I was off last week for vacation. We went rafting, fly fishing and camping in a very remote part of Idaho with my extended family and friends.
Fist we flew to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Then drove almost 5 hours to Salmon, Idaho where we took a puddle-jumper flight directly to the Middle Fork of the Salmon River. The ability to disconnect for 5 days was incredible and I’m thankful to my dad for organizing the family trip.
We were led by the team at Helfrich Outfitters, who I’d highly recommend. A few other recommendations coming out of the trip:
Free Fly shorts and Sunshirt: Not a lot of showering or changing clothes on this trip, and the Free Fly gear passed the test
Bedrock sandals: Several of the guides and my cousin Molly wore these sandals
Liar’s Dice: a camping game for those that love probability and slight deception
h/t Anna Elliott for the photo
Without further ado….
Why Paul?
Paul discovered Rambull and reached out to me. I quickly learned that we had similar interests and he’d be a great person to profile. I’m always excited to learn more about people following an entrepreneurial path and was impressed with what Paul is doing in the men’s self-care space with Magnolia League. Make sure to check it out.
Husband, (new) Father, and ATLien. Went from slanging SaaS to skincare. Explorer energized by understanding new places, people, and cultures — and connecting them in creative ways. Invigorated by mountains, honky tonks, and boys golf trips.
Paul’s Recommendations
Written in his own words…
Gift
Indie Print Mags
I thought good, independent journalism and print magazines were dead. The glossy ad-filled Publix checkout line versions are, yes. But I was pleased to find indie mags are growing in popularity and think they make a great gift. Here are some of my favorites:
Golfer’s Journal: captures the soul of the game through good storytelling and artful photography
Holiday: once of the most exciting American travel mags relaunched in Paris in 2014
Modern Huntsman: collective of explorers, hunters, anglers, and naturalists focused on conservation with storytelling at the heart of it all.
Spiral Journal: bringing together football, culture, and society. Also see Victory Journalfor similar but covering all sports.
The Bitter Southerner: Athens, GA based independent publisher focused on making the South, and America, a better place.
Recently finished this autobiography of legendary Hollywood figure Robert Evans. He was an actor, studio head, and producer of movies like The Godfather and Chinatown. It's a fascinating story of Evans' life, career, and show business in the second half of the 20th century.
My friend in Raleigh started this brand of heritage rugby shirts. Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard said in his book, "Let My People Go Surfing" (another rec), that the durability and flexibility of old-school rugby shirts were perfect for outdoor activity. Withernot brings back that same quality in a retro-cool sporting look.
Grounding effectively means reconnecting to the earth. This can take many forms—getting outside, going barefoot, rising with the sun, cold/heat exposure, etc. Studies show benefits for your mental and physical health; helps me keep stress in check and feel better throughout the day.
Features some crowd pleasers along with under-the-radar Country and Americana artists. Goes well with golf, lakes, and cookouts.
Travel
Taos and Santa Fe, NM
My wife and I take a ski trip each winter and visited New Mexico this year. It's truly a special place with unique culture, beautiful landscapes, and fantastic food (red and green chile never get old). Taos skiing ranks on par with the best of them while being more down-to-earth than comparable areas.
Plug
Magnolia League: We make clean and high-performance skincare for the active outdoor lifestyle—so you can look better, live healthier, and do more of what you love. Made in America with certified organic and natural ingredients.
Want to get in touch with Paul? Email: paul@magnolialeague.com Website and Blog: magnolialeague.com
P.S. from Rambull — Paul was also kind enough to create a Fabric guide for Birmingham, AL. I am eying Hot & Hot on the guide…
I’d love to build out the Fabric Guide Library. If you know one of these cities well and would be open to creating a guide, please reply to let me know:
Can confirm that Bedrock Sandals (who's HQ happen to be in Missoula!) are fantastic!! They've all but replaced my Chacos.