Outdoor Ruhls

Episode 54: Friendship in Paradise

Where: Immigrant, Montana, in the shadow of Emigrant Peak
Guests: Mike & Alison Himmelspach (dear friends, horsemen, hunters, and excellent storytellers)
Theme: How a tight-knit Yellowstone community became lifelong hunting partners—plus deep cuts on horse packing, Montana wind, Fort Peck boat hunts, New Mexico Oryx, and the grind of unlimited bighorn sheep.

Summary

Mike & Caitlin return to their old home to sit down with friends Mike and Alison Himmelspach. We trace the thread from summer softball nights to ranch gates and trailheads, then dive into the craft (and chaos) of horse packing—Decker vs. Sawbuck saddles, strings up to 12+ animals, and what really counts as a “wreck.” We swap Fort Peck stories (including Caitlin’s genius blaze-orange life vest), relive Alison’s once-in-a-lifetime Oryx hunt on White Sands, and unpack the patience and scouting behind the Gardiner-area unlimited bighorn units where both Himmelspachs tagged rams. Bonus: an Alaska Dall sheep dream, fjord horses, and why Paradise Valley’s beauty is matched only by its wind.

Highlights & Topics

Yellowstone roots → lifelong friends: softball teams, dog-sled buddies, and the small-world web that ties park people and valley ranchers together.

Horse packing 101 (and 9-1-1): balancing panniers and manis, reading mules and horses, using breakaways, and preventing “yard-sale” wrecks on sidehills.

Guide life reality: 2:30–3:00 a.m. mornings, slick trails in the dark, keeping clients safe (and smiling) through weather and nerves.

Paradise Valley primer: Gardiner Basin to Yankee Jim Canyon to Livingston—stunning country that can blow trucks off I-90.

Fort Peck boat camp: deer and cow-elk plans from the lake, hot pike/walleye/smallie fishing…and a life jacket pressed into duty as blaze orange.

Oryx on White Sands: a gritty, team-effort New Mexico pack-out; why shot placement differs from deer/elk; toughness of African antelope in the desert.

Unlimited bighorn units: over-the-counter tags, 3/4-curl rule, tiny quotas, daily check-ins, and the sheer scouting it takes to notch a legal ram.

Alaska sheep attempt: Brooks Range, grizzlies, and stout little mountain horses; why “big country” has a different meaning up there.

Mule deer Thanksgiving buck: a wide, heavy three-point that kept getting bigger the closer we got.

Turkey humility tour: lots of miles, one bearded hen sighting, zero gobbles—still a laugh-filled camp.

Family vibes: kids in the hot tub, the “Ruhlnado,” and the kind of friendship that picks up right where it left off.

Quotables

“You’ve got to enjoy being a little miserable—and love solving problems in the mountains.”

“If you could have three Septembers, it would be perfect.”

“A wreck? That’s when your string leaves a trail of underwear for a mile.”

Links & Mentions

Outdoor Ruhls: outdoorruhls.com

Watch/Listen: YouTube • Spotify • Apple Podcasts

Say hi / ideas: [email protected]

Chapter Guide (adjust to final timestamps)

00:00 Welcome from Emigrant, MT

06:00 Yellowstone friendships → ranch gates & trailheads

16:30 Packing deep dive: Decker vs. sawbuck, manis, strings & wrecks

29:00 Fort Peck boat hunt (+ the blaze-orange life vest)

38:30 Oryx on White Sands: shot placement & pack-out

47:00 Unlimited bighorn: quotas, 3/4-curl, and scouting grind

58:00 Alaska Dall sheep attempt & fjord horses

1:06:00 The Thanksgiving mule deer & turkey humility

1:12:00 Closing: why this valley (and these friends) feel like home

Episode 53: Talkin’ Tangents — A Conversation with Pat Durkin

Show Notes

In this episode of the Outdoor Ruhls Podcast, host Mike Ruhl sits down with legendary outdoor writer Pat Durkin for a lively, free-wheeling conversation that covers just about everything from whitetails to wordsmithing. Over the past four decades, Pat has written and edited for some of the biggest names in outdoor media — including Deer & Deer Hunting, Outdoor News, and MeatEater — all while keeping his boots muddy and his stories honest.

