WEST POINT, in southeast New York State, is the site of the U.S. Military Academy, founded 1802. The academy, located in Orange County, sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, 50 miles (80 km) north of New York City. Academy\’s mission is to educate, train and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor, Country and prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to the nation as an officer in the United States Army.

credit: West Point – The U.S. Military Academy

Bodie was named after Waterman S. Body, who discovered gold here in 1859. It is an original mining town from the late 1800’s. Bodie had the reputation of being one of the most furious, vehement, violent and lawless towns. It once had a population of 10,000 people and some $75million in gold was taken from Bodie Butte. It is located on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in Mono County, California, about 75 miles southeast of Lake Tahoe, at an elevation of 8369 feet. Visitors can walk down the deserted streets of a town that is one of the most authentic abandoned gold mining towns of the Old West.

credit: jodastephen