Each step down Washington Street in Historic Sonora is a step rich in history. The street was an Indian trail until the Gold Rush transformed it into a mining camp, with canvas tents and colorful flags flying from the brush houses built by the Mexicans. Imagine it with throngs of miners walking down the street, gambling tables made of rough-hewn wooden planks set up in front of each establishment.

These temporary structures were eventually replaced by wooden buildings, most of which burned in the Great Sonora Fire of 1854. The town was then quickly rebuilt, largely with brick.

Many historic buildings from those times remain. The Gunn House, now a hotel, was once the office of the Sonora Heraldnewspaper, established in 1854. A few blocks west of Washington Street on Bradford sits what was once the county jail, now a museum, with a few jail cells still intact. A tiny park near the museum has early gold mining equipment—an arastra, a stamping machine, and a Pelton water wheel.

In its Gold Rush heydey Sonora was the most ethnically diverse, cosmopolitan, and tolerant town in the Sierra. It was the only town with a significant number of women.

Situated along either side of one of the most beautiful stretches of Highway 1, San Simeon is a secluded retreat filled with natural splendor, endless outdoor adventure, scenic wonders and treasured historic landmarks.

From watching the elephant seals at the Piedras Blancas rookery to touring the world-famous Hearst Castle, sleeping under the stars in San Simeon State Park to hiking along beaches and pristine stretches of Pacific coastline that have been naturally carved by the sea, San Simeon is a rare, secluded California gem. Discover it for yourself today

Connecting the Pacific Ocean with the land, the California Coastal National Monument provides unique coastal habitat for marine-dependent wildlife and vegetation on more than 20,000 rocks, islands, exposed reefs, and pinnacles along the California coastline, and 1,665 acres of public land onshore in the Point Arena-Stornetta Unit. The Monument includes public lands along the coast of California, and in the near shore waters of the Pacific Ocean. The off-shore rocks and islands are exposed above mean high tide, and within 12 nautical miles of the mainland along the 1,100 mile California coastline.

Towering above the unincorporated town of San Simeon, Hearst Castle is one of the town’s most treasured sights—and one of California’s most visited landmarks. Millions of travelers each year make the trek to see the magnificent estate, located five miles inland and perched atop rolling hills overlooking the picturesque Pacific Ocean.

Fullerton CA…

Going to visit our amazing friends/family!!!

Time with them at their lovely homes, as well as beach, laundry and of course sunshine!!!

Some of the earliest evidence of corn cultivation in North America comes from Pima County, Arizona, where Tucson is located. Archaeologists have recovered kernels estimated to be 4000 years old within 60 miles of the city.

If you’re a stargazer, Tucson is one of the best spots in the U.S. for astronomy. In 1972, Pima County enacted a “dark sky” code to regulate the brightness and number of outdoor bulbs in an effort to help local observatories like one at Kitt Peak. Now Tucson suffers from far less light pollution than most cities do, allowing stars and planets to shine through the darkness.

El Charro Café is the oldest Mexican restaurant in the U.S. continuously operated by the same family. It may also be the birthplace of the chimichanga. As the legend goes, they were invented by Monica Flin, who established El Charro in 1922. She once flipped a burrito right into the fryer, splattering oil everywhere. Since kids were within earshot, she resisted the urge to curse and yelled “chimichanga,” a slang word that means thingamajig, instead.

In El Paso, the sun shines 302 days per year. As you might guess, every El Pasoan has got a beautiful tan pretty much year round. Unfortunately, so much sun also means that it gets pretty toasty with 109 days above 90 degrees on average and 20 days in the 100s.

It’s impossible to talk about El Paso without talking about the Rio Grande River. One of the lengthiest rivers in North America, the Rio Grande is the natural border between the United States and Mexico. When it’s warm, which is basically all the time, people flock to the river in droves to angler fish, hike along the banks, and go whitewater rafting. One of the most popular events in El Paso even happens there, the KLAQ Great River Raft Race, which consists of El Pasoans building their own unique raft and coasting three miles downstream in a giant group.