True to the name Talkin’ Tangents, this chat zigzags across topics the way a curious hunter roams a November ridge:

How Pat got his start in outdoor journalism and the mentors who shaped his path

What he’s learned from a lifetime observing deer — their senses, behavior, and uncanny ability to survive us

The evolution of outdoor media — from print deadlines and typewriters to digital columns and podcasts

Conservation ethics, public-land access, and the delicate balance between science and storytelling

Why humor, humility, and curiosity still matter more than “hot takes” or trophy photos

Along the way, the conversation drifts (in the best Outdoor Ruhls fashion) into side trails about writing discipline, memorable hunts, and the future of hunting culture. Whether you read Pat in the Sunday paper, scroll his MeatEater essays, or simply love thoughtful outdoor conversation, this one’s a keeper.

Episode Highlights

00:00 — Intro: Mike sets the scene and welcomes Pat to the campfire.

05:30 — From Newsroom to Northwoods: Pat’s early writing days and first big breaks.

15:00 — How Deer Think: Sensory biology, research insights, and field observations.

25:00 — Story Craft: Turning muddy boots into meaningful sentences.

38:00 — Ethics & Access: The state of conservation, hunters, and public lands.

50:00 — Rapid-Fire Ruhls: Gear favorites, dream hunts, and one lesson every outdoorsperson should remember.

About Pat Durkin

Pat Durkin is an award-winning outdoor writer and columnist based in Wisconsin. Over a 40-year career, he’s served as editor of Deer & Deer Hunting, contributed to numerous regional newspapers, and written hundreds of essays for MeatEater and other national outlets. Known for blending hard science with everyday woods-wisdom, Pat brings credibility, humor, and humanity to every story he tells.

Connect with Outdoor Ruhls

Follow Outdoor Ruhls on Instagram @outdoorruhls and visit outdoorruhls.com for recipes, travel stories, and new podcast episodes each week.

If you like what you hear, leave us a review, share it with your hunting buddies, and help keep the Outdoor Ruhls conversation rolling.

Outdoor Ruhls Podcast — Episode 52

Title: The Dale Earnhardt of Trout Fishing?

Guests: The Brothers Ruhl — Mike, Matt (“G4”), and Mark

Release: October 2025

Length: ~1:29

Episode summary

A year in, the brothers finally give the mic to the oldest Ruhl: Matt (aka Grant Matthew, G4). From being “mildly radiated” near Three Mile Island to becoming the family’s Dale-Earnhardt-of-reading-water, Matt talks childhood fishing marathons, grandpa lessons (Pop Grant & Pop Bud), Western hunts, the 662-lb Pennsylvania bear, raising four kids, and running a flooring business where the motto is “Safety Third” and “Lunch at 11.” Expect brotherly chirps, heartfelt moments, and our first crack at an official-unofficial Stormy Kromer ad read.

Chapter markers

00:00 Cold open chaos: mics, phones, flux capacitors, and Bieber jokes

04:17 Welcome + why this one’s special (Episode 52 milestone & new listeners)

05:31 Who we are: three brothers, one R-U-H-L

06:32 Matt 101: born ’78, G4 lineage, most athletic, best angler?

09:57 Street hockey, broken leg, and powdered-donut grenade story

11:05 Reading water like draft lines—why Matt “sees” trout lies

13:58 Pop Grant lessons: independence, knife-table mishap, bee-log “situational awareness”

21:38 One of the last days with Pop Grant on the river

23:40 Pop Bud’s camp-cook magic & the “if you want it, he buys it” Nintendo

26:36 High school → waterfowl era; liberal goose limits & decoy arguments

32:07 52 episodes in a year (almost). Why we keep doing this

33:49 Matt drifts from deer… then archery flips the switch

39:24 First archery buck story (early 2000s, likely the new point restrictions year)

45:17 The “whoops at the beginning”: four kids, seven-year head start on the rest of us

52:12 Western hunts: two mule deer, one Montana whitetail

53:19 The bear: 570 field-dressed / ~662 live weight in Pennsylvania

55:57 Passing bucks, hunting with kids; Kaylee’s streak & goals

57:31 Biggest whitetail (Kansas, mid-140s with an inline muzzleloader) + windy fence-row story

1:03:30 What’s left on the list? Moose dreams, snook/tarpon, a true giant bass, halibut redux

1:07:39 Planes are the enemy; road-trip fishing fantasies

1:09:42 Work life: from helper to self-employed flooring pro since 2006

1:13:55 What folks don’t see about being self-employed

1:20:03 Why mounts = memories (and why the memories are about people)

1:24:52 Test ad read: Stormy Kromer (official-unofficial apparel of Outdoor Ruhls)

1:27:54 Closing banter & how to reach us

Notable moments & quotes

“Fight nice, boys.” — Pop Grant’s evergreen coaching tip.

