Full interview text

The following interview has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.

Stacy: You’re listening to the VMO Show. I’m your host, Stacy Harbaugh, and here in the studio with me today is my friend Darren Bush. Now we know Darren most from his leadership in the local paddling shop, Rutabaga Paddlesports, but his life is evolving, and he’s taking his paddling mission to a new level and going into a new chapter. So, we’re going to talk a little bit about that today. Welcome to the WVMO Studio, Darren.

Darren: Well, thanks for having me. It’s great to be here.

Stacy: It’s good to see you. Now, there was quite a flurry of activity on social media. What at the end of 2025 when it was announced that you’re going to be kind of in a different chapter, and closing the paddle shop. And of course, it’s since sent shock waves across the paddling community and all of the water loving folks here. And so a lot has happened since then. So I’m hoping you give us an update on the shop and your role and what’s new over there? What’s going on?

Darren: Well, the timeline is in September, like mid-September, I said, You know what? I need to close. I just need to be done. We’re gonna shut her down, and I’m gonna go do my next thing. And I got hundreds, literally hundreds of emails and texts and social media messages and cards, letters, phone calls just saying, Would you please reconsider this? We can’t, we can’t lose Rutabaga. And after about six weeks, a friend called me and said, hey, you know we could probably sell this if you want to. And I said, I don’t want to just sell it to some private equity bros. They’re going to screw it up. Or, you know what happens a lot of times when you sell a business. He’s like, no we can vet people, and we can choose people that are going to take the shop in the direction you want to go. I said, Okay, so I unannounced it. I just said, You know what? We’re going to try and keep this thing going, because it’s important to the community. It’s not changing my future plans. It’s just changing when they’re going to happen.

Stacy: Wow, that’s great. And it was even more of a surprise too, since, you know, Rutabaga had moved, built a whole new custom facility, and you just put so much sweat equity into that new location as well. And so what do you think the new owners will be doing with that shop? And how would you like to see that work carried on.

Darren: Well, Rutabaga is always a bit about relationships and community, not about transactions. And one of the pain points that I had was like, I can’t sell it to someone who’s going to turn it into a store, which is where you give me money and I give you stuff. That’s not very exciting. It’s not very – it’s just not right? It’s not a good thing. So I want people that are going to keep doing it the way we’re doing it, which is to have a community that surrounds paddle sports and nature in general, and just create a gathering place for people that want to get out on the water.

Stacy: And you’ve been doing a lot of educational work too. Can you tell me a little bit more about some of the paddling instruction, the safety instruction, like all the kinds of things that happen there.

Darren: Yeah, we have a program Outdoor Adventures that we teach adults, we teach kids, we teach everybody in between. We do wilderness first aid courses through Knowles. So because of that, you know that’s important to know if you’re gonna go out in the wilderness, you should know how to take care of yourself. Work with school districts. We work with rec departments, just trying to get people on the water. That’s it.

Stacy: Yeah, and you’ve built so much around the shop, but like, what got you to this to begin with? Because you were a part of the establishment of the store a long time ago, like, what brought you to paddling? What role does that serve in your life?

Darren: Well, this is a short show.

Stacy: We’ve got other time to talk about this. But, like, Why? Why were you? Why were you called to establish Rutabaga? How did you get started?

Darren: Well, I started there, working part time for the former owner, when I had a real job. I worked for the State of Wisconsin, and I was doing statistics and stuff like that. So that was my computer… sit in front of the computer and do nerd stuff job, and then I’d go on the weekends and do non-nerd stuff, except different nerd stuff, right, just helping people find the right stuff. And then I just love paddling, and I had loved it before. I paddled during grad school to keep myself sane, and just decided at some point this is what I needed to do. And I always look two steps ahead, but never 10. So I know where I’m going, mostly, but I’m also flexible enough to know where I’m supposed to be, and that’s what happened recently.

Stacy: So tell us too about what was going on in your life right at that time when you announced that you wanted to close the shop?

