With all the hype in the press, on TV and on the internet of late it can be very difficult to get a balanced opinion of this whole affair. With that in mind, I would like to see what all our members have experienced directly and try to cut through the political spin that flavors the rest of the inputs we are getting from every direction.

I personally got to experience some of the travel impact as this situation has been developing.....I was partially enroute to Florida to attend the big aviation event, "Sun 'n Fun", held each year in Lakeland FL. As I was leaving Arizona eastbound they announced the event would be delayed 5 weeks (and then later it was cancelled), so I changed my path to head for Wichita to visit my eldest son and his family (and meet my youngest great-granddaughter for the first time!).

This was in early mid-March, so lot's has since developed. Along the way I saw Military FamCamps closed to new entry, State and Federal Parks completely closed, many private RV Parks closed or restricted to limited access and highway traffic significantly lighter than normal. It made for more boon-docking at truck stops and major parking lots, especially on my return-to-home leg later in March. Initially I heard comments that completely rejected the reality of the pandemic, including "it's all a hoax" and "this is a conspiracy"....but not anymore. Now the dialog is about staying safe while in transit and avoiding transmitting the virus to our elder and at-risk population (which, ironically includes myself and many of our members!).

I personally think that I already had the damned virus in late January / early February having gotten it from my youngest granddaughter as I visited on the way home from Quartzsite.....but that's unconfirmed conjecture, since there are no known / available serum tests to check for the presence of antibodies in order to see who has already been infected. Realistically, this virus made its' way into the US population well before it was announced.....more and more information is now available to show the time-line starting in October / November. Within my personal circle, I think my brother and sister-in-law have had the same experience....and in my wife's circle, there is at least one confirmed Covid-19 infection currently running its' course.

All I know is that out of conservative concern for those around me I chose not to stop and socialize with friends along my return path 'just in-case" I had been exposed in transit. I got home last week and remain without symptoms as we speak. Our local community has been very pro-active in their response, including maintaining the school meals program by redirecting the school busses to become meal delivery vehicles to the now-at-home school kids. Diana has been sewing cloth masks for distribution within the community and to our local medical providers and we have both made ourselves available to the community in support of their common efforts to make this time less adverse. Needless to say, the local economy is severely impacted with many businesses not only closed, but in jeopardy of never reopening.