Emergency Travel Across US - Class B?

[gksmith]

Amtrak seems to be the most viable alternative. I had not thought about a private sleeper car. I will give them this idea. Thanks for the suggestion!

[Dreadnaught]

At that age, shelter in place means shelter in place. I see all these cute pictures of RVers selling a narrative of how smart they are. OK, if they are truly staying put, have enough supplies and resources to stay put until June (the longest curve explained for the pandemic) then I’m sold.

Think about it, without full decontamination, the virus can be spread all the way across the country by one couple in an RV. Regardless of the risk to themselves, which statistically is horrifically high, the threat of travelers spreading contamination is extraordinarily thoughtless bordering on nothing less than manslaughter.

[NFRicaS]

Originally Posted by gksmith

My much older brother and wife have a winter home in Laguna Beach CA and summer home in Philadelphia. Both are in their 80's and relatively healthy, but are currently in CA. With the coronavirus scare, they are wondering how to best get back to Philly. They are scared and do not know what would be the best way to travel in mid April. Consequently, they are wondering about renting an RV. Being a Class B owner, they have asked me for advice. What should I tell them?

The summer home in Maine will NOT be a good idea for a while!! Groceries?

[MnBound]

My husband and I are South of Tucson and are preparing our Pleasureway to return to the Northern Border of Mn. We plan to leave end of April to avoid snow/ice storms. We plan to be self contained parking nights at Lowe’s/Walmart’s or pay to park at safe motels and use their WiFi. Plan to use gloves wipes mask to gas RV. Normally we stop at State parks or National Forest Campgrounds but they are closed. I wish we could be tested to see if we have the virus or had exposure. We plan to quarantine 2 weeks when we arrive in Mn.

[SopranoKris]

I'm a healthcare professional. Your parents are in their 80s. They need to stay put. Bottom line.

The risk of exposure, the risk of them spreading the virus if they contact it? Not worth it whatsoever. Just because it's their annual "routine" to winter in CA, spring in PA and summer in Maine does not mean they HAVE to do it. They need to stay where they are. Your sister has "intestinal problems", which means if it's an inflammatory bowel issue, she is also at risk.

Many RV parks are closed across the country. Finding a dump station is going to be difficult. And if your sister has bowel issues, that black tank is going to fill up fast.

If they've never had RV experience, it's a HUGE learning curve in a Class B. I found it more difficult to do hook ups because you have to get down on the ground often. I'm only 50 and I find it hard to do that. Not a "spring chicken" anymore ��

There is no legitimate reason for them to travel. They need to stay put.

[CraigX]

Anxiety to get to one’s waterfront summer home is not an emergency.

[Davydd]

As MnBound said, they are migrating north. That is very typical of many "snowbirds," "winter Texans," "winter desert dwellers," etc. going north starting this coming month of April. It is not just self contained RVers but also people returning in cars. Not all will be thinking of the options and how to handle it as MnBound has. This could be a new phase in this virus crisis.

We came home from California to Minnesota in early March and we cut short our anticipated RV trip by about two to four weeks. Already the signs were there in closing down with gift shops and exhibits closed down. Campgrounds where opened had fewer campers than we had experienced in the past and their was no pressure to get reservations. Of course, campgrounds from Missouri on up were mostly closed anyway and now they won't open at all for the duration. Walmart is now cutting hours and not staying open overnight in most stores. Target had abandoned being open all night and stocking overnight years ago so didn't allow RVs like Walmart. Could Walmart change policy? Cracker Barrel's have been closed via government decrees in many states. Do they correspondingly change their overnight stay policy? Tollway rest stops have closed down their indoor food courts and restrooms. Even vault toilets in small picnic rest stops have been padlocked and I doubt you will find toilet paper in an open one. Public campgrounds are closing. Private campgrounds that usually open in northern states April 1st may not reopen at all with the government's decree to stay in place for the month of April. For members of Harvest Host, I doubt many places will be open. If traveling multiple days you have many opportunities to directly interact with strangers in a growing epidemic in handling take out food, rest rooms when available, pumping gas, stocking up at a grocery or convenient store, etc. I've been hospitalized two times while on the road. I would not want to chance that today.

It is not going to be easy to travel in an RV this coming month and much less so in a car. Stay in place which is not going to be as easy either in an RV in campgrounds less social distancing and confining than homes. With thousands on the move, as I said, the making of a new crisis in spreading the virus to mostly vulnerable aged people or vice versa if travelers hadn't been tested. Stay in place or fly (if you can) with fewer interactions in a shorter time for your safety and ours. I don't know much about trains and Amtrak as an option to comment.

[MnBound]

Davydd Thank you for sharing your experience early traveling to Mn. Husband had surgery approaching 6 week post op middle of April. We planned Return to Northern Mn by Canadian Border end of April. Now reading warnings of Mn Public Health warning Twin City residents not to open Northern Lake Cabins. Rural Hospitals do not have resources nurses, doctors, masks, gowns, respirators to save lives. Warning Everyone stay in place . We are hoping testing will be available before we decide to return. Making decisions without testing information is dangerous for everyone.
Please share with 80 year olds stay in place this is not the time to return to Snowbird Schedule. These are not usual times.

[avanti]

I'm a big fan of Amtrak, but I honestly don't see where it helps in this situation. If you could get in your Pullman sleeper and stay there until you reach your destination, it wouldn't be too bad. But, traveling coast-to-coast in the US requires at least one change of trains (usually in Chicago). This means that it would be no safer than spending two nights in motel rooms. Worse, actually, since you will very likely have to spend many hours sitting in a depot waiting room waiting for your second train.

