A Magical & Mystical Christmas Day

Wow!   Words cannot describe what an amazing day I had today.  Today was the day we went to Machu Picchu.   Given our last minute travel plans, it was too late to get a permit to hike the Inca Trail, so we opted to take the train up to Machu Picchu.   I know it seems like cheating, however, we were able to secure a ticket to the Huayna Picchu entrance.   Huayna Picchu is a mountain high above Machu Picchu and they only give out 400 tickets per day to climb it. 

The train ride itself was truly a scenic journey.  The traveling hillbilly loves a great train ride.  The 30 minute bus ride however is quite another story.   The rain made the roads wet and muddy.   As we drove up the mountain, weaving our way around the mountain, the bus was just inches from the mountain on one side and there was just a steep drop off on the other side.  The bus ride two and from was quite a scary adventure!

We arrived at the station, walked to the entrance of Machu Picchu and immediately went to the Huayna Picchu entrance.  We decided we wanted to do that first and then make our way back down to explore Machu Picchu in the afternoon.  We hiked up to Huayna Picchu which is almost 1,200 feet above Machu Picchu!  It was often a very steep climb but luckily there were ropes in some of the steepest parts to help you pull yourself up.  The trail itself was wet and muddy so we were slow going.  The climb up provided the most stunning scenic views!   At times, we were completely shrouded in clouds, which only added to the mysticism of the experience.  I know the pictures will never do it justice. 

We finally arrived at the top, both winded and excited!   The view from up there makes you feel like you are on top of the world!   You realize how high you truly are when you gaze upon Machu Picchu so far below.  

Going down was an even bigger challenge but we knew  we would be rewarded with an depth exploration of Machu Picchu once we got back to the bottom.  We were not disappointed!   On the train ride to Machu Picchu my friend and I were wondering if we would be underwhelmed with Machu Picchu since we’d just done Ollantaytambo the day before.  Would it be just another Inca ruin?  Boy, were we wrong to even think such a thought!   We were completely taken aback and overwhelmed by how magnificent this lost city of the Inca’s is.   It is amazing what they were able to build and how much of this city still stands.   Incredible!

 Only 400 people in the world got to do what I did today.   It truly was a once in a lifetime experience made all the better because I got to enjoy it with such amazing friends!

 Hydrotherapy or Peruvian Water Torture?

This post is for my sister who might better understand the benefits of hydrotherapy.   So after a night of room service, relaxation and sleeping in past 7am, all I needed was a relaxing massage.   I decided on one of the spa’s “luxury therapies”, the Yucamani Stones.   It was a 2 hour treatment for the bargain price of $125 US dollars.  It was a combination of hydrotherapy followed by an hour massage with hot and cold stones. 

The treatment started out nicely with some time spent in the dry sauna (10 minutes).   After that I had a choice of the cold shower or the ice tower.  Neither sounded relaxing.   I had just come from having lots of cold showers in the Amazon and now I was paying to take a cold shower?!   The ice tower didn’t sound like a great option either.  However, I decided on the ice tower after I was informed all I had to do was place some shaved ice on any places that ached or were tense.  That was followed by  10-15 minutes in the steam room.   As I settled into the steam room, they actually brought in fresh eucalyptus leaves!  Aaahhh, what a nice touch.    Now, back to the ice tower, ugggh!

It was time to head to the pool.  They actually had these metal chairs, kind of like lounge chairs at one end of the pool.  I was told to pick a chair and relax.   I thought this will be nice.   Then they turned on these jets and water jetted out everywhere, including in my face, in my eyes and in my ears.  Plus as we all know, we tend to float in the water so I had to hold on tightly to the chair to keep from being pushed off!  Not as relaxing as I initially thought.  This was followed by a few minutes standing in this small circular wall in the middle of the pool as water shot up at all angles.  I honestly thought it was going to blow my bathing suit off.   Then at the other end of the pool, I stood under a water fall that pounded on my neck and shoulders.  Finally time to get out of this crazy pool, only to discover I now had to walk down a few steps into ICE WATER.   Finally, time to get into the hot Jacuzzi.    Ahhhhh this is more like it. 

