Good Morning, Oppo

"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn) 04/01/2020 at 09:51 • Filed to: good morning oppo

5

30

How’s everybody doing today? Thought I’d post a picture I took near Sylvan Lake in South Dakota two years ago, as I wonder when I’ll be able to take another road trip. 

Sovande > ttyymmnn 04/01/2020 at 10:19

0

I was supposed to drive from DC to Wyoming early this summer with my special lady friend. I was super excited as I've never driven further west than Chicago. Guess it will have to wait for another time. 

ttyymmnn > Sovande 04/01/2020 at 10:25

1

It gets pretty out that way. This trip to SD originated in TX, and we basically drove straight north and then turned left to get to Custer State Park. Than back south through CO and NM back to TX. About 3500 miles total. 

Ash78, voting early and often > ttyymmnn 04/01/2020 at 10:26

1

The slow deterioration of our travel plans has been kind of sad. We were looking at going to AZ in June, and I was probably a day away from booking the flights earlier this month.

The daily rationalization went something like this:

Eh, we’re just traveling between two low-risk areas, no big deal...

Everywhere we want to go is wide open outdoor spaces, anyway...

The only real risk will be the planes and airports...

We’re renting a house, at least it’s not a hotel!

Southwest just announced much more thorough cleaning policies.

OK, Southwest just cut their routes by 30%.

At least the kids won’t miss any school right? It’s closed!

Shit.

OK, I don’t think we’re going anywhere.

ttyymmnn > Ash78, voting early and often 04/01/2020 at 10:30

0

We’ve got reservations for Disneyland in mid-June. We’ve already got our airline tickets. The reservations can be canceled, and the airline tickets can be repurposed (the fare just keeps going down, so there’s that). But I am not optimistic about our going at all.

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > ttyymmnn 04/01/2020 at 10:31

1

I’m itching to take a road trip....

Chariotoflove > ttyymmnn 04/01/2020 at 11:01

0

That is very good composition.

Chariotoflove > Ash78, voting early and often 04/01/2020 at 11:03

0

I was out in the park two days ago and was mildly surprised to look up and see a couple of Southwest planes in the Love Field pattern.

Kind of says something about the times we live in  that this seemed out of place.

Chariotoflove > ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability 04/01/2020 at 11:04

0

In the mini?  That would be a good April fools. ;p

ttyymmnn > Chariotoflove 04/01/2020 at 11:13

2

Thanks. Here’s another crop of the same shot. I like this, but I think the first one gives a better idea of the scale of the place. Custer State Park is an extraordinarily beautiful place.

This is the actual Sylvan Lake. There are three lakes in CSP, all of them manmade. I had to do a bit of scrambling to get to this vantage point.

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > Chariotoflove 04/01/2020 at 11:14

0

I dont g et it :/

For Sweden > ttyymmnn 04/01/2020 at 11:17

1

The Sturgis rally is still scheduled for August!

Stef Schrader > Ash78, voting early and often 04/01/2020 at 11:19

1

Gah, this was me with Sebring. I still hate that I couldn’t go.

Stef Schrader > ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability 04/01/2020 at 11:19

0

same :(

Stef Schrader > ttyymmnn 04/01/2020 at 11:20

1

The Dead Milkmen said it best:

Chariotoflove > ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability 04/01/2020 at 11:22

0

something something unreliable.

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > Chariotoflove 04/01/2020 at 11:26

1

Its been quite reliable actually, never left me stranded in the 55k miles I've owned her (apart from the time when I put subpar driveshafts in it....)

Chariotoflove > ttyymmnn 04/01/2020 at 11:29

3

Very nice. Needs a couple more trees.

Chariotoflove > ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability 04/01/2020 at 11:30

1

Oh, I was just referencing the problems you had a while back. Anything for a joke.

ttyymmnn > Chariotoflove 04/01/2020 at 11:33

1

Happy trees!

