Say what?
Random guy to other random guys: You still choppin’ up them dead animals? [insert banjo music in the background here]

Random waitress: Y’all are from Florida? Well, why’d ya come here?

Me to park ranger: Do we have to watch out for bears?

Park Ranger to me: Nah, we haven’t had too many bears this season.

Me responding to park ranger (but with my inside voice): Wait, what do you mean by “not too many”? Please, don’t leave me I really need more detail!

Park Ranger to all of us: Avoid the skunks.

Me to me: Is it common for folks around these parts to not avoid them? Is this a thing? Like Hillbilly Hand-fishing? I did not see it on the Virginia Board of Tourism site.

Me to bike rental dude: How tough are the mountain biking trails out here?

Bike rental dude to me: Pretty easy just watch out for the sheer drop offs into the trees.

Me to everyone in the family: You must deal with your flatulence outside of the camper!

Every story needs a villain
Still fresh off my previous public shower trauma I find myself under attack once again. This time, it was a creepy-eat-your-face-off-horror movie-ninja-spider. Stealthily, hiding in the folds of the shower curtain waiting to reveal himself once I was at my most vulnerable. Rinse soap out of eyes and BAM there he was all hidden tiger crouching dragon ready to pounce. I mean, he actually never moved, but the point is he could have and probably would have, I think.

Public Showers 2 Tanya 0

Nowhere to run to, nowhere to hide
At home, we have a house with rooms and televisions, and WiFi, and Netflix, and Apple TV, and really safe showers (just saying). It isn’t like we don’t spend time together as a family we make a point to do so, but the fact remains with the distractions of work, electronics, and the kids now teenagers with interests of their own quality time as a family is in shorter supply.

Family time was one of the main reasons we chose to buy the camper. No distractions, just family time and guess what? It is actually working. After a couple of days of bickering, the boys finally realized this was it – love and enjoy the ones you are with because you have no place to hide. The days are busy with adventures and the nights are filled with stargazing, epic Uno battles and serious belly laughs. Well, played mom and dad, well played.

Gentlemen, start your engines
We are a competitive family. It doesn’t matter if it is an outdoor activity, a household chore, or a game of Uno. Our family motto “Vomacka’s never give up!”

So, when a family pulled up next to us with a pop-up camper, I was anxious to see just how long it would take them to set up.

These folks were pros. They jumped out of the car with military precision while the dad yelled “the faster we set up the quicker you eat.” Like an Indy pit crew they all grabbed tools worked their magic and had everything set up in 25 minutes (Yes, I timed them. I told you we are competitive). I am sure they thought us very strange staring at them with our mouths agape with a look of wonder and a hint of jealousy in our eyes.

Challenge accepted strangers from the north, challenge accepted.