1 00:00:02,240 --> 00:00:04,560 Speaker 1: I guess what will what's that mango? So in high 2 00:00:04,559 --> 00:00:07,240 Speaker 1: school I did research at the University of Delaware and 3 00:00:07,600 --> 00:00:10,840 Speaker 1: I hated it. So my dad is a scientist and 4 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:13,680 Speaker 1: he loves research, and I always thought I'd just fall 5 00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:16,560 Speaker 1: in love with research too. But my project was studying 6 00:00:16,600 --> 00:00:20,040 Speaker 1: moths and specifically seeing how baby moths react to different 7 00:00:20,040 --> 00:00:22,280 Speaker 1: types of light cycles. And I was not good at this. 8 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:24,640 Speaker 1: I mean, just the fact that you called them baby moths. 9 00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:27,880 Speaker 1: I think it's proof of that that's true. But I 10 00:00:27,920 --> 00:00:31,240 Speaker 1: was also that because like, I wanted immediate results, and 11 00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:33,440 Speaker 1: that's not how that type of science works, right, Like 12 00:00:33,479 --> 00:00:36,400 Speaker 1: you're often waiting years for little discoveries. So I was 13 00:00:36,479 --> 00:00:38,760 Speaker 1: at the lab late one night kind of hating my 14 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:41,600 Speaker 1: life and thinking science isn't for me. And then I 15 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:44,040 Speaker 1: saw a flyer on the wall across the way for 16 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:47,320 Speaker 1: this mechanical engineering lab, and I had these pictures of 17 00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:51,040 Speaker 1: these excited engineers just building these giants, sling shots and 18 00:00:51,120 --> 00:00:53,960 Speaker 1: cannons for the punkin chunkin, that big festival that takes 19 00:00:54,040 --> 00:00:56,360 Speaker 1: place in Delaware, and they were just having so much fun. Yeah, 20 00:00:56,360 --> 00:00:58,959 Speaker 1: that's the one where they shoot pumpkins across the field, right, 21 00:00:58,960 --> 00:01:01,880 Speaker 1: and and somehow that convinced you to become an engineer. 22 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:05,880 Speaker 1: I mean, I think collecting weird facts is a better 23 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:09,280 Speaker 1: career fit for me. I just remember thinking, it's fall 24 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:11,839 Speaker 1: and leaves are beautiful, and I'm stuck in this lab 25 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:15,520 Speaker 1: while these guys are giggling and loving pumpkins, and somehow, 26 00:01:15,560 --> 00:01:17,880 Speaker 1: as the weather gets Christmas years, I do think about 27 00:01:17,880 --> 00:01:20,240 Speaker 1: how lucky I am not to be stuck indoors. And 28 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:22,600 Speaker 1: today's show is all about making the most of the 29 00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:25,480 Speaker 1: fall and coming up with the best weirdest fall travel 30 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:27,800 Speaker 1: guy we could. So that's what we're doing today. Let's 31 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:51,880 Speaker 1: dive in a their podcast. Listeners, welcome to Part Time Genius. 32 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:53,920 Speaker 1: I'm Will Pearson and as always I'm joined by my 33 00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:56,200 Speaker 1: good friend Man Gueshow Ticketer and on the other side 34 00:01:56,240 --> 00:01:59,160 Speaker 1: of the soundproof glass carving our faces and to a 35 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:01,760 Speaker 1: massive pump. And have you seen this yet? I haven't. 36 00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:04,240 Speaker 1: That's our friends and producer Tristan McNeil, and I have 37 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:06,920 Speaker 1: to say I'm a little bit conflicted watching this because, 38 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:09,720 Speaker 1: on the one hand, I've never had my likeness portrayed 39 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:12,080 Speaker 1: in gourd form, so I I guess I'm a little 40 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:14,760 Speaker 1: bit flattered about this. But on the other hand, Tristan 41 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:17,959 Speaker 1: is turning out to be really exacting as a carver, 42 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:20,960 Speaker 1: and the accuracy I'm seeing here is more than a 43 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:23,240 Speaker 1: little bit unsettling, to be honest with you. I mean, 44 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:26,440 Speaker 1: he's exacting about everything, and I do feel like him 45 00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:29,400 Speaker 1: choosing us as subjects is flattering kind of. But I 46 00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:32,320 Speaker 1: also think it's gonna be weird having these ugly Jack 47 00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:34,399 Speaker 1: Lenners around for the rest of the month. It's gonna 48 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:36,840 Speaker 1: be horrible, it's gonna be a little bit odd. Well, 49 00:02:36,880 --> 00:02:38,920 Speaker 1: if there's any upside to all of this, it's that 50 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:41,680 Speaker 1: at least we now have some tangible proof that it's 51 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:45,200 Speaker 1: really autumn here in Atlanta, where it's still eighties something 52 00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:47,440 Speaker 1: degrees at the moment, And because we need all the 53 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:49,440 Speaker 1: reminders of the season we can get, we thought it'd 54 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:52,840 Speaker 1: be fun to devote today's episode entirely to fall festivals. 55 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:55,079 Speaker 1: But we're not talking about the typical events you see 56 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:57,959 Speaker 1: this time of year, like October Fest or harvest carnivals. 57 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:00,720 Speaker 1: Nothing against those those are always fun, but we're actually 58 00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 1: gonna shine a spotlight on some of the truly unique 59 00:03:02,919 --> 00:03:05,560 Speaker 1: and unusual festivals that are taking place all across the 60 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:08,040 Speaker 1: country right now. So many of these are happening like 61 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:10,600 Speaker 1: this weekend or next weekend. And you know, because there 62 00:03:10,639 --> 00:03:13,240 Speaker 1: are just so many events to choose from, we decided 63 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:15,480 Speaker 1: to lay out a few broad categories to guide us 64 00:03:15,480 --> 00:03:17,720 Speaker 1: and then kind of win our separate ways found one 65 00:03:17,800 --> 00:03:20,040 Speaker 1: or two examples of each and and so that's how 66 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 1: we'll be tackling this. So first up, we've got food festivals, Mango, 67 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:25,240 Speaker 1: what's your what's your first pick for this one? So 68 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:28,399 Speaker 1: I'm gonna go with the Giant Omelet celebration that takes 69 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:32,120 Speaker 1: place in Abville, Louisiana, and it takes place during the 70 00:03:32,240 --> 00:03:35,240 Speaker 1: first weekend of November. And for this annual festival, more 71 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:38,520 Speaker 1: than five thousand fresh eggs are carried through the streets 72 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:42,040 Speaker 1: of town and then cracked into this enormous twelve foot 73 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:45,920 Speaker 1: skillet right outside the courthouse. And from there a team 74 00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:48,640 Speaker 1: of international chefs they're known as the Confury I don't 75 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:51,520 Speaker 1: know if I'm pronouncing that right, but Trinity in French. 