El Paso has been named the safest big city of over half a million people in America for four years running by the “Congressional Quarterly.” Even more impressive, it’s been ranked in the top three since 1997.  Not only is the city safe, but there are sidewalks connecting everything and residents take full advantage of this. It’s rated one of the most walkable cities in America on a regular basis, providing a means for its residents to stay active.

The capital of Texas marches to the beat of a different drum circle. It’s a government town that’s also a hotbed for artists and musicians, and a high-tech hub that has a thriving independent business class. It’s a place where a cross-dressing mayoral candidate can become a local icon, and where college students, drifters, celebrities, biker gangs and well-heeled Formula One fans can all rub elbows.

In addition to “Live Music Capital of the World,” Austin is known as the “Violet Crown City,” a reference to the purplish light cast over the hills on winter evenings.

So many tech firms have come to town that Austin now has the nickname “Silicon Hills.” IBM kicked things off in 1967, followed by Texas Instruments, Motorola, 3M, Dell computers, and numerous others. Nowadays, Austin is one of the leading sites for venture capital funding in the nation.

In 1978, John Mackey and Renee Lawson started a natural foods store called SaferWay using a $45,000 loan they scraped together from family and friends. Two years later, they merged with another local store and opened the very first Whole Foods Market.

The city’s unofficial slogan, “Keep Austin Weird,” originated with local librarian Red Wassenich, who uttered the phrase when he called in to a local radio show in 2000. Since then, the slogan has become a fixture on bumper stickers, store signs, and elsewhere around town. The phrase’s anti-gentrification message has also caught on in other cities, like Louisville, Portland and Indianapolis.

Waco is the county seat of McLennan County.  It also offers some major attractions, five historic homes, seven recreational venues, and nine arts organizations staging theatrical and musical productions, as well as art exhibitions.

The City is the birthplace of Dr Pepper, the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.

Waco is also home to the Waco Mammoth National Monument, a 100-plus acre stretch of wooded parkland along the Bosque River. The site provides a glimpse into the lives of Columbian mammoth bones discovered in Waco along the Bosque River and is part of the National Parks System.

But, you ask…why are we going to Waco??? Good Question!!!

To see Chip and JoJo of course!!!

The only brick-and-mortar purse museum in the country is in Little Rock. Located in the South Main district of Little Rock, The Esse Purse Museum chronicles not only the kinds of bags American women carried through history, but also, perhaps more fascinatingly, the things they carried in them.

There is no official demonym for residents of Little Rock. Some prefer “Little Rockian,” while others use the slightly more adorable “Little Rocker

After the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education ruling deemed segregation in schools unconstitutional, a group of black students known today as The Little Rock Nine made history as they were escorted into Little Rock Central High School by the Arkansas National Guard per President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s order. Unbelievable courage in the face of such oppression and hate…

We are hoping to see the Clinton Presidential Library and Museum as well, heading slowly west!!!

Congress officially recognized Beale Street as the “Home of the Blues” in 1977. Given that every icon from Louis Armstrong to Muddy Waters to B.B. King performed there at some point, the choice was a no-brainer.

Memphis, Tennessee has taken its historical roots and leapt into the 21st century. Home to such legendary artists as B.B. King, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, and John Lee Hooker, Memphis musical tradition is second to none, but the River City s appeal doesn t stop there. From Graceland and the allure of Beale St. to the National Civil Rights Museum, Memphis offerings are as diverse and entertaining as anywhere in the Southeastern United States. Memphis has become known the world over for its special brand of smoky barbecue, so it s no wonder one of the biggest annual events in Memphis is the World Championship Barbecue Contest held in May. Boasting a growing metropolitan population of over 1.26 million, Memphis is a city that gets attention, attracts visitors and does its best to make them never want to leave.

Louisville was a major river and railroad transportation hub in the 1800s, serving the steady flow of commerce pushing westward. The city continues that tradition today as the worldwide air hub for UPS, where an average of 1.6 million packages are processed every day.

Louisville’s signature dish is a comfort food free-for-all called the Hot Brown. It’s an open-faced sandwich with turkey and bacon smothered in Mornay sauce (main ingredients: butter and heavy cream), topped with Parmesan cheese and roma tomatoes, and oven-broiled. The name refers to theBrown Hotel, where the dish originated in 1920 as an after-hours treat. You can still order a Hot Brown at the hotel’s restaurant, but fair warning: Don’t try to take it down alone.

