Soical distancing and camping.

[Modstock]

First of all, ya gotta leave fakebook. It's all fear mongering crap.

Sent from my H1611 using Tapatalk

[MtnDon]

Hey Slow. I understand your concerns about everything to do with life and the novel coroavirus and COVID-19. COVID-19 can be nasty if you catch it. It can also be mild, maybe so mild that one does not realize they have it. People can have it, feel perfectly okay and be contagious. That is to me the real bugabear.

So I understand not wanting to take part in group camp experiences this year. We don't know if the people we meet are as concerned or as careful as we are ourselves. The forest service campgrounds here in NM are closed with no definite date for reopening. Not just the campgrounds that collect fees but our favorite, out of the way, no fee remote locations are closed as well. Gates locked. Dispersed camping is allowed but no campfires are permitted at all. I will not use commercial campgrounds where people are slotted cheek to jowl with people from all over the country, and where us small trailer folk need to use the shared restroom and bathroom facilities. Our trailer will in all likelihood remained parked this year. That is a personal decision. Other folks may decide to travel; that is their decision.

I would not advise using FB as a news source. There are too many people spreading false stories and outright intentionally lying about anything and everything. FB is handy for remaining in touch with select friends and family spread around the country, spread around the globe. But it is not a trusted news source and FB does not take any responsibility for what is posted. So, I don't even read most of what pops up unless it comes from a trusted friend or I verify on my own.

But COVID-19 is real. I wish it had never come along, and I wish it would disappear. But I believe we need more than wishing for a good outcome. If I have to hide for a while, so be it.

BTW and FWIW, the province of British Columbia, Canada has decided to close their provincial parks to campers who are not a BC resident.

[Tom&Shelly]

Pretty much agree with everything Slow and Mtn Don say. I don't use Facebook, so can't comment on that.

We crew for friends who fly hot air balloons, and told them we're staying home this year. Shelly has underlying conditions, and also we may have to take care of her mother in the near future, so we're avoiding going out, and trying to keep safe. We're expecting all of the balloon rallies will be shut down this year.

We notice (from watching our Governor's news conferences) the conditions for re-opening businesses in New Mexico, and across the country, are based on the ability to handle severe cases in the ICU wards. We're not willing to take the risk just because there is space for us!

We may take our teardrop out (once it is finished) this Fall if things aren't too bad, and we can find a place to camp away from folks. As far as I know, the only dispersed camping on forest land around our part of New Mexico is along one road in the Manzano mountains, and I imagine every camper in Albuquerque knows about it, so that may not work.

Incidentally, I've heard (from my wife, who does use facebook, though I'm trying to get her to quit, for her blood pressure) some folks think that by being exposed to COVID 19, people will help build up a "herd immunity." Wonder if they realize, the only way for an individual to "build up an immunity" is to actually catch the virus? (And even that may not be enough to do it with this virus!) It's NOT the case that being around people with the virus one builds an immunity without catching it him/her self.

One thing no one yet knows about with COVID 19 is whether there might be long term consequences. One can get shingles 60 years after having chicken pox. No one knows if something like that--or more severe--might happen to those now infected, even mildly infected with no immediate symptoms.

If it turns out the world cannot, or does not, develop a vaccine in a year or so, we may have to reconsider our position. But this Summer we're "camping" at our home/cabin.

Tom

[MtnDon]

Tom&Shelly, that is a good point to make regarding herd immunity. I took it for granted (should never do that) that everyone understood that herd immunity is achieved in one of two means; a vaccine is given to most or all people, or people get sick and survive and gain immunity that way. You are right in pointing out that just "rubbing shoulders" with other people is not in itself sufficient.

If in a year's time there is no vaccine and we are still having rounds of the COVID-19 popping up here and there a personal risk reassessment may have to be done. We consider ourselves lucky; we don't have to go out to work.

[MtnDon]

Yes, the Navajo reservation in the 4 corners area (NM, AZ, UT) has been hit very hard by COVID-19.

I believe the news media should be showing us more cases of what a hard road to recovery is really like after one has a medium to serious case of COVID-19. A bad case of the seasonal flu is not as bad as a bad case of COVID-19, especially if one has to be placed on a ventilator. I have a friend who works in an ICU here in NM. A small one but they have had their share of "vent" cases. I do not want to go through that.

Take it easy, Slow. Be safe... be cool. There is nothing wrong with taking a cautious approach.