Darren: Well, I had a heart attack a couple years ago, actually, three years ago, two days before I opened the new shop. I, yeah, so I think maybe building the shop had something to do with it. But that was the start of the, okay, that was a shot across the bow, not really a broadside, right? So it was a pretty bad heart attack. It’s one that people don’t usually survive. It’s called a widow maker, for a reason, but I was, I’m healthy otherwise, and now my heart’s better than it was and all that so but it’s like, I’m turning 64 this year. I’m like, you know, I just need to kind of wind it down a little bit. But I’m not ready to retire. I just don’t want to… I mean, retail is hard work. It’s really hard. And I want to do something that’s a little bit different.

Stacy: Well, I know you’re going to start a new chapter, and we’re going to get to that in just a moment, right after we take a quick musical break. [song break]

Stacy: Oh yeah, I love that song. All right. Welcome back. You’re listening to the VMO Show. I’m your host, Stacy Harbaugh, here in the studio with Darren Bush, and he is still the owner at this moment…

Darren: I am

Stacy: … of rutabaga paddle sports and is in the midst of a big life change and starting a new chapter. So, Darren, you’re exploring chaplaincy. Tell me more about that.

Darren: So about five years ago, my next door neighbor, who is a dear friend, got melanoma, and he was, you know, just, you know, slowly declining. And I just went over and sat with him every night. His spouse didn’t really know how to deal with it. I mean, clearly, I mean, it’s hard, and I can ask hard questions, because I love him, but I have no dog in this fight, right? So I would just sit with him and we just watch hockey, and then we’d talk, and then watch hockey again, and then it’s like, I don’t know about this, and then we’d get together with his spouse and go, Okay, so what’s next? And I just kind of helped them through that. Called the hospice agency, had them come in do an eval, just kind of held their hands through it, right? And I don’t say this very often about myself, but I’m really good at it, right? So I just learned how to deal with people that are in that situation. And I really love it.

And since then, I’ve been doing it, volunteer, doing volunteer work with it, and I’m also kind of doing some freelance stuff, which is people find out about they’re like, could you help us out? I’m like, Sure. So it’s not necessarily religious, it’s more spiritual. And I’ve worked with people that are very, very religious, and people that aren’t at all, and everything in between. And, you know, my mentor is an Orthodox rabbi and a Unitarian. So we have… we cover the gamut. And my Orthodox rabbi friend, he walks into a room and he’s wearing, you know, like, prayer shawl and a yarmulke, and I’m like oh yeah, I’m not religious. He’s like, okay, well, I’m here for your spiritual care, not your religious care. And okay, it’s just, you need someone to talk to sometimes, and just someone to help you process things. And, you know that’s, that’s it, and it’s, it’s very engaging.

Stacy: Now, you sat with your neighbor, but then you also had a heart attack, and that probably had an impact on the way you see life and health and how we walk through this world, right?

Darren: Yeah, I guess it was more just, how do I say this… yeah, I guess so, mostly that the heart attack just got me to stop, start thinking about not working as much. But it was separate from the hospice chaplaincy, that was very, very different. That was just, you know, I why I put it? Is it the shop? You know, everybody needs … let me back up here. Everybody needs three things: they need to be seen and heard and loved. And you can do that in the retail store. You can do that on the board of directors of a nonprofit. You can do it as a hospice chaplain. You can do it as a gas station attendant, you can do it any way you want, and the people that do that are the ones that are really happy. So when my banker, she’s absolutely lovely. And so we don’t have… we have a business relationship, obviously, but I will make sure that she feels seen, heard and loved, and so do I. And that sort of thing just makes the world … it’s the grease that makes the world work, right?

When you just see, you know, drive past a homeless person… There’s a guy on the corner today with a sign, and I don’t have any cash, because no one carries cash but I’ll roll down the window say, hey, no cash today. Sorry. He’s like, it’s okay. Have a blessed day, you know. And if I have 10 bucks, I’ll give him 10 bucks. But I don’t usually, right? And one time the red light came, and like, I said you should get a card dipper, right? Because it’s like, no one has money anymore. He’s like, yeah, that’s what people say, I don’t have any cash. Sorry, but he was seen, heard and loved. Yeah, he didn’t get any money because I didn’t have any but at least I saw him. And I think people in all situations need that. And when you’re dying, you need it even more.

