Share your summer plans!

[Kirk W]

We have been toying with getting the RV ready to travel in the next couple of weeks and taking a trip up to a family farm in Kansas for a week or two, just to get some time away. We are presently living in the Dallas area, one of the population areas where the number of confirmed covid-19 cases continues to rise as is the number of people in hospitals. The death rate does seem to have fallen a little but with things mostly open or soon to be open and no improvement in control of the virus, we are really being very careful and plan to continue being so for the immediate future. The county where the farm is located has had only 5 positive cases and no deaths so we are thinking that the risk there may be less than to stay where we are. 

Would you share your thoughts and plans as you look to the near term? Please do not do as some have in the past and make this into an argument that has nothing to do with the discussion. 

[dblr]

We have already did a small trip to Indiana with friends to pick up their new River Stone Legacy 5th wheel, now at home but plan on leaving Wed to head to New Mexico, making it a 6 night trip then in Taos for 2 weeks then still looking for places to go from there, we do try our best to practice distance and wear masks when shopping and washing our hands a lot, just like we do at home. Stay safe and happy traveling!!!!

[Captain Happy]

With all the first time want-to-be RVer's this year with the increased Rv sales, and the CORID 19, I'm playing it safe staying put for awhile until thing's improve.

[fpmtngal]

Quite a few of my friends (part-timers) have trips planned somewhere.  While most of them are not going very far, at least one person I know is planning on going cross-country to see family.  Most are going to state parks in various states, though some have reservations at various commercial parks.  

I’ve already cancelled my summer plans.  I’m in Show Low, AZ at the moment and do have to relocate at the end of the month - my site was only available until the end of June.  The county that Show Low is in has a very high rate of infection, so while I’ve been hiking some, I’ve mostly stayed around my site.

I have a reservation in Ruidoso, NM for July and August, so I am traveling a bit, though I’m not going very far.  I’ve been on the fence about traveling further (originally planned to go to Idaho) but decided I can wait.  I still have reservations in Branson for Labor Day and the following week, just don’t know if there will be any reason to go.

 

[Cowdog353]

Staying close to base. My plans were to be well on my way to Alaska .  Thinking about a Colorado mountain trip to escape the Texas heat. Going slow and looking /researching before I leap.  

Hope  everyone is staying safe, us older folks need to be extra cautious.

jim

[rickeieio]

Just returned from a week in central Tennessee. No travel planned until the last week of July when four of us will go to Robbinsville, NC for a week of playing on motorbikes. Then home for a few days, only to turn around and head to Blue Ridge, GA for a week with the out-laws.  Home for another week then to Marietta, OH for the Paddle Wheeler festival and an antique  motorcycle rally.  We're just now planning a fall trip of 3-4 weeks to end at the HDT rally in Hutchinson, KS.

This retirement thing isn't half bad.

[fly2low]

Staying home for the summer.  Would like to go to Moab in the fall.  I will see how things are going then.  

[DJohns]

I was planning a trip to elkhart,indiana for some moryde repairs but the cases in  of covid in Elkart  have gone from 733 to 2168 in 26 days. Too much for me.

[LindaH]

We are staying home for the summer, trying to determine whether or not to make the trip south this winter as we usually do. 

I'm leaning toward going.  We boondock, so physical distancing will not be a problem.  We can order groceries online for curbside pickup, and if we want something to eat other than our own cooking, we can order that for pickup, too.  The biggest problem I foresee is doing laundry, but I think if we use a wash and fold service we should be fine...we would be inside only long enough to drop off and pick up the laundry, not an hour or more if we did the laundry ourselves. 

We have a few more months to make the final decision, so we shall see what happens. 

Edited June 18, 2020 by LindaH

[Second Chance]

We had just pulled in to Augusta, GA, the end of February and had taken delivery of our new RV when the pandemic curtain came down. Our spring/summer plans had included a series of military FamCamps up the east coast - Charleston, Norfolk, Richmond to see the MIL, and then Aberdeen Proving Ground in MD for the summer near grandkids. One by one our reservations started contacting us to cancel. Fortunately for us (not of you're a golf fan), the Masters golf tournament was postponed which meant we weren't kicked out of the park in Augusta and had a safe, if not scenic, place to hunker down for a few months while things were shut down.

