Journey with us as we throw down the gauntlet in a whimsical bracket-style battle, pitting America's most bizarre and charming roadside attractions against one another. We've snagged the expertise of Jesse Brown from the Geocaching Podcast to join in on our escapade, adding a touch of treasure-hunting thrill to these wondrous spots. From the Corn Palace's corn murals to the Popeye Character Trail, we're not just passing through – we're peeling back the layers of these cultural icons to gauge their geocaching potential and community impact. Plus, we're dishing out the stories behind their creation, transforming mere stops along the highway into destinations that capture the heart.
Forget your typical accommodations; this episode will have you booking a night in a beagle-shaped inn or debating the merits of resting your head inside a giant potato. Our offbeat road trip doesn't end at the quirky sites; it extends to where you tuck in for the night. And with attractions like the World's Largest Ball of Paint going head-to-head with metallic horse sculptures and a fire-breathing dragon, you'll be rooting for your favorites as we inch closer to crowning the roadside royalty.
The final showdown is a nail-biter, with the Enchanted Highway stretching its artistic limbs to outdo the spherical splendor of the World's Largest Ball of Paint. In a battle of length versus layers, Jesse's deciding vote catapults one attraction to this year's pinnacle of peculiar fame. Join us as we recount the marvels and memories of these roadside wonders, and hint at the birth of an annual tradition that will keep the spirit of adventure – and perhaps a bit of madness – alive in the travels to come.
LINKS
GCPC
Jessie Website
Journey with us as we throw down the gauntlet in a whimsical bracket-style battle, pitting America's most bizarre and charming roadside attractions against one another. We've snagged the expertise of Jesse Brown from the Geocaching Podcast to join in on our escapade, adding a touch of treasure-hunting thrill to these wondrous spots. From the Corn Palace's corn murals to the Popeye Character Trail, we're not just passing through – we're peeling back the layers of these cultural icons to gauge their geocaching potential and community impact. Plus, we're dishing out the stories behind their creation, transforming mere stops along the highway into destinations that capture the heart.
Forget your typical accommodations; this episode will have you booking a night in a beagle-shaped inn or debating the merits of resting your head inside a giant potato. Our offbeat road trip doesn't end at the quirky sites; it extends to where you tuck in for the night. And with attractions like the World's Largest Ball of Paint going head-to-head with metallic horse sculptures and a fire-breathing dragon, you'll be rooting for your favorites as we inch closer to crowning the roadside royalty.
The final showdown is a nail-biter, with the Enchanted Highway stretching its artistic limbs to outdo the spherical splendor of the World's Largest Ball of Paint. In a battle of length versus layers, Jesse's deciding vote catapults one attraction to this year's pinnacle of peculiar fame. Join us as we recount the marvels and memories of these roadside wonders, and hint at the birth of an annual tradition that will keep the spirit of adventure – and perhaps a bit of madness – alive in the travels to come.
LINKS
GCPC
Jessie Website
So in this first round I have not been to the world's biggest ball of paint oh you haven't, you have. I know but Jesse, I know Jesse Do you love to travel, do you love finding hidden treasures in towns all over the USA? Hi, I'm Joshua.
Speaker 2:And I'm Craig, and welcome to treasures of our town, the podcast that explores the unique and charming towns scattered throughout the United States.
Speaker 1:Join us as we venture to some of the country's most intriguing destinations, uncovering hidden gems and local secrets along the way on today's episode.
Speaker 2:Josh, we gonna embark on a little March madness, you like to call it. Yes, it's like the basketball kind as well. But this is, we're gonna talk about roadside attractions and, josh, we have a very, very special, unique guest with us today. Oh, my goodness.
Speaker 1:Craig, I am so excited about this. It is March, which is the month of basketball tournaments, and One of the things I love most in the world. This is I think this is our Officially sort of our fourth show on roadside attractions. We had Valerie Valerie with us once to talk about the big things, and then we had two episodes with Megan Talking about all the amazing roadside attractions in Iowa. So this is kind of like our fourth show talking about roadside attractions, but Josh the roadside attractions.
Speaker 2:That's what you see when you go on a road trip. That's all about travel and, as we know, this is a travel podcast that's based on our love of outdoor gaming.
Speaker 1:So, yes, so we are going to talk about 18 count them 18 different roadside attractions in a really unique way, and this wasn't gonna work. This idea wasn't gonna work unless we had somebody else. Yeah, join us, because we're voting on these roadside attractions. We're. The quest is to find the best roadside attraction in America, and if it was just you and I, you know we would just have disagreements all the way along the way and we wouldn't be able to figure it out. So we have a guest with us. It is Jesse Brown from the Geocaching podcast. Hey, jesse, hi, thanks so much for having me. You guys.
Speaker 2:Thank you, jesse. Yeah, geocaching podcast, jesse. Firstly, I mentioned the GCPC, as we like to call it, and what you're rolling at, what do you do? And and wake it up. People Actually listen to you on a weekly basis.
Speaker 3:Sure, I am one of three co-hosts on the Geocaching podcast, which is a weekly live call-in Geocaching related podcast. We record live every Wednesday night and what is unique about us is our listeners can call in live and join in on the conversations. It's been around since 2008. There've been a few iterations over the years and several hosts. I have been a part of it since 2018 or 2019, so it's every Wednesday night. You can find it at Geocachingpodcastcom or on YouTube or Facebook.
Speaker 2:That's really cool. And, josh, you and I have both been on the GCPC in some form. You've actually been there in person, I do believe, which I'm pretty jealous about. I have to call in, josh, I actually have. I'm one of the ones that calls in just to get on Scott's nerves, but yeah, so.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it is. It is kind of creepy. One time when they were recording, I was just I decided to ring their doorbell outside their house and join the podcast live in person. That has happened, actually one time. I love your podcast, jesse. It is the world's only geocaching call-in podcast and it's been going for a long time. How many years has it been going?
Speaker 3:It started back in 2008 and it was originally a call-in show and then, over the years, there've been a few different versions and so a few years ago, we decided to take it back to its roots and and Figure out how can we, how can we have our audience actually call in live. And we figured it out and and it works great. People seem to love it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's really really good and and the technology you guys use now as well, with the call, is it the calls in? You can't? You can, and as you can hear them like it is a calling into the phone call, but they're still clear as day. You know, not like the year's gone by and now whereby technology is actually grown enough to, yeah, you can call it and you can call from across the world. I used to call him when I was in Australia Josh, they take international callers too, so there, you go.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, it's awesome the service that we use. You can do call-in via the web. You can do, like a, you know, an internet call. So it's a great service and it it works really well and I think really adds to the show really cool.
Speaker 2:Really cool Anyway, josh, this particular show. What are we?
Speaker 3:doing what is?
Speaker 2:it. Explain a bit more about it. This is your idea. This is your little baby, it's sort of my idea.
Speaker 1:It's sort of my idea. Well, first of all, we brought Jesse on because she loves road trips and if you love road trips, you've encountered many roadside attractions and I would. I would guess, jesse. We asked you this morning. Jesse jumped on. We asked you this morning. She's here same day. Jesse jumped, jumped in. I. I assume, jesse, you, you enjoy a good roadside attraction.
Speaker 3:I love road trips, I love roadside attractions and I mean this is like right up my alley. So I could not be more excited for this show fantastic all right.
Speaker 1:So when we decided to do this, we had to define exactly what Is a roadside attraction. So I I went straight to wikipedia and so this is our definition for roadside attraction it is a feature along the side of a road meant to attract tourists. In general, these are places one might stop on the way to somewhere. So on the way to somewhere else, sometimes it's not the destination. Sometimes, a lot of times, you happen upon them. Let's be honest, as geocashers, these are destinations, but in the general term it's it's along the way on a road trip.
Speaker 1:So here's we submitted six roadside attractions each For a total of 18, and I have created an 18 team bracket and I use randomorg to seed them. This. This is kind of like not the science of it, and of course, this whole thing is very subjective as far as finding winners, but we seeded them, so I have them seeded one to 18. I was going to do 16, but I decided you know, we have, you know, so we all get six each.
Speaker 1:So there's going to be two play and play in games, okay, and each of these attractions will go uh, head to head in competition and the person that submitted the attraction will get to explain the attraction why it's great, make arguments why it's, why it's amazing, and let me just say some of these. I think in the first round we'll have to be arguing with ourselves because some of them randomly got seeded. But that's fine, that's great. So after the first person kind of makes their case for their roadside attraction, while it's great, then the two others, two other people the other two people will discuss as well and then we will vote. And the one that gets two votes We'll move on to the next round fair enough, and you've got the ground.
