[tophcfa]

Originally Posted by Poirier

We're from Southern Maine originally. I hear that anyone coming in Maine is automatically put on a 2 week quarantine and it's effective until August. Our daughter was supposed to come and visit us and we're waiting, patiently, until they lift it.

Maine has four stages of reopening. They are in very restrictive stage one until June, then enter stage two for the month of June, and then enter stage three in July. As of now, stage three is in place through the end of August. During the first three stages, all out of state visitors are required to quarantine for 14 days upon entering the state. That effectively closes out of state tourism for the entire prime summer season. If these restrictions are not relaxed it is anticipated that over half of the states lodging and restaurants will be forced to permanently close. VERY SAD

[Laker14]

We are renters, and we chose to head back to NY State on April 8. We had the option to stay at least through April. We drove down, and drove back. My normal procedure would be to break it down to two or three days, staying in inns, and/or family, but with the coronavirus issue we opted to drive it all in one day. Left TV at 4:40AM and arrived home at 11:30.. It wasn't as bad as I thought, and if I hadn't gotten myself lost (all my GPS's fault of course) in DC, it wouldn't have been too bad at all. Normally it would be hell, but the traffic was light.

[Bilyclub]

Made two trips back and forth in the last month or so. Back in early April the interstates were quiet with just truck traffic. Last week it was a totally different story. The roads were pretty full and the rest areas had enough people in them to make me nervous. Hate the hand dryers, especially now blowing the virus around.

[ChicagoNative]

We’re heading back to the People’s Republic of Illinois in just over 2 weeks. We have a cat and dog so we drive and will spend one overnight in Tennessee. LaQuinta and Red Roof allow animals and almost all of them have outside doors that don’t require traversing a lobby. We’ll bring our own disinfectant spray and sanitizer and use accordingly.

The states through which we will pass are already pretty much open, so as long as we can find a rest stop and some fast food for the trip, we’ll be fine, as I suspect most will be.

[tophcfa]

Originally Posted by ChicagoNative

We’re heading back to the People’s Republic of Illinois in just over 2 weeks. We have a cat and dog so we drive and will spend one overnight in Tennessee. LaQuinta and Red Roof allow animals and almost all of them have outside doors that don’t require traversing a lobby. We’ll bring our own disinfectant spray and sanitizer and use accordingly.

The states through which we will pass are already pretty much open, so as long as we can find a rest stop and some fast food for the trip, we’ll be fine, as I suspect most will be.

When we drive with the dog it’s either La Quinta or Best Western. After the last couple of Red Roof Inns, never again.

[DALEPQ]

We are seasonal owners from northern WI
Here Dec.-mid-May, planning to head back, end of this week.
Not excited to do that as our WI governor is an idiot, basing the shut down on Milwaukee,
we are several hundred miles north, with ZERO cases on our county, but still locked down.
For the ride back (1400+ miles) will need to stay 2 nights, will do it in a reputable chain
motel, just can't handle a straight thru drive.
We have had 4 different friends come here renting in the high months, then driving back to WI, they had little
car traffic, and did stay in reputable chain motels with NO known problems. Said all
were very clean , and all had precautions taken.
Can't rely on "Big Brother" to keep us away from every possible condition, just need to do good self control.

[billethkid]

Originally Posted by memason

We're leaving in the morning for....well, I don't know where, for how long or how far... We'll not be staying in any hotels or doing any flying. We have to be in Vegas in late September, so eventually get out that way.

That is the way we travel. No real "schedule". Just destination(s).

[GerryA]

I would bring my tent and camp out!

[polaris]

I just flew here on Southwest. There were 18 people on the flight so plenty of seating which for reasons unknown didn’t stop one man from sitting right behind me and another man right across from me on the aisle. Go figure. I got up and moved further back where I had several empty rows surrounding me. Masks were not required for passengers but the crew wore them. No food or beverage service but you could bring your own. The first 5 or so rows were blocked off and not available to passengers.
The Orlando airport was practically deserted which was surreal but stores and some food places were open.
It was the least stressful flight I’ve ever been on.