Hillerich & Bradsby, makers of Louisville Slugger bats, started out as a woodworking shop in 1864. The owner, J. Frederick Hillerich, a German immigrant, was not a baseball fan, but his son, Bud, was an amateur player. The younger Hillerich, who apprenticed under his father, taught himself how to fashion bats, and according to company legend, offered to make one for local pro Pete Browning after watching Browning break his bat in a game.

Browning agreed, and the new bat, made from white ash, delivered three hits in its first game in use. Browning continued to hit well with the bat, and eventually gained the nickname “Louisville Slugger.”

It may be known as the Music City, but Nashville can do a lot more than just carry a tune. It’s a leading healthcare provider, a foodie destination, and a must-see for history buffs. It’s also the only place in the world where you’ll find a full-size replica of The Parthenon—and in a city park, no less.

From February through May 1960, African-American college students staged a series of sit-ins at stores and restaurants throughout downtown. While these weren’t the first such displays of nonviolent protest, they were some of the most successful, leading to Nashville becoming the first Southern cityto desegregate public establishments.

Oprah Winfrey spent part of her childhood in Nashville, where her father Vernon lived. At age 19, she took a job with WTFV-TV and became the city’s first female African-American news anchor.

Some great history, great music, great food, we are soooo excited!!!

Nashville here we come!!!

Update: We are only going to be in Nashville for one night this time,  then heading up to see our dear friends in Louisville for a couple of nights, then the four of us will be heading back to spend a couple of days together in Nashville, then we will go back to their place in Louisville for a couple more nights….Whew! Are you keeping up with this? We are..I think! So, there may be a couple of posts in each one of these lovely cities, or we may just combine details in one post…all time dependent!

Chattanooga, a city in southeastern Tennessee, is set along the Tennessee River in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Its trolleylike Incline Railway scales steep Lookout Mountain before reaching Ruby Falls waterfall and Rock City, featuring sweeping views, sandstone formations and gardens. Point Park, also atop Lookout, marks the site of a Civil War battle now honored at the Battles for Chattanooga Museum.

The name “Chattanooga” comes from the Creek Indian word for “rock coming to a point.” This refers to Lookout Mountain, one of the city’s major attractions. Here visitors can explore extraordinary rock formations, see a roaring enclosed waterfall and travel by train to the top of the mountain for truly awesome vistas. Back down on the ground is the world’s largest freshwater aquarium, the Tennessee Aquarium. History enthusiasts love the city’s museums dedicated to Civil War, Native American and 20th-century history. More than anything, Chattanooga is a scenic city, full of natural wonders waiting to be explored by foot, car, bike or train.

Chattanooga is internationally known for the 1941 song “Chattanooga Choo Choo” by Glenn Miller and his orchestra.

The city has its own typeface, Chatype, which was launched in August 2012. According to the Nooga.com website, this marks the first time that an American city has its own custom-made typeface and also the first time a crowd-funded custom-made typeface has been used for any municipality in the world.

Atlanta is the capital of the U.S. state of Georgia. It played an important part in both the Civil War and the 1960s Civil Rights Movement. Atlanta History Center chronicles the city’s past, and the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site is dedicated to the African-American leader’s life and times. Downtown, Centennial Olympic Park, built for the 1996 Olympics, encompasses the massive Georgia Aquarium.

Some fun facts:

Atlanta was the only city in North American destroyed as an act of war. (General Sherman burnt it to the ground.) Only 400 buildings survived. That’s why the city’s symbol is a phoenix.

One of the largest Hindu temples outside of India is located in the Atlanta metro area.

It was once illegal to put an ice cream cone in your back pocket in Atlanta. Atlanta also outlawed tying a giraffe to a telephone pole.

It’s The World Headquarters to major corporations you’ve done business with. Coca-Cola, Delta Airlines, UPS and Home Depot are all headquartered in Atlanta, just to name a few. Oh yes, and CNN! Hello Anderson Cooper!!!