After the Jacuzzi, it was time to go back down the steps into the ICE WATER.  It must be time for my massage by now.   Oh, but a quick shower first.  I was told to step into the shower and push button 1.  I stepped in, pushed button 1 and cold water starting pouring down!   After a few minutes it shut off automatically.  Now I was told to step into the next shower and push button 1 again.  There were four separate showers in all, primarily cold water, each focusing on pouring, shooting or pounding cold water on certain areas (legs, arms, neck and shoulders).   I was really starting to feel like this was some form of Peruvian water torture and I paid for this!  Finally, a walk across some cold stones as water shot out pounding on my legs.

Finally it was time for my massage.   The massage was absolutely amazing!   I was instantly relaxed.  Those hot stones felt so nice after all that hot/cold/hot cold treatment.   My massage was over an hour and I still didn’t want it to end.   After the massage I was led to a wooden lounge like chair to sit and relax.  As I sat down, the therapist plugged something in and suddenly the chair began to heat up.  I was ready to take a nap!

Finally rain and lots of it on the day of departure!

The Traveling Hillbilly must admit I was truly looking forward to a thunderstorm while in the Amazon.  The weather report called for thunderstorms everyday while we were there, but despite multiple threats (dark clouds, rolls of thunder and some lightening in the distance) we never had more than a few minutes of light rain.   Well that all changed today!   A sudden downpour came on our ride down the river heading to the airport.    It made the boat ride quite damp and the muddy roads made the slippery bus ride all the more adventurous!

All in all, we got to the airport safely and arrived in Cusco only about 30 minutes late.  I am now safely in my hotel room in the Sacred Valley, thrilled to have electricity, hot water, internet access and even DirecTV.  

I’m ready for the 2^nd leg of this trip.   I’m sure Christmas Day on Machu Picchu will be an incredible experience, even if the forecast for rain is accurate.

For now, I have the wonderful memories of my Amazon tour and the truly beautiful people I met.   The Traveling Hillbilly really lucked out and had some great people in our small group.  You would never know the eight of us had just met and weren’t old friends.  We all got along so well and had such a blast!  To our guide, Eder, who we all adored, we know we drove you crazy, but thanks for making this trip so special.    I hope you get to meet Drew one day.   Just know that if I ever run into her in Los Angeles, I will send her your love!

Butterflies, Piranha, Lizards and Alligators oh my!

So after my first day in the jungle, I was thinking this is a little more touristy than I expected; hiking through the jungle, touring a local farm, and boating down the Amazon.   HOWEVER that opinion has changed a little.   This has truly been a great adventure!

After two days in the jungle, the Traveling Hillbilly has logged multiple hours hiking through the jungle and boating along the river, both during the day and night (scary dark), sat for an hour at the clay lick watching the macaws, (stunningly beautiful birds), gone caiman (alligator) searching along the Amazon at night (we even saw a couple of caiman), seen several monarch butterflies (such a bright blue hue) , got stuck knee deep in mud (more than once), seen multiple capybara (the worlds largest rodent), seen a few monkeys  and kayaked down the Amazon.   But it is still early, day 2 is not over.   At 4pm, we go to the “mammal lick” in the hopes of spotting some mammals.   We’ll see what happens.  

Well the Traveling Hillbilly needs to pack before the 4pm departure.   It will be too dark to pack by the time we get back tonight and we leave tomorrow for Cusco and the Sacred Valley!  I hope my time here in the jungle has prepared me for the challenge of Machu Picchu!

The Lodge Deserves Its Own Posting

So we arrive at the lodge and the first thing we see when we step in is the bar!   The Traveling Hillbilly is liking this place already.   The bar is all open air and made of local wood.   It’s very cool.   After the long journey getting here, I’m ready for a drink!  But first we have to learn about the lodge.   It’s a very environmentally friendly lodge and they have made every effort to make it “at one with nature.”     Their goal is to combine tourism with environmental  education to support conservation of the areas in which they operate.

 Now let me tell you about the rooms.  It turns out the bar is the only place that has electricity!  There are three “walls” and then just an open space facing out into the jungle.  The door to the room is just a pair of curtain panels, no locks, no keys.  There is a nice “refreshing” shower.   By refreshing, I mean very cold, no hot water!  We have mosquito nets over the beds.  The room is very nice, but I am going to miss electricity.    Plus it is difficult to navigate if you have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night! 

It gets dark around 6pm and I mean very dark.   But you can actually see the stars here at night.   They are simply amazing, such an beautiful sight.  The electricity in the bar shuts off at 9:30pm, but the bar remains open until the guests are ready to leave.     And there are a couple hours during the day, when you can “charge” your electronics in the bar. 

