| Greenville News
On April 1, 2020, Mike Hill and Whitney Conroy embarked on a life-changing journey, they say.
After returning from Europe to celebrate their engagement, they left Venice Beach, California, to drive to Michigan to visit Hill’s family. Soon, they decided to set up a mission to visit all contiguous states.
They stopped at many unique places along the way.
The largest crater in the country, in Arizona.
Colonel Sanders’ tomb in Kentucky.
A bank robbed by Bonnie and Clyde in Iowa.
But when they walked down Main Street in Greenville, South Carolina, they saw something different and fell in love with the city, they said.
Forty-eight states later, while reporting on the trip, they chose Greenville as their new home.
Conroy said he knew, the minute he arrived in Greenville, that it was worth more than just a ticket.
Hill loved the Reedy River waterfall in downtown Falls Park. Conroy, whose father is a “die-hard Red Sox fan”, loved the Fluor Field stadium in the West End.
They only intended to take a few trips when they left Venice Beach. They found much of the world in blockade when the coronavirus pandemic began to dominate the nation.
They considered whether they needed weapons, toilet paper or gasoline.
As Hill said, “after deciding it wasn’t the apocalypse”, they stepped on the gas.
“Since the illegal return of two bagels, two bags and two coffees on Beach Avenue, we have never stopped,” said Hill.
They put on gloves, masks and hand sanitizer and took the panoramic route, avoiding the big cities. Instead of Phoenix, they went to Flagstaff, Arizona. Instead of Albuquerque, they went to Santa Fe.
“Our goal was not to contact anyone,” said Hill.
It was in Wyoming that the inspiration came.
“Maybe we should start seeing some fun things across America while the country is empty,” Hill told Conroy.
“Well, where is Mount Rushmore?” Conroy asked.
The couple provided photos of many of their stops. They went to Sioux Falls. Many national parks. Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Madison, Wisconsin.
“We continue to take the road less traveled,” said Conroy.
Conroy became a member of Marriott Platinum, she said. They changed the car’s tires.
They made it to Michigan, where they threw snow. After spending time with Hill’s family, Hill decided it was time for another trip.
They arrived in Indiana, Tennessee and soon to South Carolina, booking an Airbnb near Lake Keowee.
To avoid cabin fever, they decided to take a walk through “this city, Greenville, which we had never heard of before,” said Hill.
They walked all over the city center, from Springwood Cemetery to the fluoride field.
“This place is going to be amazing when it opens,” Conroy told Hill.
They loved the feel of the city, especially the center.
“It has everything you look for in a big city without the problems of a big city,” said Hill. “There is something attractive about everything being within reach here and everything being accessible.”
They continued on their journey to Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas. They returned to California, then toured the upper half of the country, they said.
At the end of the summer, they decided to move. They limited their choice to three options: Bend, Oregon; Savannah, Georgia; and Greenville, South Carolina.
They chose Greenville.
Hill and Conroy signed a lease at Deca Apartments in October. Hill wanted to live in a place where they could see the nearby waterfall.
Conroy’s friend actually did a garage sale in California. And they moved to the new location in early November.
They still don’t have a coffee table and some furniture is still waiting. But they love their new home.
Hill and Conroy are now busy exploring Greenville. They are thrilled to host family and friends who have never visited them before, they said.
Conroy is looking forward to the baseball games on Greenville Drive. After all, she and Hill just bought tickets.
Macon Atkinson covers the city of Greenville for The Greenville News. It is fed by strong coffee, long runs and good sunsets. You can find her on Twitter @maconatkinson.