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Alex
I travel to the Midwest a couple times a year and was looking for spots that. That I have to check out. So far, I've checked off Holiday Culver's. Quick trip. As I've heard mentioned on YBR. For reference, I am a Canadian 511, size 12. Also, Miles was right. Culver's Root Bear.
Brad
Let's go.
Charlie
That does.
Brad
You got to check out Wall Drug.
Derek
Yeah, you do.
Brad
I think the. The Wall Drug, Rapid City, Sturgis, Deadwood tour. Pretty good. Kind of a sick tour.
Derek
There's a ton of tourist trap things on that stretch. Like, you got the reptile gardens, the mystery caves for whatever.
Brad
Maybe just because I went there as a kid, for whatever reason, I want to get touristly trapped.
Derek
Yeah.
Brad
In the stuff around that area.
Derek
Yeah. It drives me nuts. Like when we drive through that and nobody wants to stop but me.
Charlie
Yeah.
Derek
And I got my family to stop at Wall Drug on the way home from Yellowstone, and that was the only time.
Brad
Also, I'm pretty sure they're working on Crazy Horse again.
Derek
Hell, yeah.
Alex
I think they always have, haven't they?
Brad
I thought they stopped for a while and that's what we were like. Crazy Horse awareness. You know, we were like, hey, we should. We should raise some money to get this thing going again. And maybe we did it.
Alex
I think they're just going really slow.
Derek
Because it's volunteers only. Yeah.
Brad
Yeah. I think. I think we were. I think we were the linchpin in the whole thing. To get it going again brought it back to, like.
Charlie
So if it's volunteers, like, who's doing the carving? I mean, I can't just volunteer. And they're like, all right, here's your pick.
Brad
You can remove rocks and.
Charlie
Okay.
Derek
I'm sure there's like a lead volunteer in charge of design.
Charlie
Sure.
Derek
You gotta go to the Dells, Wisconsin Dells.
Brad
Wisconsin Dells. In reality, I'd go to the north shore of Lake Superior, Duluth and up.
Derek
Yeah.
Brad
Great area. Check out the lighthouses for one. Good party weekend. You got to go. Lake of the Ozarks, the Vegas of the Midwest.
Charlie
That's a great time. You gotta go. You gotta. You gotta go to Lincoln, Nebraska. It's a top 10 city in the United States. Just there's. I mean, nothing.
Alex
Corn Oscars game would be great.
Charlie
Corn Oscar's great. Game is awesome. Nothing particular in Lincoln. Just to Lincoln.
Brad
Yeah. I feel like going to college football game across the board is pretty fun.
Charlie
Yeah.
Alex
Any Big Ten? Really?
Brad
Yeah. Big Ten is kind of sick. Yeah. You could also check out some North Dakota interpretive centers as well. You also could make the drive from Fargo to Bismar and see the hill of Bismar.
Derek
Yeah.
Alex
The riverboat.
Derek
Quite literally. The highlight on that drive is the buffalo in Jamestown.
Charlie
Yeah.
Alex
And a little past Bismarck. You got the Salem sue, the big cow.
Charlie
Yep. And then keep going. You. There's a big pheasant on the side of the road, isn't there?
Alex
Well then steel. There's the world's largest sandhill crane.
Charlie
Yeah.
Derek
Nice.
Charlie
Yeah, I think Rich. I don't know if it's Richard 10. I don't rich. It's kind of actually cool to go like to cross a time zone like on a road. Richard in is where the time zone goes to. Mountain time.
Alex
Kind of a vibe.
Charlie
Straight down the inter.
Brad
Yes, it is worth six hour drive.
Charlie
Yep.
Alex
From Fargo. The Fargo wood chipper. That's a cool thing to look at.
Derek
Yeah.
Brad
It's in the Confargo community center or whatever.
Derek
Which is. Other people would call it an interpretive center.
Brad
Is it an interpretive center?
Charlie
Yeah. I don't even know if they have interpreters there. But it's an interpreter.