[canyonblue]

As far as the safety of flying goes, don't you think that if it was so dangerous to your health to fly, and that pilots and flight attendants who on average fly 80 hours a month, that they would be calling out sick in masses and there would be nobody left to work the flights?

[UpNorth]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

Maine has four stages of reopening. They are in very restrictive stage one until June, then enter stage two for the month of June, and then enter stage three in July. As of now, stage three is in place through the end of August. During the first three stages, all out of state visitors are required to quarantine for 14 days upon entering the state. That effectively closes out of state tourism for the entire prime summer season. If these restrictions are not relaxed it is anticipated that over half of the states lodging and restaurants will be forced to permanently close. VERY SAD

Just curious: How exactly do they know you just arrived and how do they monitor you for the 14 days? Do they put one of those ankle bracelets on you? My guess is that it is pure voluntary, unless the local government is spending a lot of time and money watching all the new arrivals.

[Lil GTO]

We just drove 1340 miles from Houston TX to our home in TV and no problems. Hotels and restaurants open for dine in and pick up. Plenty of places to stop and all gas stations open.

I would’ve flown but we’re staying a month and cost of rental car is too much for a month.

Originally Posted by Cheapbas

Interested in opinions from snowbirds and/or full time Residents, if you had to travel 1000 miles at the end of the month, how would you do it? Air, automobile, other. What would you do, or what are you going to do? Maybe add short rationale.

Dorothy glass slippers or Star Trek advice not needed at this time.

Thanks

[kenoc7]

Originally Posted by manaboutown

I would not fly that distance except in an extreme emergency. Airports and planes are the problem. I myself need to drive 800 miles in a few weeks, a trip which I normally fly. I used to drive that distance in one day but that was 15 years ago when I was of course much younger. I do not want to be in an accident. I will need to opt for a hotel but I will choose it carefully, take my own pillow, towels and bedroll. It will be a stop where I can walk directly into the room from my car, no lobbies. I want to be careful but not paranoid.

IMO taking your own, pillow, towel and bedroll is being paranoid. Friends drove 1500 miles a while ago, stayed in hotels 3 night, had no problems and are still healthy.

[tophcfa]

Originally Posted by UpNorth

Just curious: How exactly do they know you just arrived and how do they monitor you for the 14 days? Do they put one of those ankle bracelets on you? My guess is that it is pure voluntary, unless the local government is spending a lot of time and money watching all the new arrivals.

Good question, don’t know the answer. But we don’t like to break laws, so how it is enforced is irrelevant to us.

[Professor]

We will travel slightly more than that distance, about 1100 miles and we will do it all in one day. Leave at 2 AM and get there about 11 PM after time zone adjustment. We will take our own food (sandwiches and so on) and our own drinks. Gas and pit stops will be short and we will wear masks and gloves at these stops. One of us has a compromised immune system so we are not taking any chances.

How do we stay awake that long? We listen to an audio book...a long one spanning 11-12 discs usually. I could drive around the clock if I have something like that to listen to.

Before everyone gangs up and tells me how unsafe this is we have been doing this for years and I happen to be one of those people who rarely gets more than 5 hours of sleep a night (my dad was the same way actually) and functions just fine at this lower sleep level. My spouse cat-naps occasionally and keeps me company most of the trip so we do just fine. This is not for everyone though.

We have discussed how we would stay at a hotel if we need to and we are taking our own bedding, including pillows, and we have a big canvas cover to lay over a hotel bed before we put our stuff over it. Carry a plastic bag to drop the remote into (using a tissue to pick it up with) and alcohol wipes to get all the surfaces we plan to touch. We also never go barefoot in a hotel except in the shower. May be overkill but with a compromised immune system one can't be too careful.

Safe travels.