"In the winter of 2021, as the pandemic pressed life inward, Jenny McBride and Jo Gray began doing what so many did to stay sane: they went for walks. Each day, the couple looped through their Newton neighborhood, circling the same streets, passing the same houses, nodding at the same passersby. At first, the walks felt like freedom, a way to stretch their legs and explore beyond the walls of their duplex."
"One day, they drove a few miles west to Natick. It wasn't far - just a stone's throw on the map - but it felt transformative. The change in scenery, the unfamiliar streets, the simple act of being somewhere new sparked something in them. "Our eyes were open," McBride said. "We were uplifted." That small thrill led to a much bigger idea. On January 2, 2021, McBride and Gray set out on an open-ended mission: to visit all 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts."
In winter 2021, during the pandemic, Jenny McBride and Jo Gray began daily walks around their Newton neighborhood until the routine felt constricting. A short trip west to Natick refreshed them and inspired an open-ended project. On January 2, 2021, they began visiting every Massachusetts city and town, committing to all 351 municipalities. Over four years they traveled from urban blocks to rural back roads, coastal harbors to mountain trails, completing the journey in Boston in December 2025. The journey revealed both famous landmarks and quieter local stories, including memorable individuals like Washington’s "Cookie Lady," and prompted personal reflection and growth.
Read at Boston.com
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