76 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:55,560 Speaker 1: And they add like fifteen pounds of crawfish tails, fifty 77 00:03:55,600 --> 00:03:57,880 Speaker 1: two pounds of butter, and a few other key ingredients 78 00:03:57,920 --> 00:04:01,000 Speaker 1: and then they whip up this giant Cajun omelet. So 79 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:04,520 Speaker 1: who gets to eat this massive omelet? Everyone ever really 80 00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:06,280 Speaker 1: has to eat it. Yeah, so the chefs consider their 81 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:09,320 Speaker 1: creation this omelet of friendship. So the whole thing is 82 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:11,600 Speaker 1: dished out free of charge to anyone in attendance. And 83 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:16,080 Speaker 1: there's even a six hundred egg junior omelet that I 84 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:18,680 Speaker 1: guess aspiring people can cook up, and it's in a 85 00:04:18,800 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 1: four foot skillet right alongside the giant one, and it's 86 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:24,839 Speaker 1: called the Children's omelet, and that's also handed out to 87 00:04:24,839 --> 00:04:27,440 Speaker 1: crowd and round again. How many eggs are in the 88 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 1: big one again? So the rule is you've got to 89 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:32,640 Speaker 1: use five thousand eggs plus one extra egg for each 90 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:35,880 Speaker 1: year the festival has been around. So it's been around since, 91 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:39,599 Speaker 1: which means it was made from like five thousand, thirty 92 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:42,440 Speaker 1: four eggs this year. Oh my gosh, believable. Well, the 93 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:45,200 Speaker 1: whole thing sounds really fun and silly, and I'm guessing 94 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:47,760 Speaker 1: the omelet taste delicious. I hope after this many years 95 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:50,520 Speaker 1: they've actually gotten it down to a science. But um, 96 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:53,160 Speaker 1: there's got to be a story to like how this started, 97 00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:56,920 Speaker 1: because it seems like a pretty specific way to celebrate. Yeah, 98 00:04:56,960 --> 00:04:59,000 Speaker 1: so this one actually has a great history behind it. 99 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:01,600 Speaker 1: It goes back to when Napoleon and his army were 100 00:05:01,640 --> 00:05:04,000 Speaker 1: traveling through the south of France, and this was in 101 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:06,719 Speaker 1: the early eight hundreds, and according to the legend, he 102 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:09,560 Speaker 1: and his men were staying near this small town of 103 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:13,400 Speaker 1: Bessier one night and uh Napoleon ended up eating an 104 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:16,120 Speaker 1: omelet prepared by a local chef, and supposedly he liked 105 00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:18,440 Speaker 1: the dish so much that he ordered the townspeople to 106 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:20,920 Speaker 1: gather up all the eggs in the town, by anyones 107 00:05:20,960 --> 00:05:23,359 Speaker 1: they could find, and cook a massive omelet for his 108 00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:26,359 Speaker 1: army to eat the next morning. And this actually became 109 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:29,440 Speaker 1: a French tradition years later, like where towns would, I 110 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:32,800 Speaker 1: guess prepare these big monster omelets to feed the poor 111 00:05:32,839 --> 00:05:36,440 Speaker 1: at Easter. And that's how Avil got got in on 112 00:05:36,440 --> 00:05:38,599 Speaker 1: this omelet act too, like like three members of the 113 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:41,880 Speaker 1: town's chamber of commerce. They attended the festival and Bessier, 114 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:44,520 Speaker 1: France in the early eighties, and they had so much 115 00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:46,240 Speaker 1: fun that they decided to bring the festival back to 116 00:05:46,240 --> 00:05:49,880 Speaker 1: their hometown. And now they're actually seven cities worldwide that 117 00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:53,200 Speaker 1: hosts their own omelet festivals, and representatives from each of 118 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:55,560 Speaker 1: them gather in Louisiana each year to help prepare the 119 00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:58,960 Speaker 1: town's giant omelet. But if eating omelets isn't your thing, 120 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:01,880 Speaker 1: there's still a lot of other on theme activities, including 121 00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:04,760 Speaker 1: both an egg toss and an egg cracking contest. Well, 122 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:06,839 Speaker 1: that seems appropriate. You know, it's gonna be a tough 123 00:06:06,839 --> 00:06:08,800 Speaker 1: one to be because that does sound like a lot 124 00:06:08,839 --> 00:06:11,599 Speaker 1: of fun. So I feel like I need to show 125 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:14,560 Speaker 1: a little state pride. I haven't mentioned Alabama and a 126 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:17,640 Speaker 1: few episodes recently, so I'm gonna go with the National 127 00:06:17,760 --> 00:06:21,320 Speaker 1: Peanut Festival that's hosted each year in Dothan, Alabama. Now, 128 00:06:21,520 --> 00:06:23,760 Speaker 1: not to brag or anything, Mango, but did you know 129 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:26,120 Speaker 1: that more than a quarter of the nation's peanuts are 130 00:06:26,160 --> 00:06:29,479 Speaker 1: grown within a one hundred mile radius of Dothan? Really, 131 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:32,120 Speaker 1: I, I I honestly did not know that. But I've got 132 00:06:32,120 --> 00:06:34,440 Speaker 1: to say it does sound like you are bragging. I 133 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:37,400 Speaker 1: am bragging because actually I didn't know that fact until 134 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:39,840 Speaker 1: we started doing our research for this week's episode. But 135 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:43,240 Speaker 1: maybe I should have known that. But anyway, Dothan builds 136 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:46,000 Speaker 1: itself as the peanut capital of the world, and that's 137 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:49,040 Speaker 1: not a title we Alabamians take lightly because I mean 138 00:06:49,080 --> 00:06:52,839 Speaker 1: don't forget peanut farming basically saved Alabama's economy after the 139 00:06:52,880 --> 00:06:55,120 Speaker 1: Civil War, and that was actually true of a few 140 00:06:55,120 --> 00:06:57,520 Speaker 1: other Southern states as well. You may have heard this 141 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:00,800 Speaker 1: story before, but you know, bowl weevils complete ealy decimated 142 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:04,000 Speaker 1: the region's cotton crops during reconstruction, and you know, the 143 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:06,720 Speaker 1: peanut turned out to be just the replacement cash crop 144 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:09,800 Speaker 1: that the local farmers needed. So I I think I've 145 00:07:09,840 --> 00:07:12,320 Speaker 1: heard about this before. What was it George Washington Carver 146 00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:15,000 Speaker 1: who actually suggested that, Well, he definitely played a big 147 00:07:15,120 --> 00:07:18,280 Speaker 1: role in getting Southern farmers to switch to planting peanuts. 148 00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:21,080 Speaker 1: You know, in fact, when Dothan hosted its inaugural Peanut 149 00:07:21,160 --> 00:07:24,440 Speaker 1: Festival back in nineteen thirty eight, George Washington Carver was 150 00:07:24,440 --> 00:07:26,680 Speaker 1: actually the guest of honor there and there there's even 151 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:29,920 Speaker 1: a statue of him in the town today. I love that. So, well, 152 00:07:29,960 --> 00:07:31,600 Speaker 1: what do you do at a peanut festival? And I 153 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:33,880 Speaker 1: mean besides eating a lot of peanuts, You definitely eat 154 00:07:33,880 --> 00:07:35,680 Speaker 1: a lot of peanuts, but I mean you name it 155 00:07:35,720 --> 00:07:39,119 Speaker 1: like they there's live music, petting zoos, livestock shows, of course, 156 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:42,480 Speaker 1: a parade. There's even a beauty pageant. Where women from 157 00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:46,080 Speaker 1: all different peanut producing counties face off to see who 158 00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:49,840 Speaker 1: will be crowned Miss National Peanut Festival. As a matter 159 00:07:49,840 --> 00:07:51,680 Speaker 1: of fact, there's so much to do with the festival 160 00:07:51,760 --> 00:07:54,000 Speaker 1: that the three day event it started as in nineteen 161 00:07:54,080 --> 00:07:57,480 Speaker 1: thirty eight has grown into this sprawling ten day event 162 00:07:57,600 --> 00:08:01,240 Speaker 1: attended by more than two hundred thousand people. So just 163 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:03,760 Speaker 1: keep this in mind. If you're in the area anytime 164 00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:07,520 Speaker 1: between November two and November eleven, swing by the festival 165 00:08:07,720 --> 00:08:10,080 Speaker 1: and go nuts, I guess, or you know, stay very 166 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:12,320 Speaker 1: far away if you've got peanut allergies. Yeah, I guess 167 00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:15,120 Speaker 1: that makes sense. Um. I am actually glad you brought 168 00:08:15,200 --> 00:08:18,160 Speaker 1: up how peanuts saved the region because I found another 169 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:21,800 Speaker 1: food with like a similar story. It's called the Boggy 170 00:08:21,880 --> 00:08:25,480 Speaker 1: Bayou Mullet Festival, and it's set to take place in Niceville, 171 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:29,040 Speaker 1: Florida this year from October twenty one through. I love 172 00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:31,640 Speaker 1: that name, the Boggy Bayou Mullet Festival, And I do 173 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:33,760 Speaker 1: think we should be clear here. Many people may not 174 00:08:33,840 --> 00:08:36,480 Speaker 1: know this. I think most people probably think of a 175 00:08:36,640 --> 