It’s going to be nice to be unplugged for a few days!

The Traveling Hillbilly Arrives in the Amazon

As we fly into Puerto Maldonado in the southern Amazon region of Peru, I notice how green everything looks from the plane.   Everything is so lush and tropical.  I half expect to see a T-Rex traipsing through the jungle knocking down the trees!    The river looks like a dirty brown ribbon wrapping its way around and through the jungle.   I wonder if that is same the river I’ll be going down soon.    The pilot announces the current temperature, which translates to 88 degrees Fahrenheit.  I can feel the humidity already!   Surprisingly, it’s not raining.  When I checked the forecast the day before departure, it looked like thunderstorms every day in the Amazon and rain every day in Cusco!

The airport is very small.  It reminds me of the one in Siem Reap, Cambodia.    It’s a much different experience than the arrival in Lima!   There is much less chaos.     I’m very excited for the trip to begin!

I’m even more excited when I see the bus we’ll l be taking.   It’s one of those smaller, rustic buses where all the luggage goes on top.   I feel like we are heading off on an African Safari.   We have to take the bus 45 minutes, through dirty and very muddy roads, to the “port.”   The port is basically a set of wooden steps that lead down to the river.  At the port, we board what is basically a motorized canoe and start our 2+ hour boat ride to our lodge, located deep in the jungle.

A couple hours in to the trip with no sign of wildlife.   I am anxiously waiting for my biggest fear to be realized.   I just know that a snake is going to fall out of tree into the boat.   Luckily, the river is wide and we have a canopy over the top of the canoe, so hopefully we’re safe.  And yes, the dirty brown ribbon I saw from the plane is the exact river we are heading down.  Again, it reminds me of a prior trip.  It’s similar to the river raft ride, Huckleberry Finn style; I did in Chang Mai a few years ago.  But this time, there are no elephants.   

The Traveling Hillbilly Goes off the Grid!!!!

So for my loyal followers, I apologize for not having posted anything for a few days.   I’ve been in the Southern Amazon region of Peru with no access to the internet and limited access to electricity!   However, I have been keeping a log of my journeys so you will see multiple postings appear.   

I had quite a few adventures in the Amazon and I hope you enjoy following along.   While you’re catching up on those, I’ll begin chronicling my adventures in the Sacred Valley.   If you’re ever been to Cusco or the Valley, please feel free to pass your words of wisdom along!  Or if you have any advice for Santiago and the surrounding areas, please share those stories as well.

Lake of the Ozarks - Is it really 70+ degrees in October?

I arrived at the Kansas City airport late last night and headed up to Lake of the Ozarks this morning. It sure is beautiful here. But much warmer than I was expecting. I don't think I'll be needing the sweaters I packed for the weekend and I may need more than the one pair of shorts I brought! But what a pleasant surprise. Today was an absolutely beautiful day! Check out the sunset.

Indulgence

Every night at 5pm, they bring out a whole host of desserts and put them on display in the lobby. I’ve walked by on my way from dinner too full to indulge, but truly wanting to. So I decided, tonight why not start there? After my late afternoon nap, I headed to the gym to get in some good cardio to help offset my upcoming indulgence (well at least offset a bite or two).

I walked into the lobby around 7 and there it was this plethora of delicious delicacies. I was excited to see the brownies I’d been eying the last couple of days were available. I billed the brownie to my room and then headed to the bar, brownie in tow, to enjoy it with a nice glass of wine. Aahhhh, what a treat. I think I’m finally starting to relax.

Rediscovering Me?

Oh how nice it was to sleep in and then get up and head to the gym on my time, no schedule. I decided to forgo some pool time and head to the movies to avoid the afternoon heat. There’s a great theater called iPic, where you can order food and eat at your seats. The theater is really nice. It looks and feels like a fancy hotel bar but I was disappointed in the food options (primarily pre-packaged salads) and it was $17 for a 1:30pm movie!

As I was getting ready to pay at the concession stand, I was thinking this movie better be good since it’s costing me over $30 for the movie ticket and a caprese salad. Suddenly my drink was all over the counter and all over me. The girl behind the concession stand actually knocked it over as she sat it down on the counter. She felt so bad for the mess, she didn’t charge me for the food. So the movie only cost me $17 and it included a light lunch. Plus the movie was laugh out loud funny! I opted to see Horrible Bosses and was very pleasantly surprised by how funny it was. All nine of us in the theater laughed throughout the film.

