The great American road trip

We just got back from a nine-day road trip that took us 2,100 miles through seven states and, with apologies to those who might take this the wrong way, we had an f-ing good time.

To me, F stands for all the best things summer offers — Family! Friends! Food! Fireworks! Freedom! and Fun!

We saw the sun set over majestic skylines and quiet lakes; ate giant sandwiches in Pittsburgh, chicken shawarma in Manhattan and shrimp boil on Culver Lake; hiked through waterfalls in the Poconos, road a trolley through the Strip District and played board games on the perfect screened-in porch of a lake house.

We celebrated the eternal gift of friendship in Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, laughed at old memories and made some beautiful new ones with our college friends there.

We discovered Bushkill Falls, a pretty place on the eastern edge of the Delaware Water Gap that will require its own post.

We visited our favorite New Yorkers, walked from Queens to the Highline and all over Greenwich Village, won a trivia contest at The Central Bar and toasted a glorious sunset from the rooftop of our hotel. (We logged 11 miles of vigorous walking on that day, which is good because I ate my weight in hand rolled bagels on this trip. Yum Yum!)

We capped off our vacation with Tara’s family in New Jersey and, as I sat on their boat watching fireworks light up the night sky, I felt overwhelmed with gratitude for our family and the precious people who are expanding it in such lovely, lovely ways.

If you haven’t done so in a while, I encourage you to treat yourself to a good, old fashioned road trip through this beautiful country of ours.

I bet you’ll have an f-ing good time too.