Speaker 2:You've got the list. They ready to go.
Speaker 1:I got the whole list, I got the whole bracket. Maybe, I don't know, on our show notes I could take a picture of this so people could maybe follow along. You could pause right now. Follow along this exciting action. I think there might be buzzer beaters, I think there might be Upsets. You know what if? What if um 18? What if seed 18 wins at?
Speaker 2:all. Exactly, it's a possibility. This is it. It's happened before in March. Madness the underdog wins.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 2:That's right. We're not going to go through. We're not going to do the list through either, the whole 18. We're just going to go as we go and see if people know where it is too. Yeah, we'll do that, shall we judge All right, all right. Are you ready? I'm ready, let's go, let's get into it our play, our play in games.
Speaker 1:We have seed number 15 versus seed number 18. Seed number 15 is my Entry and that is the corn palace in Mitchell, south Dakota, versus the world's biggest ball of paint.
Speaker 2:Is that yours as well?
Speaker 1:Right off the bat right after that. I have to make some choices here, and here's the. Here's the crazy thing. Oh, this is another thing. If you submitted it, it's probably good if you have visited it, but not necessarily True. So in this first round I have not been to the world's biggest ball of paint.
Speaker 3:Oh you haven't, you haven't, I know but jesse, I know jesse, I was just there a few months ago, wow, but I have not been to the corn palace so, and I'm planning a trip and that's on the route, so I'm super curious to hear what you have to say about this. I saw it today and went. Oh, I need to know all about this.
Speaker 1:Okay, let's talk. Let's talk about the corn palace first.
Speaker 1:Okay seed number 15. The corn palace is in Mitchell, south Dakota. It is on 990, a main corridor. This is literally roadside attraction. It is on the way to wall drug. It is on the way to the black hills. This is like a stop. Let's be honest. When you're driving that road to south dakota, to the black hills, there's not a lot of stops, and this is one of them. So get this though.
Speaker 1:The corn palace was built in 1892. It is so old and kreg, kreg, jesse. This is a palace, it's a literal castle Made out of corn, like not made out of corn, but the outside is filled with corn, like murals, it's like folk art and it's beautiful and every year the local, the local college, actually, it changes every year so you could visit this every year and it would be different every time and they have themes. So, like one year that I went, the theme was like rock and roll and there was like Elvis on the side and like all the Little Richard and like all around the building out of like dried corn, like murals, is beautiful, like right now it is, uh, it's famous South Dakotans, that's that's what they have right now.
Speaker 1:So there actually were three corn palaces, so the palace just got bigger and bigger. They just kept making it bigger and bigger and you can actually go inside the building and it's a really actually nice basketball arena and it's listed in the top 10 best places in America for high school basketball. So, um, get this, get this. How many people visit the corn palace every year? A half a million people Visit the corn palace every year. This is not little, it is. It is a giant Building. I and I would encourage you, I'm gonna do it pull up pictures.
Speaker 3:It is.
Speaker 1:It is just a sight to be seen and get this. I can't believe this geocaching note. It's not. It's not a virtual Wow. If you have a virtual credit, you should consider it because get this also. I went to the corn palace website. It has the most high-def webcam I've ever seen, like if you go to the, to the page, it's literally like 4k Right in front of the building. Yeah, so you can't hide webcams anymore. But you could make. You could maybe make the virtual a webcam, virtual webcam, maybe. Yeah, absolutely. So that's the corn palace Wow.
Speaker 2:Wow.
Speaker 1:Do you have any other questions about the corn palace? I've been there.
Speaker 3:Um, so they use it for sporting events.
Speaker 1:It's like an actual arena and it's just the outside is decorated in the celebrity way, right, okay, uh, it's uh, basketball games, festivals, concerts, it's a, it's a just a big community building. But do they have? I was always.
Speaker 2:I can say do they have like a, the, an actual shop? You know where you can buy corn and buy all the Across the street.
Speaker 1:There is a pretty epic museum, okay, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah a lot.
Speaker 1:It's interesting a lot of these places do have museums. I mean it has a half a million.
Speaker 3:Yeah, that's a lot.
Speaker 1:They've, they've got a capitalized and again a lot of people stop there. Like, if you're living Minnesota, a lot of people go to the black hills. You gotta stop to the corn palace. I almost put wall drug but I thought this was more. This is more creepy.
Speaker 3:Okay all right, that might go back on my road trip list. Then there you go all right seed number.
Speaker 1:Uh, that was 15 against number 18, which is the world's biggest ball of paint. Oh, and I have not been to this. It's in Alexandria, indiana. And Uh, it was started. Get this. The ball of paint was started in 1977. Jesse.
Speaker 2:Yeah well, that's the guy was born. It's 47 years old. Yeah, no comment.
Speaker 1:Sorry, uh, created by a man named Michael Carmichael uh and his wife. His wife's painted it 8 000 times herself, and this is my favorite part about it. This is why I want to go first it, of course. It is a geocache, jesse. Is it a virtual or is there an?
Speaker 3:actual. There's an actual Uh geocache there, a physical cache. It's an ammo can inside the building.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's cool.
Speaker 3:It's very cool.
Speaker 1:But here's what I love about this it's interactive. You can contribute to the ball of paint and you can yourself can become a world record holder, and you get a certificate if you do like. So, if you choose to paint it, you are now the new world record holder. So, and jesse, do you have a?
Speaker 3:certificate. Yes, I have a certificate. I was the record holder for I don't know how long it took for the next person to go there, right, it's like till the next day.
Speaker 3:Um, yeah, it was fascinating. When I was there I I had no idea what to expect, but it's one of those like when you're in the area you have to go do it. You do have to call ahead of time and make an appointment. So we called the guy the day before and said you know, we're gonna be in the area about whatever time tomorrow. He said, okay, no problem, I got you on the books. So when we pulled in he was there waiting for us and it's in like a shed that he had built because the paint, the ball of paint, actually outgrew when it was and so he had this shed built to put it in and it's almost too big for that building. He he's actually trying to raise funds to to build a new, uh, a new house for it, but inside it's hanging from a scale and so you can see exactly how much it weighs.
Speaker 3:He has. He writes on it the number Of coats that you are. Um, he has immaculate records. Because it's a world record, you have to have to take immaculate records so he knows every single person, where they're from, what color they painted, what coat number it was. Um, he said that people have gotten have um Gotten engaged there. People have gotten married there. People come and like try to create their own world records using that. Um, it's it. His stories were pretty amazing.
Speaker 3:Um well, we were there and he said each coat of paint adds about one pound, and I think it was. It was Eight, eight thousand pounds. I want to say, when we were there it was a lot, um so, and and each coat of paint is about the this the thickness of a dollar bill.
Speaker 2:Oh, wow. So that's my question. Jesse was, and you're you're obviously better at answering this than josh, because you've been there and there's the world record. Go on the white or the actual width or circumference.
Speaker 3:I don't know the answer to that, maybe all of the above. I mean, how do you measure it? By size, by weight? By all of the above, I guess.
Speaker 2:Oh, I think it'd be more than weight, because you then get an exact scale as the paint's drawing, for instance rather than you have to wait till the paint to dry if it actually measure it again.
Speaker 3:Right.
Speaker 1:I'm guessing it's circumference, because we're gonna get to other types of balls.
Speaker 3:This is true, oh, yeah, true.
Speaker 1:And those are by circumference.
Speaker 2:All right, Josh, there we go. We gotta keep moving. We've got the first game. It's already in 10 minutes in.
Speaker 1:We've got ball of paint versus corn palace. This is really tough because the corn palace is iconic, like it's more well known as a roadside attraction. It is epic, you can visit it multiple times and it will change every time. It has a lot of positive attributes, but I'm gonna say the fact that the paint ball is so interactive and you get more of a one-on-one experience with the actual creator of it. I'm voting for ball of paint.
Speaker 2:I'm ball of paint, I'm gonna vote for the ball of paint.
Speaker 3:There we go. It was an awesome experience.
Speaker 2:That was a three-pointer then. So you finished with a three-pointer, Josh. All three of us done. So there you go. Ball of paint wins that round.
Speaker 1:Yes, ball of paint is now officially in the tournament. It's going up against the number two seed, which we'll talk about later. All right, now we're gonna go for the low seeds. I don't know, we might have to move faster and make multiple shows.
Speaker 2:I don't know. We have to move faster, Josh. Come on, come on.
Speaker 3:I'll try not to talk so much, sorry.
Speaker 1:I'm gonna talk.
Speaker 2:No, it's.
Speaker 3:Josh, it's Josh.
