Current Pandemic, Cancelled December trip, staying home

[pvstoy]

We had planed to head out on the road for a couple of weeks. Trip would take us to Southern Nevada Valley of Fire, places in Arizona, Phoenix , Patagonia Lakes, then into New Mexico Bitsi-Badlands and places between.

We had a discussion for 2 days on "go" - "no go" and decided the risk is too great. The risk is the astronomical amount of people that now have the virus out there spreading it without even know that they are. The wave is spiking and increasing everyday. More hospitals are setting up makeshift rooms to handle the rush but lack the personnel to operate the expansion. California has ordered a lock down situation hoping to slow the numbers and prevent more deaths.

So if one had a unexpected medical need or was involved in a traffic accident while out in rural USA then that puts you at risk not getting the proper necessary care to treat your condition. It also puts a demand on a already fragile medical system.

It is not like back in October when the cases were low and traveling was not risky. So we decided to stay more local until conditions improve or the vaccine is widely available to the public.

We have a trip planned for Yellowstone in winter but will make that decision when the time comes.

If you are traveling and camping please stay safe and be cautious, being respectful of the communities you travel through.

Cheers...

 

[AWG_Pics]

Seems like a wise decision. Traveling through uncontrolled pandemic areas seems like an unnecessary risk with a vaccine a few months away. Who wants to be one of the last victims of a well documented disease that will soon be preventable?

 

[wicked1]

Try having a job.. Talk about scary.
Sitting at a desk w/ members of the public walking up all day long. The risk of losing my job if I take off sick. Other employees coming back to work, still very sick, because if they missed one more day they'd have to be replaced. Have to have the seat filled, and if it's not the covid spreading employee, it will be someone else.

If you're able to make decisions about being exposed, feel very grateful.

 

[larryqp]

I also have struggled with "to travel or not travel" decision. Making last minute plans is nearly impossible if reservations are required, as in Big Bend National Park for all camping, even backcountry. So I decided to plan a trip to BBNP in mid January and make all my reservations. I assume the pandemic will either greatly improve by then as a few people get vaccinated and we begin to get on the downward slope of the # of cases, or it will continue to explode, in which case I will cancel.

I decided that if I go on the trip, I will bring enough supplies for the entire trip so that I only have to stop for fuel, which is contactless pay at the pump. I feel very safe from Covid hiking, its outside, I step off the trail when approaching hikers need to pass and can also pull up a mask if needed. I can be completely self contained, and will do that.

I never though of the having an accident component and needing medical care, but in 22 years as a full -time RVer, on the road, I've only had two motor vehicle accidents, one was just a minor one, no medical staff involved, the second was a roll over accident at 70 mph, which required EMTs on the scene, but no other medical care. So I'll roll the dice on the accident component , plus my odds are probably the same driving to the grocery store locally to pick up groceries.

I practice all the recommended Covid precautions, I don't do anything except go to the grocery store every 2 weeks, hike locally, I'm retired, cook meals at home and have very little contact with my neighbors and then its outdoors. Therefore I feel my odds of bringing Covid to another community are close to zero.

Lastly, locally, I still see people not wearing masks, or not wearing them properly and have still met folks that think this is blown out of proportion. I don't get it. Last night's news announced that there were only 23 ICU beds available in the entire state of NM. So maybe I'm better off being someone else, who knows.

Be safe out there

 

[Ted]

Good call Patrick. We are facing a similar issue. We have a new rig being built in South Carolina. Should be done in February. Our plan was to fly back there and drive it home. But with the way this virus is getting out of control and me being one of those people with a "compromised immune system", flying and driving across country probably isn't a good idea right now.

It can be delivered on a flatbed...for $6-7k. Yikes!

I have a niece that, with her partner, transports sailboats for people . They are willing to do it for us. But if we are concerned about the risk to us, why would we be willing to put someone else at risk?

So, yes, this whole covid thing is leading to a lot of tough decisions for a lot of people

 

[fish more]

With the numbers spiking the way they are, I don't think this is the time for any long trips. I've been hanging out at our private fishing club on the Yuba River. It's great to have a place to go and camp, fish and relax.

 

[pvstoy]

Try having a job.. Talk about scary.
Sitting at a desk w/ members of the public walking up all day long. The risk of losing my job if I take off sick. Other employees coming back to work, still very sick, because if they missed one more day they'd have to be replaced. Have to have the seat filled, and if it's not the covid spreading employee, it will be someone else.

If you're able to make decisions about being exposed, feel very grateful.

Thank you for sharing that angle. It is most difficult for your position and for others that must work with the public to protect yourself.
Being retired does give one some options to avoid people. Stay safe!

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Good call Patrick. We are facing a similar issue. We have a new rig being built in South Carolina. Should be done in February. Our plan was to fly back there and drive it home. But with the way this virus is getting out of control and me being one of those people with a "compromised immune system", flying and driving across country probably isn't a good idea right now.

It can be delivered on a flatbed...for $6-7k. Yikes!

