An American Long Weekend

Jon has this very enthusiastic - and, as I keep telling him, very optimistic - desire to see all of America. His dream is to do a road trip through the States from one coast to the other and back again, the kind that, if done properly, takes good chunk of time and savings, equal amounts of flexibility and spontaneity, and a willingness to rough it when needed.

If you've been reading here for a while, you'll know that I don't have any of those going spare.

So our compromise, at least for now, is putting our vacation days and money towards bites of travel around the US rather than saving up for bigger holidays back to the UK or to other exotic (to me) locales. We're taking every opportunity to visit places in America, and are especially eager to take advantage of the amazing places within a two or three hour drive of DC. (Remember when we spent a day wandering around Annapolis soon after Jon arrived?) So, in the spirit of exploration and in need of some nature, we've rented a cabin in the Shenandoah Valley for the holiday weekend!

The cabin, of course, is dog-friendly; finding somewhere Charlie could stay too was absolutely a priority. There's a lot to do in the area, including visiting the caverns at Luray, but I think our days will be full of strenuous relaxation outdoors - you know, hiking, swimming, sunning, and reading. Oh, and grilling! I'm especially excited to introduce Jon to s'mores, which he's never had.

There's no internet out there and cell service is apparently practically non-existent, so I'll take lots of photos but have promised Jon I won't even try to share them until we get back. I'll see you on the other side of the weekend, dear readers - have a wonderful holiday!