“These five-hour days are killing me.” — Matt, driving home from another grueling shift.

“If you can’t be a good example, be a horrible warning.” — Mike, lovingly, to Matt.

“You can’t shoot a nice buck if you shoot the first buck that walks by.” — Matt’s deer logic.

Bear stats: ~662 lb live-weight Pennsylvania black bear (one and done… so far).

Safety Third / Lunch at 11: The Rules Flooring creed.

Sibling lore: The shoe through the window; the powdered-donut fashion intervention.

Stormy Kromer spot (as read)

“From the deer stand to the high desert, the Outdoor Ruhls Podcast relies on great outdoor gear to keep our stories going. Built for comfort, warmth, and grip when the wind blows, Stormy Kromer has been tested in deer camps, on fishing trips, and family adventures for over a century. Check out Stormy Kromer—the gear that keeps Outdoor Ruhls adventures going.”

Our “official-unofficial” apparel partner.

Gear & tactics mentioned

Archery: Climbers, close-range shot angles, learning wind & bedding the hard way

Rifle/Muzzleloader: Inline muzzleloader setup in Kansas (wind breaks, fence-row ambush)

Fishing: Reading micro-current seams; casting to hockey-puck-sized targets

People & places

Grandpas: Pop Grant (river rat & teacher), Pop Bud (camp cook & gift-giver)

Kids: Grant (’00, working with Matt), Hunter (’04), Addison (’06), Kaylee (’08)

Hunts: PA archery & rifle; Western KS whitetail; MT mule deer/whitetail; PA black bear

Future wish-list: Moose (maybe Newfoundland), snook & tarpon (Florida), trophy bass (El Salto?), halibut again

Takeaways

The trophy is the time together. The mounts are just bookmarks.

Teach kids to fish/hunt by letting them do it—knots, bait, mess and all.

You can build a life you love (even if your company motto is “Safety Third”).

Links & support

Website: outdoorruhls.com

Instagram: @OutdoorRuhls

Email: [email protected]

Listen & review: Apple Podcasts & Spotify — your ratings genuinely help new folks find us.

Credits

Host: Mike Ruhl

Co-hosts: Mark & Matt Ruhl

Production: Outdoor Ruhls Media (Digital Media Manager: Mark… pending HR review by Matt)

Family Thread: A Stormy Tale

Episode Summary

Mike opens with the long-running campfire bit he’s done for years—reading the story stitched inside his favorite wool cap—and reveals how that hat (a Stormy Kromer) unexpectedly braided into his family’s own story. Joining Mike and Caitlin are Tim “GT” Dodge (co-founder of Hansen Dodge, the agency that helped relaunch the brand) and special guest Bob Jacquart, who revived and now stewards Stormy Kromer from Ironwood, Michigan. Together they trace the cap’s railroad roots, Ida Kromer’s crucial stitch, the Milwaukee relaunch, small-town factory pride, and the way one simple hat keeps showing up in hunting camps, weddings, and meet-cutes. It’s a nesting-dolls episode about craft, community, and family.

Chapters

00:21 Intro + Mike’s Yellowstone hat story

The line inside the brim: who was George “Stormy” Kromer—and why Ida matters

Bob’s origin story: buying a discontinued product and rebuilding a brand

From “grandpa’s hat” to 1,700 SKUs: growth, fabrics, and licensing (hello, collegiate caps)

Factory tours, pasties, and Made-in-Michigan pride

The Hansen Dodge pivot: naming, story, and trademarking “Stormy Kromer”

First Lite partnership & the outdoor community

Family threads: Gina leading the company; heirloom repairs; the church hat vs. work hat

Field tales: the Rancher-as-rifle-rest mishap, Caitlin’s wolf-program mittens, and one lonely Milk Dud

Closing thoughts + open invite to tour the Ironwood factory

Guests

Bob Jacquart — Chairman, Stormy Kromer (Ironwood, MI)

Tim “GT” Dodge — Co-founder, Hansen Dodge (brand relaunch partner)

Caitlin Ruhl — Biologist, outdoorswoman, and frequent Outdoor Ruhls co-host

Highlights & Takeaways

The real hero stitch: Ida Kromer’s modification of a baseball cap for her railroad-engineer husband birthed a century-old cold-weather classic.

