It’s Day 423 of 15 Days to Flatten the Curve. And it won’t be long before Ohio, the state we left behind three weeks ago, is out from under almost all of Richard Michael DeWine’s illegal and unconstitutional decrees.
Deb and I are fine. I know I report that every day, in one way or another, but we truly are doing well — and not just because we’ve embarked on this adventure. We’re Americans, after all, and we’ve been healthy throughout this “pandemic” nonsense.
I wondered how hitting the road in Ernie, with Deb and the dogs and a whole new mindset, would affect my health, or if it’d have any effect at all. Naturally I’m happy to be traveling, but I didn’t know if it’d show up in any meaningful, measurable way.
The “smart watch” that Deb gave me a few months ago offers a couple of clues. According to its built-in sleep tracker, back at Second Chance Ranch I was getting five or six hours of sleep every night, no more. Since our first night on the road it’s recorded an average of seven-and-a-half hours — and not because I sleep in.
The other number that’s changed is my resting heart rate, which was 69 before we left. It’s fallen to a steady 63. That’s significant. And while I have no idea what my blood pressure is, before or now, I’d bet that it’s lower.
Subjectively, we feel good. We feel better. We’re living outside, for the most part, and we’ve committed to a new life.
Seems to be working.
It rained here all day. Even the locals are surprised about how wet and cool it’s been, assuring us that usually it’s much warmer and dry this time of year. Deb and I don’t get too cranky about the weather, knowing that as long as we’re on the road we’ll be dealing with all kinds of conditions.
We are, however, looking forward to a few precipitation-free days so we can dry some stuff out. Maybe this weekend.
We’re liking this campground. It’s relatively small, very cozy. It’s slotted between a busy highway, which contributes the expected road noise, and a wooded hillside, which soothes. A dry creek bed cuts right down the middle of the property — which last night went from dry to a roaring torrent running three feet deep.
This morning it was dry once again.
One manageable quirk of this campground is the location of utility hookups on each site. Electric, water and sewer connections traditionally are on the road side (driver’s side) of a motorhome or trailer, and almost everywhere we’ve been the hookups are clustered slightly behind the middle of where an RV typically would set up.
Here they’re on the correct side but well to the rear of the site, requiring long runs of fresh-water and sewer hoses. (Electric is at the road-rear of the coach, so that’s a fairly short reach.) Again, it’s not really an issue, but I sure am glad I decided to pack that never-gonna-need-it third length of Stinky Slinky.
We made the best of another dreary day — chores, of course, and a couple of walks around the grounds. Dinner was take-out.
Maybe it’s an odd way to live, but we think it’s a good one.
Take care of yourselves, Patriots. Stay calm. Stay sharp. Stay free.
#WiseUp #LibertyOrDeath