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**azflycaster** · 03-14-2020, 07:54 AM

There was a lot of concern about this event going on at this time...

FMCA National President Jon Walker wrote:

President Jon Walker and his wife Sondra.
“With escalating concern regarding the COVID-19 virus, and the Tucson mayor’s recommendation on March 12, 2020, that large gatherings be postponed, on Friday, March 13, 2020, at 4:30 p.m. Eastern, FMCA’s Board of Directors voted to cancel FMCA’s 101st International Convention and RV Expo set to take place March 26 through 29 in Tucson, Arizona.

**Rocinante** · 03-14-2020, 11:44 AM

As many are already aware, NM has closed its state parks to camping while leaving them open for day use. There's been plenty of speculation that this makes little sense.

OTOH, I'll suggest it makes a ton of sense. This move keeps transients (like us) from camping in the parks and bringing through whatever bugs they may be carrying, but it still allows the locals plenty of room to get out in the open air with appropriate social distance and helps prevent cabin fever. This of course assumes they simultaneously ban all "large" gatherings in the state parks, which would mean cancelling all picnic pavilion reservations, all planned events such as concerts and other performances, sporting events, family reunions, etc. That way, the state parks become a quiet place for locals to get away, one or a few at a time, while still reducing the risk of transmissible diseases overall.

I expect we're going to see a lot more of this as time progresses. I don't know what full-timers do in these scenarios, unless they already own a share in a co-op where they can stay when they aren't mobile. I feel for full-timers who are like we were. For eight months, aside from our volunteer gig at Glacier, we literally had no permanent physical location and pretty much went where the winds and moods blew us.

jcl · 03-14-2020, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kscherzi

Hope to camp in Canada this summer. Hope to be well enough and hope Canada lets us visit. I expect millions of other Americans who cancelled their summer travel plans will also hit the roads. Campgrounds might be jammed.

The Canada US border is open, but our federal government has advised that it is being watched. The situation may change, so check before you go.

Campgrounds are open, but gatherings of more than 250 people are banned, so that may change.

Our current government advice is to cancel all non essential trips to the US.

For those considering a trip to Alaska, all roads lead through BC. Not sure about the status of the ferries, but cruise ships (those capable of carrying over 500 passengers) have just been stopped from docking here until July at least.

ohmman · 03-14-2020, 03:13 PM

My kids' school has been canceled/moved to distance learning for the next handful of weeks (and my guess is the rest of the school year). My wife suggested maybe we should hitch up and let the kids "distance learn" on laptops from the road. I like the idea, but the risk of campgrounds closing is too great a risk to deal with. We still have a summer trip planned, but I imagine the AS is going to stay in the driveway for the next few months.

We also have a trip to Spain planned for June. That's pretty tenuous at this point, obviously.

In the vein of Rocinante's NM explanation, I can agree that I will be utilizing day use areas around my house for hiking and biking. When quarantined at home with the whole family, outdoor time will be much appreciated for all of us.

Silvr_Bullet · 03-14-2020, 03:58 PM

This thread started on March 9, look at all the posts since then, some say not worried, some not. This thread is very contagious.

Bill M. · 03-14-2020, 04:13 PM

We are snowbirds in FL. The decision is to go home early or stay. Lots of folks in our campground have packed up and left a couple of weeks before they were planing to. All events in the park have been terminated or cancelled. Right now we think we are as well off here as at home. That decision can be evaluated daily. It seems a good percentage of the Canadians are leaving early. I filled up today. Maybe the diesel on the pump handle will kill the virus. I was shocked to see the shelves in the local store. No bottled water. No paper towels. No hand sanitizer.

OTRA15 · 03-14-2020, 05:02 PM

Stand by for a new “Post Coronavirus Syndrome” including belated co-infections of unsuspecting family, friends and public?

Stranger things have happened.

More reasons why we probably won’t go camping next month.

