
“Is any pleasure on earth as great as a circle of Christian friends by a good fire?”
C.S. Lewis—Letters of C.S. Lewis
Season 8 Wrap Up
In this season wrap-up of "The Storied Outdoors" podcast, hosts Brad and Bryan take you on a journey through their recent fishing trip, sharing detailed stories and memorable moments. They also revisit the standout episodes from season eight, offering insights and reflections on the diverse range of topics and guests featured. Additionally, Brad and Bryan discuss their latest family adventures, filled with outdoor activities and bonding experiences, and reveal exciting plans for upcoming summer adventures.
Whether you're passionate about fishing, love exploring the great outdoors, or enjoy inspirational storytelling, this episode is packed with content that will captivate and inspire you. Don't miss out—listen now and share this episode with friends who appreciate the beauty of nature and the thrill of adventure.
Cpt. Robin Simms: Fly Fishing Guide & Boat Captain
In this week’s episode, we sit down with Captain Robin Simms, who just received her certification to operate 150 foot vessels. Robin is a longtime friend of the show and vital member of the Alabama flyfishing community. We previously had Robin on the show in a mini episode at the international fly fishing film festival at Cahaba brewery last year. We go into more depth with Robin in this episode and discuss Alabama women on the fly, her guide services, and a host of other topics centered around a life lived on the water… Including a harrowing story from her time in Alaska involving a very little boat on very big waves. We absolutely love what Robin brings to this episode, as well as what she brings to the outdoor community with her innovative approach to getting new people on the water. We hope you enjoy!
Charles Martin & Sons: Alaska Stories
In this episode, we sit down with former guest and New York Times best selling author, Charles Martin. However, this time we were joined by two of his three sons, Rives and Charlie. Charles, Rives and Charlie all spent some time in Alaska this past year, and we were not short on stories for them to tell. We talked about bear encounters, fishing for salmon, and what it means to be a man. Charles gets the opportunity to talk about each of his sons unique giftedness, and how he specifically prays for each of them. This was such a fun conversation to be a part of on many levels. We hope that you will enjoy hearing more from our friend, Charles Martin and his sons. Be sure to get Charles’ latest books: a novel entitled The Last Exchange, and a 40 Day Journey to the cross, entitled It is Finished wherever books are sold.
Jimbo Meador: Meditating and Marinating on Fishing Stories, Close Calls, & Jimmy Buffett
This is our 100th episode! And we could not think of anyone better than Jimbo Meador, Alabama fly fishing legend and outdoorsman to be our guest for this special occasion. Jimbo was on our show once before, but if you know Jimbo, there’s always more stories to tell. We were so honored to be able to sit down once again in his home office and listen to the guide stories of flyfishing, close calls on the water, and his longtime friend, the late Jimmy Buffett. We know you will enjoy these stories that are downright laugh out loud funny. Jimbo is an absolute treasure to the state of Alabama and the overall sport of fly fishing, and we are thankful that we call him friend. Thank you for joining us on this journey of 100 episodes of the Storied Outdoors. If you enjoy this podcast, please share it with a friend who you think would enjoy it as well. Here’s to 100, and may there be 100 more!
Brian Toone: Extreme Amateur Cyclists
Dr. Brian Toone, assistant professor of computer science at Samford University. You may be wondering what a professor in computer science is doing on an outdoor podcast? Well, Brian is not only a brilliant professor, he is also an avid cyclist. And when I say avid, he’s at a different level than 99% of cyclists in America. Recently, Brian competed in the 2023 Paris-Brest-Paris cycling event, a 761-mile ride through France where he finished the endurance race in under 59 hours.
In this episode we cover almost as much ground as Brian has on his bike. We hear about his adventures in France for Paris-Brest-Pairs and how much he learned from one year to the next on the same race. Brain shares about some of his darkest moments during Race Across America, and his reflections on lessons learned in cycling. We also cover Brian’s amazing work in software development and how his program is impacting the sport of cycling.
Season 6 WrapUp
In this episode, Brad and Bryan recap the incredible 6th season of the podcast. Incredible, of course, because of the amazing guests who shared their stories on the show. They discuss the high points of each episode and some of their favorite moments from the season. Also, they reveal some exciting news for the podcast. Be sure to listen to the whole episode to get the scoop on what’s happening this coming Friday. You won’t want to miss it.
Jimbo Meador: A naturalist, Sailor, Storyteller, and Fly Fisherman
Jimbo Meador is one of the most iconic figures in the sport of fly fishing. As a lifelong Alabamian, living along the gulf coast, Jimbo has arguably influenced the sport of fly fishing as much as anyone else in the last century. From kayak fishing, paddleboard fishing, retail Orvis stores, and a host of other areas, Jimbo’s hand is evident in the history and future of the sport. Not to mention that his life heavily influenced the character of Forrest Gump, written by his good friend and author Winston Groom. We hope you will enjoy this episode where we sat down with Jimbo in his home office and soaked up all the stories and wisdom he shared with us.
Stephen Rockarts: Owner Fly Fishing Alabama
We cover so much in this episode and we laughed a great deal. If anyone has spent anytime around Stephen he will make you feel good about yourself and have a good time. I have no doubt that translates to his guide service. We discuss his gifting in hospitality and what role that plays in guiding along with his philosophy of what are components of a great trip. Obviously we had to spend some time in discussion about the shore burger and Stephen gives out some secret tips on what makes it so special.
Season 6 Introduction
Welcome to season 6! We cannot believe how much fun we’ve had over the past 5 seasons and aren’t slowing down now. This episode is two-fold, we get to preview the upcoming season and recap our trip to the Atlanta Fly Fishing Show. This season will be featuring guests from two of our favorite communities: the Alabama fly fishing community and the Rabbit Room community. We are so blessed to find ourselves somewhere between Lewis and Tolkien and Lewis and Clark and cannot wait to share these stories and adventures with you all!