Speaker 1:If we have a couple hours we could make this two shows We'll see, we'll see, let's go Game two. Number 16 is the Popeye Trail submitted by Jesse against 17, minnesota's largest ball of twine.
Speaker 2:Another ball, and that's yours, josh, though on the ball of twine. Yes, right, right, jesse, do you wanna go first? Jesse, you should go first.
Speaker 3:Okay, so the Popeye character trail is in Chester, illinois, which is a border town between Illinois and Missouri, and this character trail has taken over the town. They started in 2006 because the creator of Popeye was actually born in Chester and some of the characters in the comic strip are based on people that he knew in that town. And so the town embraced it and they said "'What can we do', and so they started this character trail. Every year they have a Popeye picnic that people go to and they unveil a new statue, and so these are all over the town. There's dozens of them.
Speaker 3:So and they're continuously building and adding onto it and it's just really fun.
Speaker 2:Wow, do they have like the can of spinach and do they have like so spinach at these festivals as well?
Speaker 3:I don't know, I haven't been to the festival. I've been to the town but I've not been to the festival. They have like museums and you know, all kinds of stuff with like old memorabilia and keepsakes, collectibles, that kind of thing.
Speaker 2:So yeah, it's fun I like it.
Speaker 3:It was really fun.
Speaker 2:I hadn't never heard of that one. Josh, there you go.
Speaker 1:I'm a big pop culture fan. That's fun. I wanna go there. I wanna dress like Popeye, I wanna do it all. But this is kind of local to me. This is close to my heart.
Speaker 1:Seed number 17 is the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota. This is in Darwin, Minnesota we're talking central Minnesota, but towards kind of the west side. It is a 17,000 pound ball of twine and the key with this is that it was created by one man. It is not the biggest ball of twine in the world, Cause the biggest ball of twine in the world is in Branson, Missouri. But that one was not created by one person.
Speaker 1:That was created sort of for like a Ripley's, believe it or not. It was created to be an attraction where this was like a more unnatural thing. It was created by Francis Johnson. He made this thing for 29 years. Why he made it? Because his mother taught him not to waste anything. So over the 29 year period, neighbors would come over to this I think he's a farmer and just give him twine scraps, and it was in his front yard for years. And then they decided you know what? We're gonna roll this thing downtown to the gazebo and it is in a piece of glass, glass covered gazebo. Ripley's, believe it or not, tried to buy it and they didn't sell out. They're like you're not taking our twine ball. This is our twine ball and it is best known because of the Weird Al song. The biggest ball of twine in Minnesota, Wow.
Speaker 2:Do you?
Speaker 1:know this song. No, do you know this song? Oh my gosh, go to Spotify. It's hilarious. It's all about a family taking their whole family trip just to go see the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota. Of course there is a museum there. And here's the sad thing Francis Johnson, he died at emphysema and he wasn't a smoker. He wasn't a smoker. So they believe that he got emphysema because the twine ball dust. Yeah, sure yeah, the twine ball killed him.
Speaker 2:Wow, the love of his life ended up killing him. Wow, there you go. Wow, wow, all right, are we gonna get to the votes?
Speaker 1:And can I just say one more thing about this? Yes, yes, yes, the mayor of Darwin, minnesota. His name's Josh Johnson.
Speaker 2:Oh, Now we know who Josh is gonna vote for. I'm gonna vote for. I'm gonna say All right, jesse who's-.
Speaker 1:I'm just gonna say I'll say first for me I'm voting twine ball because close to my heart, jesse, what are you saying?
Speaker 3:All right, I gotta go for the Popeye character trail, so you're the tiebreaker.
Speaker 2:Ooh, I'm Josh. I've heard of the ball of twine, but the thing for me about the ball of twine is it's the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota and there's so many other ones around that's built by one person, built by a township, built by this, built by that heaviest, longest and thickest. The Popeye's got it for me for this one. Oh yeah, popeye's got it for me for this one.
Speaker 1:Okay, I accept that. But I want you to know, the biggest ball of twine in Minnesota, in Branson, was created by a lot of people and they said they said the only reason it's bigger people in Darwin say this the only reason it's bigger is because they didn't wind it as tight.
Speaker 3:Because it weighs?
Speaker 1:it weighs way less. It weighs way less 13,000 pounds. The port is 17,000. So you could argue it is the biggest ball of twine in the world, but I'll accept it. Popeye wins.
Speaker 2:Popeye wins that one. There you go, there you go. All right, josh, don't hold that against me with any of mine, so let's go.
Speaker 1:Next one we have, here we go. We're gonna go eight versus nine. Eight is the Enchanted Highway, which is yours. Craig right yeah, Against the Fremont Troll in Seattle Washington. Oh oh.
Speaker 2:Oh, you go first, craig. Okay, enchanted Highway is located in North Dakota itself. It's a scenic drive along the Highway 94. And you'll eventually come across the world's largest scrap metal sculptures. So again, this is all about the sculptures Very similar to the Popeye sort of stuff as well, but this is talking about a dream landscape. It's got massive man-made sculptures extending 32 miles along. Wow. So this isn't just like your roadside attraction where you stop and go. This one here you appreciate it, for 32 miles in length it's the full route between Regent and Gladstone in North Dakota. It started in 1989 by a local artist, hoping, again, like always, driving attention to the town, you know, getting more people through the town itself. Nowadays it's thousands upon thousands of people every single month. So that's what goes through and see the town. The newest sculpture itself is Geese in Flight, and it's the world's largest scrap metal sculpture with the actual geese themselves as well. And other famous ones are Grasshoppers in the Field, the Tin Family and Theodore Roosevelt. So there you go, 32 miles long worth of roadside attractions.
Speaker 1:I'm looking at pictures right now. It is beautiful. Yes, it's like real art yes yeah, real, true art. But let's talk about real art, shall we? Let's talk about the troll under the bridge. That is also art. This is the Fremont Troll in Seattle Washington, in the Fremont neighborhood, which we've had a show about. We've talked about him extensively. I don't have to say much about it. But the troll is 18 feet high, weighs 1,300 pounds. It's made of steel, rebarbed wire, concrete. It's crushing a real VW bug, correct?
Speaker 2:I know, obviously I've been there, I've been there.
Speaker 1:I think we've all been there. It's in a really cool neighborhood. I mean, it's just, you know, like, yeah, you could argue, this is a destination, not a roadside attraction. Right, here's some fun facts that we didn't talk about. Do you know that they made a chia pet out of the troll? They did. You could buy a chia pet of the troll. There you go. It's a movie location. It was in the movie 10 Things I Hate About you. And get this. I found out this. Did you know the Fremont Troll has a nephew?
Speaker 3:What.
Speaker 1:Named Bowie. Yeah, the Seattle Kraken the hockey team.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Their mascot is Bowie and he's the Fremont Troll's nephew. He has a nephew. Wow, who knew that?
Speaker 2:Well, the only thing I'll say, Josh, geocaching related wise, yes, there is a geocache at yours, but there's one geocache and that's it. There's hundreds along the highway, 32 miles of length. So I'm just saying, just saying for the geocaches out there.
Speaker 1:But I'm just saying if we're talking about geocaching, you cannot deny that the Fremont Troll is in the neighborhood of geocaching headquarters. People take pilgrimages all over the world to go to this neighborhood to see this troll.
Speaker 2:So it's destinations. That's what you're saying. Well, anyway, that's it. Of course, I'm gonna vote for mine, josh. Who are you voting for?
Speaker 1:I'm voting for the Fremont Troll. Jesse, it's on you now. Aye, aye, aye. This is a really tough one.
Speaker 3:I've been to the troll and it is very cool.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:And the highway is on my list of places to go through on a road trip that I'm planning for this summer, so I've not been there yet.
Speaker 1:Jesse, what can you speak to with more knowledge?
Speaker 2:And some tough-built experience, or where would you prefer to go now, jesse?
Speaker 3:That's what I'm saying Right, you know, I think I'm gonna have to go with the highway, just because there's so much more. It's like one roadside attraction that just keeps on giving.
Speaker 2:Exactly exactly. Thank you, jesse.
Speaker 1:Okay, that was an eight versus nine, but I feel like that's an upset yeah.
Speaker 3:I think that was a pretty close one. That was a close.
Speaker 1:Because, wait, craig, have you been to it? Have you seen it?
Speaker 2:What the Fremont Troll.
Speaker 1:No the.
Speaker 2:Enchanted Highway? No, of course not. It's North Dakota. Josh, I'm leaving that to my last date.