00:08:40,400 Speaker 1: mullet as like the unfortunate hair style. But yeah, which 176 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:42,520 Speaker 1: which Tristan. I think committed to for one of the 177 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:46,000 Speaker 1: episodes we did about hair weeks ago. But anyway, that's 178 00:08:46,040 --> 00:08:47,640 Speaker 1: not what we're talking about here. We're not talking about 179 00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:51,000 Speaker 1: the hairstyle. Yeah, thankfully this has nothing to do with haircuts, 180 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:53,800 Speaker 1: because the festival is actually a celebration of the mullet fish, 181 00:08:53,880 --> 00:08:56,760 Speaker 1: which are these small ray finned fish that live in 182 00:08:56,760 --> 00:08:59,360 Speaker 1: warm waters all across the world. Yeah, and obviously that's 183 00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:02,600 Speaker 1: much better than eating hair. So during the Great Depression, 184 00:09:02,600 --> 00:09:04,920 Speaker 1: the town of Niceville, or Boggy Bayou as it was 185 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:08,080 Speaker 1: called at the time, was single handedly saved by the 186 00:09:08,200 --> 00:09:11,199 Speaker 1: mullet fishing industry. So the fish were abundant in the 187 00:09:11,280 --> 00:09:14,559 Speaker 1: towns nearby bayous and it's not only kept the residents fed, 188 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:16,400 Speaker 1: but it also gave them something to trade with the 189 00:09:16,640 --> 00:09:19,720 Speaker 1: neighboring farmers from Alabama. And of course a lot has 190 00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:22,439 Speaker 1: changed since then, so the town's got like a sunnier 191 00:09:22,559 --> 00:09:25,240 Speaker 1: name now it goes by Niceville, but the fish are 192 00:09:25,320 --> 00:09:27,520 Speaker 1: still the start of the show at this annual festival. 193 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:30,520 Speaker 1: So since nine people from all over the South of 194 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:32,760 Speaker 1: flocked to Niceville each fall for a weekend of live 195 00:09:32,840 --> 00:09:35,880 Speaker 1: music and mullet based cuisine, and while I can't claim 196 00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:38,360 Speaker 1: to have tried the fish myself. The word is that 197 00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:41,480 Speaker 1: it's especially tasty when it's smoked. So vendors at the 198 00:09:41,520 --> 00:09:44,000 Speaker 1: festival of actually all sorts of other preparations as you 199 00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:47,000 Speaker 1: can imagine, Like you can try baked, broiled, grilled, uh. 200 00:09:47,320 --> 00:09:49,680 Speaker 1: If you really want to indulge, there's a fried Italian 201 00:09:49,720 --> 00:09:52,880 Speaker 1: potato mullet, or you could go Hawaiian with the tropical 202 00:09:52,920 --> 00:09:55,120 Speaker 1: barbecue mullet. I like, how no matter what it is. 203 00:09:55,120 --> 00:09:56,760 Speaker 1: When you said fried, I was like, I'll try it. 204 00:09:57,240 --> 00:09:59,800 Speaker 1: I'm into this. I mean, as tempting as that is. 205 00:09:59,840 --> 00:10:01,840 Speaker 1: I do think I found a food festival that gives 206 00:10:01,840 --> 00:10:04,000 Speaker 1: the old mullet fisher run for its money, and that's 207 00:10:04,040 --> 00:10:07,800 Speaker 1: West Virginia's famous road Kill cook Off. Now, this is 208 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:10,520 Speaker 1: an event that takes place in the town called Marlington. 209 00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:13,520 Speaker 1: There and the local chefs actually compete to see who 210 00:10:13,559 --> 00:10:16,920 Speaker 1: can cook up the tastiest dish that are using animals 211 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:19,640 Speaker 1: you'd likely see on the side of the road. So 212 00:10:20,080 --> 00:10:22,080 Speaker 1: this is a festival for anyone who's ever had a 213 00:10:22,080 --> 00:10:25,920 Speaker 1: hankering for exotic fair like squirrel gravy over biscuits or 214 00:10:26,200 --> 00:10:31,000 Speaker 1: fried venison wantons, or the ever popular tarayaki marinated bear. 215 00:10:31,320 --> 00:10:35,160 Speaker 1: What so people actually run down bears in West Virginia? 216 00:10:35,200 --> 00:10:37,400 Speaker 1: Have you ever been to West Virginia? I mean, actually, 217 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:40,280 Speaker 1: that's that's the thing, like, an entry's main ingredient doesn't 218 00:10:40,280 --> 00:10:42,680 Speaker 1: have to be sourced from actual road kill, and the 219 00:10:42,720 --> 00:10:45,560 Speaker 1: website's rules mentioned that most of the judges would prefer 220 00:10:45,679 --> 00:10:48,640 Speaker 1: that it not be, but instead the only requirement is 221 00:10:48,679 --> 00:10:50,960 Speaker 1: that a dish's main ingredient has to be an animal 222 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:53,360 Speaker 1: that often winds up on the side of the road 223 00:10:53,400 --> 00:10:56,280 Speaker 1: after being hit unfortunately by a car. So things like 224 00:10:56,360 --> 00:11:01,040 Speaker 1: dear rabbit, possum, groundhog, snake, squirrel, or even bear, those 225 00:11:01,080 --> 00:11:03,000 Speaker 1: are all fair. I can't tell you how many bear 226 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:07,439 Speaker 1: I've almost run over in my prius exactly. And I'm 227 00:11:07,480 --> 00:11:09,480 Speaker 1: sure the food is great in its own right, But 228 00:11:09,600 --> 00:11:11,760 Speaker 1: my favorite part of the festival is the way the 229 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:14,439 Speaker 1: West Virginian is kind of poke fun at the stereotypes 230 00:11:14,480 --> 00:11:17,400 Speaker 1: that some people associate with their state. So, just as 231 00:11:17,440 --> 00:11:19,880 Speaker 1: an example of this, most competitors come up with these 232 00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:23,000 Speaker 1: really colorful names for their recipes, like just listen to 233 00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:25,600 Speaker 1: last year's winning top three hold I've got the list 234 00:11:25,640 --> 00:11:29,200 Speaker 1: here it says you've got finder fried fawn smothered in 235 00:11:29,280 --> 00:11:32,960 Speaker 1: vulture vomit that took third place. You've got hill Billy 236 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:36,199 Speaker 1: Marty Gras alligator in turtle gumbo. I'd actually probably paste 237 00:11:36,200 --> 00:11:38,400 Speaker 1: that to be honest, that took second place. And then 238 00:11:38,440 --> 00:11:42,560 Speaker 1: this year's champion predator slash prey Chili, which was a 239 00:11:42,600 --> 00:11:47,520 Speaker 1: two fur made from both bear and venice. I mean, 240 00:11:47,640 --> 00:11:50,000 Speaker 1: I do like their sense of human But if those 241 00:11:50,040 --> 00:11:52,520 Speaker 1: are this year's winners, then I guess the festival is 242 00:11:52,520 --> 00:11:54,560 Speaker 1: already over. Yeah, that's true. It was a fun one 243 00:11:54,600 --> 00:11:56,320 Speaker 1: to talk about, but we did we did miss it. 244 00:11:56,320 --> 00:11:58,800 Speaker 1: It was the last Saturday in September. But there's always 245 00:11:58,800 --> 00:12:00,720 Speaker 1: next year. You need to plan add for these kinds 246 00:12:00,760 --> 00:12:03,280 Speaker 1: of events. But you know, as you know, if fall 247 00:12:03,520 --> 00:12:06,120 Speaker 1: just isn't the same for you without a little exotic 248 00:12:06,160 --> 00:12:08,840 Speaker 1: game in your life. I did find another festival that 249 00:12:08,960 --> 00:12:11,720 Speaker 1: might do the trick. Now. It's called the Innis Hunter's 250 00:12:11,800 --> 00:12:15,160 Speaker 1: Feet and it takes place in Innis, Montana, on October 251 00:12:15,280 --> 00:12:18,120 Speaker 1: nineteenth this year. Now, the event got to start thirty 252 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:20,480 Speaker 1: three years ago. Mostly is away for the town's hunters 253 00:12:20,520 --> 00:12:23,720 Speaker 1: to clean out their freezers before the next season, and 254 00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:26,240 Speaker 1: in fact, the festival actually takes place every year on 255 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:29,720 Speaker 1: the Friday before rifles season opens, which I'm sure you knew. 256 00:12:29,720 --> 00:12:31,360 Speaker 1: As soon as I said that, you were like, that's 257 00:12:31,559 --> 00:12:34,400 Speaker 1: right before rifles season. And while there's plenty to keep 258 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:38,640 Speaker 1: people entertained, including bear spray demonstrations and bake sales, the 259 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:41,520 Speaker 1: main event is a cooking competition to see who can 260 00:12:41,520 --> 00:12:44,000 Speaker 1: make the most creative dishes from wild game that's been 261 00:12:44,080 --> 00:12:47,439 Speaker 1: kept on ice since the last season. So I think 262 00:12:47,480 --> 00:12:48,920 Speaker 1: the question we all want to ask is do the 263 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:52,000 Speaker 1: recipes have clever names like at the Roadkill Festival. I mean, 264 00:12:52,040 --> 00:12:54,880 Speaker 1: I wish they did, but unfortunately not, or at least 265 00:12:54,920 --> 00:12:56,760 Speaker 1: not as far as I could tell. But the dishes 266 00:12:56,800 --> 00:12:59,480 Speaker 1: themselves do sound every bit as inventive as what they 267 00:12:59,520 --> 00:13:02,160 Speaker 1: cook up in West Virginia. So just looking at the 268 00:13:02,200 --> 00:13:04,760 Speaker 1: list here, you've got old standards like moose chili and 269 00:13:04,920 --> 00:13:07,960 Speaker 1: Elk fajitas. Then there's some of the fancy stuff like 270 00:13:08,080 --> 00:13:12,360 Speaker 1: Mountain Lion Cordon Blue. Then lastly, for dessert, festivalgoers can 271 00:13:12,400 --> 00:13:16,080 Speaker 1: indulge themselves with some homemade