Meet Nikki & Andy Peterson | Content creator / Travel Blogger

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nikki & Andy Peterson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nikki & Andy, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
We wanted to do something together. We have always had an interest it starting our own business, But have struggled with what exactly that business we should be. We started a business making decorative signs. At the same time we tested out building furniture. We even played around with the idea of taking over the family glass business.

Ultimately we decided on a business that we could all do as a family. Our goal is to motivate, encourage, and inspire families to get out and explore. We want to provide them with the information they might need to know about different locations they may want to visit. Traveling with kids can be difficult and expensive. We want to show families that it is not only possible but that it is essential in creating lasting memories as a family. Families don’t have to travel across the country to find an adventure. There are so many amazing places to visit right in your own backyard.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Our brand really began in 2000. Although at that time it wasn’t a name. I (Andy) just turned 15 years old. I was playing high school basketball. This sport was my main focus in life. I can honestly say, I went to high school just so I could play basketball. On July 26th 2000 I was a passenger in a vehicle that went head on with a tractor trailer. I suffered numerous injuries, including: Broken femur; a collapsed lung; and a severed aorta. During recovery I used basketball as a way to build up strength again, but I came to realize that there was more to life than sports.

A year after the accident I once again found myself in a doctor’s office. This time it was to inform me that I had a form of Hodgkin Lymphoma that would require me to undergo chemotherapy. Another shocking reminder to me that life is about more than sports. At a time that I should have felt down in the dumps I didn’t. WHY? It was because I had the support of some amazing family and friends. It was during my time doing Chemo that I really started to develop a love for history and learning. As a family we would take road trips to visit family. With a church youth group I did a 350 mile bike ride down the Coast of California. I had visited these locations before but for some reason these trips gave me a new perspective. The world is a beautiful place.

When Nikki and I started dating dating she introduced me to all of the adventures her family would take growing up. They would spend most summers on the river in Parker, Az wakeboarding, and boating.

When we go married in 2009 we decided we wanted to raise our kids on all of the same type of adventures we had growing up. We wanted them to learn at a young age that the world is a beautiful place full of adventure and excitement.

This was not easy. Life got in the way. We were broke when we first got married. We couldn’t afford big trips anywhere so we stayed home. We were both working and going to school full time. We constantly talked about starting a business to bring in some extra money. There was just one problem, we had no idea what we really wanted to do. What is something that we cared about enough to dedicate ourselves to it full time.

By the time we finished school we had all three of our kids. This was our entire focus. I would work full time as a production supervisor at an Aerospace company, while Nikki would work taking care of the kids and home. It was very busy and we didn’t see much of each other, especially when I began working night shift. In her free time Nikki started creating crafts and selling them online. She would come up with some of the most creative designs and quotes for signs. She found a lot of success with this business. At one time our entire garage was lined with Five foot tall “Welcome” signs that people had purchased for their front porch. With her education and sharp mind, Nikki developed a thriving business out of our garage.

Then Covid hit. Like most families the lock down hit us pretty hard. We were all asked to quarantine. My days at work were beginning to be cut and rumors of layoffs started circulating. So there we were, a family of five with nothing but time. As we looked for things to do we found that most places we wanted to go were closed. Anywhere that large public gatherings would take place were closed to the public.

I remembered that growing up we would take roadtrips to visit family out of state. We would stop at some of the most random places, but each one has a cool and unique history. We began researching places nearby. We found some amazing local trails that were still open. These hikes were the beginning of our adventures. We realized that we were able to social distance and still have amazing times as a family. Shortly after we did a roadtrip to Wyoming stopping at scenic and FREE destinations along the way. We learned local history is visited many historical places. In my hometown Route 66 is a dominate part of the history. As lock down let up we continued to explore and learn about new locations.

We loved sharing the information we gathered with those around us. Before we knew it many of our friends were visiting places we were recommending. Then they started sharing tips with us. That is when we finally knew what we wanted to do for a business. We wanted to motivate, encourage and inspire families to get out and explore the world. That is why we started EveryMileUSA.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Five days showing people around the town is enough to give them the trip of a lifetime. We would take five days to follow Route 66 through northern Arizona. We would show them historical sites, scenic locations, and of course the best places to eat.

Trip would begin in Oatman, Az. Oatman is famous for a number of reason. This old mining town was featured in the Debbie Reynolds film “How the West was Won.” It was a frequent stop for Clark Gable and Carole Lombard. But I think the thing that makes this town famous today is current infestation. When the mine went bust, the miners let all of their donkeys loose into the neighboring hills. The children and grand children of those original mining burros have run the streets of the town ever since. There are also many shops and displays for visitors to see.

Traveling east on Route 66. Would go through Sitgreaves Pass. This is one of the windiest roads on route 66. From here we would continue to Cool Springs Station and then into Kingman Arizona. Kingman is full of museums and cool restaurants. It also has a lot of cool neon light at night it really gives the spirit of Route 66. Our favorite place to eat in Kingman is Mr. D’s diner. Right off of Andy Devine Ave., Mister D’s is a classic diner. It’s been visited by many celebrities over the years including Oprah, who claims that it has the best root beer in the world.

While leaving Kingman, there are a lot of cool places to stop and visit. There is Giganticus Headicus, Hackberry station, and more. The next stop would be Seligman Arizona. Seligman is one of the most popular stop on all of Route 66. It is because of a barber in this town that Route 66 was able to receive its historical recognition. It is also the town that Pixar used as inspiration for Radiator Springs in the movie Cars. Our favorite place to eat in this town It the Roadkill Cafe. The food is amazing, and the owners really know how to make your feel welcome. We really felt like part of the family.

The trip would continue through Williams, Flagstaff, Winslow, and Holbrook. Amazing Hotels and restaurants in each of these cities.

One of our favorite things to do is research each town that we are going through. As we research we look for what makes that town famous. Every town has a claim to fame. For Example, Winslow is probably best known for being the town named in the Eagles song “Take it Easy.” You may remember he was, “Standing on a corner in Winslow Arizona. Such a fine site to see…” The town has built a little park in down town for everyone to Stand on a corner. There is even a flatbed Ford on the corner as well.

I think the most important part of any trip is finding things that interest you. Also, being flexible. Some places might not be what’s expected. But there is still something to take away from that stop.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
We are extremely thankful to have both been raised by amazing parents. Both of us have parents who have always encouraged us. It is thanks to our parents that we have gained a love for travel, exploring, and family time. This shoutout is dedicated to their examples to us.

Website: EverymileUSA.com

Instagram: @EverymileUSA

Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UC4lUYyjjKmo2jD5k4ZjjDlg

Image Credits
All photos Taken By Andy and Nicole Peterson