[RossWilliams]

We just did a four day trip from Southern Arizona to Minnesota after a two month trip around New Mexico and Arizona. Right now the presence of the virus is pretty limited but it is spreading and the longer you wait the more likely you are to connect with it even in rural areas.

Age isn't really the issue. The issue is your state of health. There are just a lot of people in their 80's whose immune system is not functioning at full speed. If "relatively healthy" means relative to the typical 50 year old, I wouldn't worry about it. But if you mean relative to the typical 80 year old, then I would think they are very vulnerable if they catch the virus. The survival rate among people over 80 is not good.

The Amtrak idea is a good one. But I think regardless of how you travel, in a couple weeks the virus is going to be getting widespread and difficult to avoid. We had very limited contact during our trip and we are still self-quarantining for the next couple weeks. Its only going to get worse and the social distancing will just slow it down and stretch out how long it takes to build a strong herd immunity that utlimately stops its spread.

[Boxster1971]

Originally Posted by MnBound

My husband and I are South of Tucson and are preparing our Pleasureway to return to the Northern Border of Mn. We plan to leave end of April to avoid snow/ice storms. We plan to be self contained parking nights at Lowe’s/Walmart’s or pay to park at safe motels and use their WiFi. Plan to use gloves wipes mask to gas RV. Normally we stop at State parks or National Forest Campgrounds but they are closed. I wish we could be tested to see if we have the virus or had exposure. We plan to quarantine 2 weeks when we arrive in Mn.

Are you aware that Minnesota Governor has issued a stay home order like many other states?

https://mn.gov/governor/covid-19/

https://mn.gov/governor/covid-19/faq/

It does allow you to return home.

Safe travels!

[Jon in AZ]

Have to agree with Kris and Craig. This whole plan borders on insanity right now. Shelter in place. Stay at home. Go out only for essentials, like food and medical needs, and to exercise (locally and away from other people). That's what the authorities and medical professionals are asking all of us to do. That's what California is requiring.

The window of opportunity to make a dash for your preferred place of shelter expired at least 2-3 weeks ago.

If you were caught on the road, head home. Do not pass Go, do not collect $200... If you are full-timing without a permanent address, it's time to find a place to settle for a month at least, preferably with full hook-ups and near enough to a major town for access to supplies and medical services if needed.

[RossWilliams]

The window of opportunity to make a dash for your preferred place of shelter expired at least 2-3 weeks ago.

The chances of a person having COVID-19 are likely less than 1 in 10,000 nationwide and much less than that in most rural counties. The county I live in just had its first reported case. For most people, the disease is less severe than a common cold. For some its fatal. The goal is to keep that last group as small as possible as more and more people are exposed to the virus.

I find it kind of odd that anyone is worried about someone traveling in a self-contained RV but liquor stores, and presumably a trip to the liquor store, are considered essential. One requires contact at least with the store clerk, the other can be done without any direct human interaction.

[booster]

Originally Posted by RossWilliams

The chances of a person having COVID-19 are likely less than 1 in 10,000 nationwide and much less than that in most rural counties. The county I live in just had its first reported case. For most people, the disease is less severe than a common cold. For some its fatal. The goal is to keep that last group as small as possible as more and more people are exposed to the virus.

I find it kind of odd that anyone is worried about someone traveling in a self-contained RV but liquor stores, and presumably a trip to the liquor store, are considered essential. On requires contact at least with the store clerk, the other can be done without any direct human interaction.

Personally, I don't think you can just take the number of confirmed cases which is now about 160k and divide it into the population because we don't have a clue how many people actually are infected because of the lack of enough testing. We have heard estimates of the real value being anywhere from under 10X to 100X the confirmed cases. If it is 10X that puts the number at one in a thousand. If it is really 100X it gets to 1 in a hundred which is only a day or two of normal life for most people, especially when you consider the second and third party contact numbers. The smaller towns and other less populated areas may be on the high side of the unknowns as they have lagged the spread compared to the more populated spots. With low or no cases they will get less testing or tracing of sources so they could actually be a greater long term risk to some extent when it does accelerate.

[avanti]

Moderator's note:
Second reminder--
If this thread is to continue, posts MUST have RV content. We have been somewhat tolerant, but the two posts above are on the edge.

Restraint please, gang.

[mikeehlert]

Probably time to close this thread. Subject has been breath to death.

[hbn7hj]

I vote with Jon. If your RV isn’t home, Park it!

[wny-pat]

I knew a 80 old man who was a over the road truck driver. He would out work and out drive most younger truck drivers. But no way in heck would I say if was okay for my 80 year old father or mother with no RV experience to make a cross country trip in a RV. Oh, my very spry, 80 year old friend ended his life falling asleep at the wheel and crashing his 18 wheeler off the side of the road. He did not take anyone with him!

[RossWilliams]

Originally Posted by wny-pat

I knew a 80 old man who was a over the road truck driver. He would out work and out drive most younger truck drivers. But no way in heck would I say if was okay for my 80 year old father or mother with no RV experience to make a cross country trip in a RV. Oh, my very spry, 80 year old friend ended his life falling asleep at the wheel and crashing his 18 wheeler off the side of the road. He did not take anyone with him!

Never would have happened if he were in his 20's. Twenty-somethings never fall asleep and don't have car accidents.

[Jon in AZ]

This thread was not about age per se, but about the advisability of a couple in a high risk category traveling during the early months of the pandemic. The conversation took place in March 2020. I found it interesting to read through the posts and realize how much we didn't know back then!

A lot has changed in 11 months. An older couple who are healthy, vaccinated, masked in public, and limiting contact might make a reasonably safe cross-country trip now.

As to age, my mother made her last cross-country trip in the Roadtrek at age 89. She took shorter regional trips into her 90's. It is not uncommon to remain healthy and active well beyond 80 these days.