Gerald T. "Buzz" Meyer

IAT rock star Gerald Meyer shuttled me for five days from Day 62, October 21 through Day 66, October 25, 2024 of my 80 day hike from the Eastern Terminus to the Western Terminus. The five days included the Wood Lake, Rib Lake, East Lake, Pine Line, Mondeaux Esker, Jerry Lake, and Lake Eleven Segment.

From my journal, Day 66: I considered asking Buzz to meet me a bit later than the 7:00 a.m. meeting time due to the incredible darkness in and around Rib Lake. When overcast, the north woods seem to act like a light sink, soaking up all the light. With the unfamiliar roads, I am constantly asking no one in particular for a near helicopter spotlight to guide the way. In the meantime, Buzz is there day after day shuttling hikers, as steady as the dark, great and wild north woods. On Friday, Buzz shuttled five hikers.

Easy conversations with Buzz over the week informed me about the Midwest States 100 Trail Race in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest where the majority of the course is on the IAT. And his efforts to build, maintain and replace school bus shelters to get the children waiting for the bus out of the wind and rain.

Boundless amounts of gratitude for Buzz Meyer.

Buzz gave me and a friend a shuttle as we hiked the Ice Age Trail in the area. I know he also helped countless others. He was such a great advocate for the trail, and used his social media presence to support hikers. He will be greatly missed by the Ice Age Trail community.

I never got a shuttle from Buzz, but he was a welcoming local presence at trailwork events in Taylor County and a fantastic resource.

Buzz had shuttled my husband and I a few times on the trails. He always gave up helpful information about the trail on our way there. On one of our rides with him we saw a very small fawn running down the road. I can't say enough about what he meant to the IAT community. He will be missed.

Buzz had shuttled me a couple of times while hiking the IAT, making my time in Taylor County a memorable one. He will be greatly missed by his Ice Age Trail family.