As soon as we got the call from APG that they were allowing folks back into the FamCamp, we hit the road. We spent a week at the Army Resort at the big lake up from Augusta, and then made our way to Maryland. We've spent some time with the kids since getting here and are now isolating again for a couple of weeks so we can go back to Richmond (without the RV) and visit Laura's mom. The retirement community in which she lives just opened back up on a limited basis yesterday. We're reserved here at APG through 6 August and may extend another month since we're not due in Cincinnati until 15 September for the birth of another grandbaby.

On a related note, we did our first almost-five-years of full-timing without a washer and dryer. As LindaH alluded to, I was extremely concerned by the behavior of some people and conditions at the laundromat near the park in Augusta. We felt we could no longer take that risk and, a couple of weeks after taking delivery of our new RV, we pulled it back to the dealer and had a washer and dryer installed in the dedicated/prepped W/D closet. In the ensuing 3+ months, we've come to realize that it's one of the best three or four upgrades we've ever made to an RV. We are so grateful for it - especially during these times.

Rob

[richfaa]

We have nothing planned this summer perhaps some local travel.

[Mr. Camper]

Due to my underlying health conditions my only trips for the foreseeable future are to my various doctors.  Until a vaccine, one that the doctors are sure works, is available we won't be traveling anywhere.  When that time arrives we are heading south to visit the grandkids.  Video chats are great for now, but not as a permanent means to visit.

[bobsallyh]

Left Yuma, AZ. June 1, stopped at Boulder City, NV. for 7 days and are now in Twin Falls, ID. Leave here Sunday for Rigby, ID. for 5 days then up into Island Park, ID., West Yellowstone, MT. area for a while.

[docj]

We had taken a ~100 day excursion last summer and had been visited by two of our children back in March.  As a result we are (reasonably) content to stay home this summer.  We own a 3,000 sq ft site with small casita in a park in Rockport TX so we have plenty of space for the two of us.  Our "big" excursions are to  the grocery store and those physician appointments that can't be handled via telemedicine.   

[sandsys]

My entire summer plan is to start working out in the fitness center on site which reopened yesterday and where the staff are wearing masks and gloves, asking users to wear masks, only letting people in by appointment, cleaning all equipment between users and wrapping touch points with cloth, and shutting down some equipment to provide social distancing when machines are in use. Everything else still feels too risky to me but my weight loss is slowing so I need to add exercise to burn some calories. My first session will be Thursday.

Linda

[Kirk W]

10 hours ago, docj said:

Our "big" excursions are to  the grocery store and those physician appointments that can't be handled via telemedicine.   

That sounds a lot like us. We do live close enough to 2 of our sons that we can and have visited their homes a few times, which we feel pretty secure in since both work from home for the duration. While things are opening back up, the use of masks is very hit or miss here with no enforcement and the numbers of hospitalizations is rising so things are far from under control here. We even order groceries online with a "no contact" pickup. 

Edited June 17, 2020 by Kirk W

[rickeieio]

22 hours ago, Second Chance said:

since we're not due in Cincinnati until 15 September for the birth of another grandbaby.

Where do you stay in Cincinnati?  Indian Springs is between our house and our farm, on the west side of Cincy.

[Second Chance]

2 hours ago, rickeieio said:

Where do you stay in Cincinnati?  Indian Springs is between our house and our farm, on the west side of Cincy.

We've have a "special" reservation for one month at the FMCA campground. It's only about 10 minutes from the kids in Madeira. We've found slim pickings in the Cinci area - limited by either stay limits or seasonal closings. We've stayed at a place in Reading, but it's run-down and next to a furniture factory... kind of a dumpster without a lid with a bunch of older, run-down RVs and mobile homes. Don't want to do that again.

