On the Road Again, Finally

/ Ken Gierke / rivrvlogr

On the Road Again, Finally

I’ll be away for the next three weeks, so I thought I’d get in one more chance to take photos of fall colors. On Saturday, I went for a drive to Ha Ha Tonka State Park, which is 60 miles south of my home in Missouri. It’s located on Lake of the Ozarks and is known for its limestone bluffs and karst formations, as well as for the fire-ravaged mansion known as “The Castle.” I’ve posted other photo blogs of its fall colors in the past, including this one.

It was a mostly sunny day when I left home. By the time I reached the lake, scattered clouds became mostly cloudy as the day went on. The temperatures were in the mid-60s so it was comfortable walking weather. I didn’t do any trail hiking, but I walked about 1 ¾ miles by following the paved and graveled paths. While some trees were bare, many were colorful and the oaks and hickories were getting ready to change.

As I said, I’ll be gone for a few weeks. I left yesterday, Sunday, and drove 700 miles to my son’s home in Cleveland. I’ll stay here for a few days before moving on to Buffalo to stay with my son. Of course, I’ve spent some time (the first visit in eleven months) with my granddaughter, who will be two years old in a couple of weeks, and I’ll see her again on the return trip.

I thought I’d need to stay here for fourteen days, so that I’d be cleared to enter New York State, but NY’s travel restrictions changed while I was driving to Ohio. Now the requirement for all out-of-state travelers is a negative COVID test within three days prior to entering NY, followed by a three-day quarantine in NY, followed by a COVID test in NY.

Coincidentally, I tested in Missouri and received a “negative” notification Sunday morning. Since test results can take up to a week, I’ll drive to NY on Wednesday (within the three -day window),  then test on Saturday. I should have my “negative” result by the following Saturday, just in time for me to see my daughter for the first time in eleven months, just before her baby is born. Since she has type 1 diabetes, her doctors want to induce labor two weeks early to avoid complications. So, she has a “tentative date” of November 17 for her first child, and if everything works out I’ll get to meet my new granddaughter.

My online presence has been erratic the past few months, but for the next three weeks it could be sporadic. I know I’ll have down time while family is busy at work and I’m technically “in quarantine,” so we’ll see how that works out. I have poetry to catch up on, as well as comments on my own poetry to catch up with, so I’ll do what I can. I’ve looked forward to this visit for a while, and I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity.

decisions
take new direction
changing leaves

Here are some of those photos from Saturday.
(Click any image for a larger view in a new tab.)

 

 

 

 

 

26 thoughts on “On the Road Again, Finally”

    • Thank you, Jane.
      To be honest, restrictions here, as a nation, should be stricter. I’m allowed to travel, so I do, but the spirit of independence that brought on the birth of this nation is held up like a torch at all the wrong times, and the politicians are afraid to take a firm stand. Sometimes I wonder if it’s correct to blame them when there are people who are willing to take to the streets with violence at what seems like the drop of a hat.

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      • That’s a viewpoint that has been given a lot of credence here. Stop blaming the politicians for getting it wrong in the beginning when nobody knew what to do. We all do now, so if we choose to ignore the scientific advice, we can only blame ourselves. I’m sure you will do everything you can to prevent the virus spreading, unlike many…

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  3. Happy for you and happy for your loved ones who will get to visit with you. Having an opportunity to see your toddler granddaughter and your daughter’s baby on your visit are gifts you really couldn’t have passed up.
    Nice photos. What’s under that stone archway? Looks like a good place to get out of the rain.

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  4. Enjoy your travels … and expanding family! I can vouch for extended travel triggering LOTS of poetic energy all while making it less-than-usual feasible to get those poetic vibes out to the readership … but trust we’ll be happy to receive what comes whenever.

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    • I voted absentee a few weeks back, hoping to travel. I also qualified (over 65) under temporary COVID legislation for absentee, along with those medically compromised. Yes, temporary legislation (to end-of-year), because that’s how Missouri rolls. My wife sent a photo to me early this morning of her 1/2-hour wait (about 100 people) when she voted. Half were not masked. Missouri.

      On a positive note, I’m definitely enjoying my visit.

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  6. I’m happy you’ll be able to see your family, and I’m sure you’ll take all precautions. Safe travels. How wonderful that you’ll be able to see your grandchild[ren]. Wishing your daughter an easy delivery.
    The photos are beautiful.
    We’re going to expand our usual Friday night Zoom dinner this week to include my husband’s mother and brother and family. We won’t be seeing any of them anytime soon.

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