cables. It's just me and my feet."
-Esther Freinkel Tishman

Black and white profile portrait of Elijah Reed with short hair wearing a sweatshirt, eyes closed.

Elijah Reed

Director/Filmmaker

From Eugene Oregon, Elijah is a PNW based filmmaker who enjoys investigating deep questions centered around human connection across differences. From Different Paths is his first feature documentary, which he filmed, directed, and edited.

Contact Elijah
Contact Elijah