Speaker 1:So I find it funny that we've all three of us have seen the troll, but nobody's done the Enchanted Highway, and that's now in the second round. Just an observation. Okay, but there's a reason behind it, all right. All right, let's go. Seven versus 10. Number seven Cadillac Ranch oh Versus the Karkashkia Dragon. Oh no, oh no, I know, these are all good, they're all good, jesse, who's is the Cadillac?
Speaker 2:Ranch the Cadillac.
Speaker 3:Ranch is mine.
Speaker 2:Jesse's Cadillac Ranch.
Speaker 3:Okay, so the Cadillac Ranch is off of Interstate 40, right outside of Amarillo, Texas. It's an art installation that was made by an eccentric millionaire. It consists of 10 graffiti-covered Cadillacs that are half-buried, nose down in a field. So I'm sure you've all if you haven't been there you've seen pictures of this Cadillac Ranch. They're all lined up, all perfectly aligned, same angle, they're all. I think they're all facing west.
Speaker 3:There's like a method to the madness I don't understand, and visitors are encouraged to add graffiti. So people bring their cans of spray paint and they do their art all over it, and throughout the years they have done all kinds of promotions and other things with the cars, Like in 2005, they painted them all pink as a tribute to breast cancer survivors. There was another one. Some friend of the owner passed away and so he painted them his favorite colors, and they've done all kinds of cool stuff like that over the years. And they also think that this art installation is inspiration for other art pieces, like the VW Slug Bug Ranch which is right down the street from this. That's the same kind of thing, but with all VW bugs, which was my first car. So that's near and dear to my heart. And of course there's Carhenge in Nebraska, so yeah, Cadillac Ranch.
Speaker 2:Josh, you've got this one. You've got the next one. What is it? It's the dragon.
Speaker 1:Yes, the Karkaskia Kaskaskia Dragon Kaskaskia. I might be pronouncing it incorrect. It's in Vandalia, illinois.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's Kaskaskia.
Speaker 1:Kaskaskia, this is your home state.
Speaker 3:This is my home state. Jesse, this is gonna be I might sway you here.
Speaker 1:Have you been to this dragon? I know, craig you have yes. You've been to the dragon Jesse? Have you been to the dragon?
Speaker 3:You know, I honestly don't remember, so I'm assuming that's a no.
Speaker 2:I think I would remember it because I've seen pictures of it.
Speaker 3:Remember this is like a fire breathing dragon right, that's the one.
Speaker 1:yeah, yeah, yes it's a 35 foot, 35 foot real fire breathing dragon. Again, another reason I love this thing is that it's interactive. You go into the liquor store or the hardware store, you buy some tokens they actually used like a used car wash, like pay box to put the money in and when you put the money in, it blows. It actually blows fire. There's a night facing it. There's a night facing it like amazing photo opportunities. There's a little camp area and I think the reason that it's there is that it's also a place that you can buy propane because that there's a camping area. It's literally roadside attraction and it's amazing. And there is, of course, a geocache hidden on the dragon.
Speaker 2:Yeah, under his left leg, Spoiler under his left leg.
Speaker 1:This thing is so cool. It's probably you know, if I'm comparing the Cadillac Ranch, this is lesser known. I would say it's only been around since the 90s, only the 90s. It was like 30 years ago. But yeah, this thing is. This thing is cool. I just love that. It's interactive. It's amazing photo opportunity.
Speaker 2:Really cool. Okay, Jesse, who are you voting for?
Speaker 3:I can't believe that I'm about to say this, but I think I have to go with the Fire Breathing Dragon. That just sounds absolutely amazing, and the fact that it's interactive is that much better.
Speaker 2:Josh, who are you voting for?
Speaker 1:I'm sticking with the dragon.
Speaker 2:And I'm sticking with the dragon as well. I've done the dragon myself, jesse, as well, when I was there, and the fact is yeah, the fact that you can actually buy tokens and have fire breathe out its mouth, and it breathes over the top of another sculpture, which is a night in full regale. That's pretty cool, and of course. I did Josh's video of that one too, so that's pretty cool too. You did it was great. Alright, Josh, you've got that one listed down and next up we have.
Speaker 1:Alright, we're going to number four versus number 13. Number four being the Crystal Shrine Grotto in Memphis, tennessee, and number 13,. Grandfather cuts loose the ponies. Yes, yes, never heard of that. Okay, I'm excited.
Speaker 3:These are you two, Jesse. You have the grotto right.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I put the grotto on here. So this is in a cemetery in Memphis, tennessee, in the Memorial Park Cemetery. It's right across in the cemetery from Isaac Hayes Grave, which is another draw to go to the cemetery. But this grotto is just amazing. It's this really odd concrete cavern that's like psychedelic and artsy and religious and peaceful, but it kind of has like this amusement park feel. It's bizarre.
Speaker 3:It was crafted in the 1930s by artist Dionichio Rodriguez, who I think he actually worked in the cemetery, and so he dug a cave 60 feet into the hill and then decorated the interior with faux rocks and quartz crystals and this series of biblical scenes and figurines. The crystals glow because the sunlight shines in from the outside and so the crystals give off this really eerie glow and there's this heart music that plays and it's just this really haunting feel as you walk through this shrine and then outside of the cave there's a grotto area. The water in this is like dyed, bright blue, and then there's all these concrete trees that you walk through and under and it's just bizarre, but peaceful and tranquil and just weird.
Speaker 2:Wow, how am I going to go against that?
Speaker 1:Have you been there, Craig? No have you Josh.
Speaker 2:Yes, I've been there. How was my?
Speaker 3:description Like did I nail that or what?
Speaker 1:That was a really good description. My poor pony's better. You painted a great picture.
Speaker 2:All right, my pony's. Josh, are you ready for my pony's?
Speaker 1:All right, craig, grandfather cuts loose the ponies. What is this?
Speaker 2:This here. I've actually been to this one, and I was this one in 2018, when I drove across the USA looking at all the roadside attractions that I did. And this one itself is located in Washington and it's in a region, josh, where there's the horses the wild horses themselves actually do freely roam. The grandfather cuts loose the ponies is the name of the monument. That's the full name Grandfather cuts loose the ponies, and that's exactly what it is.
Speaker 2:It is these art sculptures. Again, they're metallic and rusted in color itself. They're huge. I'm talking 15 foot high each one of these, and they stand above on top of a mountain scape. There's 15 of them in total and, yes, it is a virtual deer cache and, yes, there's a physical deer cache there as well. It was installed in 1990. And it also is. Apparently, it was to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Washington becoming a state itself as well. So there you go, that's where it is, and you have to actually hike up the hill to get close enough to them, though it is a bit of a hike, so it's not a terrain one, so you do have to get up a bit of a hill front, but there's actually a parking lot there itself as well what you do. And then, when you're up at the top of the ponies, the view is just immaculate of the actual full landscape itself. It's just yeah, it is beautiful, stunning. So I don't know how that's going to go though, against your grotto, but we'll see.
Speaker 1:I'm looking at the photos now. You're right. Yeah, it is very picturesque. I think it's pretty spectacular yes. And they're huge, and they're from the bottom yes, from the bottom. It looks like you're looking up at a real set of horses on top of the hill.
Speaker 2:Yeah, exactly right.
Speaker 2:And when you're at the bottom you look at them and you go, oh, they're not that big. And then, as you get closer and closer, you realize how big they actually are. They're huge and they stand very tall. So you know. And then when you're up the top there you feel accomplished because you know it's a bit of a hike. But then you look over at this breathtaking view that the horses see on a daily basis. So there you go. I don't know how it's going to go against the grotto, but I'm going for my horses.
Speaker 1:This looks very beautiful. I want to visit it. However, I've got to go with the grotto. I think it's a little bit more unique.
Speaker 2:Oh, of course, Of course you do, jesse. What are you going to go for, though? You didn't actually, you didn't actually I haven't voted yet.
Speaker 3:I mean, this does. I have never heard of this, but this looks amazing. This is now on my list of must visit places, but yeah, I put in the grotto, so I feel like I kind of need to vote for this, but this is pretty darn spectacular though.
Speaker 2:That's all right. That's all right. I can take the loss. I can take it, but I'm just happy that I've actually been to the ponies and you two haven't, and yet you're the two Americans, so I'm happy with that. All right, josh, what's the next one? What do we got to come up next?
Speaker 1:All right, we have number three versus number 14. I believe this is I don't know if this is a battle just with you, jesse, or you and Craig it's Salvation Mountain, oh that's number three versus the world's largest truck stop. Oh no, no, these sound like two. These are two very, very different things.
Speaker 2:So, jesse, last time itself I did say, like you know, ladies first and stuff, but you know what I'm going to go first, I'm taking this one. Now, jesse, I'm doing this one.
