2020 Look Back

Whoa! That was crazy. And still is – if I’m being honest. But rather than just bash the year we’re leaving, I’d rather take a moment and celebrate some of the high points. My heart and prayers go up to anybody that lost a loved one this year. But even amongst the grief, I pray you can find moments to celebrate. Here are mine.

Best Moment

When the pandemic hit, we made a fun video encouraging others to STAY HOME AND STAY SAFE. This sticks out in my head as one of the best moments.

Highest Honor of the Year

Drinking ice tea with the Governor on his front porch. I knew it was a long shot to get Governor Abbott on our program. But, he agreed to (maybe he thought we were the Texas Country Reporter). Runner Ups are banging the gavel in the Senate Chamber and winning our 11th Lone Star Emmy. I’ve got the best crew in the world.

Best Meal I Ate

This honor goes to The Golden Rule in Georgetown, Texas. This new spot is serving up some amazing food on the square. A close second is Perini Ranch Steakhouse in Buffalo Gap, Texas. It isn’t the first time I’ve visited, but it was the best.

Full Spread at The Golden Rule, Georgetown, TX

Ribeye at Perini Ranch Steakhouse, Buffalo Gap, TX

Best Plate of BBQ

This one goes to Corkscrew BBQ in Spring, Texas. We filmed this segment right before the pandemic changed everything. And this BBQ is worthy of the road trip.

Best Burger on the Road

We ate some amazing burgers this year. But my top burger goes to The Yard in McKinney. It was classic and just about perfect on every level. The “Cover Burger” at Alamo Springs Cafe and the green chili burger at Andice General Store are close runner ups.

The Cover Burger at Alamo Springs Cafe, Fredericksburg, TX

Green Chili Cheeseburger, Andice General Store, Andice, TX

Best Pizza

This honor goes to a pizza I had in Stephenville, Texas at a spot called Caam’s. I gave it extra points because it was so unexpected. It had sausage, brussel sprouts, and a sweet-siracha honey glaze. Other great pizza were at Tony C’s Pizza & Beer Garden in Round Rock. AND Moontower Pizza Bar in Burleson – home of the World’s Largest Pizza.

The “ATX” pizza at Caam’s, Stephenville, Texas

World’s Largest Pizza at Moontower Pizza, Burleson, Texas

Best Adrenaline-Pumping Adventure

Y’all haven’t seen this episode yet. But I sent Skydiving with Skydive Temple and it was…EPIC. Stay tuned for this as part of our Adrenaline, Texas episode.

Best Family Adventure

We are an adventuring family. And when Covid hit, we knew we needed to do something safely but still feed our need for adventure. So..we started taking Fridays Off. It was a way to explore some new outdoor activities. And we went jumping from State Park to State Park. So, I don’t have a particular adventure, but it was a whole collection of them.

Best Overnight Getaway

This goes to a Quaran-trip we took to the Stagecoach Inn in Salado. If you haven’t been to this classic inn, then you’re missing out. It’s amazing. A close runner up was to the Perini Ranch Guesthouse in Buffalo Gap, Texas.

The Pool at the Stagecoach Inn, Salado, Texas

Perini Ranch Guesthouse, Buffalo Gap, Texas

Best Couple’s Getaway

Laura and I love a getaway adventure. This year, we weren’t able to leave our family, so we stayed local. Big shout out to the Sheraton Georgetown on being an awesome Staycation Destination.