moose brownies and a fresh 272 00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:18,319 Speaker 1: batch of deer fudge. Actually want to try both of 273 00:13:18,360 --> 00:13:20,320 Speaker 1: because I don't know if it's I guess it's made 274 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:23,000 Speaker 1: of deer. I don't really know exactly what that means, 275 00:13:23,040 --> 00:13:24,720 Speaker 1: but it's on the list here. I should have looked 276 00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:26,600 Speaker 1: that up. But you know, once everybody's had their fill, 277 00:13:26,640 --> 00:13:29,160 Speaker 1: ballots are cast and trophies are awarded to the year's 278 00:13:29,200 --> 00:13:31,560 Speaker 1: best and most creative dishes. So it seems like a 279 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:33,760 Speaker 1: fun one. Yeah, that does seem fun. So I think 280 00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:36,400 Speaker 1: we've covered enough weird food to last lifetime, So let's 281 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:38,400 Speaker 1: move on to our next category. But first we should 282 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:58,400 Speaker 1: take a quick break. You're listening to part time Genius, 283 00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:00,319 Speaker 1: so we're talking about the weirdest fall fest tools that 284 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:03,040 Speaker 1: are actually worth the trip, all right, mango. So our 285 00:14:03,080 --> 00:14:07,520 Speaker 1: next category was animal based festivals where you don't ep ms. Right, 286 00:14:07,559 --> 00:14:09,480 Speaker 1: isn't that what we agree on? All right? So I'm 287 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:10,959 Speaker 1: curious what did you come up with for that one. 288 00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:13,680 Speaker 1: So there's another Louisiana event that I want to talk about. 289 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:16,839 Speaker 1: It's called the Angola Prison Rodeo and it's held a 290 00:14:16,920 --> 00:14:19,960 Speaker 1: rear in the town of St. Francisville in the fall. 291 00:14:20,160 --> 00:14:22,480 Speaker 1: And we might have mentioned this on a previous episode, 292 00:14:22,480 --> 00:14:25,120 Speaker 1: but it's exactly what it sounds like. It's a rodeo 293 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:29,480 Speaker 1: put on by the inmates of the Louisiana State Penitentiary, Like, 294 00:14:29,520 --> 00:14:30,960 Speaker 1: how does that happen? Is this some sort of like 295 00:14:31,040 --> 00:14:33,800 Speaker 1: cowboy jail or something. I mean, if they have real 296 00:14:33,920 --> 00:14:36,600 Speaker 1: prisoners out there riding bulls and racing horses, is that 297 00:14:36,640 --> 00:14:39,040 Speaker 1: what's happening. Yeah, so they do all the stuff that 298 00:14:39,040 --> 00:14:41,120 Speaker 1: you'd see it in normal rodeo, But as far as 299 00:14:41,160 --> 00:14:43,600 Speaker 1: I can tell, none of the performers had rodeo experience 300 00:14:43,680 --> 00:14:46,480 Speaker 1: prior to go into prison. The event was first held 301 00:14:46,480 --> 00:14:49,240 Speaker 1: in I believe, and it was really just a way 302 00:14:49,280 --> 00:14:52,040 Speaker 1: to entertain the inmates and the prison employees. In fact, 303 00:14:52,080 --> 00:14:55,000 Speaker 1: the rodeo wasn't open to the public until two years later, 304 00:14:55,160 --> 00:14:58,200 Speaker 1: and even then, spectators had to sit on apple crates 305 00:14:58,280 --> 00:15:00,680 Speaker 1: or the hoods of their cars because there weren't stands yet. 306 00:15:01,560 --> 00:15:03,760 Speaker 1: I'm assuming that's changed by now. And do you have 307 00:15:03,840 --> 00:15:06,240 Speaker 1: to go to the actual prison to watch the rodeo? 308 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:09,480 Speaker 1: So not anymore. The event was actually so successful once 309 00:15:09,480 --> 00:15:12,920 Speaker 1: it went public that the organizers invested in this seat 310 00:15:12,960 --> 00:15:15,760 Speaker 1: arena and they opened it for the first time for 311 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:19,000 Speaker 1: the rodeo. And this is kind of random, but I've 312 00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:21,680 Speaker 1: read that the bleachers actually collapsed during one of the shows. 313 00:15:21,720 --> 00:15:24,760 Speaker 1: That year, but the crowd was so engrossed that most 314 00:15:24,800 --> 00:15:26,560 Speaker 1: people didn't even get up. They just sat on the 315 00:15:26,680 --> 00:15:30,960 Speaker 1: collapsed bleachers and kept watching. Must be some show, yeah, 316 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:32,840 Speaker 1: I mean I was checking out the rundown of events, 317 00:15:32,880 --> 00:15:35,520 Speaker 1: and some of them are super wild. So one of 318 00:15:35,560 --> 00:15:37,400 Speaker 1: the newer ones to be added to the program is 319 00:15:37,480 --> 00:15:40,600 Speaker 1: chariot racing, but in so standing in an actual chariot 320 00:15:40,640 --> 00:15:43,320 Speaker 1: with wheels on it, contestants just mount a sled that's 321 00:15:43,320 --> 00:15:46,480 Speaker 1: attached to a horse and rider, and so then they're 322 00:15:46,480 --> 00:15:48,520 Speaker 1: pulled at top speeds all across the arena, and the 323 00:15:48,560 --> 00:15:51,120 Speaker 1: whole time, each of the sled riders is holding a 324 00:15:51,160 --> 00:15:54,040 Speaker 1: picture of water, and whoever measures to hold on the 325 00:15:54,080 --> 00:15:56,560 Speaker 1: longest and spilled at least water is the winner. Okay, 326 00:15:56,640 --> 00:15:59,840 Speaker 1: that sounds fun actually, but if races aren't your thing. 327 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:03,000 Speaker 1: It's also this event called the wild Cow Milking, And 328 00:16:03,040 --> 00:16:04,520 Speaker 1: as you might have guess, this is where teams of 329 00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:07,280 Speaker 1: inmates cowboys, they start chasing cows all around the arena 330 00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:09,880 Speaker 1: while trying to milk them, and the first team to 331 00:16:09,920 --> 00:16:11,920 Speaker 1: bring milk to the judge is the one that wins. 332 00:16:13,280 --> 00:16:15,040 Speaker 1: That one does not sound as fun to me, to 333 00:16:15,080 --> 00:16:17,680 Speaker 1: be honest, but but it does sound interesting, But what 334 00:16:17,720 --> 00:16:19,920 Speaker 1: about the more dangerous stuff that you see at rodeo, 335 00:16:19,960 --> 00:16:21,240 Speaker 1: is like trying to stay on the back of a 336 00:16:21,280 --> 00:16:24,200 Speaker 1: bucking bronco or getting chased by a bull, Like, can 337 00:16:24,200 --> 00:16:25,600 Speaker 1: they do any of that or is it a a little 338 00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:28,320 Speaker 1: too dangerous for the you know, I guess they're untrained prisoners. 339 00:16:28,560 --> 00:16:31,320 Speaker 1: So the inmates aren't actually untrained. The whole event is 340 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:34,360 Speaker 1: overseen by rodeo professionals who helped coordinate the stunts, and 341 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:37,600 Speaker 1: they step in if things get hairy. And as for 342 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:40,840 Speaker 1: dangerous stunts, like the prison rodeo has so many of those, 343 00:16:40,880 --> 00:16:43,200 Speaker 1: it's crazy. Like the strangers is probably what they called 344 00:16:43,360 --> 00:16:46,840 Speaker 1: convict poker, and according to the rodeo's website, this is 345 00:16:46,880 --> 00:16:49,640 Speaker 1: the ultimate poker game where every winning hand has a 346 00:16:49,680 --> 00:16:52,800 Speaker 1: price and four inmate cowboys will sit at a table 347 00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:54,320 Speaker 1: in the middle of the arena and they're playing this 348 00:16:54,360 --> 00:16:57,280 Speaker 1: friendly game of poker and suddenly a wild bull charges in. 349 00:16:57,760 --> 00:17:00,200 Speaker 1: The sole purpose is to knock the players out of 350 00:17:00,240 --> 00:17:02,560 Speaker 1: the season. The last man remaining seated is the winner 351 00:17:02,680 --> 00:17:06,040 Speaker 1: is an idiot. I mean, if that's not wild enough 352 00:17:06,080 --> 00:17:07,720 Speaker 1: for you, you've got to stick around for the last 353 00:17:07,720 --> 00:17:10,080 Speaker 1: event of the day. It's called Guts and Glory, and 354 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:12,320 Speaker 1: the object is for an inmate to get close enough 355 00:17:12,359 --> 00:17:14,760 Speaker 1: to the biggest, meanest bull in the show in order 356 00:17:14,800 --> 00:17:17,119 Speaker 1: to snatch a poker tip that's been tied to its horn. 357 00:17:17,440 --> 00:17:19,840 Speaker 1: It is really mind blowing. Oh my gosh, we would 358 00:17:19,880 --> 00:17:22,320 Speaker 1: be so bad at this. It sounds just so nerve wrack. 359 00:17:22,359 --> 00:17:24,120 Speaker 1: I don't even think I could watch this, much less 360 00:17:24,160 --> 00:17:26,239 Speaker 1: participate in it. Yeah, so this is probably a good 361 00:17:26,280 --> 00:17:29,639 Speaker 1: time to mention that participation in the rodeo is completely voluntary, 362 00:17:29,720 --> 00:17:31,959 Speaker 1: So this is an excuse to like abuse or exploit 363 00:17:31,960 --> 00:17:33,919 Speaker 1: inmates or anything like that. And in fact, all of 364 00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:36,400 Speaker 1: the profits from the rodeo goes straight into the prisons 365 00:17:36,520 --> 00:17:40,119 Speaker 1: inmate well for a front which pays for their educational 366 00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:42,679 Speaker 1: and recreational supplies. And so if this sounds fun to 367 00:17:42,680 --> 00:17:45,960 Speaker 1: anyone listening, the prison rodeo takes place every Sunday in October. 