DipodomysDeserti > For Sweden 04/01/2020 at 11:36

0

Hepatitis is a lot worse than covid.

DipodomysDeserti > Ash78, voting early and often 04/01/2020 at 11:39

1

Yeah, it’s spreading on the Navajo reservation, which is about as wide open as you can get. When I go on my daily hikes (mountains in the middle of the valley) the only real air pollution is all centered around Sky Harbor. Makes absolutely no sense to have shelter in place order when you’re still flying planes around. Planes are most likely  the vector that brought it here in the first place.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > ttyymmnn 04/01/2020 at 12:10

0

Doing better. My parents are now in Washington, D.C. (they safely made it from Madagascar - it took them something like 30+ hours on a transport 747. I can’t wait to see my mom’s photos of it.

The not so good: my wrist is getting sore. I don’t have the same setup at home as I do at work, and I think I’m slowly getting a strain injury.

Some of you may appreciate this:

Ash78, voting early and often > DipodomysDeserti 04/01/2020 at 12:16

1

Agree completely — we’re inconveniencing or suppressing hundreds of millions of Americans, yet allowing the main source of the spread to continue nearly unabated. The first step we should have taken is to close 95% of airline routes, turn airports into decontamination centers, and then reassess a week or two later. It’s much easier to bail out one industry than an entire economy, but that requires objective, apolitical thinking. And I’m benefiting from hindsight here. Making that call in January would have been a lot harder. I believe in the free market approach in most sitautions, but I also believe in a more nationalized/socialized approach to transportation , healthcare, and possibly education. We need the ability to flip a switch for matters of national security.

We were planning to do Flagstaff/Sedona/GCNP/Humphreys in lieu of our usual summer beach trip, but it doesn’t look like either of those two options are on the table.

ttyymmnn > BaconSandwich is tasty. 04/01/2020 at 12:19

1

Good news about your folks. I need to call my dad and step mom. Haven’t talked to them in a while. 

DipodomysDeserti > Ash78, voting early and often 04/01/2020 at 13:31

1

Damn, sounds like a great trip. Stayed in a self sustaining cabin a few months ago for a friends birthday at the base of Humphrys . Snowed on the first night which was great. Tons of coyotes running around in the evening. We’ve got a very isolated spot at the edge of a wilderness area that we do a yearly Fall camping trip at.

With the reduction in air pollution, people calling for flights and cruises to be cancelled, I’m getting a very “12 Monkeys” vibe from this whole thing.

Ash78, voting early and often > DipodomysDeserti 04/01/2020 at 14:04

1

We were aiming for just a central location with cooler weather in summer, plus easy access to all that stuff plus the Navajo/Hopi areas, meteor crater and painted desert, Route 66 cheese...the whole experience. But we still wanted to be near town for groceries and restaurants. Alas.

Still on the list, but looks like probably next year instead. The standard beach trip that everyone does here is just getting old after 10+ years, plus the kids can finally hike a couple miles without complaining. And if you want to swim to cool off, there’s always places like Slide Rock SP in Oak Creek Canyon (among countless others). Watson Lake near Prescott always looked pretty cool, too.

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > Chariotoflove 04/01/2020 at 14:05

1

Aah I know what you mean!

I realized that probably the reason why the radiator fan died and I could not come to meet you in Indy was  cause I left an unused electrical connector open and water probably got in and killed something.

DipodomysDeserti > Ash78, voting early and often 04/01/2020 at 14:27

1

Watson Lake is pretty cool. Have a friend that used to live near there. My step bro’s family have lived in Sedona for a long time. Those were all their usual haunts. Our midwife is from Sedona. She packed up all her stuff and headed off to a commune she’s been setting up out there. She was retiring anyways and didn’t have any pregnant mamas. Said if it gets too crazy she’ll start inviting people.

Chariotoflove > ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability 04/01/2020 at 14:52

0

Well someday, when society returns to normal, we’ll reschedule !

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > Chariotoflove 04/01/2020 at 16:52

1

Yes!