Woke up early, had a good breakfast, went online to read the latest on
the coronavirus only to find out that Michigan is shutting down for 3 weeks
effective midnight tonight. Shit!! Not
really sure what this means for us. We’re over 2,000 miles from home...and
suddenly it feels like we’re might not be able to return home in the
foreseeable future. I haven’t had any
fear about COVID-19 to this point but the uncertainty of this latest turn of
events is making a knot in my stomach. This
is going to take some processing on my part.
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Processing my thoughts: Everything
I read mentions maintaining distance from those outside your household. No problem there because the three of us have
been a ‘household’ for 10 days now. But our
current ‘home’ is mobile...another plus with this trailer vs. the bike
trailer. We have a kitchen, a bathroom
and beds. Might have to beef up our
non-perishable food supply but, again, that’s doable. If we travel there’s no
need for a motel...we already know how we could make that work even with the
bikes on board. Gas stations are
remaining open as an essential business.
Are we stuck in Arizona for an untold amount
of time? At what point is getting back home considered essential travel? I know
it feels essential to me but that may be more because I feel disconnected from
my ‘real life’ back home. I’m all about spontaneity, rolling with the
flow...but this doesn’t feel like that...this feels so out of control. Aghhh!
10
a.m. update: Just watched Chip’s message from
yesterday...went a long way to easing that knot in my stomach. It’s still there just not tied as tight.
We’ve been getting texts and phone calls from people telling us of the
recent lock down development back home. Are they trying to tell us that we can’t go home...that we’re not allowed to
travel into Michigan? No one is coming right out and saying that but is that
part of the plan to slow the spread of COVID-19? Arizona has been a great place to ride
out the isolation gig and we’ve been adhering to all the precautions put out by
the CDC. But there’s always been the
thought that at the end of March we’d be heading home taking all the
precautions with us. I need someone to tell me what this means
for us...does lock-down equate to lock-out? It’s the unknown that is so unnerving. It’s not like I can call the Governor to ask
her to clarify. Hel-lo...can anybody
tell me what this means? This is driving me crazy! 😕
--------------------
1:45
p.m. update: Kim just read
the entire list of lock down ‘Can do’ and ‘Can’t do’ items put out by Governor Whitmer...I didn’t
know there was such a list but I'm certainly grateful for it. He simply said, “Return
to Michigan to a home or place of residence from outside the State is on
the ‘Can Do’ list.”
Yay!
What a relief to know that we’re not being exiled, disconnected from the Mother
Ship, uninvited from the party, stranded or whatever. I realize everything is fluid...that nothing
is set in stone as far as COVID-19 is concerned and that travel restrictions
might still occur. However, right now, the
knot in my stomach has been untied. 👍
Went to town this morning...Kim wanted to stop at Family Dollar to
replace a broken solar light. We noticed
a milk truck in the parking lot; Kim didn’t find the light but he got a half
gallon of milk. Next went to the IGA to
look for eggs. Yes, they had eggs, limit
2 cartons per customer. Bought milk and
eggs on the same day. What a score!😎
--------------------
Today was sunny, in the mid-70s, with a warm wind blowing...perfect for
a ride. Marilyn decided to stay in camp
and read...Kim and I were on our own. We
decided to start on Indian Road 15 and then turn at Indian Road 42 which led to
US 8. From there we’d cruise on back to
Picacho. A loop we’d done before. However, this loop included a detour into
Casa Grande because Kim was on a mission to find a particular type of solar
light. Up until then we’d stopped at
every Family Dollar or Dollar General on the route. C-A-L Ranch in Casa Grande didn’t have it but
Lowe’s did. At that point we jumped on
I-10 and boogied back to camp. It took
longer than we’d originally estimated but that was okay...it was a good
ride.
-----
As we
pulled in the Lowe’s parking lot a couple wearing riding gear walked out
carrying a couple of 2x4 boards...each of them 8 feet long. Kim went in the store and I sat in the
parking lot watching them try to figure out how to carry them home. A truck came along and stopped to talk, maybe
to offer help because the woman said that no, they were fine...that one time he
carried a kitchen cabinet home on the bike.
What?! Anyway, I was intrigued by how they were going
to do this. I really couldn’t imagine
his first attempt was going to be very safe...he had the boards laying
horizontal from the handlebars to the back seat. Dude! How are you going to turn with those boards
on your handlebars? In the end, he stood
them vertically in the saddlebag, strapping them to a crate on back which
enabled her to hold onto them as they rode.
As we were waiting at the stoplight they passed in front of us...sure
looked strange.
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Got a quick walk in tonight but a lot less steps today than normal. The concern of the morning put me off my
game. Tomorrow is predicted to be hotter
than today so walking will have to be a morning thing and I just won’t read any
coronavirus updates until after I get back from walking.
--------------------
Kim checked the sky chart and tonight is predicted to be clear and
dark...great for imaging. About 8 p.m.
he was still waiting for a few wispy clouds to move out but other than that it
was all systems go.
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Bike miles today: 105
Total miles: 1791
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