The Great American Road Trip 2010: The East Coast

This morning we awoke to squeals and laughter around 5:53 a.m. (not that I am bitter or anything). The girls were well aware that today was the day. After celebrating Father’s Day with friends and family, they would be sleeping in the RV. We have been on the RV countdown since the first week of June when I told the kids they only had seventeen more sleeps until the next “Big, Big Trip” to which Ella replied with exasperation, “Awww, that’s going to take FOREVER. I can’t even count to 17!”

This morning has become a blur. Even under duress, I couldn’t recall the chaos that was under way by 7. It was Father’s Day for Pete’s Sake. We had to make breakfast in bed! We had gifts to give Daddy. We had to finish packing the refrigerated items and toiletries. We had to EMPTY TRASHCANS! With no time to waste, I jumped out of bed to get the coffee brewing. TV: ON. New Zealand was playing Italy this morning. The underdogs, the darlings of the World Cup, were taking on a soccer giant. Can’t miss that either! Ok. I can do this. Coffee is brewing. Fried eggs, bacon, bagels, and farmer’s market blackberries: check. “Aidan, you take Dad a cup of coffee. GO! Abby, take this plate. Yes, you can tell him that you helped. No, kids, don’t fight over the food. NO FIGHTING ON FATHER’S DAY!” The kids and I shoved a high calorie breakfast under Brent’s chin and ran back to the kitchen to get all the dishes loaded into the dishwasher. 5 minutes pass… “Ella. Go see if Daddy is done with breakfast. He is? Good! Kids, grab your presents and take them to dad to open. Yep, yep. It’s all great. How sweet! OK, that’s enough. QUICK! Grab your backpacks. Let’s GO GO GO!” Poor Brent sat there shell shocked for about 20 seconds and then realized that Mom meant business. Time to get going.

The Kiwis just tied the Italians! Are you kidding me??! This is awesome! “Hey, Brent, did you pack the ketchup? GO! GO! GO!”

We worked so hard for the next two hours that I don’t think any of us could recall what happened between 9:30 and 11:30 today. It’s all a blur, but with the exception of the refrigerated items, the RV was packed and organized. We ran back into the house, happy to be back in the air conditioning for a moment, before loading up in the car for the trip to Lewisburg to have an early dinner with family and friends.

After dinner, we said goodbye to Tipper. She will be spending the next two weeks at “Camp Donna Jo,” finishing Mom’s yogurt, riding on the golf cart, and having a grand time. The kids waved excitedly from the windows as we pulled out of Creekside.

Back at the house, Brent and I were feeling a bit anxious. It was the RV Itch. We needed to get on the road. We tucked the kids in the bed for their first slumber party of the Summer, while we made mad dashes back and forth to the house to load the last of the necessities on board.

The plan for the night had been to sleep in the RV so we could wake up at dawn and start driving, but the wait for first light was too long. Instead of sleeping, we decided to fire up “The Family Truckster” and try for a Cracker Barrel parking lot in Knoxville. As the big diesel sputtered, chugged, and roared to life, a cheer went up from the rear of the RV where we thought the kids were sleeping. “Daddy’s the Highwayman!”

….. And we’re off!