WRFH/Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM - Off the Trails: The End of the Trail

Episode Date: May 4, 2026

Join Nicole Sighiartau and Storm Drexler as they discuss some of their wildest experiences in the great outdoors! This week they say goodbye to a wonderful year and a half of Off the Trails. Don't worry they won't be gone for good though, so check back in August for a new show. Thank you for listening and happy trails :)

Hey guys, for one last time, you're listening to Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM. Welcome to Off the Trails. It's me. I'm Storm Drexler. And I'm Nicole Seguiartow, and we've been your adventure buddies every week as we discussed some of our wildest stories from our outdoor endeavors. You heard that right. The topic of this week is the end of Off the Trails. That's right, ladies and gentlemen, this is the last episode of our saga, our adventure, our quest. have been your adventure buddies and we will be your adventure buddies today one last time here on Radio Free Hillsdale. I think Storm is more excited than I am. Listen, I think that endings are

as important as beginnings. And, you know, in order to move on to what's coming next, which I think we'll share that in a little bit, right now it's important to say goodbye to something that has been. And this show has been a great part of my life, a wonderful part of yours, I mean, I don't want to speak for you. Yeah. Who actually hated it. No, I really love the show. I love the show, the good, the good, which was, you know, the stories we told, the bad, which was the trail markers. You know what's so funny? I don't actually have a trail marker this week.

Neither do I. And you know what? That's okay. It is okay to not have a trail marker, to be on the trails some weeks. Paths wind and go and head off toward distant horizons. And sometimes you're on them. Sometimes you're off of them. Also, it's been hell week and finals.

And it's been busy. I'm fresh off. of the first of my mini finals. Okay. And feeling good, you know? I'm 50% of the way there and my last two are going to be pretty easy, I feel like. So you're almost home free. Basically, because I had calculus today and that was like disgusting.

And my next two, I have very detailed study guides for my professor and I am working on them in a group. And so like one of them is already 75% of the way done and the other one. We're just going to knock out really fast. That's so great. That's so great. But we're almost a summer. We are almost a summer, which...

I'm really excited for summer. I don't know if you are. I'm fairly... The weather in my own. Yeah, yeah. I'm fairly excited for summer. I do think the weather will be nice. Yes.

Are we just, are we gonna talk about our summer and where we're going? Yeah. I think that we'll spend the first couple bit of this podcast talking about where we've been. Yeah. And then the next bit talking about where we're going. Cool. We did not plan this out. We just said this is the end, basically.

But this is off the trails. We don't plan this out. Yeah, no, we don't plan. We just, I walk here and I come up with an episode idea. And I say, Storm, do you have any stories about extreme weather? I usually have one or two. Yeah. Yeah.

And I think that what's fun is now is there are stories that we've been made, we've made from this show. Like I think of episodes where we've said funny things and had to cut them. Oh, yes. That you don't know about. You don't know about the funny things that we've said. Like the crampons moment. Ask me if you want. I have that clip somewhere.

It's so great. Yeah. Or like the time we were researching the seven different mountains and we got the mountain names differently than that one mountain that was like the one in Australia. Cazicuzzo. That's right. Also, I think we were recording with the Baldwin sisters and there was like something funny about snow shoes that we totally messed up.

Like I don't know what it was. Yeah, because I don't know how snow equipment works at all. Yeah. Or Dr. Steele like completely schooling us on wind chill. That was the best. I guess me. He whipped out a whole. notepad and he was like all right i have beefed i have a bone to pick i have beef with your show you guys got

totally got wind chill wrong you don't know how weather works and he just took it to school for like five full minutes of the episode to talk about wind chill i learned a lot though you know technically i think i knew that at one point in my life i'm sure my dad told me and then i just flew out my brain out the window i've learned a lot more than i think i will admit in the future or ever have admitted but I will admit right now, I have learned, I've learned a lot in the show from you, yeah.

