TAKING A ROAD TRIP SAFELY DURING THE PANDEMIC

I recently returned from taking a short, 3-day road trip with my husband from a small town in Central Oregon up to a small town in Central Washington to visit his cousin and her significant-other. It was less than 300 miles away, pretty much due North and took us 4-5 hours by car.  We went from an altitude of 3500 feet and a high-desert dry area with forests of juniper trees and sagebrush to an altitude of 1900 feet with lush, thick ponderosa pine forests and the Yakima River running alongside the town. 

It was our first road trip since early March but were confident that traveling would be fun, picturesque and also less risky than going by train or airplane. It would require a few extra steps in preparing for our departure. We knew what the local, state and regional regulations would be while we were in Washington and packed accordingly.

For the most part, it was going to be only the four of us during our visit – we’re all healthy and didn’t know anyone that has been diagnosed with the virus.  Masks, wipes, hand sanitizer and disposable gloves are in all our vehicles at all times. We packed our own drinks and road trip snacks to minimize any close interaction with other people and reduce our risk of getting sick.

Oregon and New Jersey are the only states where drivers cannot pump their own gas. Can NOT, as in it is actually against the law, for those who didn’t quite understand. At this time, people are being given the option of pumping their own or letting the attendant do it. Either way, we always sanitize our hands, door knobs, credit card, gas pump handles and steering wheel before leaving the gas station. In Washington we are able to pump our own gas and take the same safety precautions before driving away.

If we used a public restroom, the main difference now is wearing a mast while inside, maintaining physical distance from other people while in line for the toilets, touching as few surfaces as possible, and washing our hands with soap (if available) before leaving the restroom. We use the hand sanitizer in the car as an added precaution.

Our one “dining-out” experience including another couple that had been practicing the same recommended CDC guidelines from the beginning of the shutdown back in March. The six of us all wore masks into the restaurant which was set-up with the tables six feet apart along with the waitstaff wearing masks throughout our dining experience. We removed our masks upon being seated at our table. Upon the departure of a group from a table or booth, we observed sanitizing procedures by the waitstaff for the next group.

The four of us spent a lot of time outside on the deck sharing past experiences, old memories and reminiscing about family gatherings and all the colorful relatives that touched our lives for decades. We all felt that people have more control of the situation when on a road trip as opposed to traveling by train or plane. Be Safe and Happy Travels!