Brand resurrection 101: Story > product > distribution. A local sewing shop + a great narrative + thoughtful trademarking turned a discontinued cap into a thriving American-made brand.

Community impact: Factory tours, local lunches, and Made-in-Michigan pride keep dollars—and dignity—in small towns.

Gear that lives a life: From wedding vests to backcountry hunts, SK pieces become family artifacts (and sometimes get bullet-adjacent scorch marks).

Gear & Products Mentioned

The Original Stormy Kromer Cap (the “hat with the story”)

The Rancher (Mike’s well-loved, slightly singed version)

Ida Kromer styles (Caitlin’s go-to, ponytail-friendly)

Stormy Kromer mittens (work-palm hybrids Caitlin used on wolf surveys)

First Lite x Stormy Kromer collaboration

Resources & Links

Stormy Kromer — brand, factory store, and free public tours (Ironwood, MI)

Hansen Dodge — brand relaunch partner behind the “hat with the story” positioning

Outdoor Ruhls favorites: caps, mittens, and ranch wear featured in this episode

(Add buy/tour links on your episode page; keep affiliate tags if you use them.)

Pull Quotes

“I didn’t buy the name at first—I bought a discontinued hat. The story came next.” — Bob

“There is no Stormy Kromer story without Ida.” — Caitlin

“A frosty head only looks good on beer.” — classic SK line remembered by Mike

Credits & Contact

Hosted by Mike Ruhl with Caitlin Ruhl and Tim “GT” Dodge. Special thanks to Bob Jacquart and the Stormy Kromer crew in Ironwood.

Website: OutdoorRuhls.com

Instagram/Facebook: @outdoorruhls

Email: [email protected]

Outdoor Ruhls Podcast — Episode 50

“From Sea to Shining Sea”

Host: Mike Ruhl
Guests/Co-Hosts: Matt Ruhl, Mark Ruhl, and Tim “GT” Dodge

Episode Summary

From the Chesapeake to Alaska to Ontario, the Ruhls recap a whirlwind late-season run of fishing adventures (and misadventures). Mark and Matt debrief a steamy, low-wind week in Cape Charles, VA—including a shredded trailer tire, a bunk falling off, and Matt’s personal-best redfish (~43 lb). GT heads to Alaska’s Alagnak River (ATA Lodge) for silvers, dollies, and rainbows—with fly-outs, bears at arm’s length, and the world’s coldest accidental wader bath. Matt closes with a four-day bass tournament on White Lake, Ontario, winning back-to-back with a mixed bag of smallmouth and largemouth, plus bonus walleye, pike, and a football-size perch. The crew talk salmon species and their many common names, splake (brook × lake trout hybrids), acid-rain recovery lakes, and what’s next: muskies, ice season, and a Cabo billfish Christmas.

Chapter Guide (approx.)

00:21 — Welcome + why the “season wrap-up”… wasn’t

02:20 — Cape Charles prep: Pro-Line starter fix, Honda water pump delay → Plan B: Poppy/Matt’s 19' Lund

07:15 — Highway chaos: tire tread peels, fender skitters, bunk goes bye-bye (zip-tie rescue)

12:40 — On-water results: keeper flounder, trout, croaker/whiting/grey trout; tough heat & no wind

16:45 — Matt’s PB redfish on artificials (deep water jig bite)

21:10 — Sheepshead plans vs. reality; why hot weeks hurt the bite

24:00 — Looking ahead: earlier June week for cobia opener

28:05 — GT’s Alaska week: Anchorage → King Salmon → ATA Lodge on the Alagnak

31:30 — Jet boats, empty river miles, fly-out to the Kulik River (egg patterns for rainbows)

35:15 — Salmon crash course: kings/chinook, sockeye/red, coho/silver, pink/humpy, chum/dog

38:10 — Bears, brain-bites & roe snacks; GT falls in, still lands the silver

42:59 — (Reconnect) Tournament fishing vs. fun fishing: why the pressure is addictive

45:00 — Ontario: 4-boat, 4-day derby; big comeback to win by ~3–4 lb

48:20 — By-catch highlights: walleye on a popper (!), giant perch, pike; rock bass ≠ green sunfish