Oh, seriously? You trust me? I think now that we're at the end of the line, the end of the trail, the end of the trail. The end of the trail. The end of the trail. Oh, that's a good. Yeah, I think while we're,

like, while we're here at the end of the trail, I think that I can say, like, I have learned a ton from you in particular. And I also, in a lot of ways, don't know why you picked me to be your adventure buddy for this. Being someone who, I'm going to end up those stick, guys, I probably spend more time

inside than outside, just in general overall in my life i you know i do a lot of stuff i go a lot of places but usually the places i go and the adventures i have are indoor adventures okay but seriously i i'm so happy i picked you as a co-host because number one you're very funny you're very easy to talk to oh wow wow i wouldn't know about that and the other thing that i think is like something that you mentioned that you spend a lot of time indoors i think that's really relatable to a lot of people because i would say I spend more time outside than like most of the population and that's not the most common. And I think one of the bridge for the public, you're the bridge. And I think one of the goals with

the show was to encourage people like, hey, just go on a walk even if you don't have like a full hour to be outside. Because little bits here and there. Like it totally makes your day better. And I don't know, that's like what I love about trail markers because it's just one little moment outside from your week. and of course I don't have one this week, but, you know, typically it's like you can find a highlight of, oh, the sunset was really pretty, the flowers are blooming. It was a blizzard yesterday. Like, you could come up with something and. I'm also going to admit at this moment and never, ever again that I do like trail markers. I like when you make me think of something from the past week that I'm like thankful for or enjoyed. Really?

I think that the art of memory is so important. And I am going to call it an art. I've been thinking a lot lately about memory. and like why we remember things, what we remember things for, what the purpose of memory is. And memory, in essence, is the crux of identity and like who we are. Looking back is not something we often do as an action. It's something we're doing right now.

I hope you, the audience are doing right now, is looking back across what you've done, where you've been. But that's not something you do a lot. But those things and those memories are with you every single second because you are,

as you step every foot forward, moving into the next part of your life, you are the collection of memories, you are those trails you've walked, you are that past and those memories. So, so basically, I am the outdoors, because that's all I remember storm, like, quite literally, the only stuff that I actually really remember is like stuff that I'm doing outside or if I eat some really good food while I'm doing a particular thing. But all of the calculus that I learned this semester, it's gone. It's gone. It's so gone. But when you take those moments to reflect and you look back, what do you remember, right? Not the calculus. Like, we're going to our senior year of

college and I'm looking back at three years of collegiate studies. I don't remember the collegiate studies. If you asked me to list off every class I've taken here, I probably couldn't. But you know what I could do? I can go through every friend in my phone book and tell you a funny story. That's true. A time I was with them. Yeah. And there's something profound about that, I think. That's what it's really all about. When you look back at the steps you've taken, you can tell, you just know in essence which of those steps were the important ones yeah and that's goaded and awesome good job storm this is like a philosophical uh conversation maybe that's what we should talk about next semester philosophy you don't want to know how i did in my philosophy class you know i did okay but

again it's less about how we did academically true and more about where we're heading true yeah i get philosophical a little for a little bit yeah so i'm talking about I think about things. Sometimes I thunk. I think this is kind of a good segue into what we maybe want to be doing more next year. I think more casual conversation, not necessarily like limited to the outdoors.

I'm sure that will play a role on it because I will be on the podcast. Oh, I hope so. How could it not? Yeah. But I think more so. I would be remiss if you do not bring things that are core to you and your personality

into every discussion. Exactly. why we're friends. Exactly. That is why we're friends. That alone, content creation. That's the bond of our friendship eternally blessed. It forges WRFH Radio Freeh Radio for Hillsdale 101.7 FM content.

Was that like a reset? Yeah, let's call that the reset for the episode. That was the reset eight minutes in. You're listening to Off the Trails on Radio for Hillsdale 101.7 FM. And now. And now. See, there's the reset. There's the reset.

Yeah. I think this episode, though, is a reset. And I don't want the listener to think that we're saying goodbye. Far from it. No, no, no. We'll be back. We will be back. Whether you want us to or not.

