Texas State Parks to close today

[gearhead]

Closing at end of business April 7:
https://tpwd.texas.gov/newsmedia/rel...?req=20200407a

[Brantlyj]

Closing in Iowa today as well. Kinda crap if you ask me as the parks are still open. Camping is the ultimate social distancing. At least have it every other pad....

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by Brantlyj

Closing in Iowa today as well. Kinda crap if you ask me as the parks are still open. Camping is the ultimate social distancing. At least have it every other pad....

I disagree, the "ultimate social distancing" is staying home. I "want" to go camping, I don't "have to go camping". JMHO

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by flybouy

I disagree, the "ultimate social distancing" is staying home. I "want" to go camping, I don't "have to go camping". JMHO

Yup, so true. Even "unstructured dry camping in the forest" carries a risk to exposing others... Stop to pick up the things needed for the trip, stop to refuel the truck and get a 5 gallon can of gas for the generator, head out to a place where there's NOBODY for miles (so we're social distancing)….

Those trips to the grocery, to the gas station, to the forest.... All increase risk of exposure.

Then there's that "statistical data on breakdowns/vehicle recovery"... For every 100,000 vehicles on the road, 1% (just as an example) will have a flat tire requiring assistance, 1% will break down (example) requiring a tow truck, 1% will get stuck (example) in the forest and need help getting out.

That's 3% requiring assistance that increases exposure. 100,000 x 3% = 3,000 increased exposures.... Let's reduce that to half a percent that need help (6 times less): That's "only 500 increased exposures"...

OK, lets change all that to "only one person broke down or needed help"... If you or a member of your family was infected by the tow truck driver and wound up in the hospital..... So, IMHO, even 1 increased exposure is "1 too many".....

STAY HOME and reduce exposures if you can. It's your health AND MINE that you're putting at risk....

Ask me how I know? Gaylord, MI, (Otsego County) is the "traditional stopping off point" for travel along the I-75 corridor to the Upper Peninsula. ALL the counties around Otsego have significantly fewer COVID-19 cases than any county even "one removed from I-75. Causes for the difference? People who don't stay home and travel around, increasing risk for themselves and others.....

YMMV

[sourdough]

And taking the above point just a bit further and adding some personal experience;

The first case of Covid19 in our county was diagnosed by the wife of a friend and a general contractor. That 1st case was in the newspaper twice (no name, just age) and family was telling them that he was doing better every day. Talked to my friend yesterday and he told me the man died that morning (yesterday)...and who he was. It was a gentleman I had worked with on many projects and many boards; had no idea he was sick. His wife is in quarantine.

To illustrate how this is crazy, they have friends who were also friends with the deceased. They all had children that played together, that played with others, that went to the store, bought gas, etc. etc. etc. Obviously, no one knew who had what or who may have possibly been infected and daily that circle grows. As we discussed, the circle grows ever wider, the pool gets larger and larger and grows exponentially. So, that "one" encounter, that "one" gas pump, that "one" anything could have the potential to start yet another circle with growing ripples. Answer? I don't really have it other than to minimize needless contacts.

I don't think we need to shut down and destroy the country or other's lives but we do have to take reasonable precautions and reduce any unnecessary travel, trips etc. It's like I told the lady at the bank drive thru today; "6 weeks ago I would have told you I would be crazy before you ever saw me driving around in a car with 2 N95 masks draped over knobs waiting for me or DW to get out.....but here we are.....and I THINK I'm still sane (hopefully). But this will pass soon and I can put them back in a box." She smiled and said yes it would and she would be glad. I think that's where all of us are.