Thinking of coming down
 

We had planned on coming down early March as we were last down mid January. Now my wife cannot get the time off. Because of that I can leave as early as Thursday afternoon after my 2nd Covid shot. The issue I have is do I want to do the 20 hour drive alone and I know 10 days in The Villages will be great but not as great if my wife was with me. I am also afraid that the ride home will be terrible more so than the drive down. I guess I am just venting as I try to figure out what is best. If I don’t do this then it will be the end of April before we get down there.

Well Gary...I suggest you do as you please. I think that comes with being an adult and when you depend on complete strangers to suggest a plan of action then you should likely stay where you are till your wife is able to go with you.

That'll be $400 for the assist.

I don't know where you're coming from or the weather, here on Saturday it will be 87 and sunny. What do you do when you're here, do you own a place, are you looking for a place to buy, I don't know your plans or schedule. That's a long drive non-stop, the most I ever did was 21 hours from Tulsa to Savannah, but I was younger than today.

That's a lot of driving for 10 days in Florida. Are there any cheap flights available? IF you have a cart you could get away without having a car, just take a shuttle to/from the airport.

You also have to think about how you are going to feel after the second shot. The last thing you want to do is that drive alone and having a reaction to the second shot.

Considering how much is closed due to the virus why not wait at least until the vaccine has taken hold.

In the words of Confucious he who buys house without wife is an idiot.

Take your time my friend......yur visit will be better spent.

Go for it!

Coming from Mass and I cannot go outside much because of the cold and snow. The cold goes right through me and I can’t afford to fall. We own a house there for 2 years now. We were down a week in Nov., a week in Jan and will be down for a week in April to close up for the summer. Since I am retired was just hoping to get more time.

Unfortunately I cannot fly right now so driving is the option. We drove down for a week in Nov and a week in Jan.

I might wait a few days but I do miss our house down there.

I am an R.N. and although I could not get the Covid vaccine due to having had severe allergic reactions to an H1N1 vaccine and other injectable meds in the past, many of my colleagues received their 1st and 2nd vaccine doses (Moderna) and pretty much all of them felt pretty punky following. Most described feeling like they had a mild flu and very fatigued. That being said don't think any of my colleagues following getting their 2nd vaccine dose would have been up to making a 20 hour drive especially alone.

Agree. Why would the opinion of strangers be important or necessary? Do what you want. No one can advise you!!

Airplane, bus, train? Many ways to get here. You don't really need a car when you're here...can get to everything you need in a golf cart.

I would suggest NOT leaving right after your 2nd Covid shot. There is the definite possibility that you will experience side effects.

Well, since you asked for opinions. First of all I would not leave right after getting the second shot. I would wait at least 24 to 36 hours just in case you briefly have some side effects. Secondly, I would not drive the 20 hours straight through. Split it up into at least two days, which also means that you’re going to spend two days getting back. So that means you are now down to having about six days down here by yourself??? Personally, the whole thing seems like it may be a potentially disappointing experience? Just my opinion! Good luck on whatever you choose!

Take the auto train. This way you only have to drive a little and when u get here you will have yr car.

Well #1 I wouldn't take the drive after getting the second Co-vid shot. #2 Wait a couple of days and take the drive on a Saturday or Sunday when there is less traffic. #3 The time away from your wife may prove to be a whole new experience for you. Yes you may then get to do what you want to do all of the time at TV. Hmmm seems like you have been married a very long time. You can exist without the wifey around. I don't understand why your saying "I am also afraid that the ride home will be terrible more so than the drive down" Yes a 20 hour drive is a lot. Stop in a hotel overnight to make the drive easier or like someone said take a plane. Good Luck to you whatever you decide.

Don't you think you are being selfish coming without your wife? You never mention her beyond the fact she couldn't get the time off. I think you need to re-evaluate your priorities.

If your looking for an Excuse , tell them Rich said to stay home & wear a mask..., it's Deadly down here!

Your still here...and so are about 100,000 plus...worried about tee times?

It takes 14 days after your 2nd shot for it to be effective. I would wait where you are until that period of time is over, assuring your health as well as making sure you have no reactions to the shot.
It is very hot down here now. 86 for three days in a row this week.
My husband drives 20 hours to get down here every year. He does stop along the way. (I fly)
If you don’t mind being alone, then the decision is made easier. Good luck on your decision.

What is closed?

I do the 13 hour drive from DC a couple times a month now, and nothing is really closed in TV, but it's a pain sometimes finding a sit-down restaurant on the way.

You should come on down, you only live once.

That is not a very useful comment as you have no idea why he is coming here. I made plenty of trips alone to weed out the homes we wanted to purchase before having my wife take the time off for the final decision.

You are making a lot of assumptions as to why he is coming down here. Also, guys need 'guy time' so we don't go insane.... IMHO

Selfish? What an odd way to look at it? She has to work. It’s not like he wouldn’t want her there.

Definitely go for it!! We make the 20 hour drive and stay a week and it's not bad....but that drive home stinks!!!! If you live anywhere near me, you NEED to get out of the cold, snowy dreary weather!
I had the Pfizer vaccine and didn't have any problems either time, other than a little soreness in my arm (like after a flu shot)
Also, I work in a retirement facility and only 1 out of about 100 seniors had any side effects. Maybe wait until Friday AM to leave??

The auto train?

Fly...flights are inexpensive.

I know 10 days in The Villages will be great but not as great if my wife was with me.
:a040: :ohdear:
Annnnddd then, dreading the trip back home.:ohdear:
Hmmmmm. It does sound like he wants to get away in a hurry.

I agree with BayLady. I just received the 2nd Moderna shot and had flu like symptoms as she described. In addition, you don't have full protection for 3 weeks after the 2nd shot. I'm interested in seeing if the shots last only 3 months----that's not encouraging---or if they last a lot longer and if they protect us from the mutant strains.

Do you have a place to stay lined up for ten days last minute high season ?

We live in the villages... in the quiet part, we also just moved here after a long drive, but further than yours, Portland Oregon!,... if you're looking for a place to stay?...we have a beautiful clean quiet queen sized room with a private bath that we rent to visitors. We were super host on Airbnb for 15 years, if you're interested please get ahold of me, we have no pets and no children, thank you

Trip
 

You state you're retired and the cold bothers you. Why not come down and stay until your wife can join you in April. You own a home here use it and enjoy life.

It’s a tough drive, we tried it on Jan 3rd, a Sunday, light traffic day and planned on trying to do it straight through. Well courtesy of oversleeping and some traffic backups due to accidents, after 14 hours and most of the way through SC we just couldn’t do it. We finished the remaining 6 hours the following morning

DH and I are not yet retired and we come without each other. We like to check on the house every two-to-three months. While we are here together several times a year, we come alone if our schedule has an opening. Our drive is 16-18 hours depending on traffic, and I drive it in one day. I’m dreading going home this Saturday! That drive is hard, and I don’t come unless I can stay at least two weeks. So, on the Original Poster’s scenario, I would not drive down.

Definitely wait a few days after your vaccine. Then bring a friend. As you know, it is a long dangerous drive between fog, heavy rain, your fatigue & other drivers who may be overtired.

I just did the 17 hour trip a month ago with 3 weeks in between- not fun when your alone - the dogs helped but I hope I wil never have to do it again

Auto Train

stay home