Dangerous activities

[golden13]

I dunno. If we're talking Texas, legality doesn't seem to be of great concern.

Originally Posted by AJMike

I am pretty sure no State can legally close its borders to citizens from another State. As I understand it US citizens are guaranteed the freedom to travel within the US and the most States can do is require a quarantine for those traveling. I seem to remember one State Governor trying to close its borders and being told that that action was not legal and I have seen the legal analyst on one of the TV networks specifically saying that States can not close their borders to other citizens.

As for us, we are still traveling but, like you, we keep our distance from others, eat food we carry, use the facilities in the RV rather than those at campgrounds and wear masks and gloves when shopping. Personally I think of careful camping as being as safe than being at home.

[Kbwitt]

Why worry about it. Install an on board it's very easy to do.
I had to buy one and figured in the long run so much easier one less thing to get out of storage place, do not have to worry about setting down and forgetting it or have it walk off. Mine came with a remote monitor with a very long cord. I hang in by my shore plug and walk it out to were I plug in to get my readings.

[MT2100BH]

This thread has some good info, given that I'm about to embark on a VA, WV, KY, MO, KS, CO, WY, ID, MT car camping journey to get home to where my MicroMinnie lives, starting at Glacier NP. I'm using 1- or low occupancy HIPCAMP.com sites and my own camping gear/food. Other than gas stops, it still seems safer than flying? I've never driven this route before so I'm mostly worried about the hot weather. Enroute swimming hole recommendations welcome!

[TerryMA]

I have travelled from AZ to Maine, crossed into Canada (I am a dual citizen)traveled Eastern Canada and now heading to Ontario and Back West... seems to me it’s the perfect way to self isolate. Only necessities are Groceries and gas!

[BobC]

RV camping may be relatively safe but still has it's risks even though they may only be marginally higher than staying at home.

My major concern of a long trip would be the risk of becoming infected while far from home. We haven't gone anywhere yet but, when we do, it will be to a destination within a few hours. Fortunately, here in northern CA, we have quite a few such destinations to choose from.

[Goodspike]

Originally Posted by BobC

My major concern of a long trip would be the risk of becoming infected while far from home. We haven't gone anywhere yet but, when we do, it will be to a destination within a few hours. Fortunately, here in northern CA, we have quite a few such destinations to choose from.

It's not just becoming infected. It's needing any medical care. Hospital systems in some parts are becoming overwhelmed, and that can vary widely even within a single state.

In Washington, which isn't a state with a particular problem right now compared to others, for a time they were transporting patients from Yakima County to King County (Seattle) because Yakima was overcapacity. Even something like a broken leg in Yakima at that point would have been more problematic due to Covid.

[Morich]

As I see it there are several angles to think about. One is that you will add to the risk of spreading the virus from your home area to another where it may already be out of control. Just because you don't know you are sick doesn't mean that you are not spreading it. That means that visiting family may add to their risk.
How would I live with knowing I was the one who exposed my niece to a disease that made her miss her first year of college and left her lungs damaged so she had to drop out of gymnastics?
You are also adding risk to yourself at anytime you visit a new setting. Gas pumps and public restrooms are certainly high hazard areas which you are more prone to use when traveling. Think you are safe at a gas station because you don't go inside? What about all the spitting and choking that go on while folks gas up? That spot you are standing on may be covered in virus which you track back into your RV.
Getting into situations like a simple flat tire can get a lot more dangerous when we are not in our familiar area. Slip and fall so that you tear up a knee in the Texas Rio Grande Valley currently may mean a helicopter trip to Amarillo for an open hospital bed, as the local beds are full.
I don't like the idea of being in a hospital several hundred miles away from my wife and RV, so we are staying close, even if we don't personally expect to get the virus on a trip.