Speaker 2:So exactly because this one is a place I have not been to but I want to go to and there's a reason for it Salvation Mountain. It's in California. It is in the outskirts and in the desert area of California itself as well. What it is, it is an actual mountain made by one guy, made by one person. He was a Christian faith and it's all about how the Lord has saved him and his nomadic life. So, oh, nomadic, oh, he's a nomad, he's a van lifer. Look at that, see. And so what he's done is he's created this little town out there. So the actual mountain is painted, it's all fully public, it's dirt and paint and it's all roped off now in this caretakers for it, because he's unwell at the moment.
Speaker 2:But what they've done is they've actually built their own city around it not city, but a little town around it that they've got no electricity, they've got no plumbing, they've got nothing at all. They're all pure nomads out there, living off the land and living amongst themselves. And it all started because of the Salvation Mountain. So, yeah, van life mecca out there. So that's the reason why I had to choose this one and think to myself we know what it is a roadside attraction, but technically I probably would now class it as a destination, if anything, so because you go there for that reason and to see how people live as pure nomads. So yeah, there you go. That's the Salvation, salvation Mountain.
Speaker 1:Craig was this featured in the movie Nomads Land.
Speaker 2:No, no, this one, this is the actual no it wasn't featured in Nomads Land, this one, no, no, but this has been featured though on several different van life YouTube channels et cetera as well. So yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:Okay.
Speaker 2:I had not heard of that.
Speaker 3:That's very interesting. All right, so you have the van life mecca. Mine is the truck mecca. This is the world's largest truck stop. It's off of Interstate 80, just outside of Walcott Iowa, which is just west of the Quad Cities. It was established in 1964. The main building now they've added on over the years and the main building now is two stories tall. It's 130,000 square feet. Wow, that's.
Speaker 3:I mean that's huge. It's actually been dubbed a small city, or some people call it a trucker's Disneyland. It serves as like the ultimate one stop shop. There's eight restaurants, including the Iowa 80 kitchen that seats 300 people. There's a barber shop, there's a chiropractor, there's a convenience store, a custom apparel shop, a dental office, a dog washing station, a gift store, a laundromat, a library, a movie theater I'm not done yet Showers, a super truck showroom, a service center, 900 truck parking spaces, a truck wash, a gym, a gift shop, a TV den with a fireplace and a trucker museum. Wow. And on top of all of that, they host an annual trucker's jamboree. 400,000 people go to this jamboree every year. It has live bands, a pork chop cookout, live music, fireworks and the best part of all super trucks beauty contest. I'm not kidding, look this up. They have all the different criteria, all the different categories. You know best nightlights, best this, best age ranges, the whole thing. Check out these trucks. Trucks is what keeps America going right, I mean.
Speaker 2:I mean here's Jesse in regards to this one, because again a few vanlifers, youtube channels have done this one as well. The world's largest truck stop. Apparently, it is a 24 hour, and it has been a 24 hour now since it opened, so it's never closed, yeah it never closed, it's never closed, like it's always had its doors open since the very beginning. That's amazing, that's amazing.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it is amazing.
Speaker 2:All right, josh, you're the in-between for the time being. What's your choice?
Speaker 1:Yes, so I've been to this truck stop. It is amazing. It is like a city. We've talked about it with Megan from weird Iowa stuff.
Speaker 3:I have to go truck stop.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm gonna go, truck stop, I'm gonna go truck stop, for the reason is that I feel like I feel like I Shot myself in the foot because truck stop is a roadside attraction, whereas mine is more of a destination per se. So hence the reason why I see I'm a I'm a rule follower. That's what I am, I'm a rule follower. So Next up, josh, who we've got next up?
Speaker 1:Alright, we're going number Five versus number 12. Number five is the center of the contiguous, contiguous.
Speaker 3:United.
Speaker 1:States, the center of the United States, versus the world's largest.
Speaker 2:Jesse, you're the, you're the the center of the earth. So that's, I was gonna pick this one. I did see this one, for I, yeah, I'll go, yeah, so you go first, you go first okay, okay, I've been there.
Speaker 3:It it is a little out of the way, but it's. It's well worth going. The it's the geographic center of the contiguous United States. It's just outside of Lebanon, kansas, just over the border into Kansas, and so this is how they determined it. Back in 1918, the coast and geodetic survey found this spot by taking a cardboard cutout of the United States and balancing it on a on a point. Oh, so that point where, where they could balance it, they determined was the geographic center.
Speaker 1:Oh.
Speaker 3:So I mean, that was, that was their technology back over a hundred years ago, and you know, now they've determined that this is really only accurate to within like 20 miles. But it was pretty close because the actual center that they've, like, done mathematical calculations on is only about half a mile away. It's in, it's in the middle of a hog hog farm, so they couldn't put this, you know, in a hog farm so. But at this location they have a huge stone pyramids like six or eight feet tall. There's a plaque. There's a tiny chapel that seats like six people people get married there. There's tons of signs and photo ops. There's a picnic shelter. Of course of the cash, yeah, which is what took me there. But also, you know, it's pretty cool to say I like it, yes.
Speaker 2:I like it. But, josh, I'm gonna, I'm gonna appeal to you. This one here, the world's tallest Thermometer. It's a world's tallest Thermometer which and a lot of people don't really know about this one that much as well California, that's where it's based. It's standing a hundred and thirty four feet in height. It's a roadside, it is a roadside attraction located in Death Valley.
Speaker 2:In 1991, a successful businessman, will Heron, paid electric young electric company sign company to come up with the majestic. It's majestic, josh, I know you like those words. The majestic thermometer as a tribute to the world's highest Recorded temperature, which is at a hundred and thirty four degrees Fahrenheit. And yes, again, appealing to all your Americans, this one is in Fahrenheit. So there you go. It's, yeah, the top top temperatures a hundred and thirty four degrees Fahrenheit. It is a working thermometer so you can see the temperature up and down as you're going past and and get photos and, and I do believe there is a cash there as well. So, just saying so, world's tallest thermometer, and that's my vote, I'm gonna go straight in. That's my vote. The world.
Speaker 1:Wow, jesse, I'm looking at pictures.
Speaker 3:That is pretty cool. I've been to Death Valley, but I did not go this route, so I didn't actually see this when I was there. So that is pretty cool. I'm, I'm gonna, I'm gonna stick with mine. I'm going with this with the center of the United States, oh, that means I'm the tiebreaker.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you are okay, hey, craig, you're right, you're so you've been to, either you're played to my. I have not been to eat your.
Speaker 3:I know you, josh, but I've looked at the photo like your world's largest stuff.
Speaker 1:Here's the thing I do love the world's largest stuff. I do also love that it seems appropriate that the thermometer is in Death Valley. That's kind of quirky, that's kind of fun. If I was to make a video, the thermometer would make a better video. I think, so I'm gonna go. And the fact, jesse, that the real center is at a hog farm.
Speaker 2:So I'm going through my mother, see, I just, I know Josh, I know what he's quirks out now, what he likes. I know his little, his little soft spots, you know.
Speaker 3:Yep, absolutely, and I do agree that was.
Speaker 1:We got six. Six versus eleven. This is a Jesse versus Craig again okay standing on the corner Versus at number six versus the dog.
Speaker 2:I'm never time to hook Jesse, just sign. Okay, jesse, you can get first, you get first.
Speaker 3:All right, all right. So standing on the corner park is Exactly what it sounds like. It is in Winslow, arizona. It's located right along historic Route 66 downtown. It's owned and by the city it was. It was made and dedicated in 1999 as a tribute, obviously, to the song. Everyone loves to hate or hates to love, or you know, everybody knows the song and it it's it's just kind of. It's just kind of cool. Like you go there and it takes you back Right on the corner. It's a brick patio type area and there's a bronze statue with a 70s era rock star with this guitar standing in front of a mural. In the mural there's a window reflection with a woman driving in the red flatbed Ford and then, of course, parked out front on the street. There's a flatbed Ford Sitting there and it's really cool. And then, right in the intersection, there's a huge Route 66 painted on on the road at the intersection. Just kind of fun, really cool, great photo op, there you go.
Speaker 2:Well, jesse, you're gonna love this one, because I know you've got your two, two little pups and then they're running around now for you. This is called the dog bark park in, dog bark park in, and, yes, you can stay there. It is actually a, an airbnb. This is a bed and breakfast and your bed and breakfast will never ever ever be the same again.