Brad
Well, no, it's just a place that you get to interpret things. There's you. There's no interpreter. You are in doing the interpreter. You are the interpreter.
Derek
What's the name of that town on 200 nor in north north Dakota that's like the geographical center. Rugby rugby. Rugby rugby geographical center. They have a monument in a parking lot next to an anytime fitness in a Mexican restaurant.
Charlie
Yep. Yeah.
Alex
Niffle soup.
Brad
Got it. Yeah.
Charlie
If you like fish and I mean devil, you make a trip to Devil's Lake. You'll never. You'll never regret that.
Derek
Actually a really cool thing. Stump Lake which is feeds off of Devil's Lake. It flooded and you can fish over. It's super clear. You can just see fully submerged homes underneath you as you fish. Because it like flooded people's homes out wild. It's cool.
Brad
A lot of good structure though for him to swim around.
Charlie
Yeah. A lot of good rock beds and.
Derek
And where are you fishing this weekend? I think I'm gonna go over the Olson's house.
Brad
Yeah.
Charlie
Yeah. Minnewak and Flats. My buddies from Tall. Now you can go see my buddy.
Brad
Could be. It could be a great place to scuba. Maybe there's some safes down there.
Derek
They find a painting in a safe like the Titanic. Yeah.
Charlie
I think they have a good scuba certification in Fargo.
Brad
Might be some good emeralds down there in a safe.
Alex
I don't know.
Derek
I think they're just making this up. What do you mean?
Alex
I think there's a strip club in Devil's Lake, too. Right?
Derek
Right underneath.
Brad
Underneath the water.
Charlie
Well, the one got. The one got shut down.
Brad
Stripper poles. A lot of good structure for fish to swim around.
Charlie
Yeah, there was.
Derek
There was no fishy in there.
Charlie
There was one highway two driving into Devil's Lake, but I think shut down because someone got shot.
Brad
But then there's one downtime scene.
Charlie
There's one downtown called Lottas. A lot of what just. It's just called lotta.
Brad
I know, but a lot of what?
Charlie
A lot of. My buddy almost got. He, like, tried to pick a fight with some guy outside a lot of.
Derek
Us did he what?
Charlie
It never. It manifested in anything. Thank God.
Derek
Yeah. Did somebody throw dice at the back of his head or what?
Charlie
No, I think he just started just. We got outside and just started talking to this other guy. I'm like, the. Is going on here, Lotus, you go.
Brad
Golfing in the brainerd area. It's a good golf. Turned into a little bit of a golf. Dusty bully pulpit. Guys, if you want more, you bet your radio. You gotta check out our Patreon. You gotta go to patreon.com you bets radio or look us up on the app. And we have hundreds of hours of other episodes on there that you can't get unless you're signed up. So you gotta check us out on Patreon. You bet your radio, baby.
Podcast Summary: You Betcha Radio - "Hidden Midwest Gems"
Release Date: July 28, 2025
Introduction
In the episode titled "Hidden Midwest Gems," the hosts of You Betcha Radio, including Alex, Brad, Charlie, and Derek, delve into the lesser-known yet captivating attractions scattered across the Midwest. From quirky roadside attractions to serene natural landscapes, the gang shares their personal experiences, recommendations, and humorous anecdotes about exploring the heartland of America.
The conversation kicks off with Alex sharing his enthusiasm for discovering Midwest hotspots during his biannual travels. He mentions having visited Holiday Culver's, highlighting it as a noteworthy stop.
Alex [00:00]: "I travel to the Midwest a couple times a year and was looking for spots that I have to check out. So far, I've checked off Holiday Culver's."
Brad enthusiastically endorses the iconic Wall Drug in Rapid City, suggesting it as a must-see alongside the famed Sturgis and Deadwood tours.
Brad [00:19]: "You got to check out Wall Drug... Wall Drug, Rapid City, Sturgis, Deadwood tour. Pretty good. Kind of a sick tour."
