TURING THE PAGE

 Well once again, I have been locked out of my account for several weeks. I was finally able to change my password and log back in. Fact is I can't keep getting locked out of his site every few months. I am currently looking for a new FREE Blog site but so far I haven't been able to find anything that I like. So for the time being, I am stuck here until I find something better. 

Well, We have thankfully turned the page on 2020 and are a couple of months into 2021. I certainly hope that we can get this Covid Stuff in hand and I can return to traveling this year.  The vaccine has given us a ray of hope, so we will see where that takes us. 

I did make a concerted effort to social distance during the last years. I ordered my groceries on line and either had them delivered of used the drive up service.  I really limited my social contact and probably ate in a restaurant less than 10 times. 

I have more confidence in the vaccine than I do in the hope that our country will enjoy a peaceful environment. There are just too many subcultures that are bent on having their way and when they don't get their way they riot, loot and burn down cities.  There is no spirit of compromise with any of these radical elements no matter what side of the political aisle you are on.

With that being said, I don't want to look back at 2020. After all there is not much to look back on. I mostly stayed at home, taking only short day trips around the area.  I did manage to shot and upload a number of new videos to my YouTube Channel. I try to upload  a new video on the first and third Sundays of Each Month, and so far I have managed to maintain that pace. 

I still have a number of videos completely edited and ready to go. And I still have several waiting to be edited. This should be enough to keep me uploading on the twice a month schedule until spring comes and I can get back on the road.

In addition to my little day trips, the other way I was able to combat cabin fever was my daily walks. I am fortunate that I live in an area that is blessed with an abundance of trails and walking paths. I spent a lot of time walking the Huckleberry Trail along with hiking around Pandapas Pond.  According to my Map My Walk App that is GPS Based, I managed to walk 759 miles in 2020.  That gives me something to shoot for in 2021. But that will be difficult as a lot of those early miles in 2020 were logged at the Rec Center where I could get inside during the cold and snowy months.  I won't be able to do this this year and I am really behind.

So 2020 gave us social distancing, civil unrest and a divided nation. All those thing combined made traveling difficult and unsafe. In 2018, I spent 82-nights in hotels. In 2019 I spent 48 nights. In 2020, I spent only one night in a hotel. I really hope that number changes in 2021 and I can get  back on the road.

I do have hope that 2021 is going to be better and with that hope I  have started making some travel plans.  Some short trips consisting of one, two and three days.  Some longer trips consisting of a week or more and finally a couple of mega trips lasting a month or longer. We will see how they play out. 

No matter how long the trip or where I go. None of my plans entail traveling to any large or mid-size cities. The possibility of getting caught up in some type of bull shit protest or riot is not something that I want to do.  All of my plans so far see me sticking to the back roads and spending the evenings in or near the smaller towns.  

Also by sticking to the back roads and small towns I can still maintain a high degree of social distance. I do have a great deal of optimism that I will be able to travel in 2021. Now for the big question. Will I get the Covid Vaccine?

That's a decision that I won't have to make for several weeks.  Virginia is lagging way behind the rest of the states in administering the Vaccine. The lack of any type of leadership in our state government is very apparent. So with that lack of leadership and direction, It will probably be early spring before I have to decide if I want the Vaccine or Not. 

Hopefully, after we get through the winter, the Spring will bring flowers and travel.