Speaker 2:If you visit this place, you don't have to actually stay in the two bedroom accommodation to appreciate that itself. It's located in cottonwood in Idaho itself. It's alongside the highway 95. It is a beagle shaped hotel accommodation. Huge, large, beagle shaped, actual building. Itself it is a hotel, is established as the world's biggest beagle in 30 foot in height. Inside the rooms showcase decorations of wooden, dog carvings and dog themed decor. But you don't actually have to. If you can't book it, because it's obviously it's a lot of bookings, you can't book it. There is a visitor's center for people to go there itself and get your little trinkets and get your little photos and whatever Else as well. So there you go. The size of it is huge and this whole building is an actual dog, so you can stay inside of a dog, jesse.
Speaker 3:Is it just the one? Just the one room? I'd like just the one. There's not like multiple dogs right there is multiple.
Speaker 2:There's two dogs in general, but the one one of the one of the dogs is a is a smaller version and now I believe it's the um, the visitor center, and then the one where you stay at is a two bedroom. It's a two bedroom accommodation, so it's large enough.
Speaker 3:So there you go, interesting I. I almost put one on my list that's very similar to this. It was a giant potato that you can stay in, and it also is in Idaho.
Speaker 2:Wow, there you go, All the idahoes. So, jesse, who do you choose?
Speaker 3:Okay, so we have the world's biggest beagle that you can sleep in or you could stand on the corner. See, I'm as a roadside attraction. You really are. You know, I got a. I got a soft spot for the dogs. Um, I'm gonna, I'm gonna go with the standing on the corner. I feel like that might appeal to more people Okay okay.
Speaker 2:Well, I'm going for the dogs. I'm going, you know, I'm taking it for the dogs because I would love, love, love to stay there. So you know, we can't stay, josh, you and I, we went to the christmas story house, where you can stay at the christmas story house as well, and I know, josh, you were like, oh, that would be really cool. So I know, josh, you would like to stay in this place as well.
Speaker 1:Wow, we could do a whole episode on creative Airbnb experiences.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:Groundhogs day how Horners a song Standing on the corner and wins on Arizona. Somebody had to sing it. There you go, Uh, but what would make a better video? Probably the stain at the dog. Bark in. Yes, yes again. I like it.
Speaker 2:I love these uh march madness. By the way, just saying, just saying, josh, what?
Speaker 1:do we have next up All right now. So these next two are we go up against the play-ins versus the number one and number two seats. Okay, so we're gonna go the number two seed, lucy the elephant Versus the world's biggest ball of paint.
Speaker 2:Oh Well, we've heard the ball of paints, We've heard all about the ball of paint.
Speaker 1:So now we're gonna start. Well, this will start moving faster loose.
Speaker 2:Yeah well, lucy, the elephant that's his mind. It's located in New Jersey itself. It is along the beach in Josephine Heron Park in Margate, new Jersey. It's the world's largest elephant stand so strong. It's been recently been repainted. It's very, very picturesque. Josh, we've spoken about this actual one with other I think it was with with Valerie, maybe, and you looked up photos and, jesse, this one here, this biggest elephant, you can actually again climb inside of and walk up their stairs inside the elephant. But the best part about this, jesse, is that In the behind part of the elephant the tail is moved to the side slightly because there's a window in its butt and you can actually look out at its butthole. Oh my gosh.
Speaker 2:Yes yes, it's a great photo opportunity itself and you can actually yeah, spiral, we call it climb the spiral staircase in the middle, definitely one of the weirdest American roadside attractions there is, and, as I said recently, freshly painted, and Josh, get this. There was a virtual there, but with the new paint job it changed all the questions and the answers of the virtual and the CEO of the original virtual from 2002 is no longer playing anymore. The virtual has been archived. So again, if you've got a virtual and you want to place it somewhere, have a look at this place, lucy the elephant in New Jersey, to place your virtual. Just saying so, there you go. So that's, that's Lucy the elephant. Versus who is it again?
Speaker 1:the, the, the ball of paint, just a bit of paint. Wow, this is gonna get tough. Now I would say, lucy the elephant, is the definition of roadside attraction Right? And this thing is, it is huge. I'm gonna say I haven't. I haven't visited Um either Lucy the elephant or the ball of paint, but the way I'm voting on this one is if I had to choose which one I wanted to visit more.
Speaker 2:Yeah, all we're trying to make a better video. I know where you were going.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm gonna say for this one. I'm gonna say the one I want to visit more. I'm voting for the ball of paint. Yeah, I knew you would. I want to be a record holder. Greg, what are you gonna vote? Well?
Speaker 2:I'm, I'm, I'm voting. It is actually hard. This one, because I'm too, would love to be a world record holder. I too would love to. You know, do the ball of paint. However, in terms of sheer numbers themselves that you have to book in a time, whereas this one here, you can just literally drive across and you know and get your fat about the front and keep moving on. I'm gonna say Lucy, I'm going for Lucy. For that reason, you don't have to actually book a time, you don't have to do anything extra. You know, that's all it is. I'm going for Lucy. Jesse, it's up to you now.
Speaker 3:This is a tie, so I'm the tiebreaker, you know, so I I do like giant elephants.
Speaker 2:That you can look at the bottle. Yeah, that, that part's not really on my list of things I would like to do.
Speaker 3:I mean but, but but I have to go with the ball of paint only because we too have a giant elephant roadside attractive here nearby, but it's pink and it has giant black glasses.
Speaker 2:Oh, yes, actually, I have seen, yes, I have seen photos of that, and I do tend to to visit that one as well. So there you go, josh, the ball of paint moves on your welcome, your moves on to round two.
Speaker 1:Who's? Who do we have next? This is the final first rounder.
Speaker 3:Okay.
Speaker 1:It's the cabazon dinosaurs versus pop-eye town.
Speaker 2:We haven't said the the dinosaurs. Yet so they're yours, aren't they?
Speaker 1:No, that's mine. The cabazon dinosaurs in cabazon, california. This is iconic roadside attraction it. For me personally, this is maybe the first roadside attraction that was ever introduced to me as a child because it was featured on the movie peewee's big adventure. It's where.
Speaker 1:And the french woman, or the woman that wanted to speak french, sat inside these dinosaurs and it was where large marge sent you. If you remember, these dinosaurs were created in 1965. It's a giant brontosaurus and a trinosaurus rex. They're called mr Rex and dinny. They paint them regularly for the occasion, like right now they're painted valentines. Before that, get get this. They were painted like peewee herman because paul rubin passed away.
Speaker 2:So they painted.
Speaker 1:They painted the peewee suit on them. There's a gift shop inside the brontosaurus. You can get stickers, t-shirts. It says large. Marge sent me this is. This is a special place. I've seen your video. Yes.
Speaker 2:I've seen your video of this one, josh, it was. It was a fun video. This one too Large marge sent you, so you didn't get any copy right strike. So that's good, but anyway no.
Speaker 1:So I'm going with it. I'm going with the dinosaurs.
Speaker 2:What's that against against pop-eye? Isn't it the pop-eye?
Speaker 3:This one's against pop-eye. Oh no, oh, my goodness. Oh my goodness, all right, I'm gonna, am I up?
Speaker 2:I'm gonna vote.
Speaker 3:Okay, I'm gonna vote for the dinosaurs, and the reason I say that is because I've been. I've been to pop-eye yeah. And I really. This is awesome, this is really cool. I think. I think that this is now on my list of places I need to go. Your show is so dangerous.
Speaker 2:I know, right, I know, josh, to make it three for three. I'm going for the dinosaurs as well, and purely for the simple reason is yeah, I do believe this is iconic roadside attraction. If you say what's a roadside attraction, you can think of this in your mind straight away. So yeah, I do believe, I mean, I would love to, I'm gonna visit both, but uh, yeah, the dinosaurs and here's the.
Speaker 1:Here's the funny thing about it. I'll just say this about this is, I visited this location by accident Because I was staying in joshua tree and then I was going to visit somebody in LA. So I was just driving along and all of a sudden I saw them, and in the distance, along, you know, along the road, and I was like, oh my gosh, is that what I think it is? It's the dinosaurs from peeve's big adventure. So I didn't even it was not as per our definition. It was not my destination. I happened upon it when I found it. Wow.
Speaker 2:All right, all right, ready for round two? Yeah, round two now. What is that?
Speaker 1:So can I, do you want me to go through all the all what we're at, all the competition and what we're have coming up, or do you want to just go one by one? Let's go one by one quickly, all right, yeah, yeah, we're gonna go. We're going to go seed number 11 versus seed number 14, which was the world's largest truck stop versus dog park in. Oh no, oh, this is going to get hard, guys. It's getting hard.