Stacy: So as you’re putting yourself out there as someone who’s who’s curious about… who’s exploring, who’s pursuing chaplaincy, how are you connecting with other people in the community? Are you finding mentors? Are you deepening your relationships? Like, what is that like in this moment of transition for you, your career, your life? Like, how’s that going?

Darren: Yeah, it’s all of the above. There’s a formal training that you go through. I was going to start it in March, but with the shop not closing and being in transition and being sold. I put that off until the fall, which actually turned out to be a good thing because of some of the programmatic stuff I wanted to do. So right now, I’m I’m volunteering and freelancing, but I got a lot of work to do at the shop, so I’m doing that. But still, people are seen, heard and loved.

Stacy: And you’re writing too. Can you tell me more about that because I follow you on Substack, so I read your articles and your reflections, and I find them really rewarding personally. So writing is clearly a part of this outreach work, and this thought leadership that you’re doing,

Darren: Yeah, I don’t like the term thought leadership.

Stacy: Okay, you don’t have to (use it).

Darren: I was on a board of directors once, and they said, Yeah, these are thought leaders. And like you put “thought leader” in your resume on LinkedIn, you’re immediately blocked. Anyway. What were you saying? My writing, so I’ve always loved writing, and I’m writing for the Isthmus now. I kind of do their outdoor stuff, and that’s fun. And a couple other magazines, just fun. But then I started a Substack, because I realized that some of the stuff I was writing was just sort of disappearing into the ether, and I wanted to have a place where I could just put it and have it stay there. And so I did, and I put it up, and I just started writing. And then some people started giving me money. I mean, I didn’t even set it up to ask for donations. People just did it. And so, you know, you can have two Substacks, one where you’re paid, one where you’re not paid, and if you get paid, you get more stuff. Everybody gets the same thing. I don’t have paid/non-paid posts. I just put it up there, and I was someone’s to pay me five bucks a month so I can buy a croissant the next time I go to Paris, awesome, right? And it’s not even about the money, and it’s not a lot, but it’s like, I’m seen, heard and loved, right? So, yeah, it’s “canoe lover” and the Substack, it’s just canoelover dot substack dot com, and like 1500 people are following me now, and I’ve only been doing it for, I don’t know, four or five months.

Stacy: That’s awesome.

Darren: It’s just fun to have people to interact with in that way.

Stacy: For sure. And when I read your articles, they’re about, you know, a spectrum of things, but a lot of it has to do with just, you know, connection with nature, connection with other people. And we’re going to talk about your mission in life. I’m sure it’s multifaceted, but particularly getting people out on the water and paddling. We’ll talk about that when we take a quick break and listen to a little music in the VMO Show. [song break]

Stacy: Welcome back to the VMO Show. I’m your host, Stacy Harbaugh, here in the studio with Darren Bush, and we’re talking about the future of Rutabaga Paddlesports and Darren’s future as a chaplain, as a writer and as a person who is the the lead evangelist for the power of paddling and getting out on the water in canoes, kayaks and anything that gets you out to experience our lakes, our rivers, our beautiful natural resources. So Darren, let’s talk a little bit about what you have planned for this year and in the near future. So, you’re talking to folks about selling the shop, that’s number one, and you talked about looking forward to chaplaincy training in the fall. So I’m sure the store is keeping you busy, but what… how else are you fulfilling your life mission out in our community?

Darren: I’ll just keep repeating the same thing I always say, is people need to be seen, heard and loved, right? So if I continue to do that in any way, that’s my mission, right? So right now I’m doing it through getting people outside through canoes and kayaks and getting people in the water and just getting outside in general. But I also do it during chaplaincy, and I also do it just going in the grocery store. It doesn’t take much just to see someone and acknowledge them.