I have a niece that, with her partner, transports sailboats for people . They are willing to do it for us. But if we are concerned about the risk to us, why would we be willing to put someone else at risk?

So, yes, this whole covid thing is leading to a lot of tough decisions for a lot of people

Good call Ted definitely not worth the risk especially in your case.
Stay safe my friend.

Did you see the story about the next release of Pliny the Younger?
Cheers.
Frank

 

[smlobx]

Things are tightening up here on the East Coast as well with NC and VA tightening restrictions.
We have postponed any overlanding trips until at least the spring as we have added incentive to stay healthy....

We just welcomed our first granddaughter into the world last week and have promised to remain as isolated as possible between visits to minimize any chance of contamination.

On the good news side I heard today that Canada has approved the vaccine in their country so assuming that we get approval maybe as soon as this weekend we all might ba able to travel freely by this summer...

 

[AWG_Pics]

Things are tightening up here on the East Coast as well with NC and VA tightening restrictions.
We have postponed any overlanding trips until at least the spring as we have added incentive to stay healthy....

We just welcomed our first granddaughter into the world last week and have promised to remain as isolated as possible between visits to minimize any chance of contamination.

On the good news side I heard today that Canada has approved the vaccine in their country so assuming that we get approval maybe as soon as this weekend we all might ba able to travel freely by this summer...

Congratulations on your granddaughter! Let's all hope that in a few months we will look back on 2020 as just a fading bad memory!

 

[Vic Harder]

Things are tightening up here on the East Coast as well with NC and VA tightening restrictions.
We have postponed any overlanding trips until at least the spring as we have added incentive to stay healthy....

We just welcomed our first granddaughter into the world last week and have promised to remain as isolated as possible between visits to minimize any chance of contamination.

On the good news side I heard today that Canada has approved the vaccine in their country so assuming that we get approval maybe as soon as this weekend we all might ba able to travel freely by this summer...

Canada approved the Pfizer vaccine. Estimates are that we won't have vaccinated everyone until September of 2021. Plus there are folks who don't plan to get vaccinated. The future looks to remain weird for a while longer....

 

[craig333]

When I retired earlier this year I had grand plans for some lengthy trips. Looks like its still going to be short trips and those as conditions allow. I have hopes a february Mojave trip will happen. We'll see.

 

[BrianG]

I’m not personally worried about going to a grocery store or camping, these wouldn’t be my reasons for not leaving home, but i wouldn’t go for PVSTOY’s other reason, an accident or other health issue, with hospitals filling up.

 

[smlobx]

In case you missed it the Pfizer vaccine was approved by the FDA yesterday in the US. Due to the cold chain requirements the initial roll out will be to facilities that can maintain the proper temperature. Specifically it will probably be medium to larger hospitals that will be able to inoculate their medical staff and others in the highest risk group.

The Moderna vaccine is scheduled to be heard by the FDA on the 17th and their vaccine will be easier to distribute to a larger general population due to their less stringent cold chain requirements.

Let’s keep our fingers crossed.....

 

[craig333]

The vaccine can't come too soon. Trying to balance the risk of the virus vs. the need to support my dad while he cares for my mom. As soon as Kaiser tells me its my turn I'll be there. Being able to travel again will just be a bonus.

 

[OutToLunch]

The US has contracted with Pfizer for one hundred million doses. As one has to take two doses to become vaccinated, that means Pfizer vaccine is good for fifty million people max. As the federal government passed on ordering more doses from Pfizer, Pfizer has already been contracted by other countries for future production.

It will be a long road to “normalcy”.

Like craig333, I retired this year. Was considering a January road trip across the US to visit my sisters in Pennsylvania, but that will not be happening next year.

 

[PaulT]

Don’t count on a return to normalcy any year soon. Too many government entities have grown drunk on their new powers to voluntarily return to normal too soon. The Lord Acton quote that “Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.” , would suggest the power to determine our travels, eating acommendations, getting together, working to earn a living, is likely a very addictive drug.

Even Fauci has suggested that the vaccine really won’t fix things such that we can assume control of our own lives again.
If you’re not familar with Cloward & Piven, it may be useful to look them up.

Paul

 

[AWG_Pics]

The pandemic is certainly changing society. Like other major world calamities (Black Death, French Revolution, WWI, WWII) the outcomes and changes are beyond the ken of even the most brilliant thinkers. Humans have a ridiculously bad track record at predicting the future accurately, nevertheless we are planning at least three, maybe four, trips for 2021. Time will tell how wrong we will be, but we remain hopeful.

 

[Occidental]

We just returned (2 weeks ago) from a trip similar to the one you had planned to the southwest. We only went inside to grocery stores in our 3 weeks out. We originally planned a trip to baja but cancelled. It was definitely less exposure than staying home and working, no question. We stay extra cautious but there are always a few people not wearing masks. The thing I still don't understand is the group with two people wearing masks and one without.

 

[PaulT]

The thing I still don't understand is the group with two people wearing masks and one without.

Not hard to understand. Some folks have a false sense of security.*

Paul

*Which is left as an exercise for the reader.