Derek adds to the list by mentioning other attractions along the stretch, such as the Reptile Gardens and Mystery Caves, albeit referring to them as typical tourist traps.
Derek [00:31]: "There's a ton of tourist trap things on that stretch. Like, you got the reptile gardens, the mystery caves for whatever."
The hosts reflect nostalgically on their childhood visits, with Brad recalling his childhood trips to Wall Drug.
The discussion transitions to various natural landmarks and unique attractions in the Midwest. Charlie recommends a visit to Devil's Lake, emphasizing its allure for fishing enthusiasts.
Charlie [04:04]: "If you like fish and I mean devil, you make a trip to Devil's Lake. You'll never. You'll never regret that."
Alex expands on the fishing spots by describing Stump Lake, a feeder of Devil's Lake, where submerged homes create an eerie yet fascinating underwater landscape.
Alex [04:09]: "Actually a really cool thing. Stump Lake which is feeds off of Devil's Lake. It flooded and you can fish over. It's super clear. You can just see fully submerged homes underneath you as you fish."
Brad shifts the focus to Wisconsin Dells, contrasting it with his preference for the North Shore of Lake Superior and Duluth, highlighting the picturesque lighthouses and vibrant party scene at the Lake of the Ozarks, dubbed the "Vegas of the Midwest."
Brad [01:36]: "Wisconsin Dells. In reality, I'd go to the north shore of Lake Superior, Duluth and up... Lake of the Ozarks, the Vegas of the Midwest."
The hosts explore culturally significant locations, with Charlie urging listeners to visit Lincoln, Nebraska, and attend a local college football game.
Charlie [01:57]: "You gotta go to Lincoln, Nebraska. It's a top 10 city in the United States. Just there's... Nothing."
Brad [02:13]: "I feel like going to a college football game across the board is pretty fun."
Brad further recommends exploring Big Ten football venues and visiting interpretive centers in North Dakota, such as the one in Fargo.
Brad [02:22]: "Big Ten is kind of sick... North Dakota interpretive centers as well."
Derek introduces Rugby, the geographical center of North Dakota, mentioning the unique monument located near an Anytime Fitness and a Mexican restaurant.
Derek [03:42]: "What's the name of that town on 200 nor in north north Dakota that's like the geographical center. Rugby... they have a monument in a parking lot next to an anytime fitness in a Mexican restaurant."
The conversation takes a humorous turn as the hosts share intriguing stories and local legends. Charlie recounts an incident involving his friend and an altercation outside a local establishment named Lotta.
Charlie [05:44]: "A lot of what... My buddy almost got. He, like, tried to pick a fight with some guy outside a lot of."
Brad humorously speculates about underwater treasures, suggesting the possibility of finding safes with valuables submerged in Devil's Lake.
Brad [04:46]: "Maybe there's some safes down there. [Laughs]"
The hosts also joke about a purported strip club underwater in Devil's Lake, blending satire with fascination for the area's submerged secrets.
Brad [05:14]: "I think there's a strip club in Devil's Lake, too. Right?"
Charlie [05:17]: "Well, the one got shut down."
Wrapping up their exploration of Midwest offerings, Brad recommends golfing in the Brainerd area, praising its quality and appeal.
Brad [05:43]: "Golfing in the Brainerd area. It's good golf."
Additionally, the hosts touch upon various recreational activities, including scuba diving certifications in Fargo and the potential for discovering hidden gems beneath the water's surface.
As the episode nears its end, Brad encourages listeners to support the podcast through their Patreon, highlighting exclusive content available to subscribers.
Brad [05:56]: "Guys, if you want more, you bet your radio. You gotta check out our Patreon... we have hundreds of hours of other episodes on there that you can't get unless you're signed up."
Final Thoughts
"Hidden Midwest Gems" offers a blend of travel tips, personal stories, and lighthearted banter, painting a vivid picture of the Midwest beyond its well-trodden paths. Whether you're a Midwest native or an adventurous traveler, this episode serves as an engaging guide to uncovering the region's unique attractions and cultural treasures.