368 00:17:46,320 --> 00:17:47,919 Speaker 1: So if you're going to be in town for that 369 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:50,720 Speaker 1: giant Omelet celebration the first weekend of November, like, why 370 00:17:50,760 --> 00:17:52,320 Speaker 1: not get there a few days early check this one 371 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:55,200 Speaker 1: out too. And aside from the rodeo itself, there are 372 00:17:55,240 --> 00:17:58,040 Speaker 1: lots of arts and crafts and livestock demonstrations as well. 373 00:17:58,560 --> 00:18:01,120 Speaker 1: It does seem like something forever buddy, all right, well, 374 00:18:01,119 --> 00:18:03,680 Speaker 1: my Animals We Don't Eat festival is a bit more 375 00:18:03,760 --> 00:18:06,120 Speaker 1: subdued than a prison rodeo, but don't worry, it still 376 00:18:06,119 --> 00:18:09,280 Speaker 1: has a thrilling white knuckle race. Now. It's called the 377 00:18:09,280 --> 00:18:11,840 Speaker 1: Wooly Worm Festival, and it's held each year in late 378 00:18:11,840 --> 00:18:15,160 Speaker 1: October in Banner Elk, North Carolina. And you can probably 379 00:18:15,160 --> 00:18:17,720 Speaker 1: tell from the name the entire festival is centered on 380 00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:21,000 Speaker 1: wooly worms or wooly bears if you're from the Midwest 381 00:18:21,119 --> 00:18:23,320 Speaker 1: or New England or and those are the fuzzy, brown 382 00:18:23,440 --> 00:18:25,760 Speaker 1: and black caterpillars that you see around this time of year, right, 383 00:18:26,000 --> 00:18:28,720 Speaker 1: that's exactly them. Well, the bonus points for remembering that 384 00:18:28,760 --> 00:18:32,000 Speaker 1: wooly worms aren't actually worms at all, like you said, 385 00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:35,080 Speaker 1: they're caterpillars, and the ones that survived till spring will 386 00:18:35,080 --> 00:18:38,480 Speaker 1: eventually become Isabella tiger moss. But if you ask me, 387 00:18:38,520 --> 00:18:41,160 Speaker 1: these guys are a lot more interesting as caterpillars. And 388 00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:45,159 Speaker 1: that's because wooly worms supposedly have the ability to predict weather. 389 00:18:45,760 --> 00:18:49,080 Speaker 1: According to regional folklore, the thirteen segments of a wooly 390 00:18:49,119 --> 00:18:52,879 Speaker 1: worms body correspond to the thirteen weeks of winter. So 391 00:18:52,920 --> 00:18:55,680 Speaker 1: the lighter a brown segment is the milder that week 392 00:18:55,680 --> 00:18:58,520 Speaker 1: of winter will be, and the darker a black segment 393 00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:01,440 Speaker 1: is the colder and snowy that corresponding week will be. 394 00:19:01,480 --> 00:19:03,880 Speaker 1: I thought that was just so funny. So they're basically 395 00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:07,520 Speaker 1: the groundhogs of the insect kingdom, Yeah, except even more complicated. 396 00:19:07,640 --> 00:19:10,080 Speaker 1: That's that's pretty cool. I mean, punks and tani pill 397 00:19:10,119 --> 00:19:11,760 Speaker 1: I feel like, better step up his game and he 398 00:19:11,800 --> 00:19:13,960 Speaker 1: wants to be this interesting. But there's a catch to 399 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:16,680 Speaker 1: predicting the weather with wooly worms, though, because you have 400 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:19,199 Speaker 1: to study the stripes to discern the weather patterns. But 401 00:19:19,280 --> 00:19:22,200 Speaker 1: each wooly worms stripes are a little bit different, so 402 00:19:22,640 --> 00:19:26,080 Speaker 1: you could pick up two different caterpillars and get two different, 403 00:19:26,280 --> 00:19:28,760 Speaker 1: you know, predictions from this. And so that's where the 404 00:19:28,800 --> 00:19:31,520 Speaker 1: festival comes in. I mean, visitors can take part in 405 00:19:31,560 --> 00:19:35,000 Speaker 1: the standard festival fair like crafts and food vendors and 406 00:19:35,040 --> 00:19:39,080 Speaker 1: live concerts, but the main event is undoubtedly the wooly 407 00:19:39,160 --> 00:19:43,000 Speaker 1: worm race or waste as the locals called for some reason. 408 00:19:43,080 --> 00:19:45,879 Speaker 1: And so the race is equal opportunity and open to 409 00:19:45,920 --> 00:19:49,960 Speaker 1: worms of all sizes and skill levels, and human coaches, 410 00:19:50,040 --> 00:19:53,000 Speaker 1: as they call them, simply place the contestants on one 411 00:19:53,080 --> 00:19:55,359 Speaker 1: of the many strings laid out for the race, and 412 00:19:55,359 --> 00:19:58,440 Speaker 1: then whichever one climbs the three foot string the fastest 413 00:19:58,440 --> 00:20:01,920 Speaker 1: becomes the definitive weather predictor for the year. It sounds very, 414 00:20:02,040 --> 00:20:04,520 Speaker 1: very scientific, a lot of science that. Yeah. I mean, 415 00:20:04,560 --> 00:20:06,880 Speaker 1: I haven't witnessed one of these races firsthand. They must 416 00:20:06,880 --> 00:20:09,840 Speaker 1: be pretty riveting because last year's festival drew an estimated 417 00:20:09,880 --> 00:20:14,639 Speaker 1: twenty thousand spectators and about a thousand racers. So is 418 00:20:14,680 --> 00:20:18,240 Speaker 1: there any kind of prize for winning? Well for the caterpillars, 419 00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:21,000 Speaker 1: it's mostly just that honor of having your stripes used 420 00:20:21,080 --> 00:20:22,960 Speaker 1: to predict the weather, and I'm sure that they are 421 00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:25,720 Speaker 1: all very honored by that. But you know, they're also 422 00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:30,120 Speaker 1: given these cool nicknames like Patsy Climb and Dale worm Heart, 423 00:20:30,240 --> 00:20:32,719 Speaker 1: so I guess that's you know, there's that piece to it. 424 00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:34,800 Speaker 1: But they come out with the nickname. Yeah, they come 425 00:20:34,840 --> 00:20:36,720 Speaker 1: out with a nickname that seems pretty awesome. Is that 426 00:20:36,760 --> 00:20:39,959 Speaker 1: not enough? But there's also a thousand dollar cash prize. 427 00:20:39,960 --> 00:20:42,680 Speaker 1: But what is probably the biggest injustice of the entire 428 00:20:42,720 --> 00:20:45,679 Speaker 1: wooly Worm festival is that that money actually goes to 429 00:20:45,720 --> 00:20:49,199 Speaker 1: the winning worms coach, not to the worm itself. That 430 00:20:49,280 --> 00:20:51,720 Speaker 1: does feel like a rip off. And even though I 431 00:20:51,760 --> 00:20:53,320 Speaker 1: think I know the answer to this, I do have 432 00:20:53,359 --> 00:20:56,200 Speaker 1: to ask, like, are the worms ever right about the weather? 433 00:20:56,880 --> 00:20:58,920 Speaker 1: I mean, that's a fair question, and it really depends 434 00:20:58,960 --> 00:21:01,080 Speaker 1: on who you ask me. Scientists will tell you that 435 00:21:01,080 --> 00:21:04,640 Speaker 1: wily worms have no weather forecasting powers whatsoever. And scientists 436 00:21:04,680 --> 00:21:07,760 Speaker 1: are always ruining it, you know about the claim that 437 00:21:07,880 --> 00:21:10,159 Speaker 1: variants in color on a wooly worms stripes is really 438 00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:13,160 Speaker 1: due to temperature levels and moisture during its first few 439 00:21:13,280 --> 00:21:16,160 Speaker 1: days of life. So really, if anything, the stripes would 440 00:21:16,160 --> 00:21:18,000 Speaker 1: actually tell you more about what the weather was like 441 00:21:18,040 --> 00:21:21,080 Speaker 1: when the caterpillar was born than they would about, you know, 442 00:21:21,119 --> 00:21:23,560 Speaker 1: what it's going to be like in the future. But anyway, 443 00:21:23,560 --> 00:21:26,200 Speaker 1: that said, the festivals organizers argue that quote, over the 444 00:21:26,280 --> 00:21:28,680 Speaker 1: last twenty years, the worms have had an eighty five 445 00:21:28,760 --> 00:21:33,240 Speaker 1: percent record for accuracy, so maybe the scientists are just jealous. 446 00:21:32,680 --> 00:21:35,600 Speaker 1: That's a good precentage. Yeah, that's not a bad percentage. 447 00:21:35,600 --> 00:21:37,680 Speaker 1: But actually I do want to share this other quote 448 00:21:37,680 --> 00:21:40,120 Speaker 1: from the festival's website, just because it is too good 449 00:21:40,200 --> 00:21:42,600 Speaker 1: not to share. And so here's what it says. There 450 00:21:42,680 --> 00:21:44,879 Speaker 1: is no other experience in life that can produce the 451 00:21:44,920 --> 00:21:48,040 Speaker 1: absurd euphoria that comes from cheering for a caterpillar to 452 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:51,520 Speaker 1: climb a stream. It is so indisputably ridiculous that it 453 00:21:51,560 --> 00:21:55,560 Speaker 1: becomes completely liberated. Well, I am sold, And you know, 454 00:21:55,640 --> 00:21:58,359 Speaker 1: I actually came across a few different festivals that use 455 00:21:58,400 --> 00:22:01,320 Speaker 1: Creepy Crawley's as weatherman. But um, I think I'll say 456 00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:04,159 Speaker 1: that for our scary festivals category. All right, well, that 457 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:05,800 Speaker 1: happens to be up next. But before we get to that, 458 00:22:05,880 --> 00:22:24,600 Speaker 1: let's take one more quick break. Welcome back to Part 459 00:22:24,600 --> 00:22:27,359 Speaker 1: time Genius. And we all know Halloween makes autumn the 460 00:22:27,480 --> 00:22:30,560 Speaker 1: de facto spooky season, so it's only right that we 461 00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:33,200 Speaker 1: include a couple of scary festivals in our travel guide. 