52:00 — Splake trip in NY; acid-rain recovery and cold-water fisheries

56:10 — Musky dreams at Kalaniski (spring invite), fall plans, and Cabo at Christmas

59:20 — Teaser: next episode = a special guest from the cold-weather gear world

Notable Catches & Conditions

Redfish (VA): ~43 lb on 1.5 oz jighead + 5" swimbait; deeper drift bite (~30–40 ft)

Cape Charles week: extreme heat, minimal wind; inshore variety but picky reds

Alaska (late Aug): silvers/coho wave mid-week; dollies, rainbows, grayling; sockeye spawning; “jack” kings present

Ontario derby: tougher bite vs. prior year; more smallmouth weighed, largemouth for day-bigs; won overall by ~3–4 lb

Gear & Techniques Mentioned

Boats: Pro-Line (Honda outboard: starter & water-pump saga), 19' Lund

Rigs: Heavy jig + swimbait for reds; egg patterns for Alaskan rainbows; topwater poppers (surprise walleye)

Logistics: Trailer maintenance—tires, fenders, bunks, lights; lodge fish-boxing vs. DIY cooler game

Species Roll Call

Redfish (red drum), sheepshead, flounder, speckled trout, croaker, whiting, gray (weakfish) trout, all five Pacific salmon (chinook/kings, sockeye/reds, coho/silvers, pink/humpies, chum/dog), rainbow trout, Dolly Varden, grayling, splake (brook × lake trout), smallmouth & largemouth bass, walleye, northern pike, rock bass, yellow perch.

Quotables / Episode Vibes

“Say yes to fishing.” (new shirt idea)

“Always something with boats.”

“Tournament days are different—pressure makes it fun.”

“Why am I standing in a river fishing for dying fish?” (salmon life-cycle perspective)

Looking Ahead

Cobia goals in late June at Cape Charles (before sharks show up)

Muskies at Cownanesque Lake (spring)

Cabo San Lucas over Christmas—billfish + spearfishing curiosity

Next week’s guest: a heavyweight in cold-weather gear (perfect for ice season fans)

Links & Mentions (for show notes)

ATA Lodge (Alagnak River, AK)

Kulik River fly-out (Queens of the egg-drift rainbows)

White Lake, Ontario (west of Ottawa)

Cape Charles, VA (Chesapeake Bay bridges/inner bridge)

(Add your affiliate/outbound links as needed.)

Call to Action

💬 Questions or episode ideas? [email protected]

🌐 Show notes, recipes, & photos: OutdoorRuhls.com

📸 Follow along: @outdoorruhls on Instagram and Facebook

⭐ If you enjoyed this one, share it with a fishing buddy and leave a 5-star review—huge help!

Episode 49 — It’s Only Gotta Work Once, Part 2

Show Summary

Storms, charcuterie, morale swings, and the relentless patience of a backcountry elk hunt. In Part 2, the crew recounts the second half of Caitlin’s season—highlighted by multiple bulls charging the wallow, tense full-draw standoffs, and finally, the encounter that brought it all together. From ethics and shot discipline to a gritty pack-out, this is a lesson in resilience, teamwork, and why elk hunting really is a community sport.

Highlights

Village support: again, gratitude to GT & Necie for holding down the fort.

Wallow chess match: bulls charging in at full tilt, Caitlin at full draw multiple times, waiting for the right angle.

Storm night: lightning directly overhead, tents nearly flooded, gear soaked—morale hits bottom.

Backcountry hacks:

The hose trick — short line pinned under a rock turns a trickle into a 3L/min fill station.

Freeze-dry + bagels — calorie-dense food that packs small and keeps morale high.

Battery strategy — headlamps and power banks rotated to stretch the week.

The shot: mature 6x6 bull, huge thirds (~19"), Caitlin holds between pins and delivers a clean 30-yard arrow.

Ethics on display: waiting for the right angle, ready for a follow-up, ensuring a quick, humane end.

The pack-out: six heavy loads (quarters, trim, rack, gear) shuttled down in stages. Breakfast burritos = morale medicine.

Score comparison: last year’s bull grossed 318; this one pushes the mark

Tactics & Lessons

Sit the extra 15 minutes — encounters often happen just as you’re ready to give up.

Water is king — reliable hydration makes or breaks a backcountry camp.

Shuttle system — shortening brutal sections by caching and returning makes the pack-out safer.

Community over individual — every successful elk hunt rests on teamwork.

People

Caitlin — Archer, patient under pressure, makes the shot.