Whether you listen or not. Yeah, whether anyone's listening. You know, hang on, your friend from back home, Tad, he's going to be devastated. He will be devastated, but he'll be happy to know that this is not over. True. And anyone else that is out there like. Dr. The show that it comes on the radio that I listen to off the trails, they're going away,

they're not doing it anymore. You're right. We will not be talking through these particular topics anymore. Yeah. But we'll be back. There are things on the horizon. And another thing I want to bring up is I want to start my own maybe like five minute future or 22 minute show still talking about outdoorsy things because I need to get it out

somewhere. Yeah, you need the outlet. I need the outlet. I'm just so tired of a here inner every week. No, I'm kidding. I love this somewhere. Well, I think the reason why we're stopping is partially because I've realized I have a lot more stories about more niche things than Storm does.

And we don't want it to just be me like, on this mountain that I climbed when I was six years old. I'm a bad listener. That's not true. You're a good listener. Yeah, but my stories are starting diverge into other areas of life. Yeah. Those are the areas I want to explore and talk about. Absolutely.

Yeah. If anything, like, I think that people say don't go to college to find yourself. And I think I would have agreed coming into college. Like, that's not what I'm here for. But I have, in a sense, found a lot of myself, especially in the last three years. And, like, I know where my passions really lie now. And where they don't. And where they don't. And where they don't. And, like, the core curriculum of college has helped with that. But also the people that I've ended up being friends with three years down the line as opposed to, like, just freshman fall have, like, crystallized and solidified that for me of, like, I know more than ever who I am. So as a 22-year-old kid, you know, but like, we're getting there. Hey, you're two years older than I am. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And so I know the directions I want to take, and I know the steps I want to take. And I'm going to be, like, plunging now headfirst, feeling free of risk into those realms this fall. That's so awesome. With my other show, boys only, but also with a new show that might be on the horizon, with Nicole.

And also a different new show. I'm doing a lot, guys. I'm overcommitting. And that's what I'm excited to do. Part of that means that some sacrifices are going to have to be made. And this show, unfortunately, is one of those sacrifices. Yeah. But I think it's okay. I think this is a good stopping point, kind of like end of spring semester.

It's been a year and a half. It's been a year and a half of all the trails. This is our 41st episode, I believe. Good stuff. Good stuff. We turned them out, dude. We did. Yeah.

We went to the dunes. We took trips for this show. We had crazy guests on. Not that that was, like, particularly for the show, but. What? that trip was pitched to me as let's do it off the trails trip so that we can get

we do a fun episode that trip was for Nate so we can get his little stamp in his book Oh I thought that was just like tangential Like he was also getting a stamp because we were doing this trip

And that's why he was on the trip with us Sure we can say that That trip was from We went to Indiana for this show I'm gonna keep saying that Yeah We went to Well we went to Bobby's

I'm thinking of that because I was recent That was last week We got in a rainstorm That was really fun That slaved Yeah We pranked Nate in like the best prank ever. That was awesome.

We did with April Fool's episode a couple weeks ago. Yeah. A couple weeks ago, yeah. For them, that's a couple weeks ago. Yeah. For us, it's like a while ago, a couple months ago. But yeah, I think that all the times I most remember on the show were like doing the stuff with the people.

Yeah. Like whenever I recall stories that I like come back to me again and again, it's not so much the crazy orange lightning I saw on the beach one time or like I assume like the tsunamis or whatever, the crazy outdoor stuff or the huge. view I saw. It's like who I saw them with. Right. And I'm always, I always think about like, oh, I went to the Indiana of Dunes. But like, if I got alone, that's like not even

an important life event. Whereas that like was so solidifying for college because it was with you and Andrew and Nate and Liam. And it's like the people that we walk these trails with that really make them. They do say in Hillsdale, it's the people. And that's very. Yeah, I didn't want to go there, but

it unfortunately is true. This is Yeah. It is the people. It is the people. Because when I, when I I record off the trails by myself, it is... It doesn't feel the same without sweet little storm. It doesn't feel the same because I'm talking and I'm like, I need someone to interrupt me because I think I'm repeating myself like 20,000 times. Yeah.