Situated in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Greenville has transformed from a blip on the national map to a bustling metropolis. The former textile powerhouse now has an influx of manufacturing jobs to thank for its growth, with companies like GE and Michelin moving in and infusing the town with new energy. The reinvigorated downtown serves as the focal point of the region, attracting new business, hosting an emerging culinary scene and housing what some call the crown jewel of Greenville: Falls Park on the Reedy.

So excited to see what we can discover in this bustling and growing town!

Despite how awesome this city is, Charlotte is also one of the most affordable places in the country to live. For example, the average home sale price is around $185,000 and the average rent just outside of the city center is around $750 a month. Compared to other cities of this size, that’s quite the bargain. Heck, the average domestic beer during a night on the town is around $2. One thing’s for sure, the Queen City is a great place to get a bang for your buck.

Known for being the part of town where new bars, restaurants, and galleries seem to pop up like weeds, NoDa is one area of Charlotte that can’t be missed. It’s in the area where North David Street and 36th meet and it’s the perfect place to go for all of your nighttime entertainment needs. Like Burgushi…

It’s basically sushi rolls with burger ingredients…not surprisingly, it’s stunningly delicious. However, it’s one of those dishes you’ll just have to try for yourself to fully grasp. Thankfully the Cowfish has plenty of burgushi to go around.

And, Charlotte is the largest city in North Carolina, filled with diversity, quirks, history, and soon, two gals on the trail!

If you’re into eating locally and supporting sustainable agriculture, go to Asheville—and eat, eat, eat.

This town of less than 100,000 people has 17 farmers’ markets, and the local restaurant scene is all about taking advantage of the seasonal produce sold there.

And don’t miss the area’s microbreweries. It is also full of tattoos, art, coffee, more beer, weed, more food, hippies, mountains, bikes….

hmmm, sound familiar NWPeeps????

Throughout the state of North Carolina, a civil war rages between those that prefer their pork barbecue Lexington style versus Eastern style. Lexington style is topped with a sauce of vinegar, ketchup, pepper, and other spices, while Eastern style is flavored with a vinegar and pepper base. So glad when we can keep wars simple, and tasty!

Raleigh often tops the list of the best places in the country for broadband access and Wi-Fi hotspots, making it one of the most connected cities around. No longer will you have to worry about finding a place to get online to change your fantasy football lineup or your phone suddenly losing connection during an extremely important Google search. Cant wait!!!

Our mission here however, is to spend time with our dear friend Michelle before heading to Asheville.  Sadly she will not be joining us as we had hoped…that darn work thing!!!

Virginia Beach is the largest city in Virginia, with a population of about 450,000. The city also is very large geographically: it’s almost 500 square miles in size (497.3), making it much larger than Washington, DC (68.3 square miles with a population of almost 600,000 people) and even bigger than Manhattan, which is just 33.77 square miles.

The Guinness Book of Records lists Virginia Beach as having the longest pleasure beach on the planet. The coastline that makes up the Virginia Beach resort area, the Sandbridge beach and the Chesapeake Bay beach is 35 miles long.

No matter where you walk or drive in Richmond, you are bound to catch a glimpse of some of the most unique and interesting street art you’ve ever seen. Being the art-friendly city that it is, it isn’t surprising that Richmond earned a spot on Buzzfeed’s list of Best Street Art in the World in 2013. Not only does it make the commute to school or work more interesting, but it makes the city of Richmond a brighter place.

Historians quibble over whether it was Ben Franklin or Abraham Browning who first called New Jersey the Garden State, but both used the phrase for the same reason. The state is full of green goodness that benefits its neighbors. Jersey tomatoes are known the world over as being among the best you can buy and New Jersey is a world leader in blueberry and cranberry production. Not bad for the most densely populated state in the U.S.

The first site to be recognized as a National Reserve, New Jersey’s Pine Barrens is also a United Nations International Biosphere Reserve. It is home to endangered species from the plant and animal kingdoms alike. European settlers considered the area barren because the sandy, acidic soil didn’t support the crops they tried to grow there. The conditions are perfect, however, for more than 800 other species of plants, including orchids and carnivorous plants. Beneath the Pine Barrens is the Kirkwood-Cohansey Aquifer, which contains 17 trillion gallons of some of the purest water in the United States. Who knew???