462 00:22:33,359 --> 00:22:36,720 Speaker 1: Those that's what we were thinking. But as terrifying as 463 00:22:36,840 --> 00:22:38,879 Speaker 1: haunted houses can be, I decided to go with a 464 00:22:38,920 --> 00:22:42,760 Speaker 1: more primal fear for my pick, and that's tarantulas. So 465 00:22:43,160 --> 00:22:45,840 Speaker 1: lots of people have a rachnophobia, and that's understandable when 466 00:22:45,840 --> 00:22:48,720 Speaker 1: faced with spiders as big and harry as these guys. 467 00:22:48,800 --> 00:22:51,679 Speaker 1: But at the Tarantula Awareness Festival, and this is in 468 00:22:51,760 --> 00:22:54,320 Speaker 1: course Gold, California, the aim isn't to scare you with 469 00:22:54,359 --> 00:22:56,639 Speaker 1: spiders and instead of to make you appreciate them as 470 00:22:56,720 --> 00:22:59,400 Speaker 1: much as you should. I mean, I love the name 471 00:22:59,440 --> 00:23:01,679 Speaker 1: of this one. I feel like maybe they're asking a 472 00:23:01,760 --> 00:23:04,320 Speaker 1: bit much with that goal. I mean, what is there 473 00:23:04,320 --> 00:23:07,879 Speaker 1: to appreciate exactly? So for starters, tarantulas are actually a 474 00:23:07,960 --> 00:23:10,560 Speaker 1: vital part of the course Gold ecosystem, so they help 475 00:23:10,560 --> 00:23:13,040 Speaker 1: control the populations of all kinds of harmful pests as 476 00:23:13,119 --> 00:23:15,840 Speaker 1: well as like they serve as an important food source 477 00:23:15,880 --> 00:23:18,760 Speaker 1: for local wildlife. And then there's that power to predict 478 00:23:18,840 --> 00:23:20,919 Speaker 1: weather that I mentioned. So the whole festival is the 479 00:23:20,960 --> 00:23:23,680 Speaker 1: celebration of the local tarantulas. And these are the guys 480 00:23:23,720 --> 00:23:26,000 Speaker 1: that emerge from their borrows each fall to find a mate. 481 00:23:26,280 --> 00:23:29,720 Speaker 1: And because the spiders basically hibernate all winter once they've 482 00:23:29,760 --> 00:23:32,800 Speaker 1: made it, their emergence is usually an indicator that rain 483 00:23:32,880 --> 00:23:36,600 Speaker 1: and cooler temperatures are just a few weeks away. That's 484 00:23:36,600 --> 00:23:38,600 Speaker 1: pretty cool, but I find it kind of interesting that 485 00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:41,119 Speaker 1: the festivals where we don't eat the animals as or 486 00:23:41,119 --> 00:23:43,439 Speaker 1: at least as the main attraction, like these are the 487 00:23:43,440 --> 00:23:45,480 Speaker 1: ones where we're using them to you know, come up 488 00:23:45,520 --> 00:23:48,320 Speaker 1: with weather predictions. It's like, if I can't eat this better, 489 00:23:48,359 --> 00:23:50,720 Speaker 1: at least predict the future. But otherwise, why am I 490 00:23:50,760 --> 00:23:53,040 Speaker 1: not eating it? You know? Anyway? Are there are other 491 00:23:53,080 --> 00:23:55,640 Speaker 1: events going on here? Is this mostly just watching spiders 492 00:23:55,640 --> 00:23:58,439 Speaker 1: crawl out of the holes all day? No? Definitely not. 493 00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:00,919 Speaker 1: They're all kinds of other festivity is including there's a 494 00:24:00,960 --> 00:24:05,520 Speaker 1: scream off contest all right, tar angula poetry reading, Um, 495 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:08,320 Speaker 1: I think it's reading poetry about trenchlas not the trench 496 00:24:08,440 --> 00:24:11,720 Speaker 1: was actually dream the reading say on there there's an 497 00:24:11,760 --> 00:24:15,280 Speaker 1: arachnid presentation. There's something built on the website as the 498 00:24:15,320 --> 00:24:18,879 Speaker 1: best live tarrangula derby ever, the best one ever. Wow. 499 00:24:19,040 --> 00:24:21,840 Speaker 1: But the event I'm most curious about is the Hairy 500 00:24:21,920 --> 00:24:24,680 Speaker 1: Leg Contest. It's open to both men and women, though 501 00:24:24,720 --> 00:24:28,720 Speaker 1: apparently only for ages sixteen to that makes sense, And 502 00:24:28,840 --> 00:24:30,920 Speaker 1: for anyone who's feeling brave enough to attend, be sure 503 00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:33,200 Speaker 1: to crawl your way over to course schooled by October. 504 00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:36,280 Speaker 1: So that's the date for this year's festival. Yeah, it's 505 00:24:36,280 --> 00:24:38,320 Speaker 1: gonna be tough to decide which one of these festivals 506 00:24:38,359 --> 00:24:40,480 Speaker 1: to go to, because my scary festival is also on 507 00:24:40,520 --> 00:24:43,200 Speaker 1: the seven this year. And you know, listeners are gonna 508 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:45,119 Speaker 1: have a tough choice to make here. But if you 509 00:24:45,119 --> 00:24:48,160 Speaker 1: ask me, there's really no contest because the clear winner 510 00:24:48,240 --> 00:24:51,160 Speaker 1: is the Emma Crawford Coffin Race that's held each year 511 00:24:51,240 --> 00:24:55,320 Speaker 1: in Manitou Springs, Colorado. Now, who is Emma Crawford, you 512 00:24:55,400 --> 00:24:57,640 Speaker 1: might ask, Well, she was a real woman who moved 513 00:24:57,640 --> 00:25:00,080 Speaker 1: to the small town in the late eighteen hundreds. He 514 00:25:00,160 --> 00:25:02,960 Speaker 1: was hoping that it's famous mineral springs would help cure 515 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:07,159 Speaker 1: her tuberculosis. Now, unfortunately that wasn't the case, and so 516 00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:10,000 Speaker 1: on Emma's deathbed, she requested that her lover have her 517 00:25:10,040 --> 00:25:12,199 Speaker 1: buried at the top of a nearby mountain. And it 518 00:25:12,280 --> 00:25:15,160 Speaker 1: was called Red Mountain there, And so that's exactly what 519 00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:18,120 Speaker 1: he did. Only Emma didn't stay put for long. Now 520 00:25:18,240 --> 00:25:22,200 Speaker 1: here's the explanation from Atlas Obscura on what exactly happened next. 521 00:25:22,359 --> 00:25:26,000 Speaker 1: It says, well, filling her wishes here, Emma laid until 522 00:25:26,080 --> 00:25:29,280 Speaker 1: nineteen twelve, when evil railroad barons moved her body to 523 00:25:29,320 --> 00:25:31,679 Speaker 1: the mountains south slope in order to make way for 524 00:25:31,720 --> 00:25:35,600 Speaker 1: their trains. Shortly thereafter, terrible flooding eroded that spot of 525 00:25:35,640 --> 00:25:38,480 Speaker 1: the land. Causing Emma's casket to go shooting down the 526 00:25:38,520 --> 00:25:41,720 Speaker 1: mountain into town, where a couple of boys found it, 527 00:25:42,119 --> 00:25:44,680 Speaker 1: still labeled with the silver name plate bearing her name. 528 00:25:45,200 --> 00:25:47,200 Speaker 1: Fast forward a few decades and a tradition was born 529 00:25:47,240 --> 00:25:50,800 Speaker 1: out of commemorating Emma's restless casket, where the crux of 530 00:25:50,840 --> 00:25:52,840 Speaker 1: the sport lies in trying to put her back where 531 00:25:52,880 --> 00:25:56,080 Speaker 1: she belongs. So the Coffin race is basically a bunch 532 00:25:56,080 --> 00:25:58,240 Speaker 1: of people trying to carry a real corpse up the 533 00:25:58,240 --> 00:26:00,200 Speaker 1: side of a mountain, like, don't tell me they'd dig 534 00:26:00,280 --> 00:26:03,880 Speaker 1: up that poor woman. Every year, there are zero corpses 535 00:26:03,920 --> 00:26:06,200 Speaker 1: involved in this, thankfully. The first event was held back 536 00:26:06,240 --> 00:26:09,680 Speaker 1: in and it mostly consists of this big parade and 537 00:26:09,720 --> 00:26:12,840 Speaker 1: Emma's honor, and it's complete with a procession of hearses 538 00:26:12,920 --> 00:26:15,439 Speaker 1: and a bunch of souped up coffins on wheels, and 539 00:26:15,440 --> 00:26:17,520 Speaker 1: it's just kind of like this very weird and dark 540 00:26:17,600 --> 00:26:20,960 Speaker 1: soapbox derby. And once the parade is over, competitors split 541 00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:24,200 Speaker 1: off into teams of five. Those teams involved four pall 542 00:26:24,280 --> 00:26:27,080 Speaker 1: bears and one Emma, which is of course the costume 543 00:26:27,160 --> 00:26:30,440 Speaker 1: person inside the coffin, and the others have to push 544 00:26:30,480 --> 00:26:33,199 Speaker 1: this person and the coffin across the finish line. And 545 00:26:33,240 --> 00:26:36,040 Speaker 1: so two teams at a time compete in these heats 546 00:26:36,080 --> 00:26:40,480 Speaker 1: and they consist of a one nine yard uphill sprint 547 00:26:40,760 --> 00:26:43,880 Speaker 1: and afterwards prizes are awarded, and you know, not only 548 00:26:43,920 --> 00:26:46,439 Speaker 1: for the fastest time, but for the best coffin, the 549 00:26:46,480 --> 00:26:51,080 Speaker 1: best entourage, and of course for the best Emma. Well, 550 00:26:51,160 --> 00:26:53,199 Speaker 1: now that recruited everyone out, what do you say? We 551 00:26:53,320 --> 00:26:55,960 Speaker 1: clear the air with our last category, which is feel 552 00:26:56,000 --> 00:26:58,800 Speaker 1: good festivals. And these are the ones that you know 553 00:26:58,880 --> 00:27:01,120 Speaker 1: there may be more laid back, a little more sub 554 00:27:01,200 --> 00:27:03,159 Speaker 1: dude than the ones we've talked about so far, and 555 00:27:03,600 --> 00:27:05,320 Speaker 1: you can go first this time. Well, what do you 556 00:27:05,440 --> 00:27:07,760 Speaker 1: what do you pick? All right? So I feel like 557 00:27:08,520 --> 00:27:10,280 Speaker 1: people want to go out with a bang, But for 558 00:27:10,440 --> 00:27:12,679 Speaker 1: my last pick, I thought I'd got with more of 559 00:27:12,840 --> 00:27:15,600 Speaker 1: a whisper. And that feels appropriate because for the last 560 00:27:15,600 --> 00:27:17,840 Speaker 1: event I want to talk about, it's in Ocean City, 561 00:27:17,880 --> 00:27:20,760 Speaker 1: New Jersey, and it's called the Quiet Festival and it 562 00:27:20,800 --> 00:27:23,720 Speaker 1: takes place on November four this year, and attendees have 563 00:27:23,840 --> 00:27:27,000 Speaker 1: all manner of quiet and peaceful activities to look forward to. 564 00:27:27,160 --> 00:27:29,480 Speaker 1: So let me just run down the list here. You've 565 00:27:29,480 --> 00:27:33,399 Speaker 1: got bubble blowing, kite flying, pin dropping paper, airplane flying, 566 00:27:33,520 --> 00:27:37,360 Speaker 1: a yo yo demonstration, a quiet snoring contest. I don't 567 00:27:37,400 --> 00:27:40,280 Speaker 1: know exactly how that works. And it's actually it takes 568 00:27:40,320 --> 00:27:42,840 Speaker 1: place on the beach and it's called Snore at the Shore. 