Greetings Gold Country Families E-Magazine Subscribers:

        So, what’s in a name?  Think about it, most sane individuals would say names typically denote individuality, ownership, personality, background, and respect.  However, those qualities don’t always come to mind when traveling. My point being, and everybody’s seen them on maps and while traveling throughout the United States, those towns, communities, roads, and landmark names that catch your eye, make one gasp, initiate blushing giggles, or intensely tickle the funny bone.  Regardless of traveling past, through, on, or selected as a unique destination, the first question that arises after the tears of laughter, the “Oh, my Goodness” and “How stupid” responses, are why the name was selected in the first place, and for whatever reason why the heck was it never changed?

        I’m sure there are wonderfully historic stories behind each of these town’s name: Frostproof, FL; Dead Horse, AK; Intercourse, PA; Truth Or Consequences, NM; and Slaughter, LA.  However, I truly believe some may be just a cruel joke that the town founder thought would be humorous to put up at one time and then left town or died, so the name stuck: Monkey's Eyebrow,AZ;  Hygiene, CO; Mud Lick, KY; Crappo, MD.  Keep in mind, there ARE the unique marketing aspects that put some small town’s on the map for no other reason than the town’s name, like: Odd, WV; Climax, MI;  Hot Coffee, MS;  Busti, NY;  Beach, ND; and Boring, OR.  The one thing that’s for certain, it’s fun to travel, visit, and say you experienced the local hospitality of these uniquely named destinations.  I’d even go as far to say it’s a sure bet that each of these towns have warehouses full of bumper stickers to sell.

        Most reasonably sized towns have a Main Street, Lincoln Ave., Washington Blvd, an alphabet, and/or numeric road system.  On the other hand, there are road names that seem to reflect the character of the road creator, a historical circumstance that happened, or a tribute/recognition to or of something or someone: Sorefinger Road; Needmore Road; Dam Road; Pesky Deer Way; You Bet Road; and No Way.  Not unlike the town’s founders, the original landowners couldn’t resist the temptation to name a few roads that were undoubtedly just mean gags played on future homeowners: Hooker Road; Dingleberry Lane; Old Potato Road that's just past New Potato Road; Spread Eagle; and my favorite that I won’t attempt to pronounce, Zzyzx Road.  Its easy to understand why an occasional mail carrier goes “postal”; hmmmm…now that I think about it, I wonder how the talking GPS systems would pronounce Zzyzx Road?

        Regardless of where you travel, or on what street, the most enjoyable reading material while on the road has to be business advertisements and roadway caution signs.  Comedians must have years worth of comedy material.  Do counties actually spend our hard earned tax dollars creating these: Caution Water On Road During Rain ;  14 ½  MPH ;  Hitchhikers May Be Escaping Inmates ;  and Caution Tree in Center of Road.  I can only assume that the State and/or County’s who issue licenses know how stupid some people are, or maybe it’s just a cheap way our locally elected officials Band-Aid community issues by saying they did something.  Which brings me to local business advertisements like the shared sign a restaurant and fueling station created, Eat Here And Get Gas…need I say more. 

        Travel can be boring at times, but local communities, towns, and businesses in their wisdom, humorous moments, and stupidity, create wonderful travel entertainment.  Keep your eyes open and a camera at the ready to record these precious traveling mementos; then include them in your “What I Did On My Summer Vacation” slide show, it’ll help keep your audience awake and humored after the first few hundred slides. 

Prosh-chavay (Good Bye in Ukrainian)

Patrick Witz
Writer/Editor/Publisher/Photographer
Gold Country Families E-Magazine
A FREE Internet Travel, Entertainment, & Leisure Magazine
editor@goldcountryfamilies.com
http://www.goldcountryfamilies.com

• ** New Format **   Detailed calendar of events and activities is available for viewing on the website separated into date order for easy navigation by clicking on the link above. Please let us know if you like this new format at feedback@goldcountryfamilies.com.

FAMILY DESTINATION SECTION:
http://www.goldcountryfamilies.com/family-destinations-page.html

• Listed below are portions of this month's featured article(s) recently added to Gold Country Families E-Magazine.  Please stop in and peruse previous months articles on a diverse variety of family destinations using the link above:
  
  
  Put a Little Zip Into Your Trip
  Zip Lining at Moaning Cavern, Vallecito, California
  By Jane Haworth
  

   
  

  You may think you need to hop on a plane and fly to Costa Rica or Hawaii to join in zip line adventure tours, but now we can enjoy them here in California.  Located on a scenic hillside in the Gold Country between Angels Camp and Murphys at the Moaning Caverns in Vallecito, is a new zip line experience. 
  