Back to the hotel for a couple laps around the lazy river and then lounging poolside with my book.

All in all a good day, but still don’t feel like I’ve reconnected with my adventurous spirit yet. However tomorrow is another day.

Maybe yoga at 8am...

Grimaldi’s Pizza

I stumbled upon a great pizza place for dinner, Grimaldi’s Pizza. It’s a NY style pizza place in this shopping center just a couple of blocks from the hotel. I ordered a small to take back to the hotel. It was rather expensive; at least that’s what I thought until they brought it out. The pizza was huge! I couldn’t believe it was a small. It could feed a small family! I got it with pepperoni, mushrooms and grilled red peppers and it was also delicious! For any fellow pizza lovers out there, the Traveling Hillbilly recommends.

A Storm’s a Coming!

After a beautiful sunny day, noticed some menacing dark clouds off in the distance. Was it possible it was going to storm? Y’all know how the Traveling Hillbilly loves a good thunderstorm. I doubted it truly was going to storm though because the other half of the sky was totally clear.

However, about an hour later I took the dogs out for a walk and was surprised to see it was raining. Not only was it raining, but there was lightening, and lots of it. Suddenly, there was a big crash of thunder. I was so excited. I totally expected Lucy Grace to run for cover and scurry back to the room. Loud noises tend to terrify her, but she stayed a brave little pup. We watched the lightening for a bit and then headed back to the room, a little damp from the rain. We then just listened to the great thunderstorm during the night. What an amazing sound, the crash of thunder and there’s something to be said for the smell of a fresh rain. Oh how I miss the occasional thunderstorm!

We've Arrived

We finally arrived at the Westin Kierland resort! Of course, the room is not ready when we arrive. What better time then to go to the store to pick up some supplies, and by supplies I of course mean wine!

We get back from the store and I have to carry Chadwick across the parking lot to avoid him burning his paws on the hot pavement! I'm about ready to pass out by the time we finally make it into the air conditioned lobby. And boy did the hounds make an entrance! Everyone had to come over and pet them and give them the attention and adoration they so often seek. I think they were actually disappointed when our room was finally ready.

We got unpacked and then I left the hounds to nap in their heavenly pet beds, while I made a loop around the lazy river.

The Traveling Hillbilly, 2 hounds and a Prius

I loaded up the car the night before so we'd be ready to head out early in the morning. Of course, we wound up leaving a little later than planned but got on the road shortly after 8am. We decided to take the Prius vs. the Jeep this time. It was a tough decision, because a road trip in the Jeep just makes the Traveling Hillbilly feel alive but The Prius has a nav system, a CD player and most importantly, air conditioning!

Chadwick of course, culled up on the floor in the back right away and started to nod off. Lucy Grace on the other, paced back and forth on the back seat for hours, occasionally sticking her snout in the front by leaning on the center consul, back paws balancing on the back seat. After 5 hours of this, I pulled my bag off the front sit and let her move up front. She immediately curled up and finally relaxed!

The highest outside temperature we got was 105 degrees, but I think that might be understated. It was quite toasty outside. We made a couple of stops along the way, so the dogs could stretch their legs, do their business and drink some water. Chadwick decided he didn't really care for the heat and would just plant himself in the dirt, refusing to budge. Of course my attention loving hounds did their best to get the most attention possible at every stop.

The most difficult challenge traveling with hounds is that every stop takes about 30 minutes! When you're in the car, for the most part they're fine. At least they can't ask, "are we there yet?"

Hitting the Road

I've asked myself recently what happened to that person who would throw the hounds in the back of the Jeep for a spontaneous road trip? Where oh where did that person go? Well someone kindly reminded me, that person is still there just waiting to burst out. So I decided to take a week off work and head off on a last minute trip. The Traveling Hillbilly is heading out tomorrow morning, hounds in tow, in the hopes of rediscovering the sheer joy of an old fashioned road trip. I hope you follow along.

In Memory of My Dear Friend Bruce

The Traveling Hillbilly recently lost a very dear friend. He was a kind and true friend and we will all miss him tremendously. So my dear sweet Bruce, this post is for you.