569 00:27:43,480 --> 00:27:45,639 Speaker 1: And as always, the festival kick off in the morning 570 00:27:45,640 --> 00:27:49,000 Speaker 1: with its traditional opening ceremony. Now at that opening ceremony, 571 00:27:49,320 --> 00:27:52,359 Speaker 1: there's an inspirational yawn along set to the tune of 572 00:27:52,720 --> 00:27:56,679 Speaker 1: Beautiful Dreamer and accompanied by the world's only windshimes band. 573 00:27:56,800 --> 00:28:00,280 Speaker 1: I mean, it doesn't get any better or or eighter 574 00:28:00,320 --> 00:28:02,640 Speaker 1: than this, but it makes you wonder, like, how did 575 00:28:02,680 --> 00:28:04,680 Speaker 1: somebody come up with this idea? And they really went 576 00:28:04,720 --> 00:28:07,480 Speaker 1: all in on this idea. So I love this because 577 00:28:07,480 --> 00:28:12,320 Speaker 1: there's very little piece at my house with such loud talker. Seriously, 578 00:28:12,400 --> 00:28:14,600 Speaker 1: what what is the story here? Like because this sort 579 00:28:14,600 --> 00:28:16,880 Speaker 1: of sounds like an anti festival, right, Like like when 580 00:28:16,960 --> 00:28:19,480 Speaker 1: when you think festival's quiet isn't really a word that 581 00:28:19,520 --> 00:28:22,360 Speaker 1: springs the mind, that's true. I mean there's there's actually 582 00:28:22,400 --> 00:28:25,199 Speaker 1: just one guy responsible for the Quiet Fest and his 583 00:28:25,280 --> 00:28:28,639 Speaker 1: name is Mark Soyfer and he was Ocean Cities publicist 584 00:28:28,680 --> 00:28:31,639 Speaker 1: for forty five years before he finally retired in two 585 00:28:31,680 --> 00:28:34,560 Speaker 1: thousand and sixteen. Now, during his tenure there, Mark dreamed 586 00:28:34,640 --> 00:28:36,879 Speaker 1: up all kinds of offbeat events for his town, not 587 00:28:36,960 --> 00:28:39,360 Speaker 1: just the Quiet Festival, but you know, look at some 588 00:28:39,360 --> 00:28:42,120 Speaker 1: other stuff. He came up with Mollusk to Day, Weird 589 00:28:42,200 --> 00:28:46,880 Speaker 1: Week and Mr Mature America Contest, I'd like to see 590 00:28:46,880 --> 00:28:49,160 Speaker 1: what that one is exactly, and then his very first venture, 591 00:28:49,520 --> 00:28:54,440 Speaker 1: the Miss Crustacean Hermit Crab beauty pageant. So you know, 592 00:28:55,400 --> 00:28:58,080 Speaker 1: I have talked to you endlessly about starting America's next 593 00:28:58,120 --> 00:29:00,600 Speaker 1: top Mollusk. So I already love this guy. He sounds 594 00:29:00,640 --> 00:29:04,880 Speaker 1: like my new hero um and all this sounds so fun. Yeah. Well, 595 00:29:04,920 --> 00:29:07,360 Speaker 1: I mean you're not alone in thinking so, because despite 596 00:29:07,360 --> 00:29:09,960 Speaker 1: the fact that Mark never actually lived in Ocean City 597 00:29:09,960 --> 00:29:12,880 Speaker 1: and always commuted from a nearby town, he was honored 598 00:29:12,880 --> 00:29:15,200 Speaker 1: as Citizen of the Year back in nineteen and then 599 00:29:15,240 --> 00:29:18,720 Speaker 1: again as Citizen of the Decade in two thousand thirteen. 600 00:29:18,840 --> 00:29:21,560 Speaker 1: Citizen of the Decade. MA feels like something he came up. 601 00:29:21,760 --> 00:29:24,880 Speaker 1: I'm pretty sure he came up with. So you know, 602 00:29:25,160 --> 00:29:27,200 Speaker 1: it's gonna be pretty hard to talk that And I'm 603 00:29:27,240 --> 00:29:29,920 Speaker 1: actually gonna borrow a hite from your playbook and use 604 00:29:29,960 --> 00:29:32,400 Speaker 1: a little homestate pride to close this out. I knew 605 00:29:32,440 --> 00:29:34,280 Speaker 1: you were going to do this. So you are there 606 00:29:34,360 --> 00:29:37,080 Speaker 1: really enough people in Delaware to support a festival? I mean, 607 00:29:37,160 --> 00:29:40,320 Speaker 1: ain't no party like a Delaware party. And that is 608 00:29:40,480 --> 00:29:43,320 Speaker 1: especially true on the Thursday after an election day, which 609 00:29:43,520 --> 00:29:45,880 Speaker 1: happens to be November eight this year, because this is 610 00:29:45,880 --> 00:29:49,320 Speaker 1: when people from all the towns in Sussex County gathering Georgetown, 611 00:29:49,360 --> 00:29:53,720 Speaker 1: Delaware to celebrate the Return Day festival. So what's returned today? 612 00:29:53,720 --> 00:29:55,040 Speaker 1: I mean, does it they have something to do with 613 00:29:55,080 --> 00:29:59,600 Speaker 1: election returns? So not exactly. No. Nobody knows when Returned 614 00:29:59,680 --> 00:30:02,280 Speaker 1: Day was first celebrated, but it's thought to have emerged 615 00:30:02,360 --> 00:30:05,200 Speaker 1: due to a change in state law back in and 616 00:30:05,280 --> 00:30:07,080 Speaker 1: that was the year the county seat was moved from 617 00:30:07,080 --> 00:30:11,160 Speaker 1: a coastal town to the more geographically central town of Georgetown, 618 00:30:11,560 --> 00:30:13,840 Speaker 1: and as a result of the switch, voters from other 619 00:30:13,880 --> 00:30:15,880 Speaker 1: towns now had to travel there to cast their votes 620 00:30:15,880 --> 00:30:18,240 Speaker 1: on election day. Then they'd go back home, only to 621 00:30:18,360 --> 00:30:20,600 Speaker 1: return two days later to hear the results that we 622 00:30:20,800 --> 00:30:23,080 Speaker 1: And so after a few years of everyone in the 623 00:30:23,080 --> 00:30:25,680 Speaker 1: county getting together on Return Day, they just decided to 624 00:30:25,800 --> 00:30:28,320 Speaker 1: blow out the event with festivities and so like they 625 00:30:28,360 --> 00:30:31,720 Speaker 1: had music, a parade, even a public barbecue where they 626 00:30:31,760 --> 00:30:33,920 Speaker 1: had roast a whole ox in this big open pit 627 00:30:34,640 --> 00:30:37,520 Speaker 1: roasting an ox. Well, they really didn't added a weird element. 628 00:30:37,960 --> 00:30:39,600 Speaker 1: But there's no way that people still have to travel 629 00:30:39,680 --> 00:30:42,080 Speaker 1: to a different town to cast the ballot. So why 630 00:30:42,120 --> 00:30:44,320 Speaker 1: is it still called a return day? I mean, part 631 00:30:44,320 --> 00:30:46,480 Speaker 1: of it's just for tradition, right, but but these days 632 00:30:46,480 --> 00:30:48,280 Speaker 1: the festival is mainly seen as a way to kind 633 00:30:48,280 --> 00:30:51,360 Speaker 1: of mend fences and healed the wounds caused by the 634 00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:54,080 Speaker 1: November elections. So in that sense you can kind of 635 00:30:54,080 --> 00:30:56,200 Speaker 1: think of it as a return to normal day. And 636 00:30:56,320 --> 00:30:58,800 Speaker 1: for example, one of the main events is this big 637 00:30:58,880 --> 00:31:01,240 Speaker 1: unity parade. We're all people who ran in local and 638 00:31:01,240 --> 00:31:03,680 Speaker 1: state elections on both sides of the aisle. Both winners 639 00:31:03,680 --> 00:31:07,240 Speaker 1: and losers ride together alongside these marshing bands other floats. 640 00:31:07,280 --> 00:31:09,720 Speaker 1: And if that sounds a little too warm and fuzzy 641 00:31:09,760 --> 00:31:11,840 Speaker 1: for you, don't worry. Delawares also got you covered on 642 00:31:11,840 --> 00:31:14,600 Speaker 1: this because another big part of the Richmand Day is 643 00:31:14,600 --> 00:31:18,760 Speaker 1: the mayoral Hatchett Toss contest. So basically this is where 644 00:31:18,760 --> 00:31:21,440 Speaker 1: all the Sussex County mayors gather outside the courthouse and 645 00:31:21,560 --> 00:31:24,440 Speaker 1: then they take turns chucking hatchets at targets to see 646 00:31:24,480 --> 00:31:27,440 Speaker 1: who can throw the farthest and with the most accuracy. 647 00:31:27,840 --> 00:31:30,400 Speaker 1: But you know, again, this is viewed as a symbolic 648 00:31:30,440 --> 00:31:33,440 Speaker 1: way of burying the hatchets. It's not as violent as 649 00:31:33,480 --> 00:31:36,920 Speaker 1: people might think. But you know, the mayors aren't really 650 00:31:37,000 --> 00:31:38,800 Speaker 1: throwing the hatches at each other or anything like that. 651 00:31:39,040 --> 00:31:41,040 Speaker 1: It would be a very different kind of festival. But 652 00:31:41,320 --> 00:31:43,120 Speaker 1: all right, we know, I've got admit you. You really 653 00:31:43,160 --> 00:31:46,080 Speaker 1: want me over on the Delaware festivals seemed so we 654 00:31:46,200 --> 00:31:48,120 Speaker 1: might need to take a road trip there for return 655 00:31:48,200 --> 00:31:50,040 Speaker 1: Day this year. But I think we could all use 656 00:31:50,080 --> 00:31:53,360 Speaker 1: a little less political discord this season and return to normal. 657 00:31:53,440 --> 00:31:56,160 Speaker 1: That that actually sounds pretty good right about now. Definitely. 658 00:31:56,200 --> 00:31:57,760 Speaker 1: But before we head out, why don't we do a 659 00:31:57,800 --> 00:32:09,480 Speaker 1: fact off. Well, there was one festival I didn't mention 660 00:32:09,520 --> 00:32:12,040 Speaker 1: in the spooky category but would have been a pretty 661 00:32:12,080 --> 00:32:14,640 Speaker 1: good fit. So, as you know this, many years after 662 00:32:14,760 --> 00:32:17,800 Speaker 1: Thriller was created, I still think it's maybe the best 663 00:32:17,920 --> 00:32:20,520 Speaker 1: music video ever. So it's it's no surprise that I 664 00:32:20,760 --> 00:32:23,400 Speaker 1: think it'd be fun to attend the zombie pub Crawl 665 00:32:23,440 --> 00:32:26,360 Speaker 1: in Minneapolis, and it's actually this weekend, so get your 666 00:32:26,360 --> 00:32:29,480 Speaker 1: plane tickets ready in case you're not familiar with a 667 00:32:29,560 --> 00:32:31,840 Speaker 1: zombie walk or what it is. It's it's pretty much 668 00:32:31,920 --> 00:32:34,640 Speaker 1: what it sounds like like. It's this big organized gathering 669 00:32:34,640 --> 00:32:37,080 Speaker 1: where lots of people show up in zombie costumes and 670 00:32:37,480 --> 00:32:40,840 Speaker 1: you're encouraged to stay in character walking zombie like, dragging 671 00:32:40,840 --> 00:32:43,680 Speaker 1: your legs, moaning and grunting and all that, and that 672 00:32:43,880 --> 00:32:47,479 Speaker 1: this huge gathering, this involves, you know, moving between pubs 673 00:32:47,480 --> 00:32:50,600 Speaker 1: in the area. So while there are some competing zombie 674 00:32:50,640 --> 00:32:53,080 Speaker 1: walks out there, this one is the real deal. And 675 00:32:53,120 --> 00:32:56,480 Speaker 1: they actually set a world record with over fifteen thousand 676 00:32:56,560 --> 00:32:59,960 Speaker 1: attendees I guess a world record for the biggest zombie walking. 