Speaker 2:It is really getting hard now. I didn't realize it's going to be this hard itself. I mean you've got wow, wow, you can. They're so different. We need like categories. You can start both as well.
Speaker 1:This is true.
Speaker 2:Well, I'll start the vote and I'm going to vote for the dog park in, because I do believe that is more town related in terms of tourism than the other ones, very commercial based. Now it's like buckies. I mean buckies are everywhere, that's something, but it is the world's largest truck stop. Would I go to the buckies and the world's largest truck stop or would I go to stay at the dog park in? I'm going to. Yeah, dog park in for me. Put me down for dog park, jesse.
Speaker 3:I think I'm going to vote for the truck stop. I understand your argument, but I'm going to go with the truck stop, josh.
Speaker 2:It's on you now, wow. It's not fun being in that seat, just saying.
Speaker 1:I know it's fun. It kind of fun. You have the power and I like the power, I know you do. I've been to the truck stop. It is a city. It's a lot to offer. You can spend a lot of time there. But to me the dog park in is just a little more quirky and I like the quirkiness factor. So I'm going to go dog park in, yes.
Speaker 2:Yes, I like it. I like it, so the dog park in is our first one in the final four.
Speaker 3:Oh boy, okay.
Speaker 1:Oh, we're nearing it down next up Josh ready for the next one, number four, the grotto, versus number 12, the world's largest thermometer. Oh no, oh yeah Again. This is fun guys.
Speaker 3:I love this. All right, I'll start this time. I'll start this.
Speaker 1:I've been to the grotto yeah, the grotto is amazing.
Speaker 3:It is really cool the thermometer again it gets the quirk factor.
Speaker 1:For me it's really quirky. I've never been to death valley. I would like to go there Kind of your argument, jesse, like I've been to Popeye. So I'm going to go, I'm going to go. World's largest thermometer, oh, jesse, hmm.
Speaker 2:Grotto with thermometer. Yeah, I'm going to go.
Speaker 3:I'm going to go grotto on this one. So there you go. So it's up to me and since it's a theme.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:Have you seen pictures? Yeah, have you seen pictures of the grotto? Oh, you did the video 100%.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I did the video for you. Yeah, I know, I know what you're talking about. I saw it several times, josh, as I went through the scrub, through to see which which shots are the best, which?
Speaker 2:one's best to color grade, because I'll say this as well that the grotto place color grading that video, jesse, was fun. It was really fun to color grade that video because the colors are fantastic and there's a multitude, and every color to the rainbow is actually there. But I'm still going for the thermometer. I'm, I'm, I'm set, wow, I know, even though, even though, even though it's in Fahrenheit, I'm still going to go for the thermometer. I think that's. I think that's an upset. I think that's an upset. I wasn't expecting that.
Speaker 1:I was expecting to be the only one to say.
Speaker 3:So so I think yeah, but yeah, I think that's an upset.
Speaker 1:But I again.
Speaker 2:I want to go to both just saying next up, Josh, we have. Yeah, I just want everybody to know where we're at Thermometer is now in the final four, all right.
Speaker 1:Next one We've got seed number 18 Cinderella story people, the ball of paint versus the Cascadia dragon. Oh no, oh, oh See, this is hard for for for for two reasons.
Speaker 2:The main reason though, is because they're both interactive. You both do something at that location for them to actually have an effect on you and your memories and your video work. Wow, wow, wow. Okay, I'm going to start off.
Speaker 2:I'm going to start off with this and, as I said, I've done. I've done the dragon. I know what it's about. There's a geocache there, not as big a geocache as what is it? The ball of paint. But I'm going to say ball of paint because I want the world record. That's that's, that's, that's the, that's for me. I'd like to have a world record over the over, the over, the over, the over the over, the world record over just putting a coin in the coin slot and getting fire breathed upon you, jesse, what's?
Speaker 3:your, what's your thoughts? I think that I'm going to go with the dragon on this one, for the simple fact that, yeah, the ball of paint is, you know it's a little harder to get to. Oh, you do have to make an appointment. Oh, you know there's a little more involved.
Speaker 1:Mm, hmm, so these are both my submissions the ball of paint and the dragon. I have been to the dragon. I have not been to the ball of paint. Oh, it's tough, you're right, it is more difficult. You have to make an appointment. But, craig, I'm with you. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:You get the world record. Yeah, you get the world.
Speaker 1:That's what it was.
Speaker 2:Paint, that's what it was.
Speaker 1:Yeah, biggest ball of paint.
Speaker 2:Yes, so it moves on. So there you go again.
Speaker 1:Paint Paint.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah. What's up next, josh?
Speaker 1:What do we have?
Speaker 2:The final four.
Speaker 1:So the last four. Yeah, we got the Cabazon dinosaurs again. Versus Versus number eight the enchanted highway.
Speaker 3:Very similar.
Speaker 2:Oh, oh, oh yes, similar, but different. Wow, all right, I'll start. I'll start first. I'll start first. I'm happy to start first. I am happy to start first. I'm glad I made it this far. I'm happy to start first. If you want to see me straight up, put it out there Enchanted highway for me. For one reason and one reason only. Well, actually, there's two. The main reason, though, it is that 32 miles worth of just roadside attraction all the way through, but the best thing about the dinosaurs is that more iconic, you see. So what do you want? Do you want to say something that everyone else sees, or do you want to say something more? You know more tailored, because you've heard which one. But no, no, I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go for the highway. Jesse, your thoughts, jesse?
Speaker 3:I'm gonna go with the highway as well, for the same reason. It's 32 miles worth of attraction, yeah.
Speaker 1:Oh, you guys.
Speaker 3:I think it's the first time. Sorry, peter, we've had the last voter yeah. I was gonna go the dinosaurs.
Speaker 1:You get to go up inside them. It's more whimsical, it's the definition of roadside attraction. I think it's Cabazon dinosaurs. But I will accept the loss. Yeah, the Enchanted Highway, the Enchanted Highway.
Speaker 2:It's going to the final four. Well, no, into the grand final, isn't the final Cause? We're in the final four now.
Speaker 1:No, it's in the final four.
Speaker 3:That was the last one for the final four. So what are? So we have four left.
Speaker 1:So here we are. These are the four that are left. Oh, okay, Enchanted Highway. Yeah world's largest, tallest, sorry thermometer, the ball of paint and dog park in oh do?
Speaker 2:I have three out of the four.
Speaker 3:Wow, I have one. Yeah, this is all, you guys.
Speaker 1:Yes, craig, you do have three out of the four, which is a little bit surprising to me, because when I saw the submissions, I was like I don't know half of these, I don't know most of these that you're submitting, and maybe that's why. Maybe that's why they're in the final four, because that you have sparked our curiosity.
Speaker 2:I'm playing. I'm playing to my audience, all right.
Speaker 1:So let's do the first final four match. It is the ball of paint versus the dog.
Speaker 2:Wow, this one, this one's going to be hard.
Speaker 3:Hmm, All right. I'll vote first I'm going Ball of paint. Sorry, sorry, craig, she's back, she's back on the ball. Well, I voted against it last time, so now I can kind of feel bad.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah. So what's, what's, what's what's? Jeebs? And they're going to say, jess, about this, this decision you just made. I'm going to let them know that I'm just like you know.
Speaker 3:Jeebs and Rockley can sleep in my in my travel trailer with me. We don't we don't need to pay for an Airbnb.
Speaker 2:I'm going to give you again the chance to make the decision, because I'm going for the dog park.
Speaker 1:Okay. Because, I'd like to stay there. I would like to stay there too.
Speaker 2:It's really cool.
Speaker 1:It's pretty cool. Oh, this is tough, but I'm going for the ball of paint.
Speaker 2:I knew you would. I knew you would. Geez, wow, there we go. So the last, the final, the final semi-final. Josh the thermometer versus the enchanted highway highway to two very different things.
Speaker 1:My goodness.
Speaker 2:This is very different very different mixes, very different mixes. Josh, you go first, I'm going first. It's a hands down.
Speaker 1:Yes, this enchanted highway looks cool. Yes, it's long, but the thermometer is so much fun. It's a real thermometer in death valley. I just have a lot more excitement around it. I'm going through. A moment, wait.
Speaker 3:I have a question Is this like a digital thermometer? Is? It old school mercury thermometer. What do we talk about?
Speaker 2:Cause it's made by a light company, so yeah, it looks like a giant.
Speaker 1:I didn't figure it was mercury.
Speaker 2:Imagine how much mercury to take to actually move that thing up, yeah, and then it spills. Poisons, all the poisons, everyone.
Speaker 3:Well, that would be bad.
Speaker 2:Poisons are grounded.
