Healthcare on The Road
I have mentioned Healthcare and Insurance for Full Timers on the road several times. At best it’s a balancing act of unknowns. It mostly depends on where you are when you find the need for a doctor and if you have the right insurance to cover the expense. COVID-19 is complicating that even further.
My First Concern Regarding COVID-19
Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be confined to the Coach from a virus called COVID-19 while traveling on the road or anytime for that matter, but that’s what I have been experiencing the last few weeks, and maybe for the foreseeable future.
Stay at Home When Your Home Moves?
Mid-March Jagger and I moved to Mesa and continued to stay close to our Coach as impending decisions were being made by our government. I thought to myself wait a minute, I can’t follow these rules? I have reservations for months in advance. It soon became clear that I would have to cancel my many reservations and plan for a fast trip back to Montana.
As events evolved further I again had to rethink my plans. It’s still snowing in Montana, I guess I’ll ride out the “stay at home” order while staying in Arizona through April. Many RV Parks, State Parks, etc were closing down also which limited the places I could camp. This is indeed uncomfortable.
Plan Moving Forward
I ended up moving the Coach to a county park in the outskirts of Tucson in order to meet my seven days out of the Thousand Trails system. This was a view looking out the window from my dining table at the Gilbert Campground.
After staying there for seven days, I traveled back to Monte Vista RV Resort in Mesa. When I arrived back at the gate I was told I just barely made it! They were closing down in two days. Not only are they closing, but all Thousand Trails and Encore Parks were closing reservations and canceling those in their system. I was told since I was booked it I had an option to stay here for my two weeks and then purchase more time to stay on if I was interested. Great opportunity? I can’t afford to shell out $1,600 for a month here or even more if I had to stay longer. I also thought it was a little unusual to charge full price when all of the amenities were closed.
My plan is now firmed up. After canceling all my reservations through May, I’ll finish my two weeks here and then move to an Arizona State Park, they are still open so far thank goodness. This will buy me a few more weeks. I can head north at the time using BLM, overnight camps and refueling at truck stops outside any major cities as I fast track through Utah and Idaho to Montana. Once arriving I’ll have a place to self-isolate for another fourteen days. I’m not sure what I’m isolating from as I haven’t been very close to anyone in a month already, but I will.
Safe Travels…Gary and Jagger
- Dates: March 5th-April 17th 2020
- In The Saddle: 399 Miles, 8 hrs 30 min (total)
- More Photos: Monte Vista RV Resort, Gilbert Ray Campground
- Camp: Monte Vista RV Resort, Gilbert Ray Campground
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Categories: Arizona
Retired Vagabond 
Yes, all of this is hard to believe. Then I have friends telling me in other states that their favorite unknown camping spots are filled with people and brand new gear.
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Hey Steve, Camps are full this year for sure and many new travelers. I’m currently in Washington beautiful weather, but still stayng apart from others due to the virus. I was surprised that so many people are crowding together for play along the Wenatchee River and in the town of Leavenworth. The weekends are packed.
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Glad to hear from you — we are weathering this Pandemic here in TN very well — I was in Washington in January and hope to be back there this summer !! Lord will and the creek dont rise — You stay safe out there!!!
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Thanks Jenny, Good to hear you’re healthy in Tennessee.
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Unbelievable stress! I’m so glad you’ll be in Montana. Near family and secure. Refilling the coffers. I feel safe here in Mexico, until I don’t. Our town is and has been locked down, no one in, not even from other local towns. So, we’ll see. Take care and keep safe 😎
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Good hearing from you. I always think about what your up against being out of the USA. For me the stress of moving north not knowing if the next camp will still be available. I’m breaking my 2-2-2 rule in that I will be arriving at camps after 2 pm, traveling more than 200 miles and on staying 1 night. Stay safe in Mexico…
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Yeah, this is a game changer for a lot of people, me included!! Since we last spoke, the opportunity I had in Montana has fallen apart, as there is “talk” that Yellowstone will NOT open…..fireworks is out this year as well for me with TNT, as the smaller divisions of Kroger are looking at closing 940 stores in the Midwest by mid May!! I stopped at Pats’ property in Concho, but there is NO cell service there, NO TV at all, NO internet at all!!! Now, how am I to self isolate without at least 1 of those?? lolol….was watching news on tv out of Phoenix before leaving Ehrenberg, and there was a story on about Bluewater Casino in Parker and how much they are losing every day they are shut down——$3.7 MILLION A DAY!!!!! No slots revenue…no table games revenue…no foods/drinks revenue…no hotel revenue…no RV park revenue…no theater revenue…imagine, $3.7 MILLION LOST…EVERY SINGLE DAY!!! We actually have it pretty good, being retired!! I doubt very seriously if you or I will miss a meal, or Jagger either!!!
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Crazy whats going on. Stay safe Jagger and I will see someday soon.
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Hi Gary and Jagger…. So good to hear from you and to know that you both are doing well. So sorry that your plans for the summer are ruined. But it seems some things are working in your favor thank goodness. We wish we could follow you to Montana. That is one state I have never been and so want to see. I want to take Feather Blu there with me and do a river run and some hiking. Please continue to stay in touch. Safe travels.
Jeannie and Feather Blu
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I’m praying I will still be able to visit Washington this Summer. I would like to see my Son and his family. They have been in isolation since early March. Also I was planning on Thanksgiving in Solvang California with some family. Time will tell. Give Feather Blu a treat from Jagger and I
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We came to AZ for the FMCA rally, which was cancelled so have been staying on a leased lot north of Sierra Vista since early March. And grateful to have it available…but looking forward to being able to travel again. Hopefully by July. Will make a very short travel season for us as we will return here for the snow bird season. Glad you and Jagger have a place to hunker down as well. Montana is beautiful…in the summer! Safe travels
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Thanks for you comment. It’s truly a unusual time. I’m so glad a had a few years of travel before this happened. It may be a while before we get back to normal. Stay healthy 😉
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