COVID-19: The Journey. Chapter 7, Traveling West

                                                       Here we are at the Grand Canyon!

    The idea of a road trip was met with skepticism: "Drive? More than 3,000 miles? In September?"

    That was Cautious Me talking to husband Steve, who was trying to share a daring idea: Travel during this worsening COVID-19 virus, as carefully as could be. The ultimate destination would be the Grand Canyon, long on my Bucket List.

    I had a lengthy list of reservations, starting with the care of my many gardens. (See related blog: gardensirencall.blogspot.com). 

    In short, we had never, ever taken a long, driving vacation in September before. Not in the 33 years of marriage and not before that, either. There had just been a long drought, and the dozens of annual blooms I carefully planted were in good shape. But what if it didn't rain?

    After a lot more talking, and with a focus on the Bucket List, I did agree. Steve went off to buy more facemarks and we took off Sept. 9. Our SUV was packed with food, clothes and other necessities. We'd stay at a series of hotels, which were limiting the number of guests due to the virus.

    The continuing pandemic actually means there were far fewer people at places like the Grand Canyon. We could easily keep our distance from others, and they certainly stayed away from us.

    In fact, all the states visited (Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Arizona) had far more serious mask policies than we have in Iowa. We kept those masks on at all times, except when eating or drinking. It was required nearly everywhere.

    This was especially true in the Navajo Nation. This large area of northern Arizona has a few large towns with gas stations. We stopped at a Speedway which allowed only 5 customers at a time. The line of folks needing the (spotlessly clean) restroom stood in a line, and patiently waited to be let inside.

    The road trip took up 16 days in September, so here's what else happened in the Baker family:

    1. Grandson Brady Hansen, a sophomore at Davenport West High School and a member of the football team, was named starting quarterback in September. This means we have attended several of his games, wearing masks and sitting in the allocated seats at Brady Street Stadium. Brady and the Falcons played Sept. 5 and Sept. 24.

    2. During the trip we also visited Ankeny, Iowa, home of daughter Kirstin, son-in-law Gage, and baby Myla, who was recovering from a severe leg injury. On the last day of September, Myla's cast was removed by a specialist in West Des Moines. We Facetimed with her parents that night to see the baby still favoring the now-healed leg, but moving just as fast as she normally does!

     3. We reached home on Sept. 24 and spent each day, thereafter, trying to catch up on housework and garden chores.