Speaker 3:Yeah, that would be awful. Okay, all right, so we have enchanted highway.
Speaker 2:So we have what now?
Speaker 3:The thermometer against the highway.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 3:I'm going to stick with the highway on this 32 miles of attraction.
Speaker 1:These are both yours.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I know, I know I'm going to make my decision and my decision is purely based on one thing, and that is a little bit of what would you call it, you know, tactic, and that is I'm going for the highway because I feel the highway has got a bigger possibility to beat the come on. Come on.
Speaker 1:You can't look ahead, you can't look at the competition.
Speaker 2:I was, I was going to go highway. Okay, I was going to go highway for the simple reason is I do like the fact that it is 30 miles long. You know. That's you know, and you can imagine if you had kids in the back, for instance in the back seat, and you can just slow it out at each one and it keeps them excited all the way there, you know. So, yeah, that's my choice. So there you go. Okay. So in the grand final we have the final.
Speaker 1:I'm taking pictures.
Speaker 2:I'm taking.
Speaker 1:I'm looking at more pictures of the enchanted highway. Wow, it's just like. It is like several roadside attractions.
Speaker 2:Yes, all into one, all into one, so we've got you don't have to book a time for it.
Speaker 1:We've got the enchanted highway versus the world's largest ball of paint.
Speaker 3:Let's see.
Speaker 1:So the ball of paint is a my submission and the chanted highway is your submission, so we should.
Speaker 2:I just need to ask you right now, craig?
Speaker 1:are you voting for your own?
Speaker 2:Yes, okay, yes, yeah, and I'll tell you the reasons why I think I think we should have final submissions on this because it is the finalist. So, for me, the enchanted highway, the reason why I'm going to the enchanted highway itself, number one, is it's in North Dakota, which is a rare state, and would you believe it or not, that if you go to North Dakota as your last state and you go to the visitors bureau in North Dakota and declare this is my 50th state, that I've been to 51, including DC, but this is my last state across the USA, they give you a special prize to make the last state.
Speaker 3:So there you go In.
Speaker 2:North Dakota only, north Dakota only, not South Dakota, north Dakota only. So it's in North Dakota, so not that many people would tend and go there per se, compared to other states, but for me itself, as I said before, it's the length, and the fact is that the people of sculpture, all these, itself put it all the way across for the purpose of people like us talking about it and sending more tourism to the, to the whole location, not just to one guy who's you know painting, some you know painting. I'm joking, I can't put yours down because I'd love to go there too. So, but that's my final submission. Josh, there you go, you do yours now, mate, You're, you're, you're.
Speaker 1:So, yes, my vote will be the world's largest ball of paint. Not only is it interactive, not only is it a world record holder, so it checks many of the boxes. Interactive, world record holder. You get your own certificate and it, you know, similar to the the toilet seat museum. And I guess, Jesse, that part of the kitchiness of it is your interaction with the guy who made it like the, the biggest ball of twine. That guy is dead and gone. This guy is still alive. You can talk to him. You can talk to his wife, maybe, I don't know and you can actually interact where? Where the enchanted highway. While it's cool, you're not going to get to talk to the artist necessarily, and I see you know. Yes, many great photo opportunities, but I just think the world's largest ball of paint checks all the boxes. That's my vote for the best roadside attraction in America. March Manda style. Jesse gets to decide. Wow, Jesse, it's on you.
Speaker 3:The pressure is um, wow, I you know, when you said that these were the last two in my mind, I thought you know, I'm going to stick with the highway. I've, I've been riding that out this whole time. It's 32 miles of attraction. But then, josh, you mentioned the definition of roadside attraction.
Speaker 2:Jesse, you voted against the paint box already she's done that before.
Speaker 1:This is her time, Craig. Let her finish.
Speaker 3:Don't. Don't you know me? I'm very indecisive. Oh yeah yeah, this is really tough. I do love the fact that the ball of paint is so quirky. You, it's interactive. You can hold a world record. I the highway is on my list of places I'm going to go to this year.
Speaker 2:You can get so many deer caches along that highway, Jesse, as well. Like the numbers you would grow between you and Scott.
Speaker 3:The highway. I'm arguing with myself in my head the highway is in North Dakota. I actually really like the state of North Dakota. I've been there many times. There's some really neat places to see. It's a beautiful state.
Speaker 1:Indiana, on the other hand, but it's more centrally located, indiana it is more centrally located.
Speaker 2:You get a tourism thing if you go to North Dakota for the last time, that's in.
Speaker 1:Fargo.
Speaker 2:That's a different, that's a different roadside attraction.
Speaker 1:You get that. You get that gift at the at the wood chipper at Fargo.
Speaker 3:In Fargo. That's a very, that's a neat place too. I think I'm going, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I might. I might change my mind later, but I'm just, I'm going to, I'm going to go, I'm going to go for it, I'm voting for it.
Speaker 2:I knew you were going that way, wow, wow, I had three out of the top four, and I'm still coming in bridesmaid. That's impressive, though, mine were knocked out early.
Speaker 3:I thought I had really good submissions, but no, they were duds.
Speaker 2:As I said before, jesse, I think I just appealed to the two of you in two different ways, so that's what it was.
Speaker 3:Very true, very true. I've added several more places to my list of must visits so wow.
Speaker 2:So, there we go. Josh, Look at that. Number one, the champion of 2024 roadside attraction, March Madness is the biggest ball of paint which can't make another, so the ones we mentioned in this episode, josh, for 2025, we can't have a lot of these in the in the 2025.
Speaker 1:It's official, we need they're all. Yes, we need to make this a tradition. Jesse, next March, will you please come on the show and we can do this again. Absolutely.
Speaker 3:I will pencil it in right now. No, I'll pen it in.
Speaker 1:I love it, or you could paint it, because you are. You are a world record holder of the world All right, this was super fun. Jesse, thanks so much for joining us. This show is a little bit longer, but hopefully it captured your attention as much as these roadside attractions would capture your attention as you're driving by them. So, jesse, thanks for coming on the show. Where can people find you again? So it's the Geocaching podcast. Is there other other places they can find you online?
Speaker 3:Yeah, Geocachingpodcastcom is the weekly podcast all things geocaching related. I also have a very sporadic blog, shortynitscom. My cashing name is shortynits and you can find me on social media at shortynits on. Facebook and Instagram are the two that I use the most, or I think that's it GCPC and shortynits.
Speaker 1:Awesome.
Speaker 2:Wow, that's cool. That's really cool.
Speaker 1:Craig, this weekend, this weekend, you're going somewhere without me. I'm so jealous, I am. I'm so jealous, I'm going to.
Speaker 2:California. I'm going to California, josh, and I'm going to be there for the Munze Madness events with Rob, the president, along with Lou, along with Craig, the CEO of Frees Tag Mari and Tamara is going to be there as well. So that's really cool. So, yeah, I'm going over to the Munze Madness mega events over in California. So if you're over that way or want to come and you're a Munze player, come and join me, I'll be there.
Speaker 1:Even if you're not a Munze player, you can learn about Munze?
Speaker 2:Yeah, exactly, exactly. You're not coming, though I'm going to try and catch you again.
Speaker 1:I just had too much fun at Bamarama that I can't go another weekend of fun. It's just too much fun.
Speaker 2:This is true, you've got to work. You've got to work.
Speaker 3:So there you go.
Speaker 2:Speaking of work, by the way, josh as well, we forgot. Jesse, you're a patron of ours.
Speaker 3:Yes, I am.
Speaker 2:We do Thank you for your patronage as well. Absolutely, and, josh. What if people want to become a patron?
Speaker 1:You've been to join our podcast. If you've gotten value you learned about the dog park in. He didn't know about it before You're getting value from us here at Tretches of our Town Consider supporting us. Help us create even better content. Keep it free for everyone. So please consider joining us at patreoncom Backslash, Tretches of our Town.
Speaker 2:We'd love to see you over there, and so next episode, josh, we're actually going to go from Bamarama and the Gulf Coast. That's where you and I are going to be and that's where we're going to be recording itself as well. So how can people actually find us if they want to contact us, josh?
Speaker 1:Feel free to reach out to us at treasures of our town podcast at gmailcom. Let us know your favorite roadside attack traction, and you can follow us at Facebook, instagram, twitter and YouTube.
Speaker 2:So that's our show for today. Please subscribe, rate and review on your favorite podcasting app.
Speaker 1:And, as always, Josh your travels always lead you to the most unexpected and amazing hidden gems, like the world's biggest ball of paint. See you next time. Everybody Thanks Jesse for being on the show. Thank you, jesse, bye-bye.