Panguitch, Utah + Scottsboro, Alabama
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We did the fifth show of our #10KDrivewayTour in Fort Worth, Texas…you can watch the video episode here!
Alison is obsessed with America. Thanks to our #10KDrivewayTour, she has a new appreciation for the variety of people, places, and lifestyles there are in our one nation! Traveling does help you find new obsessions, as Lulu can testify to this week. While at the Beef Jerky Experience in Little Rock, Arkansas she fell in love with this Dill Pickle flavored Beef Jerky!
Alison and Lulu are both wishing for a suitcase with magical functions. Alison wishes that a suitcase could wash all of your clothes for you, Lulu wants one that weighs itself as you pack, so you never have to worry if you are over the limit!
Alison is heading out to the southwest with Lulu in tow. She found this modern cabin on Airbnb right on the edge of Bryce Canyon National Park. It is a fully furnished house with all the necessary amenities, but has the feel of an off-the-grid cabin! It sits on 80 acres but even with all that wide open space, you can still opt for a Netflix binge with the high speed internet or a soak in the in-deck hot tub if you want! The cabin sleeps 12 and costs $1650 a night after fees. A great option for a group of friends wanting to get away and explore Bryce Canyon!
First stop is Rambler’s Cafe for some breakfast tacos, before heading in to the town of Panguitch where every year they hold a Balloon Rally. You have to sponsor a hot air balloon to get to ride in one, and pricing starts at $300. Alison takes her crew up in a balloon, but first, they head to Rumours Salon to get their hair and nails done. Now that they've been professionally coifed they are confident their waves will wow the crowd gathered below.
Alison and Lulu are wanting to do some exploring on their own. Like an unplugged, unguided sort of choose-your-own-adventure. They rent ATVs through Bryce Wildlife Adventure, and head out on the trails along Bryce Canyon National Park. In addition to stunning landscape, they are hoping to see antelope, deer, elk, and turkey. It’d make for good content, ya know? Alison has been loving filming (and editing) short videos while on the road for the Live From [Blank] series, so she jumped at the chance for some new gear! The Skydio R1 drone has a "Car Follow" cinematic mode that can follow a vehicle while avoiding obstacles. For just $2,499 her content dreams can come true as they explore the desert on four wheels.
Alison grabs an early dinner at Cowboy Smokehouse, what started as an over-the-counter smoked meat seller is now a full service breakfast, lunch, and dinner hot spot for those exploring the nearby national parks! Alison opts for a 24oz. porterhouse steak, a bread pudding served with brandy sauce and whipped cream, and a pint of sarsaparilla.
The highest concentration of International Dark Sky Places in the world is in Utah. Far from the light pollution of civilization, and protected by a special force of park rangers and volunteer Utah astronomy enthusiasts, Bryce Canyon National Park is known as the last grand sanctuary of natural darkness. Alison heads off the beaten tourist path to find the Mossy Cave Trail, the perfect spot for some star gazing. She brings these Orion Astronomy Binoculars, two sleeping bags to get comfortable, and a red light beam flashlight which helps you see constellations without creating light pollution!
This 5,000 square foot Unique Lakefront Home Lulu found on Airbnb has 9 bedrooms, yet says it can sleep 40 people! How is that even possible? Well, there are several living and game areas with sleeper sofas and futons, but one of the main ways you can fit so many guests in is through the use of bunk beds. One room in particular can sleep 14 people thanks to the use of multiple built-in 3- and 4-stacked bunk beds, plus a loft! That's some pretty close quarters at full capacity! But with all the space the home and grounds offer, there's enough room to take some space with 6 bathrooms, 2 kitchens, a sun deck, and an oversized outdoor kitchen/dining/living area bigger than most homes. Oh and an outdoor set up boasting a lakeside beach area with beach chairs, a fire pit, sand volleyball court, basketball court, a kid's playground, a trampoline, a hot tub, and lake access with kayaks and canoes.
You can even add-on rental of their Harris 320 cruiser boat, in case there wasn't enough to do. This house is perfect for large gatherings like family reunions, and if guests count is at capacity we are talking less than $40 USD per night per guest including fees!
A steak, some seafood, and the highly-reviewed shrimp and grits are worth a stop at The Docks at Goose Pond Colony Resort along the Tennessee River. Lulu wanted to grab lunch here but didn't realize it was a dinner-hours only locale. If she gets to Scottsboro in real life, or if you do, make sure to catch the sunset from this spot, open 5pm-9pm (Tuesday-Thursday), 5pm -10pm (Friday & Saturday), but be aware it's closed on Sundays and Mondays!
Lulu heads to Ruby Falls, the tallest and deepest underground waterfall open to the public in the US, located about an hour away in Chattanooga, Tennessee. To take in this attraction named one of Tennessee's best for over 90 years...you take an elevator underground 26 stories down! She's going to book the lantern tour to get the feel for how the waterfall was first discovered in 1928. Walking through the caverns, you hear the rush of water before your lanterns illuminate the majestic view of water falling from high above. Lulu thinks this place will have the perfect sounds to sample for a homemade sleep app. As a podcaster, she's got the skills to make that happen, just needs the right equipment. The Zoom H8 Handy Recorder and these Sennheiser HD 650 headphones will do the trick nicely.
Next on her itinerary is a stop at Unclaimed Baggage, "the nation's only retailer of lost luggage...you'll never know what you'll find". She drops over five grand on some unique finds:
Mustang survival corp tactical operations dry suit MSD575 —> original retail price of $1595…unclaimed baggage price $599.99
Louis Vuitton SS19 utility monogrammed side bag —> original retail price of $3100…unclaimed baggage price $1425.99
Mont Blanc Two Tone Timewalker Ceramic Chronograph watch —> original retail price of $7002…unclaimed baggage price $3500.99
OH…and you can shop online! They have women's, men's kid's clothing, shoes and accessories, and you can also find electronics, sporting goods, books, and more! For some real fun, you can browse their "unusual finds” listings for an hour or ten...so fascinating!
Lulu caps off her day with a flavorful dinner at Bela Lisboa. Known for its delicious Portuguese/Mediterranean fusion fare, this restaurant has a menu that makes it oh-so-hard to choose. Lulu lands on a poached shrimp starter and Bacalhau com natas - sautéed cod, mashed potatoes, and heavy cream finished in the oven. Lulu gets these items to go and enjoys her meal outside...spread out on her new Big Blanket.
CHECK OUT THE CHARITIES WE FOUND IN THE CITIES WE VISITED:
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