Mike Ruhl — Caller, logistics, water-hack engineer.

Hunter — Rookie turned workhorse, zingers and morale resets.

Jeremy — Advisor, burrito hero, pack-out mule.

GT & Necie — Enablers of adventure through childcare support.

Quotables

“Hunting is a community sport.”

“Sit 15 more minutes.”

“It only has to work once.”

Links & Contact

Website: OutdoorRuhls.com

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @outdoorruhls

Episode 48 — It’s Only Gotta Work Once, Part 1

Show Summary

Draw lightning striking twice, rain jackets left on couches, vacuum-sealed underwear, and wallows hidden deep in the timber—this is the setup for Caitlin’s second consecutive New Mexico elk tag. In Part 1, Mike, Caitlin, Hunter, and Jeremy take listeners through the opening days: the long overnight drive, grumpy mornings, blown stalks, swirling winds, and the electrifying moments when bulls bugled back. It’s the foundation of a week that proves the old saying: it only has to work once.

Highlights

Tag of a lifetime (again): Caitlin draws the premier New Mexico archery elk tag for the second straight year—odds defied.

Team assembled: Mike (caller/host), Caitlin (archer), Hunter (first-time elk hunter), Jeremy (newlywed guest & veteran elk hunter).

Community support: GT & Necie taking care of the kids, making the backcountry hunt possible.

Backcountry logistics: six days / five nights on the Valles Caldera with packs built for meat and camp crammed inside.

Stormy start: soaked gear, sideways rain, lightning on the ridges, morale tested early.

Hunter’s initiation: all-night drive, first elk hunt, hard fall in the dark timber, bruise for the ages.

Early encounters:

A five-point bull comes in to cow calls—too close for comfort.

A solid six-point responds to bugles and branch-breaking but never closes the final distance.

The wallow discovery: stumbling into a hidden water source that becomes the focal point of the hunt.

Quote that sticks: “It only has to work once.”

Tactics & Lessons

Pre-rut uncertainty: when cow calls fizzle, bugling + breaking branches can trigger curiosity.

Wind roulette: swirling thermals on the caldera make patience and zig-zagging essential.

Wallow strategy: elk will check water midday—sometimes at a sprint. Mark them, sit them.

Mental grind: success often comes after days of “wrong” decisions.

People

Mike Ruhl — Host, caller, logistics lead.

Caitlin — Tag holder and archer.

Hunter — Nephew, first elk hunt, field bruises and new lessons.

Jeremy Romero — Guest, advisor, extra rain jacket provider, veteran of the same tag.

GT & Necie— Unsung MVPs at home with the boys.

Quotables

“I vacuum-sealed my underwear.”

“Turkey isn’t big game.”

“It only has to work once.”

Links & Contact

Website: OutdoorRuhls.com

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @outdoorruhls

Episode 47: Hell on Wheels

From scraped knees to full-send disasters, the Ruhls (and friends) swap their best and worst bicycle wreck stories. This one’s all about gravel rash, handlebars to the ribs, stitches, e-bikes gone wrong, and even a runaway motorcycle.

Highlights

Mike’s solo crash – A pool bag in the spokes = upside-down in a gravel alley.

Robert’s rite of passage – A sharp turn, a toppled bike, and a scraped knee. Lesson learned: helmets matter.

Rachel’s Wyoming wipeout – Front-brake panic turns a mountain bike into a catapult. Plus her infamous forehead scar from a childhood BMX mishap (36 stitches!).

Matt’s e-bike adventures – Two spills in 100 feet, a cartoon-style fence slide, and a soaking in Potter County.

Snitz Creek fishing run – Protecting a brand-new Penn reel was more important than avoiding road rash.

Mike’s tree collision – Clearing a tabletop jump… straight into a maple trunk 6 feet up.

Kate & Poppy – A downhill “don’t ride the brakes” lesson ends with Poppy bleeding from the head (but still refusing a ride back).

Sim & Pop Grant – The Indian motorcycle incident: unintended acceleration, two electric fences, and a miraculous escape.

Mark’s revenge – Chased by older kid Paul Mettley, Mark circled back, blasted him with the Huffy Sledgehammer, ditched the bike, and ran inside. Little brother justice at its finest.

Threads

Life lessons on bikes: don’t hang bags on handlebars, check your bolts, and never underestimate a Ruhl plotting revenge.

