How to attempt responsible travel durning COVID
“Is entirely contactless travel possible?”
Washington Post writer Natalie Compton tackled this question in a recent travel article. Gripped by wanderlust and a desire to escape the 4 walls of her quarantine bunker, Natalie planned a bike packing trip to a park 40 miles from her house. She had moxie, basic supplies, and good intentions, but in the end her goal of avoiding all human contact was foiled when - sore, scorched, and starving - she popped into a farmer’s market to score a popsicle and some iced tea.
Natalie’s heart was in the right place. She wanted to get out and knew that to do so responsibly would require some preparation, but she lacked some critical info that could have helped her stay comfortable, stay safe, and truly minimize her contact with others. If you, too, are feeling the call of the wild but aren’t sure where to start, consider these pointers.
1.) Stay local-ish
When you’re planning your escape, it’s important to consider the communities you’re looking to visit. Towns that border recreation areas are usually small, rural towns that lack the infrastructure to deal with a large scale outbreak. Their health systems could be easily overwhelmed by an influx of sick tourists. Even if your intentions are to go completely contactless like Natalie, it’s important to consider the incidental encounters that you can’t control: park rangers, other hikers/campers, emergency workers if you run into problems (we’ll talk more about this later). The safest way to ensure that you’re not carrying the plague to an unsuspecting wilderness town is to pick a place to recreate that is fairly close to home. Natalie picked a park 40 miles from her home, which is a great option.
2.) Do your homework
Since many visitors centers have closed to the public, it’s important to thoroughly research your trip before you head out. Look at your route, know where you can fuel up if you’re driving, and plan to bring the essentials (face covering, sanitizer, and wipes) so that you can minimize the risk to yourself and others while doing so.
Make sure your mode of transportation is in good shape before you head out. Many of our cars have been sitting in the driveway for months. Breaking down on a highway in the middle of nowhere will ruin the contactless part of your get-away pretty quickly so, if you’re worried, take it to a mechanic in your community before you head out.
Plan on bringing your food with you, and don’t count on public spigots or fountains for water. Understand how much food you’ll need, how you’ll prepare it, and how you’ll get water if public sources are closed.
3.) Know your limits
Natalie’s trip went off (mostly) without a hitch, but she really lucked out. In her article, she admits that she’s never biked this far before, hasn’t camped (in fact, she purchases new gear for the trip). While many of us are using quarantine as a time for self-betterment, COVID travel isn’t the time to push your limits. Remember, any time you put yourself at risk, you are also imposing risk on those around you. Fellow travelers in a position to help if you get into trouble have to weigh their risk of exposure, First Responders are already stretched thin, and many of the resources you can usually count on to help you out in a pinch aren’t available right now. Save the hard charging activities for close-to-home and stick to your greatest hits for your road show.
4.) Pack intelligently
There’s a sign on Colorado highways right now that says “Be Prepared: Pack an Emergency Kit.” That is some solid advice for pandemic travelers. Trips that used to involve packing a snack and a few essentials have become significantly more involved in the era of closed rest-stops, shut-off water fountains, and shuttered visitors’ centers. If you’re planning a trip where you’re hoping to minimize contact with those outside your community, think about what you’ll need on either end of your activity, as well as during the activity itself. And you’d do well to plan for contingencies as well. For example, if you’re going hiking, consider your pre-hike restroom pitstop and your post-hike victory meal as well as the snacks and gear you’ll need on the trail. Make sure to stock your car with enough water that you can avoid public taps, and don’t forget the masks, sanitizer, and wipes for the occasional emergency gas stop. And think through what potential bad luck might befall you and come up with strategies for dealing with things like a flat tire on a rough backcountry road, an injury on the trail, etc… It might feel like overkill, but the more prepared and self-sufficient you can be, the less you put the people around you at risk.
5.) Follow local guidelines
I don’t know why I’ve listed this last, because it is probably the most important. FOLLOW LOCAL GUIDELINES! As a visitor in a community, you’re pursuing your own pleasure at the risk of the people around you. It’s great if you’re being responsible, taking all the precautions, and are doing your best to stay safe, but not everyone is guaranteed to be as vigilant as you are. Remember that many these communities are caught in the dilemma of safety vs economic recovery vs resource protection, and abide by the regulations even if they seem more strict that you think they need to be. The pandemic has more and more people turning to the outdoors, and protecting the communities and places where we recreate is just as important as making sure that these areas are accessible to all those who can benefit from being able to enjoy them. Pandemic travel might not look like we want it to, or like we hope it will, but if we’re careful, responsible, and empathetic, we can be safe and make the best of it.