Now to NYC…

Today, nearly 40 percent of New Yorkers are born outside of the U.S. The city is one of the most linguistically diverse places on the planet—over 800 languages are spoken there!  And, If you ate at a new restaurant every day for 12 years, you still wouldn’t have visited all of New York’s eateries. I am thinking we will be very busy indeed!

Some Fun Facts about Newport RI:

1 – The White Horse Tavern, standing since 1652, has been a tavern since 1673 and many consider it the oldest tavern building in continuous use in the United States. The White Horse Tavern is also considered one of the oldest buildings still standing in Newport.

2 – Built in 1763, Newport’s Touro Synagogue is the oldest surviving synagogue in North America.

3 – Newport is home to the oldest typewriter in America which can be found at the Newport Historical Society’s Brick Market Museum.

4 – Trinity Church has the only three-tiered wineglass pulpit in its original location in the U.S.

5 – Newport became home to the country’s first official circus performance when they hosted the first circus in 1774.

6 – Newport has more colonial homes in use than any other location in the U.S. In a recent story here on WhatsUpNewp.com, Built In 1765: Oldest Buildings in Newport, RI, we discovered there are more than 6o buildings still standing in Newport prior to 1765.

7 – Newport was the site of the first duplex house, located at 57 Farewell Street, built in 1750.

8 – The Newport Mercury was founded in 1758, the oldest newspaper in continuous operation in the United States. Ann (Smith) Franklin became the sole editor and publisher of the Newport Mercury on August 22nd, 1762, making her the first female editor in the United States.

9 – Newport, the colonial capital of Rhode Island, was the first of the thirteen colonies to declare its independence from England on May 4th, 1776.

And, we will be heading there as you read this!!! So excited to see this historic city!

Provincetown is the gayest town in the US per capita according to the US census. Historically, Provincetown has been a haven for the LGBTQIA+ community for many decades. It is no wonder people make annual trips or buy homes in the place considered the “last gay resort.” The place radiates with palpable pride, community, and a deep appreciation for diversity. Provincetown holds a promise that people can be whatever they want to be here while giving individuals the space to find out exactly what that means.

Also, the Mayflower first came to Provincetown, not Plymouth.

Provincetown is referred to as “America’s First Destination.” Contrary to what you may have been told, the Mayflower did not first land in Plymouth. Only after signing the Mayflower Compact, the country’s first democratic document, did they move on to Plymouth five weeks after landing in search of better water and soil. In 2020, the town will celebrate the 400-year anniversary of the historic landing. According to the Executive Director at the Pilgrim Monument, only 10% of people who first come to Provincetown know about the Pilgrim’s history here.

We are looking forward to seeing this wonderfully diverse city, as well as Cape Cod!

Maine’s biggest city has been practically leveled on several separate occasions. Yet in true New England fashion, it’s always bounced right back. Today, the city is beloved by tourists, foodies, and boaters of every stripe.

Hear the name “Portland,” and you probably think about a certain city out in Oregon. That place was founded by a pair of New Englanders—Boston’s Asa Lovejoy and Francis Pettygrove from Portland, Maine. Each man wanted to name the spot after his hometown. So, they settled this matter the right way—via coin toss. Pettygrove won two out of three flips and that was that.  Wow!

Hoping to eat some lobster, and maybe a bike ride???

Portland to Portland here we come!!!

Nestled in the heart of the Green Mountains, this former iron-mining town today is the quintessential Vermont getaway, complete with a white steeple church, antique shops and cozy country inns.

Manchester is a true all-season destination. In winter, skiers arrive to hit the downhill slopes at nearby Bromley and Stratton Mountains or the cross-country trails at Hildene.

New York’s Finger Lakes region takes its name from 11 freshwater lakes placed like a handprint between Lake Ontario and the Pennsylvania border. Skiing, hiking and biking trails traverse the landscape; visitors can also indulge in various wine, cheese and beer trails. The area offers a culinary bounty, with an emphasis on farm-to-table cuisine. Rich history and culture are found throughout the region, with one attraction more inviting than the next.

