Arriving at our campsite at 5 p.m. on Monday night left us with about 3 hours to set up camp, go into town for perishables, get the campfire going and dinner cooked before dark. In our practice run it only took about 45 minutes to set up and that included breaking the awning so we should be golden, right?

Wrong, several hours later we were still not finished and with everyone reaching critical levels of hangry (the point at which you surpass hungry loose all rational thought and go straight to angry land) Scott and Dylan headed to “town” to get some much-needed food.

Somewhere around midnight we finally had full bellies, our campsite setup, and some serious stargazing complete. Exhausted, we all crawled into our sleeping bags but for me sleep was elusive given my belief that every sound I heard was a “hangry” bear.

Happy to have not been eaten by a bear the next morning was filled with a spectacular sunrise over the mountains, blissful 63-degree weather and a campfire breakfast of bacon, eggs, and potatoes and peppers.

Please keep hands and feet inside the vehicle at all times we are now exiting the comfort zone.

Feeling like a bad ass pioneer girl I was now ready to tackle the public showers.

Okay, let me just make sure I have everything:

Shower shoes? Check
Soap? Check
Towel? Check
Change of clothes? Check
Inspect showers for any critters? Check and check

Lock shower door so old lady doesn’t walk in on me wearing nothing but my birthday suit and bright red Crocs?

Not checked.

Having scratched public nudity off my list, we headed to Luray Caverns where Dylan was not the least bit enthralled with the idea that we were headed 163 feet underground. I can’t really blame him though living in Florida if you find yourself that far underground then you’ve probably been swallowed by a sink hole. The day concluded with a late afternoon nap, sunset walk, and campfire s’mores.

Day two skipped morning shower in order to avoid running into my buddy again (even if she remembered nothing else the bright red Croc/nudity combo had to leave an impression).

After so much excitement packed into our previous day, we opted for a relaxing three-hour float down the Shenandoah River. Surrounded by the mountains and a cool breeze I could have easily drifted down the river fast asleep had I not noticed out of the corner of my eye that Dylan had suddenly picked up speed and started to move far too quickly ahead of the rest of us. Never one to panic Dylan simply sat upright in his tube and saluted us as he drifted away and yelled “Gentlemen, it has been an honor serving with you.” There goes, my baby! Wait, not a baby a twelve-year-old boy who needs my protection less and less every day and that’s a good thing. Right?

Day three, since our camp site was less than 90 minutes outside D.C. we made an impromptu decision to head to Stephan F. Udvar-Hazy Air & Space museum to check out the space shuttle and then to the National Mall for the what I am sure looked like a sequel to the a Griswold’s Grand Canyon tour.

My interest in space and flight mostly revolves around it working properly but seeing the space shuttle was definitely a bucket list item. Looking at this mammoth beast that was essentially exploded into space and returned safely not once but 39 times flying approximately 148,221,675 miles is a mind-blowing engineering marvel. The audacity it took to build it and fly it is an inspiring human marvel.

Speaking of marvels, the National Mall is certainly a testament to the human spirit and especially so close to Independence day. My husband’s father fought in Vietnam and sadly lost his best friend during that time. My husband is named after that friend and was overwhelmed with emotion as he looked at his namesake etched into the wall. I can’t say what brought on the emotions perhaps it was a mixture of gratitude for a sacrifice made by a man he’s never met or a connection to a part of his father’s life he’s never really known or the realization of how close he came to never being.

I am always moved by the way in which we humans push boundaries and face fears large and small. Whether it is friends fighting for survival, astronauts exploring the universe or families trying something new together.

Everyone feels a little naked and afraid when trying something new (for me it was both literal and figurative) it is what waits on other side that makes it all worthwhile? So, go get naked! Eww, put your clothes back on, I meant it metaphorically.

Until next time Happy Camping.

Oh, and just in case you are in the area here are a few recommendations:

Shenandoah River State Park – We feel extraordinarily lucky our first run at “roughing it” was here. The Rangers were attentive but not intrusive. The campsites were very well kept and the bathrooms and showers were spotless. Each site was nicely tucked away so we did not feel like we were right on top of our neighbors.

Eats – If you want a life-changing sandwich stop at West Main Market in Luray, Virginia. Then swing by the a Gathering Grounds for delicious coffee and desserts the size of your face.

Just because – If you’re so inclined you might want to kick in a few bucks to help the Page theater convert to digital. Theaters across the nation including the IMAX Dome Theater located at the Museum of Science & Industry, where I spend my non-vacationing hours, because of the expense to print on film most studios are only using digital formats. This means tiny family owned and operated and museum nonprofit theaters across the country will need to spend hundreds of thousands to millions to continue showing movies.