Rob

Edited June 17, 2020 by Second Chance

[trailertraveler]

We typically spend from Mid-May to Mid-August on the Mid-Atlantic Coast and will do that again this year. Having had our return from Florida in May seriously impacted by closures, travel restrictions and quarantine policies, we are waiting to see how things progress before heading out for our usual late summer/fall trip to Arizona, New Mexico, and Kansas. Our biggest concerns are the re-imposition of travel restrictions/quarantines when having to travel long distances through so many states.  Another factor is what will actually be open. This is not only a matter of government policy, but also the economic impact of the recession on businesses. After the 2008-2009 recession, we visited many small towns where the downtown areas and historic districts were nothing but vacant buildings. For example, I remember walking through Chama, NM and only a couple of the buildings were occupied. It makes no sense to us to travel thousands of miles to just sit in a campground. However, I will miss my favorite fishing and hunting spots. 

[Randyretired]

We still plan to go to our mountain property for a couple of months but other than that we pretty much stay at home.   Online ordering for supplies needed.  The powers to be here ask that we not travel far to avoid contacting or spreading the virus.  I don't believe things are going to be completely  safe for a long time.  An article I read detailed how effective vaccines in general are and the likelyhood that the first vaccines will only provide limited immunity.  There appears to be a strong belief that the first vaccines will fall far short of providing herd immunity.   Even the best vaccines do not provide complete immunity and the response of seniors and others with compromised health is always questionable.   There are also a number of people who will not or can not get any vaccine.  For these reasons it seems as if each of us will need to evaluate our situation and our risk tolerance for the foreseeable future and make any travel plans with that in mind.  I am sure many of us will feel certain things are worth the risk to us and others and some are not.

[Wrknrvr]

   The situation we are in has changed our travel plans considerably.  

 

  The first thing that has drastically changed is my wife asking when is it time to take the garbage to the dump. In 38 years I can only remember her once going to the dump.

 

   We have been out walking on trails some. The rivers have been high so fishing only happened once this spring. Next week we will venture out into the mountains more for fishing and hiking.

 

   I have been in one grocery store since arriving in Montana March 23 rd. Will not go into a grocery store again until things get much better.  Most people in our area are not wearing mask or social distancing. We use curbside pickup. The wife shops online while I am sleeping. I do go to Costco about once every two weeks during old people time. At Costco you must wear a mask.

 

  The other thing we do is look for out of state license plates when out driving. They have arrived to northwest Montana. Glacier np is open on the west side and now.

  Our summer trip to the Red Ants Pants festival is over as it was cancelled.

  So I am working on my projects for the summer. Lots of stuff to do.

 

  Not bored,   Vern

[Pappy Yokum]

Plans on hold.

*If* I had a farm in KS to visit, I would go.

Regardless of one's political affiliations - New York is the model.  From worst to best.  Didn't just "flatten the curve" - knocked the heck out of it.  Example for every person - in all 50 states.

.

[Jinx & Wayne]

This year we wintered in Florida after a summer spent in the Midwest and East.  We had a swing out west planned for the spring, summer and fall.  When this first raised its ugly head we decided that travel would be a bad idea and found a campground here in Florida that we like.  We were considering going to Michigan for the height of hurricane season.  After reflection, the original no-travel orders and campground closures in many states (Michigan included) did not bode well if we were there when infections climb.  Being stranded adds risk.  We play golf and keep pretty much to ourselves.  We have everything delivered and do telemedicine when we can.  Florida is getting hot now so we will have to be more vigilant.  If a hurricane comes though we will drive to a city out of the path and hunker in a hotel.

[Dutch_12078]

This Thursday we'll leave our upstate NY private site and travel southwest a couple of hours to a New York State Park campground where our site for the next week is well separated from others, and the now usual masking/distancing rules are in effect. The area near our upstate site has gotten to be a haven for illegal fireworks that the police have been unable to control, so a state park that does not allow fireworks of any sort has become an annual getaway for us around the 4th of July. We'll go back to our private site from there. The rest of the summer is still flexible with at least a couple of weeks at our favorite private forest boondocking site likely. Labor Day week will find us at another NY State Park on a site facing the St Lawrence River near the Eisenhower Lock. That site is also well spaced and our two daughters will be on the sites on either side of us. Everything is subject to change of course, based on current events around the country, as is our next winter trip south. We were fortunate this past winter when we left Florida on schedule and the parks we visited on the way north either closed or only allowed 14 day minimum stays just a day or so after we left.