And we will be staying at Keuka lake…

So excited to travel to this part of NY..Hoping to visit the Kodak museum on the way, but we shall see…

The Niagara Falls is the collective name for three waterfalls that straddle the international border between the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of New York. The Niagara River drains water from Lake Erie into Lake Ontario.

The 3 waterfalls (American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and the Horseshoe Falls) combine to produce the highest flow rate of any waterfall on earth. The average American residence would need 7 1/2 years to use the same amount of water that flows over the Niagara Falls in one second (750,000 gallons).

This is definitely a bucket list sight for us! We will keep you posted as we venture closer to this wonder on our only leg into Canada!

It’s dubbed the Motor City for a reason. Detroit was home to the first mile of concrete highway, the first four-way three-color traffic light, and the world’s first urban freeway.

It’s quite possible you had no idea that Ludington was home to the largest producer of ice cream in Michigan. House of Flavors produces 25 million gallons of ice cream every year. It’s possible you are eating their products and you have no idea. That’s because House of Flavors provides ice cream to retailers but it is under different brand names. You won’t know this Ludington manufacturing facility is where your sweet treat was produced.

It was also home to Marianne’s family for about 4 years, grades 8-11 for her! She has not been back since, and is eager to see the sights, take in a bit of her history and hopefully see the family home!

Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Located on the shores of Lake Michigan, Milwaukee is perhaps best known for its famous breweries and the Major League Brewers, but there’s more to the city than beer and baseball…

Its the hometown of our dear friend Cheryl Harris! It is also a city steeped with geographical accents that sound much like, but are very different from…Yes…Minnesota! Dare I even say that???

And yes, cheese is the state pastime, as evidenced by the head gear we have all come to know and lovingly associate with this state!!!

Minneapolis is a major city in Minnesota that forms “Twin Cities” with the neighboring state capital of St. Paul. Bisected by the Mississippi River, it’s known for its parks and lakes. Minneapolis is also home to many cultural landmarks like the Walker Art Center, a contemporary art museum, and the adjacent Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, famed for Claes Oldenburg’s “Spoonbridge and Cherry” sculpture.  Minneapolis and Saint Paul anchor the second-largest economic center in the Midwest, after Chicago.

Its also my “Motherland”, full of my heritage, history, and where I feel I am with “my people”!!! Tall, big boned (okay no laughing) and blonde…I usually assimilate quickly, and the unique language, tone and accent is back within hours! Uffda!

Custer State Park is famous for its bison herds, other wildlife, scenic drives, historic sites, visitor centers, fishing lakes, resorts, campgrounds and interpretive programs. In fact, it was named as one of the World’s Top Ten Wildlife Destinations for the array of wildlife within the park’s borders and for the unbelievable access visitors have to them.

We are looking forward to seeing the sites in this area, including the Needles highway, Mt Rushmore, and the Crazy horse memorial….

More Happy Trails Ahead!!

The town was named Lander in honor of General Frederick W. Lander, a famous transcontinental explorer who surveyed the Oregon Trail’s Lander Cutoff. Several miles southeast of town near present-day U.S. Route 287 is the site of Wyoming’s first oil well, circa 1884.

It looks amazing and beautiful, but, we are going to Lander to meet Marianne’s mom, Ethel, her sister Susan, and nieces Kelly and Brigid, both who attend college there! We are so excited!

And also, on the way there, we will be driving through Jackson Hole WY, a place we have never been but are so excited to see! Hoping to see the Tetons!

Founded in 1889, Pocatello was known as the “Gateway to the Northwest.” As pioneers, gold miners and settlers traveled the Oregon Trail, they passed through the Portneuf Gap south of town.

This is where we live, where we will start this amazing adventure!!!

And this is where we will return with our hearts and memories filled with experiences…a journey, a launch…our next chapter….

We hope you will follow us, when you can.  We will be adding our destinations on the map as we go, and hopefully sharing a few tidbits and joys of what we find along the way! 

Buckle up and hang on!  Here we go!!!