Stacy: Yeah, and I think, you know, I think that your connection to nature probably has taught you about being present and being present with other people. And I’m sure that that’s a theme through everything that you’re doing, through all the outdoor education, and through that chaplaincy work and your writing, and everything… I’ve learned a lot from, you know, the things that I’ve experienced with Rutabaga. I’ve been going to Canoecopia for the past several years, and there’s amazing speakers, so many activities through there. And I heard that that’s one of the things you’re going to continue. I mean, that’s a huge expo, so even if you sell the shop, I understand you want to continue to lead the expo.

Darren: Well, the shop and Canoecopia are tied together, so I fully intend to make sure the person who purchased the shop pushes Canoecopia at the same intensity that I do, but also at the same mission. It’s not a sale, right? It’s a community event where sales happen tangentially. It’s mostly about getting together and learning and growing, and then people buy stuff from us because they’re grateful for that, and I’m really grateful for that too.

Stacy: Yeah, so Canoecopia is happening this year. Tell us a little about the dates and what people could expect if they go Darren: March 13 to 15. I actually started at 7am today, and I’ll finish at 11 tonight, editing the Canoecopia show guide that’s going to get mailed out in a couple of weeks.

Stacy: Yeah, it’s a huge, thick pamphlet with like, all of these different workshop descriptions, lots of speakers, lots of education.

Darren: Yeah, the two biggest chunks, well, there’s three big chunks, so there’s the speaker profiles and schedule, so you can see, and there’s like, 90 speakers this year, right? And then there’s the What’s New, which people love, because all of our manufacturers send us, okay, what’s the newest, coolest thing you got? And people get to see them for the first time in Canoecopia. So that’s neat. And then the last is reflection. And so we have our friends. You know, I write one, my daughter wrote one last year, just about reflections on paddling. And it’s not, again, necessarily about “we went out and paddled, and it was cool.” Those stories are so old. There’s a famous writer, Gordon MacQuarrie, famous to me anyway, who was a sports writer in Milwaukee in the 50s. He was the first guy to write stories that weren’t we went out and killed something, and it was cool. It was about relationships with his father in law, and they’re beautiful stories. So it’s about the story, not about the thing, right?

Stacy: Well, I think, I’m personally looking forward to what’s next. I’m going to keep reading your writing, and, you know, everything that you put out there. And I’d say, if we were to have one, one final thought, What is your wish for people for 2026 as they get out, whether it’s on Lake Monona that we could probably just see outside of our studios here, or any of the beautiful water bodies that we have in the state of Wisconsin, What’s your wish for for paddlers this year?

Darren: Go paddling with someone you don’t agree with politically. Because we all have those people. Take someone who… it’s amazing. You take someone who has no… I don’t know how to say this. You’re gonna cut it out anyway. It doesn’t matter. I think paddling is a common denominator for a lot of people. And I have friends who are very, very conservative. I have friends that are very, very liberal, and I have customers that are very conservative and customers that are very liberal, but I love them all you know. And you know the guy that pulls up in the van in my parking lot with the NRA stickers and the sidearm. I’m like, welcome, you know.

And I wrote a story about that guy. I don’t know if you read it, about the guy who came in who was a new widower, and he was buying a couple boats so we can go travel around the country. And so what does your wife think? He’s like, Well, she told me to do this right before she died, and I just tugged him. And so we’re two human beings that disagree a little bit. I don’t think it’s cool to carry around a 44, that’s what he does, and that’s fine, but he doesn’t think that I don’t think… it’s that I don’t get he doesn’t think that I think it’s not cool. He doesn’t care, right? Does that make sense? At that point, we’re just human beings. He was hurting, and I comforted him. So if you take someone paddling that you have disagreements with, you’ll probably come out of that loving the human being and not hating the rhetoric.

Stacy: Yeah, paddling can bring us all together, right?

Darren: Absolutely, absolutely.

Stacy: Well. Thank you so much for your leadership in that, for your evangelism on all things water and paddling. And I look forward to reading more from you in the future.

Darren: Thanks.

Stacy: Thanks for coming in. Darren, appreciate it.

Darren: Absolutely.

– Stacy Harbaugh, Communications Director

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