Peter

PS — Analogous to Post-Lyme Disease Syndrome which can affect the patient for years. A family member ended up with Lyme Carditis of the heart, and a pacemaker, many years after having Lyme Disease.
PS2 — Permanent damage to the lungs may also be in store, I heard on TV the other night.

nryn · 03-14-2020, 07:59 PM

Had a trip to Sedona planned. Was supposed to start today. A friend joining me from Canada had to turn right around and head back home due to talk of border closures and quarantines in his province for international travel. Kids schools are closed.

Just canceled my kids' flights (I was going to be traveling ahead; they were supposed to meet me out there when their spring break started) and tomorrow will need to cancel my campsite.

We've got to be particularly careful, as both my son and I have asthma (his can get pretty bad when he gets a cold). So it is what it is.

I'm looking at it like this: the Airstream's all ready to go when this lets up.

mojo · 03-14-2020, 08:14 PM

When I hear that some one has contracted this virus in a campground, I'll shut up and go home. Meanwhile, all campgrounds in AZ are full and there are few if any cancellations. However the parks have had to lock up the toilet paper.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rocinante

As many are already aware, NM has closed its state parks to camping while leaving them open for day use. There's been plenty of speculation that this makes little sense.

OTOH, I'll suggest it makes a ton of sense. This move keeps transients (like us) from camping in the parks and bringing through whatever bugs they may be carrying, but it still allows the locals plenty of room to get out in the open air with appropriate social distance and helps prevent cabin fever. This of course assumes they simultaneously ban all "large" gatherings in the state parks, which would mean cancelling all picnic pavilion reservations, all planned events such as concerts and other performances, sporting events, family reunions, etc. That way, the state parks become a quiet place for locals to get away, one or a few at a time, while still reducing the risk of transmissible diseases overall.

I expect we're going to see a lot more of this as time progresses. I don't know what full-timers do in these scenarios, unless they already own a share in a co-op where they can stay when they aren't mobile. I feel for full-timers who are like we were. For eight months, aside from our volunteer gig at Glacier, we literally had no permanent physical location and pretty much went where the winds and moods blew us.

kscherzi · 03-14-2020, 08:22 PM

Until there's a reliable vaccine, a year or more from now, we're all going to have to be super careful.

BTW - I do hope the fear and panic subsides. Today I made my early pre-opening trip to Costco. Usually just a few of us retired early risers looking to get in and out quickly. Today over 400 people in a long long line snaking around the parking lot prior to opening. Parking lot already full. Everyone looking for bottled water, toilet paper, dry goods like rice and pasta, canned goods, etc. People speeding into the parking lot, horns honking. It felt like the veneer of civilization was thinning to the breaking point. Since I was only looking for Canadian whiskey I left, and will go back another day, hopefully the panic subsides.

**azflycaster** · 03-14-2020, 09:46 PM

Please keep this thread on topic.

The thread is:
Camping during Covid-19 season

Posts not on topic have been and will be removed

OTRA15 · 03-15-2020, 04:29 AM

The National Park Service is announcing closings, due to the Covid-19 virus, on this page:

https://www.nps.gov/aboutus/news/pub...lth-update.htm

The Washington Monument is on the growing list, so I guess our Spring trip to DC, and related camping, is off.

Peter

**Rocinante** · 03-15-2020, 09:40 AM

One more note from the volunteer moderator team, after removing yet another post:

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Gene · 03-15-2020, 12:18 PM

I have been getting articles and emails forwarded to me by a doctor who is a friend for when we both had Airstreams. Nothing I have read has made me feel good. We have a two week trip to southeast Utah where we plan to meet friends starting April 23. Not sure that is going to happen. Either it will be too difficult to travel the 200 miles, we won’t want to take a chance, or RV parks will close. I agree that with a self contained house we are fairly safe, but will our friends be infected and not know it, can we go to restaurants in town, will the people in the next RV be infected—enough unknowns to make anyone loony.