So I do really enjoy recording with you. And even though we get off the trails sometimes... We're not done yet. Yeah. Yeah. But we are, this chapter is coming to a close. Yes. The end of the book is not yet inside.

There's so many more pages. Is there, is there any story that you... you like wanted to talk about and we just never got to. Holy moly. See, this is the problem with the show is I never, yes, but I don't know. You don't know what it is? I don't know what it is. There are so many things.

There's so many stories to tell. And so many stuff that's so much stuff that's happened to me. Yeah. Things, crazy things that have occurred. But like all I can, I'm not thinking about any of that right now. I'm just filled with gratitude. Aw. Seriously, though.

Yeah. I don't, I don't have anything specific on mine. Do you? I was trying to think of that because I was like, I wonder if there's any like last stories that I want to leave with this. I do have one. Oh, you do have one? A few of yours. I can think of one.

It's kind of random. I don't know why. I just popped into my head right now, but it was in Grand Ita, National Park, beautiful. It's in the southwestern corner of Wyoming. And I was probably 13. I was 13 years old. And I wasn't very good at biking at the time. But we went on a 40-mile bike ride.

Oh my gosh. Like unintentionally, because we started off over by Jenny Lake, I think, and we biked all the way down to Jackson Hole, which is down this really big hill. And while we were there, we heard from this guy that there were these really good burgers at this restaurant. And they have them, like, for 50% off from like a certain time, like 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. or whatever. And so we're like, we need to bike back to,

Jenny Lake as fast as possible so we can get in our car and drive back. And I remember like biking back to the car. I was so exhausted. My butt hurt so bad from the bike seat. It started raining. But the thing that kept me going is like, I want a burger. And so it was absolute pain and misery and but it was totally worth it. So I don't know. That's just kind of a random story. That's fantastic. It's a good memory. Yeah. A memory that comes in mind right now for me is you and I deep in the Bobby, not the Bobbies, the Hayden Park trails, seeing that blood red sunset

over Central Hall. Yes, I, that was the two of us. We went on a walk in winter. Yeah. And we were just talking, just shooting everything and talking through just life. Right.

And just running down every conversation path to its fullest. And it was a crazy stage of life for both of us, a transitionary phase. Yes. A lot was going on. And we just paused

and we looked, Way back all the distance we had come to Central Hall peeking up over the tree line. It was back to where campus was. Bright, bright, red. And there was a blood red halo around Central Hall as the sun was sitting over in that direction. I think I have a picture of that somewhere. Yeah. Well, you mentioned walking at Hayden Park.

I remember another time where it was like September of sophomore year. And we just caught up about like the whole summer and everything that had been going on, started the semester. and there's a lot of like trail markers throughout Hayden Park. Pund not intended. And they have these trash bags over them. And so when the wind blows, the trash bags move. And they sound really loud and scary.

And I think that happened. I like jumped straight into the air. Even though I know it's there like they've scared me before. But it's frightening, frightening stuff. Yeah. Do you have any favorite episodes? from off the trails? I think the Dr. Steele episode might take the cake.

I love Dr. Steele. He and I have a special relationship where I make funny faces of him from the back of his class and try to distract him. And I've been taking a history of economic thought with him all of junior year, so he's going to have defined my junior years

and brought him this whole year. And when we got him on the show, he scolded us. I was like, yes, this is exactly what I wanted. So that brought me a lot of joy and he's just the best guy and the funniest guy. Yeah. Yeah.

That's a, that's a really good one. I do think my favorite is pranking Nate for April Fool's, even though we already mentioned that in this episode. But that was, it went really well. It went better than I thought it would go. He was distraught.

He was very sad. Yeah. He was like, like the park's closing. Uh-huh. If you haven't listened, you really, you really should go listen.