  Following the route connecting many 49er Gold Mine towns, our journey began with a enduring three hour drive.  Leaving Auburn, California we pass many historically significant gold mining sites, like Coloma, Hangtown, through Sutters Creek and Angels Camp, arriving eventually at Moaning Caverns... --- CONTINUED ---  For more of this article and others, please visit the Family Destination link listed above.
  
  
  
  Black Chasm Caverns
  

  By Jane Haworth
  

  
  
  Traveling along historic Hwy. 49 region there are many caverns and mines to explore; Mercer Caverns near Murphy’s, California Caverns at Cave City, the Gold Cliff Historic Mine at Angels Camp, the Sutter Gold Mine at Sutters Creek, and lastly the Black Chasm Cavern at Volcano that we chose to explore.
  
  Our 50 minute walking tour took us down into a limestone cavern which was declared a National Natural Landmark in 1976 and only opened to the public in 2000. Descending through a series of narrow staircases with viewing platforms designed to give the best views without impacting the natural pristine environment, one voyages downward into this vertical cave.  In the Colossal Room the platform almost seems to be suspended mid-air as you look down 80 feet to glimpse a jewel-like turquoise lake.  Extruding from every wall... --- CONTINUED ---  For more of this article and others, please visit the Family Destination link listed above.
  
  

PARENT & GRANDPARENT GET-A-WAYS SECTION:
http://www.goldcountryfamilies.com/parental-get-a-ways-page.html

• Listed below are portions of this month's featured article(s) recently added to Gold Country Families E-Magazine. Please stop in and peruse previous months articles on a diverse variety of parent and grandparent get-a-ways using the link above:

READER STORIES SECTION:
http://www.goldcountryfamilies.com/reader-stories-page.html

• Below are new short-short travel related reader stories that have recently been added to Gold Country Families E-Magazine's Reader Stories Section.  Please stop in and read not only this months but also previous months short-short stories of interesting, funny, exciting, touching, emotional, and sometimes wacky travel tales by using the link above:

Don’t worry, if you don’t want anyone to know it was a you, a relative, friend, wife, husband, sister, brother…your identity will remain anonymous by request.

WEATHER-FIRE-ROADS SECTION:
 http://www.goldcountryfamilies.com/weather-fire-roads-page.html

• This section has been modified to increase the speed of viewing.  All the information is readily available via third party resource links. 

RESOURCE LINKS SECTION:
 http://www.goldcountryfamilies.com/resource-links-page.html

• We are always adding new resource links to this section throughout the month.  If you know of a particular travel or travel-related link that you feel would be beneficial to other readers, please forward the links to feedback@goldcountryfamilies.com.  The editorial staff will review the links and consideration them for inclusion as resources. 
  

RESTAURANT SECTION:
 http://www.goldcountryfamilies.com/restaurants-page.html

• We are slowly incorporating into the Restaurant section Theater Highlights.  If you have any restaurants or theaters that you feel should be included and shared in this section, please let us know at: restaurant-theater-highlight@goldcountryfamilies.com .
  

 
Writers Wanted:  If you, or you know of anyone, who would like to find a starting place to begin writing professionally, or you just enjoy sharing travel adventures, dining experiences, lodging pleasures, discoveries of annual events, or feel the urge to show appreciation for great entertainment; THIS publication is a grand opportunity for individuals to advance their writing skills and generate some professional writing clips.  Act now, as Gold Country Families E-Magazine is currently looking for talented aspiring writers.  To take advantage of this wonderful opportunity, please send information on yourself and include any writing experiences (if any) that you've had to:  writer-queries@goldcountryfamilies.com 

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Please forward any comments, feedback, or concerns, regarding this Newsletter or Gold Country Families E-Magazine to feedback@goldcountryfamilies.com.  Thank you for your support and interest in Gold Country Families E-Magazine. 

Patrick Witz
Editor/Publisher
Gold Country Families E-Magazine
A FREE Internet Travel, Entertainment, & Leisure Magazine
editor@goldcountryfamilies.com
http://www.goldcountryfamilies.com

Copyright 2008.  All Rights Reserved.