677 00:33:00,160 --> 00:33:02,719 Speaker 1: But either way, that's a lot of people. That's pretty amazing. 678 00:33:02,840 --> 00:33:04,680 Speaker 1: It is. You know, I'm a little bummed out that 679 00:33:04,720 --> 00:33:06,640 Speaker 1: you said this because you actually stole my first fact, 680 00:33:06,920 --> 00:33:09,360 Speaker 1: but you did leave out a couple of my favorite bits, 681 00:33:09,360 --> 00:33:11,880 Speaker 1: so I'm going to add to that. Um, you forgot 682 00:33:11,960 --> 00:33:14,600 Speaker 1: the zombie pub crault here, which is what do we 683 00:33:14,680 --> 00:33:19,160 Speaker 1: want brains? When do we want them brains? That's great, 684 00:33:19,520 --> 00:33:21,840 Speaker 1: Sorry I left that one. And also at the event, 685 00:33:21,960 --> 00:33:25,720 Speaker 1: is the World Brain Eating Championship, where Joey Chestnut ate 686 00:33:25,800 --> 00:33:29,800 Speaker 1: more than fifty pork brain tacos in eight minutes. Fifty Wow. 687 00:33:29,800 --> 00:33:31,960 Speaker 1: Of course Joey Chestnut would win that one. I wonder 688 00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:35,600 Speaker 1: how many records he holds in the food eating category. 689 00:33:36,080 --> 00:33:38,280 Speaker 1: On a very different note, another festival that just started 690 00:33:38,360 --> 00:33:41,360 Speaker 1: yesterday and it runs through this weekend. It was called 691 00:33:41,440 --> 00:33:44,720 Speaker 1: the Trailing of the Sheep Festival near Sun Valley, Idaho, 692 00:33:45,000 --> 00:33:48,080 Speaker 1: which is about three hours east of Boise. Did you 693 00:33:48,080 --> 00:33:50,120 Speaker 1: know that through much of the past century they have 694 00:33:50,200 --> 00:33:53,560 Speaker 1: actually been more sheep and Idaho than humans? Did you 695 00:33:53,560 --> 00:33:55,440 Speaker 1: know that? That was one of those things I thought 696 00:33:55,480 --> 00:33:57,720 Speaker 1: maybe you would know. But the festival is a celebration 697 00:33:57,760 --> 00:34:00,320 Speaker 1: of the annual migration of the sheep to the othern 698 00:34:00,360 --> 00:34:02,800 Speaker 1: part of the state. And in the Big Sheet parade 699 00:34:02,840 --> 00:34:06,440 Speaker 1: on Saturday, you can trail behind fifteen hundred sheep down 700 00:34:06,520 --> 00:34:09,960 Speaker 1: Main Street. I mean, imagine getting to follow fifteen hundred sheep. 701 00:34:10,040 --> 00:34:12,600 Speaker 1: That seems worth the trip in itself, right, Yeah, definitely. 702 00:34:12,640 --> 00:34:16,439 Speaker 1: Well thousand other people also show up, so it must 703 00:34:16,440 --> 00:34:19,240 Speaker 1: be something pretty special. That's funny. When I was studying 704 00:34:19,239 --> 00:34:23,520 Speaker 1: abroad in Tibet and Lasa, like I'd kind of done 705 00:34:23,600 --> 00:34:25,000 Speaker 1: all the things I wanted to do, and on the 706 00:34:25,080 --> 00:34:27,600 Speaker 1: last day was just like sort of bumbling about and 707 00:34:27,760 --> 00:34:30,120 Speaker 1: there was the sheep that was just walking through the 708 00:34:30,120 --> 00:34:32,640 Speaker 1: city for some reason, and I just started following it 709 00:34:32,719 --> 00:34:35,200 Speaker 1: from the city and I spent like I spent half 710 00:34:35,200 --> 00:34:37,080 Speaker 1: a day just following the sheep, just like walking to 711 00:34:37,160 --> 00:34:42,399 Speaker 1: cafes walk out. So imagine doing that plus fourteen more. 712 00:34:43,520 --> 00:34:47,279 Speaker 1: I am in. So we've talked about hot air ballooning before. 713 00:34:47,360 --> 00:34:49,239 Speaker 1: We've actually had a couple of balloon pilots on for 714 00:34:49,239 --> 00:34:51,439 Speaker 1: a quiz last year. But you know what we didn't 715 00:34:51,480 --> 00:34:54,560 Speaker 1: talk about was the most photographed event in the world, 716 00:34:54,600 --> 00:34:58,440 Speaker 1: and that's the Albuquerque International Balloon Festival. It's gonna be 717 00:34:58,520 --> 00:35:00,239 Speaker 1: cranking up in just a few days, and it this 718 00:35:00,280 --> 00:35:03,280 Speaker 1: stunning image to see these hundreds of loons up against 719 00:35:03,320 --> 00:35:06,319 Speaker 1: the backdrop of the mountains. And in addition to just 720 00:35:06,360 --> 00:35:09,399 Speaker 1: being this beautiful, beautiful spot to see balloons, this area 721 00:35:09,440 --> 00:35:12,840 Speaker 1: is apparently an ideal spot for ballooning for geographical reasons. 722 00:35:13,120 --> 00:35:16,839 Speaker 1: It's known as the Albuquerque Box and it's created by 723 00:35:16,880 --> 00:35:19,359 Speaker 1: the mountains surrounding this valley. And I would need help 724 00:35:19,480 --> 00:35:22,040 Speaker 1: like actually explaining the signs of this, but I think 725 00:35:22,080 --> 00:35:24,680 Speaker 1: it's that the winds at lower altitudes flow north and 726 00:35:24,719 --> 00:35:27,239 Speaker 1: the winds at the higher altitudes flow south, which means 727 00:35:27,280 --> 00:35:29,040 Speaker 1: the balloons can take off going north and then just 728 00:35:29,120 --> 00:35:31,200 Speaker 1: come right back over the field as they prepare to land. 729 00:35:31,280 --> 00:35:33,520 Speaker 1: Oh that's pretty cool. And I know they refer to 730 00:35:33,560 --> 00:35:35,799 Speaker 1: it as the most photographed event in the world, but 731 00:35:36,400 --> 00:35:38,080 Speaker 1: that may just be what they say, right, I can't 732 00:35:38,080 --> 00:35:40,360 Speaker 1: imagine it's actually the most photographing was on my traffic 733 00:35:40,440 --> 00:35:44,319 Speaker 1: keeper growing up. I remember that traffic keeper. Oh man, 734 00:35:44,400 --> 00:35:46,640 Speaker 1: that's awesome. Al Well, you know, one of the many 735 00:35:46,640 --> 00:35:48,920 Speaker 1: things I've never done but really want to do is 736 00:35:48,960 --> 00:35:52,279 Speaker 1: go to a designated dark sky preserve. Now, this is 737 00:35:52,280 --> 00:35:55,759 Speaker 1: a location where no artificial light is visible and stargazing 738 00:35:55,880 --> 00:35:59,279 Speaker 1: is just incredible there. So I really want to go 739 00:35:59,360 --> 00:36:02,960 Speaker 1: to Jasper Dark Sky Festival in Alberta, Canada. Now it's 740 00:36:03,000 --> 00:36:06,600 Speaker 1: the second largest dark sky preserve in the world. Largest 741 00:36:06,640 --> 00:36:09,800 Speaker 1: also being in Canada, it's the Wood Buffalo National Park. 742 00:36:10,200 --> 00:36:13,319 Speaker 1: But this is the largest one that's relatively accessible from 743 00:36:13,320 --> 00:36:16,200 Speaker 1: a nearby town. So really, this is is definitely somewhere 744 00:36:16,239 --> 00:36:18,200 Speaker 1: I want to visit one day. That sounds pretty awesome. 745 00:36:18,400 --> 00:36:20,160 Speaker 1: You know, since moving to Atlanta last year, I've been 746 00:36:20,160 --> 00:36:22,880 Speaker 1: dipping my toes into as many Southern traditions as possible, 747 00:36:22,920 --> 00:36:25,640 Speaker 1: and you explained to me that the most important thing 748 00:36:25,680 --> 00:36:28,560 Speaker 1: to do was just eat as many unusual Southern foods 749 00:36:28,560 --> 00:36:32,200 Speaker 1: as possible. So I've decided to head to the Sally 750 00:36:32,320 --> 00:36:35,879 Speaker 1: Chitland Strut in Sally, South Carolina next month. And I've 751 00:36:35,960 --> 00:36:39,919 Speaker 1: learned that Chilands is how you pronounced terlings or fried hog, 752 00:36:39,960 --> 00:36:42,279 Speaker 1: and testines saying you know, I know you mentioned the 753 00:36:42,280 --> 00:36:45,600 Speaker 1: beauty pageant to crown Miss National Peanut Festival or whatever 754 00:36:45,640 --> 00:36:48,000 Speaker 1: it was, but uh, that has nothing on the Queen 755 00:36:48,000 --> 00:36:50,200 Speaker 1: of the Chiland Strut, a position crowned a couple of 756 00:36:50,239 --> 00:36:53,320 Speaker 1: weeks before the event, and I'm definitely gonna report back. Wow. 757 00:36:53,719 --> 00:36:55,719 Speaker 1: You know, I was thinking about talking about Corky Con 758 00:36:55,840 --> 00:36:59,520 Speaker 1: in San Francisco, or the Scarecrow Fest in October, or 759 00:36:59,560 --> 00:37:02,359 Speaker 1: even Andy Topia. But the fact that you're willing to 760 00:37:02,480 --> 00:37:05,720 Speaker 1: travel to try Chitland's, I mean, I might get gonna 761 00:37:05,760 --> 00:37:08,000 Speaker 1: just wash people try Chaplin's all right. Well, either way, 762 00:37:08,080 --> 00:37:10,000 Speaker 1: the fact that you're willing to learn about them, I 763 00:37:10,000 --> 00:37:11,840 Speaker 1: feel like I need to give you the trophy today 764 00:37:12,000 --> 00:37:14,120 Speaker 1: that sounds great. Thanks so much. All. Well, that's it 765 00:37:14,160 --> 00:37:17,120 Speaker 1: for today's episode from Gave, Tristan, Mango and me. Thanks 766 00:37:17,160 --> 00:37:32,319 Speaker 1: so much for listening. Thanks again for listening. Part Time 767 00:37:32,360 --> 00:37:34,600 Speaker 1: Genius is a production of how stuff works and wouldn't 768 00:37:34,600 --> 00:37:37,360 Speaker 1: be possible without several brilliant people who do the important 769 00:37:37,360 --> 00:37:40,520 Speaker 1: things we couldn't even begin to understand. Christa McNeil does 770 00:37:40,520 --> 00:37:42,799 Speaker 1: the editing thing. Noel Brown made the theme song and 771 00:37:42,840 --> 00:37:45,759 Speaker 1: does the MIXI mixy sound thing. Jerry Rowland does the 772 00:37:45,760 --> 00:37:48,840 Speaker 1: exact producer thing. Gabe blues Years our lead researcher, with 773 00:37:48,880 --> 00:37:52,000 Speaker 1: support from the Research Army including Austin Thompson, Nolan Brown 774 00:37:52,040 --> 00:37:54,279 Speaker 1: and Lucas Adams and Eve Jeff Coo gets the show 775 00:37:54,280 --> 00:37:56,400 Speaker 1: to your ears. Good job, Eves. If you like what 776 00:37:56,480 --> 00:37:58,439 Speaker 1: you heard, we hope you'll subscribe. And if you really 777 00:37:58,480 --> 00:38:00,279 Speaker 1: really like what you've heard, maybe you could. You've a 778 00:38:00,280 --> 00:38:03,200 Speaker 1: good review for us. We did. We forget Jason Jason, 779 00:38:03,239 --> 00:38:03,479 Speaker 1: who