The Stupid Hike That Changed Everything with Andy NealEpisode 39 | Go Wildly Podcast

Andy Neal went from pastor to filmmaker to half a million followers — all thanks to the trails.

Known online as @andyfilmsandhikes, Andy is an Oregon-based storyteller, filmmaker, and outdoor creator whose "stupid hike for my stupid mental health" videos struck a nerve with people who needed permission to just go be real outside. Before full-time content creation he spent 15 years as a pastor. Today he talks openly about faith, relationship with land, identity, foster and adoptive parenting, mental health, and what it takes to start over.

In This Episode

From bible school to film school to hiking, podcasting, and plus-size modeling

Being a voice for mental health and child advocacy

Foster and adoptive parenting

His weight loss journey and GLP-1

The Rogue River at Ti'lomikh Falls

Spirituality and common ground

His first time backpacking — feeling dependent on the land

Land stewardship and public lands

Getting over yourself to get to know yourself

Going viral and navigating brand deals

Destigmatizing men's mental health

Advice for his younger self

Favorite outdoor gear

Recommendations for Southern Oregon

How he wants to be remembered

Links

Instagram & YouTube: @andyfilmsandhikes

Website: https://www.andyfilmsandhikes.com/

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Hosted & Produced by Emily Berlant & Heather White / Go Wildly Podcast

Theme Music: "Rainmaker" by Jared Masters — used with permission

Keywords

Go Wildly Podcast, Go Wildly, Southern Oregon podcast, outdoor podcast, Emily Berlant, Heather White, Andy Neal, andyfilmsandhikes, hiking mental health, stupid hike for my stupid mental health, men's mental health, destigmatizing mental health, mental health outdoors, hiking Oregon, Oregon filmmaker, outdoor content creator, foster parenting, adoptive parenting, child advocacy, faith and outdoors, spirituality outdoors, GLP-1 weight loss, plus size hiking, plus size outdoors, going viral hiking, outdoor storytelling, Ti'lomikh Falls, Rogue River, public lands, land stewardship, backpacking Oregon, first time backpacking, getting over yourself, grief and healing outdoors, pastor turned filmmaker, place-based podcast, outdoor healing, whimsy, Kula Cloth