‘The Daytripper’ Marble Falls episode premieres Oct. 9 on KLRU
JARED FIELDS • PICAYUNE STAFF
MARBLE FALLS — Soaring through the air, flying down off-road trails, gliding on the water and tearing into mile-high meringue: It’s not Superman, it’s “The Daytripper.”
In the second episode of Season 6, host Chet Garner explores Marble Falls’ art, food and recreation possibilities when the show premieres at 8:30 p.m. Oct. 9.
The show airs on KLRU, the Austin PBS affiliate. It will run again Oct. 11 at 10 a.m.
A few, however, can watch the premiere episode with Garner himself.
A premiere party Oct. 9 will be at the Uptown Theatre, 218 Main St., beginning at 7 p.m.
Seating is limited, and the remaining spots will be filled by RSVP on a first-come, first-served basis.
To RSVP, email raerbargrill@yahoo.com or call (830) 693-2622.
The event is free; however, organizers ask that one unwrapped gift be brought to benefit Burnet County Santa’s Helpers.
There will be light appetizers and a cash bar from 7 p.m. to about 8:15 p.m., when Garner will introduce the show.
“People know Marble Falls mostly for pie and art, but it ended up being one of the most adventure-heavy episodes,” Garner said.
Showing locals a thing or two they didn’t know about their hometown is something Garner said he prides himself on.
“We try to do that in every episode, but this one is crazily so,” he said.
The episode features a trip to Dead Man’s Hole, a tour of the art along downtown, a visit to the Dan Pogue Gallery, food at the R-Bar & Grill, four-wheelin’ at Hidden Falls Adventure Park, stand-up paddle boarding on Lake Marble Falls, pie happy hour at Blue Bonnet Cafe, hang-gliding over Lake LBJ and dinner at Double Horn Brewing Co.
Garner has daytripped to Burnet, Spicewood and Kingsland in the past. Burnet County serves as one of the show’s sponsors. Burnet County tourism director Teri Freitag said this will be the county’s fifth season as the exclusive destination marketing organization for “The Daytripper.”
“The rest of the state is jealous,” she said. “We caught a rising star at the right time.”
Freitag said she saw one of Garner’s early shows when he visited Burnet and Bertram. After keeping an eye on the show, she asked if Burnet County could partner with the show. Rudy’s BBQ was the only sponsor at the time. Garner and Freitag went to the county commissioners.
“They were truly taking a chance at the time,” she said. “We couldn’t have done it without them saying, ‘Yeah, we’ll give this guy a try.’”
The show has since grown beyond just daytrips from the Austin area and now encompasses the entire state.
Season 6 will feature 13 episodes. And while Garner has visited all corners of the Lone Star State, he said he is not out of ideas.
“I’ve got a list at home of 80 more I want to do,” he said. “I’m always adding more.”
Fans can view sneak peaks of the first episodes of Season 6, including the Marble Falls one, at thedaytripper.com/blog. The full Marble Falls episode will be available at thedaytripper.com after the show airs on PBS.
jared@thepicayune.com