10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 .......

The countdown has entered the final stages and we are about to step off. It has all rushed up fairly quickly and we are hoping that everything is in order. If it's not - so be it. Last weekend we had something resembling a small rehearsal. We travelled about two hours to a state park in scenic West Virginia with some American friends and boys from Matthew's travel soccer team. We kind of loaded the car with some of the camping gear and as we crossed the border into West Virginia we marveled at the beautiful mountains and noticeably ordinary roads compared to where we'd come from. We spent the afternoon at a lovely picnic area on a lake with a sandy beach. The grounds were lovely and after paying a few dollars to enter the fenced off beach we enjoyed a very nice swim. It was hot day and we shared the 'Redneck Riviera' with some fine local folk. I felt slightly out of place not having any tattoos and all my teeth. Though any apprehensions quickly disappeared when I thought about the trip we were about to start. This is exactly the sort of experience that we are seeking. We want to see the real America and we certainly are. Great day and really set our minds to the journey ahead. It starts tomorrow.