The first case in our county was revealed yesterday, though it appears the health dep’t didn’t tell us about it for days. There are a probably many more cases in the state and country. With asthma and being really old, the risk to me as well as others like me is very high. Watching a lot of old movies on TCM, making our own hand sanitizer, stocking up on basics. We have plenty of toilet paper and from what I’ve read, intestinal tract issues with this virus are uncommon. But rumors always spread faster than even this virus during a pandemic.

We are limiting ourselves to groceries, medical appointments and little else. Miss our friends already. Maybe boondocking is the safest option if the national forests stay open.

This seems to be one of those situations where being extra careful really does pay off. It is very easy to be scared, and it is a logical emotion when you read what I have been reading, but we have to stay rational and act on that, not fear.

SnooMc · 03-15-2020, 12:25 PM

We are full-time, and booked into this military famcamp for another 10 days. Pondering whether we should extend here or go elsewhere (we like it here, but the weather is starting to warm up and there are no trees.) So hard to make decisions at this point!

kscherzi · 03-15-2020, 01:35 PM

California State Parks has closed all its visitor centers and museums. So far campgrounds appear to remain open. They advise calling ahead just to be sure.

Tater · 03-15-2020, 02:40 PM

We're still planning to start our adventure April 1. I asked our internist last week and she said you're going to be outside mostly. She advised to use hand sanitizer (I haven't found any yet) and avoid confined spaces with crowds. We are staying at Famcamps along the way. I'm thinking a little bourbon to wash the pipes internally once in a while might help. We could stay home and see if we catch it locally. We know it will spread just like colds and flu so it's a risk no matter what. Hand washing is the single best deterrent. Simple and effective but unfortunately not practiced by all.
Jim

badkat · 03-15-2020, 03:15 PM

I signed up for Eventbrite-Wake Up downtown in Logan Ohio. I am yet to see it has been cancelled. The reservations just for the street was 101 Airstreams then the Fairgrounds.

Does anyone have info on this gathering?

thanks, BadKat

OTRA15 · 03-15-2020, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azflycaster

There was a lot of concern about this event going on at this time...

FMCA National President Jon Walker wrote:

President Jon Walker and his wife Sondra.
“With escalating concern regarding the COVID-19 virus, and the Tucson mayor’s recommendation on March 12, 2020, that large gatherings be postponed, on Friday, March 13, 2020, at 4:30 p.m. Eastern, FMCA’s Board of Directors voted to cancel FMCA’s 101st International Convention and RV Expo set to take place March 26 through 29 in Tucson, Arizona.

Quote:

Originally Posted by OTRA15

The National Park Service is announcing closings, due to the Covid-19 virus, on this page:

https://www.nps.gov/aboutus/news/pub...lth-update.htm

The Washington Monument is on the growing list, so I guess our Spring trip to DC, and related camping, is off.

Peter

FYI many parts of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area have been added to the list of closures FYI:

https://www.nps.gov/goga/planyourvis...e-advisory.htm

. . . although it appears that some of the open park areas will be kept open.

FYI

Daquenzer · 03-15-2020, 04:16 PM

I am going camping in April. All winter I am surrounded by colds, flu, and viruses. I've not had a sniffle all winter. I make sure I practice good hygiene and I stay away from crowds. That's not going to change in a campground. The chance of me getting the virus is pretty low. It is far lower than me getting into a car accident. In 1968 when the flu went through the country and killed 100,000 people life the U.S. went on. I was 14 at the time and although a lot was made of it, there certainly wasn't any panic. For one thing we didn't have an obsessed news media reporting every blow by blow death from it. Be careful about sitting in front of the 24/7 TV news media that reports every single case when a person dies of this virus. If they would do the same with the flu we would be paralyzed. 100's die each week from complications from the flu.

My guess is that this virus will last for months. Our society can't be on lockdown for that long. It will cease to function and it will result in economic collapse which will be far worse. The fact is the only thing we can do is reduce the number of cases by social distancing for a short period of time. We won't eliminate it. Life must go on.

So I'm going camping.