New Bern

In 2012 before we found Meandering Joy we traveled North Caroline from the far west side town of Mars Hill to the coast where we were scheduled for a ride on the Cedar Island to Ocracoke Ferry.  We were headed to TrawlerFest in Baltimore, Maryland.  We were going to take the scenic route to Maryland. 

We learned that North Carolina is a very, very, very wide state.  One of our stops along the way was in New Bern. New Bern sits alongside the Neuse River which we crossed while moving Meandering Joy from Maryland on our first voyage south.  

New Bern is scattered with historic districts and is the home of Pepsi Cola. In 1893 the famous soda made from a secret combination of carbonated water, sugar, pepsin, kola nut extract, vanilla and rare oils was originally called "Brads Drink"  after David Caleb Bradham the inventor.   Founded 1710 by Christophe de Graffenried who named the city New Bern in honor of his hometown Bern, Switzerland.  Bern in Swiss means bear.  We discovered multiple bears in New Bern. 

We hope to visit New Bern by boat one day!