[Rapid Robert]

Originally Posted by Morich

As I see it there are several angles to think about. One is that you will add to the risk of spreading the virus from your home area to another where it may already be out of control. Just because you don't know you are sick doesn't mean that you are not spreading it. That means that visiting family may add to their risk.
How would I live with knowing I was the one who exposed my niece to a disease that made her miss her first year of college and left her lungs damaged so she had to drop out of gymnastics?
You are also adding risk to yourself at anytime you visit a new setting. Gas pumps and public restrooms are certainly high hazard areas which you are more prone to use when traveling. Think you are safe at a gas station because you don't go inside? What about all the spitting and choking that go on while folks gas up? That spot you are standing on may be covered in virus which you track back into your RV.
Getting into situations like a simple flat tire can get a lot more dangerous when we are not in our familiar area. Slip and fall so that you tear up a knee in the Texas Rio Grande Valley currently may mean a helicopter trip to Amarillo for an open hospital bed, as the local beds are full.
I don't like the idea of being in a hospital several hundred miles away from my wife and RV, so we are staying close, even if we don't personally expect to get the virus on a trip.

You said it best, and most people never think about their shoes carrying the virus into their homes or rv.

[HappiHenri]

For people wishing to travel domestically it is hard to envision any safer method than doing so in your own RV. I think traveling and staying in motels potentially exposes one to far more pathogens than traveling in your own RV. I have my own bed, kitchen, shower, bathroom, etc.. We spend nites parked well away from other campers - or even no one at all when we boondock in the Western mountains. Even in campgrounds we do not use the bathrooms or showers, and the only exposure we have is when we go grocery shopping - where we mask up. But that is no different than if we stayed in 1 place in a house.

So in our Class A RV we can travel to incredible places while controlling our social distancing and self-isolation. I failed to understand why so many public lands and campgrounds were immediately shut down (and most not re-opened since) when lock downs started, as allowing people to go to these places in their RVs achieved exactly what we were being told to do - isolate, maintain social distance and get away from congested urban areas.

[AJMike]

Originally Posted by HappiHenri

For people wishing to travel domestically it is hard to envision any safer method than doing so in your own RV.

I completely agree.

There were a number of posts earlier from people who believed that traveling somewhere, even in an RV, was inherently dangerous and they said they worried about stopping at fuel stations and getting in an accident, but I think they were more worried than the statistics warrant. Still, that is their right and they should do (or in this case, not do) what they think is best.

As for us, we have been boondocking more than usual, staying away from others as much as possible and just enjoying nature and most of the boondocking sites we have been to have been busy, so we are not alone in thinking that camping is a safe activity. Not so busy as to be dangerous - the nearest camper is still perhaps 100 feet away - but busier than it had been before. I assume I am safer boondocking than I would be staying at home as my neighbors are closer at home than the nearest camper is when we go boondocking.

And if the sky high RV sales are any indication most people think the same.

[akeagle]

Originally Posted by Morich

As I see it there are several angles to think about. One is that you will add to the risk of spreading the virus from your home area to another where it may already be out of control. Just because you don't know you are sick doesn't mean that you are not spreading it. That means that visiting family may add to their risk.
How would I live with knowing I was the one who exposed my niece to a disease that made her miss her first year of college and left her lungs damaged so she had to drop out of gymnastics?
You are also adding risk to yourself at anytime you visit a new setting. Gas pumps and public restrooms are certainly high hazard areas which you are more prone to use when traveling. Think you are safe at a gas station because you don't go inside? What about all the spitting and choking that go on while folks gas up? That spot you are standing on may be covered in virus which you track back into your RV.
Getting into situations like a simple flat tire can get a lot more dangerous when we are not in our familiar area. Slip and fall so that you tear up a knee in the Texas Rio Grande Valley currently may mean a helicopter trip to Amarillo for an open hospital bed, as the local beds are full.
I don't like the idea of being in a hospital several hundred miles away from my wife and RV, so we are staying close, even if we don't personally expect to get the virus on a trip.

Very well put!!!

[Vandave]

One great thing about Covid19 is that it has eliminated influenza. Last year in America, 30,000+ people died from influenza. There have been no reported cases of influenza deaths this flu season

[CorkyM]

Originally Posted by HappiHenri

For people wishing to travel domestically it is hard to envision any safer method than doing so in your own RV. I think traveling and staying in motels potentially exposes one to far more pathogens than traveling in your own RV. I have my own bed, kitchen, shower, bathroom, etc.. We spend nites parked well away from other campers - or even no one at all when we boondock in the Western mountains. Even in campgrounds we do not use the bathrooms or showers, and the only exposure we have is when we go grocery shopping - where we mask up. But that is no different than if we stayed in 1 place in a house.

