We started the day in a Cracker Barrel parking lot somewhere outside of Knoxville. The Highwayman needed his sleep, since he drove the rig until nearly midnight. When the kids woke around 7, I walked the short distance to the local Starbucks, ordering a couple of lattes. It was a hot morning, but blessedly not as hot has it has been in Middle Tennessee.

Fueled by coffee and bagels, we took off for Virginia. The Nessie was running well and the kids were excited to get back on the road. Today’s destination was only 250 miles from Knoxville, so we settled in for a short and sweet drive through the mountains into the heart of the Shenandoah Valley. “Kids, look. We’re in the mountains,” I said. The kids replied, “Where are they?” It was difficult to convince them that we had indeed entered the Jefferson & Washington National Forest.

It’s nearly impossible to take this trip without comparing it to last year’s 7000 mile journey out West and back. With Montana on our minds, we made fruitless attempts to see Virginia for what she is without comparing her topography to the Great American West, but it just wasn’t possible. While Eastern Tennessee and the mountains of Virginia are spectacular in their own right, the drive couldn’t hold the attention of the kids as well as it did last summer. As Aidan begged for me to finally hook up his wii, the girls colored page after page of their Hello Kitty coloring books.

Undeterred by the lack of enthusiasm for the majesty of the elegant, if not spectacular, surroundings, I did my best to maintain a level of decorum. It took some work to entertain the kids on this leg, and I found myself really missing Megan, but we made it work. Just when I thought mutiny was on the horizon, we reached our exit.

The Jellystone Campground of Natural Bridge Station, Virgina, was only 10 miles off the interstate. I sent the kids to the back of the bus to put on their swimsuits and get ready for an afternoon of pure and simple CAMPING (well, as simple as it can be in a 40 foot RV). We swore off the World Cup and it’s commentary, which was still streaming through on Direct TV. The televisions and video games were now off-limits. Finally reaching the campsite, we checked in and were escorted to our “slip.”

The site was void of trees… good for satellite reception… bad for the heat. No matter, we parked and began the drill of set-up. Sunscreen applied, we walked back to the “Ranger Station” for the requisite check-in. BLASTED Jellystone! We dressed for river floating but were advised that the kids might be too young to enjoy the 4 hour tour of the James River. 4 HOURS! We thought it would be great to spend the day ona lazy river tube but agreed that setting off for a four hour tour might be too much for this crowd. Que: Gilligan.

The pool was free, but the adjoining waterslides and ultra-cool sprinkler parks would cost us $11 per child extra. Never has the adage, “There is no such thing as a free lunch” been more true. The site for the night was only $45. We should have known. We have done this before.

Wristbands now securely fastened, we were ready for the pool plus. Aidan made his way to the waterslides while the kikis practiced their dives, known forever more as the “Flying Hornet.”

An hour later, we were running like fools through the $11 a day sprinklers and jumping on only the yellow sections of the jumpy pillows, as the red and green squares were too hot. We were warned AFTER purchasing tickets that the best time to jump without burning one’s feet was post-sundown. Alas, another thing to miss about the West.

After a couple of hours, the kids were starting to complain about being hungry. Too hot to grill, I bunted and cooked up some broccoli rabe with chicken sausage and pasta and a salad for dinner, which we ate in the bus. WE NEVER EAT IN THE RV, but the weather was just not cooperating.

Tummies filled we set off on bikes for the playground. The girls had a ball on the surprisingly well-equipped play area, as Aidan joined a wiffle ball game already in progress. One can always rely on dozens of kids being around for playmates at the Jellystone Campgrounds.

Finally, the sun set on the Summer Solstice. It was time for S’Mores. We lit the campfire and took out the necessary tools. The kids had so many marshmallows that they didn’t even argue when it was time to wash off the sunscreen and bug spray for the night. Showered and clean, they headed back to bed for the, hopefully, fabulous sleep that follows a day and night of play.

Brent and I enjoyed a glass of wine while the campfire eventually died out. It was a great night to be a parent.

Tomorrow, we begin the sightseeing in earnest. By 10 a.m., we plan to be at Monticello for a tour of Thomas Jefferson’s home, followed by a tour of Mt. Vernon by the afternoon.

The itinerary is very different this year, but we strive for the same result… Unforgettable family time.