It's a great one. What's that one called? It's just the April Fool's episode. I think it's like April Fool's. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Poor sweet.

Poor sweet Nate. If you want to hear Nate get tortured some more, the latest episode of Boys are lately. Does he get tortured on that? He gets tortured by me and the guests. Oh, okay. In the dual Kevin and Josh episode, it's pretty great. That's funny.

Yeah. But yeah, looking back is great in all, but we want to make sure we get some time to look forward before the end of this. And recognize that the trails, well, this is the end of this trail, there are other trails that are leading to places. True. So do you want to talk a little bit about your continuation? Yeah.

Yeah. I am going home. this summer and I'm going to be a swim coach, swim instructor, which is really exciting because they pay really well. Yes. Crazy well. Plus, I'm going to do private lessons on top of that. So I'm going to make, I'm going to make a lot of money this summer, which is actually.

Dude, make bank. It's very nice because then it'll just like going into senior year and the rest of everything, it'll be, it'll be good. So I'm excited also because I love teaching kids how to swim and adults. I love being in the water and I'm going to get to do that all summer and just be in the sun. That's the best. I want to go to the pool as soon as it warms up. Yeah.

Yeah. What are you up to? Which I'll get to do now because I will no longer, I don't know if I said on the show, but I was intending to be in Washington, D.C. for the summer and I'm not going to be, which actually is good because I don't like the cold. And it's going to be not that warm there. And it'll be super warm where I'm from Atlanta, Georgia, which will be back in this summer. I'm going to be doing remote legal policy research.

That's cool. Which is great because they're also going to pay me a lot. or someone. And so I get to be doing research for legal cases that involve the administrative state, which is great because I've been taking administrative law class all this semester. Hey, it's going to be out. Learned about that. It's going to pay off.

I was going to use some of that stuff in my interview. And they were like, you're in, buddy. And I was like, yippee. So I'm going to be doing some law research and stuff. And hopefully that'll feed into the glorious senior year that is yet to come. And a career after that, a job? A job? A real job?

I don't know about that one. We'll see about that one next year. Yeah. Yeah. So same time next year, this is a good little finale. There will be a much bigger and sadder finale. I know. A year from now.

I don't know if it's going to be sad, though. I'm going to be very happy. I think it will be too. I think that I have come to be a person that enjoys finality. And I think that things are, like it's cliche, but things are beautiful because they don't last. Right. If there were an infinite episode number of off the trail, an infinite number of

episodes of off the trails, each one wouldn't be as fun, you know? true, but we know that the end is approaching. And we know that the end of this particular chapter is here. It is here. So I want to thank, I'll let you have the close. Oh, okay. But I just want to, I don't know, I'm being long-winded today. But I just want to take the time to thank all each and every listener of this show.

Even if this is your first episode, even if you're just logged on, you're like, what's happening in this podcast? What's this WRFH radio thing? Thank you for listening to Hillser Radio. First of all, we hear the entire team at radio. Appreciate it. But also Nicole and I, thank you so much for listening to our little silly show. We talk about our outdoor experiences.

We hope you've learned something. We hope you've laughed. And we deeply, deeply appreciate your support. So thank you. I mean, I'm going to reiterate basically everything Storm said. Thank you so much for listening. Thank you so much for not listening. Thank you Radio Freehillsville for letting us talk about whatever we want, basically.

And I hope if you are a regular listener, that you, you've had a lot of fun listening to this podcast and that it's inspired you. And also, if this is one of your first episodes and you really like hearing us talk, we- There's a lot of episodes. There's a lot of episodes and we'll also be back and I will try to continue some sort of version of off the trails under a different name, of course, but we're not going away. We're just coming back with something different. This August, stay tuned. It's going to be big. It's going to be huge. There's a lot going on. It's going to be a lot of fun. So use the summer, catch up and get ready for some fun stuff. Thank you for listening to Off the Trails on Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM. We hope you have a

great week and make time to go outside and enjoy the great outdoors. We'll see you out there. Happy trails. Bye guys. Bye.