So in our Class A RV we can travel to incredible places while controlling our social distancing and self-isolation. I failed to understand why so many public lands and campgrounds were immediately shut down (and most not re-opened since) when lock downs started, as allowing people to go to these places in their RVs achieved exactly what we were being told to do - isolate, maintain social distance and get away from congested urban areas.

Very good points. I am feeling so much better about doing this. Now I can hardly wait.

[CorkyM]

Originally Posted by Morich

As I see it there are several angles to think about. One is that you will add to the risk of spreading the virus from your home area to another where it may already be out of control. Just because you don't know you are sick doesn't mean that you are not spreading it. That means that visiting family may add to their risk.
How would I live with knowing I was the one who exposed my niece to a disease that made her miss her first year of college and left her lungs damaged so she had to drop out of gymnastics?
You are also adding risk to yourself at anytime you visit a new setting. Gas pumps and public restrooms are certainly high hazard areas which you are more prone to use when traveling. Think you are safe at a gas station because you don't go inside? What about all the spitting and choking that go on while folks gas up? That spot you are standing on may be covered in virus which you track back into your RV.
Getting into situations like a simple flat tire can get a lot more dangerous when we are not in our familiar area. Slip and fall so that you tear up a knee in the Texas Rio Grande Valley currently may mean a helicopter trip to Amarillo for an open hospital bed, as the local beds are full.
I don't like the idea of being in a hospital several hundred miles away from my wife and RV, so we are staying close, even if we don't personally expect to get the virus on a trip.

Very Interesting perspective. I appreciate your input

[AJMike]

Originally Posted by Morich

One is that you will add to the risk of spreading the virus from your home area to another where it may already be out of control. Just because you don't know you are sick doesn't mean that you are not spreading it.

To whom am I going to spread the virus if I am boondocking and 1/4 mile away from the nearest camper? Or if I am hiking trails that are otherwise empty? Or walking along some river where no one else is? Or sitting in one of our chairs reading with all of nature spread out around me?

We, like others in our home community, walk in the morning to get some exercise and we keep at least 30 feet away from others, but that is closer than we are when we are out camping, so we are less likely to spread anything in our RV than we are at home.

Originally Posted by Morich

AThat means that visiting family may add to their risk.
How would I live with knowing I was the one who exposed my niece to a disease that made her miss her first year of college and left her lungs damaged so she had to drop out of gymnastics?

Not talking about visiting family. I am talking about camping out in the middle of no where with no one anywhere close to where I am.

Originally Posted by Morich

Gas pumps and public restrooms are certainly high hazard areas which you are more prone to use when traveling. Think you are safe at a gas station because you don't go inside? What about all the spitting and choking that go on while folks gas up? That spot you are standing on may be covered in virus which you track back into your RV.

Filling your vehicle is listed as one of the least dangerous things you can do in that table that was posted. And we don't go into the stations and we would never use the rest rooms inside. That is why we have a toilet in our RV. As for the actual fuel filling, I have a mask and disposable gloves.

Originally Posted by Morich

Getting into situations like a simple flat tire can get a lot more dangerous when we are not in our familiar area. Slip and fall so that you tear up a knee in the Texas Rio Grande Valley currently may mean a helicopter trip to Amarillo for an open hospital bed, as the local beds are full.
I don't like the idea of being in a hospital several hundred miles away from my wife and RV, so we are staying close, even if we don't personally expect to get the virus on a trip.

As you should if that is the way you feel. But I believe I am just in much danger from falling and getting hurt walking around where I live as I would be at some campsite. Perhaps more since at a campsite I generally sit outside in one of our portable chairs and read. As for having to be taken to the hospital, those close to where I live are relatively full so if I end up in a hospital bed here I am probably more likely to be in an open ward.

I am not telling others to go camping. I am just saying that it is listed as one of the least dangerous activities and we are still using our RV. We use it differently than we used to - we don't go to visit anyone, we don't go to tourist places where we would be near large numbers of people - and we keep our distance from others. We use our masks and gloves but we do get out and try to have as much of a life as we can under these circumstances.

