What a year this has been! For Helen and me, 2020 falls somewhere in the range between blessed and challenging. We had the challenge of not having the opportunity to share time with family and friends. We miss sharing time with my Mom, who is doing well, especially for someone at the age of 92. Still, she remains strictly quarantined in her retirement home. The care and attention she receives are exceptional, but there are no hugs, and time for visits is divided among all of the other residents. A vaccine can’t come fast enough.
When the year began, COVID-19 was only a rumor about a disease spreading somewhere in China. Little did we know what was to come when we left for Florida on January 1st. We ignored the stories and had a splendid time with my sister and brother-in-law camping in lake Kissimmee before working our way to Key West, where the food was fantastic, and the weather was even better. We arrived home a month or so later, tanned and rested. The rumors of a disease with no cure persisted and grew stronger.
In March, Helen and I planned a trip, leaving in April, for California to deliver a small trailer to our son. We booked all of the reservations, stocked the trailer with food and other necessities, including a few surprises for the grandchildren. Within a week of the departure date, campground operators began calling to cancel our reservations. A few held out hope but gave no guarantees of being open when we arrived. We had no option but to cancel the trip, and the rumor became real.
By mid-May, we were familiar with this disease’s risks and felt that we could manage a trip to deliver the trailer if we remained cautious. By then, cabin fever had set in, and two RVs sat in storage, unused. Around that time, our son in Charleston called and offered to tow the small trailer as far as Jackson Hole, Wyoming, if our son in California could meet us there and pull it the rest of the way. Suddenly a family vacation fell into place. We accepted the risks, masked up, and moved out.
The trip required some last-minute scheduling, but we managed to secure enough campsites for the family convoy to Wyoming and enough for Helen and me to continue for a delightful journey to the Oregon and California coast. We encountered plenty of challenges and disappointments along the way. Canada shut the doors on our planned week in Banff, and half of Glacier National Park closed as well. Nevertheless, the vast majority of the experience was splendid and proved worthy of the risk. Campground operators have gone above and beyond the procedures necessary to keep their visitors safe. We made it home in September with some great memories and just a few pictures.
We planned a trip to Edisto Beach, SC, well over a year ago for three weeks of pure vacation. By now, we were comfortable traveling and accustomed to the precautions necessary to stay out of harm’s way. Fortunately, the overwhelming majority of other travelers are just as cautious as us. On the road and in campgrounds, we see very few without masks or ignoring social distance restrictions. We reserved a large campsite in Edisto and moved to and from the beach freely. Just like our trip to the northwest, we cooked in, stayed close to our trailer, and shopped only when necessary. Edisto is always fun, beautiful, and peaceful.
We’re home now and planning a month-long trip to Florida beginning in mid-January. Hopefully, we will have at least one dose of a vaccine by then, as will every citizen who wants one. We’re looking forward to Florida as well as another journey west to visit the places closed to us in 2020. As always, we want you to join us for every mile.
Despite the challenges, 2020 was a joyful year for Easin’ Along. We’re very blessed…and so very grateful.
