Day one (and two) of the trip found our family of three on the road. We drove from Philly to Nashville, TN. And I am in no way exaggerating when I tell you the trip took us 18 hours.

Eight. Teen. Hours.

Maxine handled it way better than I did. She watched Sesame Street, snacked, slept and played with her feet. I snacked and complained.

Our ultimate destination was home to Indianapolis, but we rode thru Nashville prospecting. We’re considering a move from the East Coast and the music city was one of our potential places. We had a nice visit but it’s off the short list. It’s just too, um, what’s the word for a complete lack of diversity? White? No. Lame? No. I don’t know, it just doesn’t offer enough je ne sais quoi. The East Coast can be a rough ride but it’s equal opportunity hard living.

Don’t get me wrong, Nashville is no 18-hrs in a car. It’s a perfectly lovely place to visit, it just didn’t wow any of us.

Shenandoah National Park however wowed us all. Should you ever be traveling these parts of the country in the sagittal plane, you can drive miles/hours throught the skyline drive in the park. Six thumbs up.