Wondering about my plans to Washington DC, Fresno California, and Cozumel

[DandyDon]

I didn't travel much this past winter, as odd as that is for me, but was getting ready to get back to wandering adventures when the chaos hit. The kids & I did make a camping trip downstate in Texas in mid-march, and I did some exploring of impressive looking courthouses mostly in the coastal bend and then on the way home, but for the last 11 weeks, I've been mostly sheltering in place with just weekly trips for groceries for myself and my brother's household and to my POBox. I have opened up a little in recent weeks since my barbershop reopened as I was really getting shaggy, and today I went to an estate sale here in town in a county that has had only 12 cases of the new plague - both visits with my mask in place as I do on my other trips, but that's about it. Like many others, I am ready to start exploring again if the environment seems safe and the airlines fly their planes. It's still looking iffy tho...

(1) My planned camping trip to the Guadalupe Mountains NP in May fell thru of course as that park closed in April, still is, and no hints from the national park service on when they might reopen. They don't even have many facilities to reopen there, it's pretty much a byo-everything park with no showers, but highs in the 90s already means it's going to be too hot to enjoy until October or November.

(2) I am really worried about my planned trip to Washington in a month as a gawking tourist who wants to see the sights. My planned hotel is only two blocks from Lafayette Park, the Marine Barracks parades haven't even started yet, and of course, while I expect the turmoil to be over by then, I have to wonder if the sights to see will be open. Then too, my flights are not even operating yet. There are some planes flying Lubbock to DFW and some on to Washington, but is there any hope in more flights by then? I know that the airlines are in chaos, but does anyone have any information that might give hope to increased flights?

(2) Later next month, a couple of my kids and I hope to fly to Fresno for a weekend exploring the Giant Trees, a rescheduled trip that was canceled over Memorial Day weekend. It's difficult to keep up with the changes, but those national parks have reopened, and we are hoping that the state calms down by then. Again, the flights we have booked thru Phoenix are not flying yet, and we really don't want to fly east to Dallas before heading west, nor return that way.

(3) I am still hopeful for my Cozumel trip in late August, but it's way too early to tell how things will be there by then.

I guess my worries are minor compared to people in hospital beds or living in neighborhoods with riots, but I would like to go to some places. I guess we are all in the same boat here in the US, but does anyone have any good ideas on any of these plans?

 

[DandyDon]

For my planned flights to Fresno with a couple of my kids to see the Giant Trees, we booked at $255, then saw those flights drop to about $200, but now that Phoenix connection is out. They'll fly us via DFW with longer times on planes and total travel times, arriving later, returning much later, on flights that cost about $650 today. We try to accept the adventures of travel, but I don't know. If we decided to bail, I think we could get cash refunds instead of vouchers.

I guess it's tough running an airline these days.

 

[DaveC]

I have put off any travel plans via air until at least first of the year. I will probably do some road trips and camping.

 

[DandyDon]

I have put off any travel plans via air until at least first of the year. I will probably do some road trips and camping.

I don't know where you are, but road trips to see the Giant Trees or the Smithsonian from here are out of the question. Guadalupe Mountains NP is still closed and getting too hot for my tastes.

My Washington flights are still safe for now, with my hopes that the city is worth visiting by mid-July, but seat selection changes are not showing on my return flight. All seats Xed out. I'm using miles for that trip so should be able to change, so I wonder what the issue is?

 

[The Chairman]

I am not planning on flying until 2021. I don't want to get somewhere only to be stranded by some lawmaker's whim.

 

[lexvil]

Fly into Stockton and see the Calaveras big trees state park.

 

[DandyDon]

I am not planning on flying until 2021. I don't want to get somewhere only to be stranded by some lawmaker's whim.

There is that risk, yes.

Fly into Stockton and see the Calaveras big trees state park.

I forgot that there are state parks with the Giant Trees. They enjoyed the Sequoias we saw at Yosemite but Sequoia NP has the best ones I think, and Kings Canyon wasn't open when I visited before 40+ years ago. Calaveras SP is an interesting alternative. American Air and Matrix are both have site problems, but Google flights say that from Lubbock we'd need to fly into Sacramento.

We currently have a very tight connection going. I'd pack a sandwich to eat on the plane, but I don't guess that'd work with masks required. Lunch will be late.

 

[wnissen]

If it were me, I would avoid being in public much for the next few months. I'm thinking about a camping trip in August.

 

[SleepySlipper]

I have been flying for work almost every week, the past two months. Redding, CA. Denver, CO. San Antonio, TX. Raleigh-Durham, NC. Baton Rouge, LA...to name a few. As of the last two weeks, I have noticed mostly every state I have worked in is back to normal with a majority of people not even attempting to wear masks in the airport. TSA hasn’t enforced anything at the airports and neither have any of the major airlines. I was extremely shocked when I jumped on my first flight at the end of April.

 

[The Chairman]

I've got a work trip planned later this week to Mybackyardia and I'm booking all my travel on el cortacésped. It's on the level and a cut above the rest! I will also be spending time in Casa de Trabajo while I'm out.