This photo brought to you by COVID-19.

In March, we planned a ski trip to Colorado, followed by a short visit with long-time friends in Wyoming. We had just begun our road trip when we read that CO's governor had declared a state of emergency. Reading further, we were reassured by his statement that �Colorado is open for recreation.� We would be skiing outdoors, and cooking for ourselves, and we decided that we could keep safe. We arrived on Friday, March 13th. (Hmmm� was that a hint?) We skied on Saturday� and on Sunday every ski resort in Colorado closed. Our follow-on ski trip to Steamboat Springs was quickly cancelled.

When we called our friends Brad and Margaret in Wyoming, we all agreed that moving up the date of our visit made sense. We packed up the ski gear and perishables, visited an ATM for emergency cash, and arrived at their home outside of Casper in time for dinner.

Meanwhile the pandemic exploded. We stayed a few days, and then another few days, and then days turned into weeks. We were numb each morning as we read disheartening news. We laughed ourselves silly when yet another person published clever COVID-19 humor. We tried to stay educated. We went for walks on our freinds' thirteen acre property. We walked the 1.5 mile round-trip to their mailbox. We hiked where the antelope graze and coyotes howl. We hiked in wind (always wind) and sometimes brilliant sunshine. We watched snow storms and hailstorms and rain as the vistas morphed from winter brown to the pale green of spring. We painted rooms and unpacked moving boxes. We learned to play cribbage. We helped Brad organize the workshop, and we helped Margaret organize the huge laundry room.

Wyoming took the pandemic seriously. Bars and restaurant dining rooms quickly closed. Cowboys and cowgirls masked up. Within two weeks, grocery stores sterilized carts, erected plastic barriers for the clerks, and implemented one-way aisles. Even amidst this stress - or perhaps because of it - patrons and staff were all courteous, friendly and respectful. The virus spread was extremely slow in the land of tumbleweeds and prairie dogs. Among the 50 states, Wyoming remains in the lowest 10% of COVID-19 cases per capita.

When Governor DeWine announced plans for re-opening Ohio, we decided it was time to be home. We wanted to be settled before things got crazy. We made a last trip to the grocery for road food, found a hotel in Chillicothe, MO (where only 2 cases of COVID-19 had ever been reported), and hugged our friends goodbye. [Yup. Knowing that we would self-quarantine for two weeks, we risked actual physical hugs, and they were awesome!]

The trip home was incredibly easy. Traffic was light. Rest areas were clean -- and deserted. Downloaded audiobooks kept us entertained, along with the ever-changing scenery. Our hotel was great; and they packaged our breakfast order in bags for pickup. After seven weeks, we finally pulled into our driveway. It was a bit strange to wake up in our own bed.

We have found no way to repay our neighbors, the Coopers, who took care of our house and yard while we were gone. While we were clearing 18 inches of snow from the driveway, we received a text from Trish � did we want their mowing service to mow our yard? Say WHAT?! Ummm� yes, please!

We�re grateful to Brad and Margaret for wonderful memories of excellent food and appreciative palates, of amazing sunrises and sunsets, of night skies filled with brilliant stars, and views of snow-covered mountains. Most of all, we�re grateful for a friendship strong enough to survive and thrive through weeks of self-quarantine during a time when the country, and the world, worked to maintain sanity as it struggled with the early stages of a world pandemic.

7/12/2020   Picture 513