Generational echoes: from Pop Grant’s philosophy (“don’t ride the brakes”) to grandkids earning scars the same way their parents did.

Bikes, e-bikes, and motorcycles—turns out “going over the handlebars” is a universal theme.

📸 Follow along on Instagram: @outdoorruhls
🌐 Full archive + show notes: outdoorruhls.com
📧 Share your best wreck stories: [email protected]

Episode 46: The Hunt Begins!

Mike kicks off hunting season with Caitlin and Matt: GT is flying home from Alaska, Matt’s packing for Canadian bass, and Caitlin is (somehow!) holding another unbelievable New Mexico elk tag—archery opens tomorrow. The crew previews plans, tactics, gear, kids-in-the-woods logistics, and a little fishing season wrap-up to boot.

Highlights

Matt’s Canada run: Driving 8–9 hours to White Lake, Ontario for a friendly bass derby (smallmouth + largemouth, with pike/walleye cameos). Trailer mishaps lore included.

Elk draw déjà vu: Caitlin drew the same premier Valles Caldera archery elk tag two years in a row (~2% odds each year). Opening day family hike vs. “serious week two” plan.

Prep & gear: New Hoyt bow, heavier confidence; seated/kneeling reps; drawing from behind cover; why “forgiveness” matters more than raw speed.

Strategy talk:

Elk: backpacking to spike out, dawn/dusk movement, calling, and realistic kid-day expectations.

Whitetails: Matt’s PA playbook—stands prepped now, cameras over beans/corn, evenings favored, saving intrusive checks for hunt days.

Philosophy & goals: Meat vs. antlers, being picky after last year’s bull, and not “ruining a perfectly good season by shooting a buck” too early.

Family threads: Hunter’s first elk hunt (and his online classes 🤞), Emmett’s debut day, and why evenings feel better (until you’re quartering by headlamp).

Community note: Congrats to Jeremy & Shannon on their wedding—elk season timing approved. Also: the infamous antique bear trap resurfaces in conversation.

Mentioned

Places: Valles Caldera (NM), Alagnak River (AK), White Lake (ON), Chesapeake Bay, Yellowstone (cameo comparisons).

Species: Elk, smallmouth/largemouth bass, coho, Dolly Varden, rainbow trout, whitetails.

Gear: Hoyt compound bow, trail cams (cell & SD), tree stands, junipers (the original 3D targets).

What’s Next

A “Hell on Wheels” episode (bike/motorcycle mishaps with Uncle Sim).

Cape Charles summer recap with Mark/Rachel/GT.

GT’s Alaska debrief.

Caitlin’s elk hunt report (fingers crossed and bugles blazing).

📸 Instagram: @outdoorruhls

🌐 Site: outdoorruhls.com

📧 Email: [email protected]

Episode 45: The Googans’ Return

The Norway Tetralogy comes to a close! Mike, GT, Poppy, and Caitlin reunite stateside to reflect on the trip of a lifetime, from puffins in Iceland to halibut in Sorøya. This episode ties it all together—what worked, what didn’t, what they’d do differently, and whether hauling fish halfway across the world was really worth it.

Highlights:

Iceland revisited – Puffins on the Westman Islands, tectonic plate hikes, secret lagoons, and a listener’s tip about farmhouse meals.

Oslo surprises – Poppy’s encyclopedic navigation skills, museum hopping (Fram, Kon-Tiki, Maritime, and Natural History), and thoughts on city life.

Tromsø tales – Cab rides, ice cream, late-night leg wrestling, and imagining a winter return for Northern Lights and dog sledding.

Fishing reflections – The guides at Camp Halibut, big halibut vs. big cod, wolf fish, and why musky fishing is the right comparison.

The great fish debate – The true cost (and stress) of bringing 80 pounds of fish home; was it worth it? Or would Whole Foods have been easier?

Family takeaways – Making memories with Robert, bonding with Neil, Nate, Zach, and Emmy, and why the people made the trip as special as the fish.

Looking forward – GT heads to Alaska, Caitlin preps for archery elk season, and the Outdoor Ruhls shift back into hunting mode.

Closing Thoughts:

Poppy: Fishing was the highlight.

GT: The realization that making more of these trips with family is the real prize.

Mike: Pride in Robert hauling up a redfish from 1,000 feet and gratitude for all the people who made the journey unforgettable.

Caitlin: Content to sit this one out, but already scheming future trips closer to home.

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