[swoody126]

the only known fact is that this "bug" is an huge unknown

the answer to virtually all of the questions is NO ONE REALLY KNOWS FOR SURE

there really aren't any solutions other than DISTANCING SANITATION and personal ISOLATION until the threat subsides

i don't like it any more than anyone else butt i'm in for the long haul

life is way too precious to ignore the effects this "bug" can produce

they are quite literally terminal

i'm not ready to cash in the chips i have left to play

folks if you can manage to play safely then play

if not... please stay home and stay safe to play another day

sw

[Cosmo]

Here in NJ I am in a hotspot state in a hotspot county. Things are trending lower. Half the news media is shouting open faster. The other half is shouting open up slower. I try not to let them penetrate my brain. My understanding of herd immunity is to get 70% of the population resistant or locked down so the virus has no one to jump to and dies off. Lock down isolation has proven to work in many parts of the world. But is susceptible to human behavior. I suite up to go to the supermarket for si-fi movie like experience. I decontaminate when I get home.

I am thinking of a road trip into more remote ares of Pennsylvania. Not much boondocking there so I will probably visit state campgrounds. I'm stillin the planning stage. Its fun to plan.

I am planning to go self contained. Make all my own food (no restaurants are open anyway). I will mask and sanitize on any encounters or shopping. I have been strict on isolation. I am equally concerned for the safety of the people in the places I go as I am for my own safety.

It will take me a week to prepare for the trip. If something does not seem right I will call it off and come home. Its possible bugs may turn me back. Does anyone know when the plague of frogs is going to start?

Its likely when things open up campgrounds will be a mob scene due to no air travel or a reluctance to travel. For some reason people seem to feel more in control when holding a steering wheel then they do at 30,000 feet packed into a sardine can with hundreds of other sardines. Kayak and RV sales are way up this year.

I did do a solo kayak trip https://youtu.be/gvXRDofJC5k and rack up 700 miles of bicycle riding (road) locally so far. I lost the Covid-5. That's the 5 pounds I gained being bunkered down hiding in the basement counting toilet paper squares... Did I mention I am looking for investors for my "Reusable Toilet Paper Squeegee" idea? Teflon coated and cleans with a flick of the wrist. Pocket sized.

I have to say, while out bicycle riding I see tons of people out exercising (all modes). I am now seeing a good number of hugely obese people out happily exercising and sweating with conviction.

I see lots of families out walking together with the dog. Everyone I meet is happy. The dog is ecstatic. The is no jet traffic, no car traffic. The air is as pure as it was when I was a kid. No dining out.

It’s more like the 1950s than it was in the 1950s.

=Cosmo

[Staryder61]

Cosmo wrote :: Did I mention I am looking for investors for my "Reusable Toilet Paper Squeegee" idea? Teflon coated and cleans with a flick of the wrist. Pocket sized.

Cosmo.. Where was that offer weeks ago, when TP was not found in the county..?
Still at that one at 3:56 am, not able to sleep...
We did venture out a few weeks ago,, to our local C.O.E. camp ground.. made a reservation for a campsite we knew from years before.. come to find out we had the whole campground to ourselves for the days we were there... it was amazing... so peaceful.. and no worries about being to close to someone else...
Not so lucky looking at the weeks ahead.. no sites available close to us...
Was a good test for us though.. we took our two small dogs for the first time.. and they did great... didn't have anyone we could leave them with. as in the past...

We were home bodies anyway,, even more now.. doing things a little different..
actually started a raised garden.. with some vegetables.. and it's doing great.. was something we'd always talked about.. just never took the time until now to do it..
A lot of satisfaction growing your own food.. even on a small scale...

Find something you enjoy doing and go for it... so many businesses around here offer curbside shopping.. take advantage of it.. WE SURE DO..

I'd taught myself how to tie and make dream catchers.. So during the lockdown time... I work on some of them...


Big box stores are great for gardening supplies and some plants and seeds.. use wally w...d's curbside pickup... never leave your vehicle.. then we bring everything home to the carport, where we wash it all down before it goes in the house.. overkill? maybe? why take the chance??
Do what makes you and keeps you comfortable.... that's what we do...

Main thing is be happy, safe and healthy...

[tony.latham]

Social distancing?



What's the issue?

Tony

[MtnDon]

[Tom&Shelly]

Social distancing?

...

What's the issue?

Tony

I dunno Tony; I just read an article in the New Mexico Journal of Medicine* that claims trees help prevent the virus**.



Tom

* Not a real journal
** Of course, you have to eat 15-20 trees a day. Especially the tops; all of the nutrition is in the tops.