If you feel that it is dangerous to go camping then, of course, you should stay home. I am not trying to tell others what to do, and I would not do that. In the end we are all responsible for our own health and we should all act accordingly.

If other campers want to come and visit us we tell them to keep their distance and if they won't, we close up and move someplace else. We want to keep ourselves and others safe, but we have more people coming to our house selling things than we have visitors when camping so I believe that what we are doing and how we are doing it is safe.

[Goodspike]

Originally Posted by AJMike

There were a number of posts earlier from people who believed that traveling somewhere, even in an RV, was inherently dangerous and they said they worried about stopping at fuel stations and getting in an accident, but I think they were more worried than the statistics warrant.

Risk is not only about probabilities. There's only about a 1% chance of a Cascadia earthquake off the Washington Coast during the rest of the year, but if it does happen it would be a major disaster. On the other hand there's a 100% chance it will rain in Western Washington during the rest of the year, but the risk of harm is rather low.

There are a lot of parts of the country where Covid-19 is staring to overwhelm hospitals. There are several states where over 70% of the ICU beds are filled with Covid-19 patients. https://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/covid19/rep...hor_1587406849

Not only could that increase your risk if in a hospital, but it would also impact your care if you were in an accident in one of those states. And keep in mind the follow up care might require that you stay in the area for a time.

[Goodspike]

Originally Posted by AJMike

Or if I am hiking trails that are otherwise empty? Or walking along some river where no one else is? Or sitting in one of our chairs reading with all of nature spread out around me?

The inability to safely go on hiking trails is a reason I haven't been going out. That's the type of activity I like. But at least in Western Washington if you come across another hiker there will likely be no way to social distance from that person given the terrain. If you were hiking in a barren or desert area that would be different.

When I walk in my neighborhood I can typically cross the road to avoid others. Not possible on a narrow trail. And it's difficult/impossible to guarantee no one else will be there.

[AJMike]

Originally Posted by Goodspike

Risk is not only about probabilities. There's only about a 1% chance of a Cascadia earthquake off the Washington Coast during the rest of the year, but if it does happen it would be a major disaster. On the other hand there's a 100% chance it will rain in Western Washington during the rest of the year, but the risk of harm is rather low.

There are a lot of parts of the country where Covid-19 is staring to overwhelm hospitals. There are several states where over 70% of the ICU beds are filled with Covid-19 patients. https://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/covid19/rep...hor_1587406849

Not only could that increase your risk if in a hospital, but it would also impact your care if you were in an accident in one of those states. And keep in mind the follow up care might require that you stay in the area for a time.

Yes, but I already live in one of those states. I personally think that my chance of getting infected here is higher than it would be boondocking somewhere else and if I were to catch it here I would have exactly the issues you are referring to.

[AJMike]

Originally Posted by Goodspike

The inability to safely go on hiking trails is a reason I haven't been going out. That's the type of activity I like. But at least in Western Washington if you come across another hiker there will likely be no way to social distance from that person given the terrain. If you were hiking in a barren or desert area that would be different.

When I walk in my neighborhood I can typically cross the road to avoid others. Not possible on a narrow trail. And it's difficult/impossible to guarantee no one else will be there.

We have encountered others on trails, but we always walk off the trail, up or down the hill, to make sure we are far away from them when we pass. And they have had the exact same reaction so we end up going left and they end up going to our right and so we pass without getting close.

Perhaps that is easier in the desert than in some hilly locations but even when in the hills we have been able to do the exact same thing.

Please understand that we are not what I would refer to "risk takers". We try to be very careful and observe all of the recommended actions - masks, gloves and distancing. It is just that we feel we can take those actions when traveling and boondocking and we do not wish to be locked into our homes when we feel we can be as safe outside.

I understand others feel differently, and they should act according to their best guess as to what will keep them safe. But I think that that applies to us as well.

[Goodspike]

Originally Posted by AJMike

Perhaps that is easier in the desert than in some hilly locations but even when in the hills we have been able to do the exact same thing..

That's sort of what I said. In a forested area that separation can be tough even without hills. And areas without hills are not the areas I tend to like to hike in, unless it's by a river, but then the moisture means the vegetation is even more dense or even marshy. In Arizona I don't think I'd have the same concerns, or even parts of Eastern Washington and Idaho.