I get very nervous right before it’s finally time to set sail. In the days and hours leading up to the grand departure I begin questioning everything.

Is doing this trip dumb? What did we forget? What if the bus breaks down? Will we go insane living together in a metal box smaller than any of our bedrooms? Will everyone have fun?

This is our eighth year as a family crossing the country and you’d think I’d get better at calming my nerves. Everyone else seems to have learned to avoid me in the final hours; but, once the key turns and we have backed down the driveway, almost instantly, my nerves dissipate. All the questioning and second guessing no longer mean anything. They don’t matter. I am in eternal bliss.

In less than two hours we will arrive at our first stop in Maryland, where we will camp with our closest friends for a few days before heading off to our next state. The perfect way to start an epic road trip.