It’s 07:19 in the morning as I start typing this. A horrible night trying to sleep last night and my triple espresso is having a hard time cutting through the fog. Intense dreams that seemed like things were actually happening. Not the lucid type I had from meds after my heart attack, but just normal dreams that felt real. I was awake almost as much as I was asleep. I will be going to bed somewhat early tonight.

I got up at 06:00 and took the dog out. The gravel in the driveway was covered with ice, as well as my truck, but oddly the sidewalk was clear (but got slick later). I guess since it was so warm yesterday it retained some of the heat and that kept it thawed. The winds are howling and the precipitation is picking up, glazing everything like one of those cheap, nasty-ass iced oatmeal cookies that you find in the store.

It is going to get bad. On top of the current conditions, I just got my 08:15 notification from the Dark Sky app. It says expect 7-11” of snow/ice. It is starting to get a bit colder and will be single-digit cold the next coupe of days. Glad I got extra propane!

I saw an article on CNN’s website this morning talking about the classic Bill Murray film “Groundhog Day” and how life these days really imitates art and the takeaways from the film. It was a very interesting and well-written article and the things the author talked about were so relevant. It was a good read and makes you think.

Many people, like myself, would love to hop on a plane for far-off destinations but there are the ‘rona realities – just like Sonny and Cher on the radio every damn morning – and we proceed with the same due caution we do daily in our lives. It’s easy to keep being cautious; we all should be and there’s nothing wrong with that, but I think people are focused too much on what they CAN’T do as opposed to what they CAN do. Of course, it all boils down to your own comfort level but it doesn’t have to stop you from doing some things.

Myself, I am always very cautious about what I do on a daily basis when it comes to being out and about and being around others. With that said, I find there is really no reason to stay constantly locked up, trapped in my own personal Groundhog Day. Not only is there no reason, it is detrimental to our mental well-being.

As you know from reading nearly ten years of this blog (and I know you have, haven’t you?), I love to travel. I love to see new places and do stuff and eat new things. It helps keep me going (pardon the pun) and it gives me a lot of enjoyment in my life. It doesn’t matter if it is a road trip for a few hours or two weeks in Europe. I just want to go. I’ve always been a traveler.

So if I can still travel, while being as cautious as I am in everyday life, then why not go? It really is no different masking up and using hand sanitizer to go out in another city than it is to do the same at home. The only difference is I sanitize everything in a hotel room that I can before I even take my mask off.

Granted, I still will not eat in a restaurant (I will get takeaway) or go inside to spend long periods of time in a museum (I can find plenty to see and do otherwise), but at least I can still get away on road trips. I will not fly domestically at the moment for many reasons. There is no way in hell I will do a ride share and I hesitate about rental cars and any public transit like a bus or train. I will only consider flying internationally on foreign airlines, and that is only when I feel it is safe going to other countries. Not to mention from what I have seen the testing to get back in the States can be pretty expensive unless you do some research for alternatives.

As you can see, I do have some fairly strict self-imposed limitations…but I still get away when I can. When the weather calms down and we start getting into Spring more I will get the trailer back out on the road. I have mentioned before that it’s my own little bubble so it is even more like normal life since I don’t need to sanitize it like I do a hotel room. I can still cook meals – that means just like everyday life I am going to the grocery store. I have a bed & a bathroom and it is much cheaper than a hotel every night (but there IS the price of extra fuel; there are free places to stay to save some some money if you do more research). It is a real comfort having that option to still be able to go places.

So there ARE ways of getting away – you just have to adapt. Even more importantly, you have to be WILLING to adapt. Yeah, not everyone has an RV of some sort, but you CAN still do hotels to get away.

I know that many people think they HAVE to fly or stay home because it is not a vacation otherwise. But it is just not true – just like many think you have to stay in uppity, expensive hotels every night and eat in expensive restaurants every meal. It’s not necessary to spend a lot of money to have a fun trip and a great time. I make my own sandwiches and pack snacks from what I have at home. I pay at the pump for fuel. I don’t make contact with crowded places any more than normal. It’s everyday life – just in a different place!

Take a drive! You just might be very surprised what you see and learn and it is at your own pace. You can discover interesting places to eat, unique stores with unique regional products, and many other things you didn’t know the world has to offer!

As I wind the day down and get ready for bedtime the precipitation is starting to fall. The wind is still howling and it is 19° F so yes…it is pretty cold. My Dark Sky app is calling for 11-17” of snow overnight. Booooooo.

That’s it for now.