Bruce was an amazing individual who touched us all. He was a true and treasured friend and had a major impact on lives. You can tell just reading his facebook page, there were many qualities that made him special.

Here are just a handful of comments people have made about our dear friend Bruce….

I will always remember your ready smile and laugh!

I hope you realized in your short time you walked this earth how many lives you touched with your caring ways, sweet words and gentle disposition. We don't see many like you in our lifetime

Such a kind, gentle soul. Lucky to have known you.

Thank you for being who you were. You blessed all of us with your wit and charm.
I will never forget your sweet soul.


Rest easy sweet soul. I will never forget my fun times with you.

Bruce truly was a sweet soul and unique individual. I think one of the things that made Bruce such a great friend, was his ability to accept people as they are. He accepted us, warts and all. He was the kind of person you could talk to, about anything. He had that rare quality of being able to truly listen, without interrupting you. He never tried to top your story. He never tried to “fix things” for you. He would just listen, without judgment to whatever you needed to say. Whether you had something funny or sad to tell him, or if you just needed to vent. He was always there. He was someone we knew we could count on to be there anytime, for anything.

Everyone should be so lucky to have a Bruce in their life. He inspired us all with his kind nature. So I think the best way we can honor our dear friend Bruce, is to be a Bruce for someone else. Be a “go to friend, who will listen, love, respect and accept, others. Because as someone wisely posted on Facebook, “the world could use more Bruces.”

Bruce, I love you. I miss you. And yes my heart aches but I will always cherish our memories.

$10 Pasta Night Draws a Big Crowd

We were in town on business and someone suggested this great Italian place within walking distance of the hotel in downtown Miami. As we approached, we saw a huge crowd waiting outside. As we tried to squeeze our way inside and through the huge crowd standing inside as well, we almost said forget it. We were hungry and didn't want to wait. However, we figured if it was this busy it might be worth waiting for. The wait was going to be 30 minutes, so we went across the street and grabbed a drink. Many others were waiting inside the food market, where they were offering samples of the house wine while customers were waiting for their tables.
Once we were seated, we could see how huge the restaurant really is. It can accommodate a big crowd, with indoor and outdoor seating. The food was delicious and turns out Thursday is Pasta Night and all past dishes are only $10 a bowl! Everything we had was delicious. We started with calamari and a caprese salad. We’d never seen such huge tomatoes! While there many delicious options on the menu, we all opted for a pasta dish. The wine list is average and they were out of black Sambuca, one of the traveling hillbilly's favorite after dinner drinks. But all in all, we had a great time, left with completely full stomachs and were glad we took the time to wait!

The Traveling Hillbilly Goes to Oscars

I have to admit, when I found out on Thursday that I was getting the chance to attend the 2011 Academy Awards, my first thought was how exciting! My second thought was, will they all know I'm an impostor? The glitz and glamour of Hollywood are so far removed from my Kentucky roots. I just can't imagine hearing celebs like Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth saying, "I'm fixin' to go the Oscars." Julia Robert's? Well, maybe. Will I be the klutz that steps on some celebrity's expensive designer gown? Or will I wind up tripping on the red carpet as I get pushed aside to make room for the non-impostors?!

The Super Bowl - One Humble Fan's Experience

Yes there were long lines and yes it was very disorganized but the Traveling Hillbilly was happy to “suffer” through these inconveniences for this once in a lifetime experience. Going to the Super Bowl is something that only a small percentage of the population will ever get to experience and I am grateful to now be among that small but lucky group. It truly was an amazing event. The pageantry, the thrill, the excitement and energy of the fans made for one very memorable evening. Before the game even began, we knew we were in for a thrill.

Chills ran through me as we entered the stadium. It truly is a stunning piece of architecture. The sheer size and magnitude of the stadium make you pause for just a moment. We were fortunate enough to be on a level with lots of great bars and food just steps away. We got even more excited to discover our seats were on the 50 yard line! WOW! What a view. There is a giant screen TV that hangs above the field. It’s like watching the game on a movie theater screen. Although at times it could be distracting.

While the game started off kind of slow, the Traveling Hillbilly could not have asked for a more exciting game for my first Super Bowl! The Packers had a strong early lead but the Steelers fought back, making it anyone’s game in the 3rd quarter. This tense but exciting action continued well into the 4th quarter. With fans from both teams on their feet often, rooting for their team, you could feel the camaraderie in the stadium. There were strangers high fiving one another, shaking hands and often even hugging, sharing in the joy of their team’s success. There was also some good natured rivalry going on. While the teams battled it out on the field, so did the fans in the seats. There was some back and forth shouting and ribbing, but it was in good fun and everyone around us displayed true sportsmanship. While the Steelers were not able to pull off what would have been a monumental win, they came back and delivered a truly exciting game right up until the end! The Traveling Hillbilly thanks both teams for great game!

As if the excitement of the game wasn’t enough, the halftime show was spectacular. Again, I have to say, WOW! I have heard it did not play as well on TV, but live it was amazing. It was full of energy and visually stunning. It made us all want to get up and dance. We were very pleasantly surprised to see both Slash and USHER there as well. The Black Eyed Peas and Usher put on one amazing show. It was the best Super Bowl performance I’ve seen. It really is a shame if it did not come across on television as the fantastic show it was.

So from this humble fan’s experience, it was a night to remember! So for those of you who only remember the long lines, the disorganization and the petty frustrations of getting to the game, shame on you. Maybe you’ve just been to one too many Super Bowls. Maybe you are the type of person that is never pleased and always focuses on the bad. Now don’t get me wrong, I understand the disappointment Steelers fans must have felt and I empathize with those few hundred folks who showed up with a ticket only to be turned away because their seats were deemed “unsafe.” But for those of you who actually made it inside the stadium and still walked away complaining about the inconveniences you had to deal with, then maybe you need to take a time out and realize how fortunate you were to witness such a spectacular event. If you can’t, then maybe next time you should give your ticket to someone who would truly appreciate this potentially once in a lifetime experience.

A huge shout out to my friends at ESPN. A huge thanks to all of you for one of the Traveling Hillbilly’s greatest adventures!

It All Started at the Tailgate Party

Of course, tailgating is part of the whole Super Bowl experience. Well ESPN took tailgating to a whole new level! We went to hangar 1048 at the Naval Air Station Forth Worth. There were two “rooms” inside the hanger. The first was set up with tables and plenty of food. We had burgers, fries, sausage, chicken, veggies and some mac & cheese with peach and berry cobbler for dessert. There was of course, plenty of beer, wine and cocktails to go around. But the food was not even the highlight of this tailgate party. In the second room, they had all kinds of interesting things for us to see and do. We got to tap into the kid inside each of us and play all afternoon. There were flying simulators, a real fighter plane, guns, shooting games and of course a mechanical bull. After all it is Texas! The Traveling Hillbilly skipped the mechanical bull but had a great time checking out the planes, helicopter and even a dump truck. There were several members of the reserves on hand to talk to us about the equipment and what they do. It was very eye opening and we should all be thankful for what these brave and often, very young, men and women do for us.

Terrorist Attack or Sick Joke?

After a great night’s sleep, the Traveling Hillbilly was rudely awakened by the hotel alarm sounding off! The alarm was followed by an announcement telling us to evacuate the building! What? Evacuate the building? Many thoughts ran through my head; could this be a terrorist attack, do I have time to put on some jeans, brush my teeth, grab my shoes? While I’m still processing all these random thoughts, a voice comes back on the intercom system telling us not to panic, they are checking on the alarm and there is no need to evacuate the building. Potential emergency situation averted! Still don’t know what happened, but am glad all turned out okay!

The Traveling Hillbilly Does Dallas

Yes, it is true. The Traveling Hillbilly is actually in Dallas/Ft. Worth for the Super Bowl. So I landed yesterday to find everything blanketed in snow. What a beautiful but concerning sight. After a little confusion with the car pick up, I got to the hotel with just enough time for a quick workout before heading to dinner. We had dinner at a fantastic restaurant called Grace, www.gracefortworth.com and then it was off to River Ranch for ESPN Magazine’s big party of the weekend. Can we say, interesting wall hangings? Deer, sheep, all kinds of interesting things hanging from the wall (see attached pictures). We got to see Kid Rock perform, who was surprisingly fun and energetic. It had been a long day of travel and fun so we decided to call it a night and headed back to the hotel early. Well, at least we thought it was early. Turns out it was actually 2am!

The Traveling Hillbilly @ the Super Bowl?

Could it really be true? Is the Traveling Hillbilly actually going to the 2011 Super Bowl? Come back over the next few days and find out.