3/20/20 Kicked out of the Keys

At Sunshine Key RV Resort we were enjoying life with John's Dartmouth NROTC buddy Dave and wife Pat and are all planning on attending Dartmouth Reunion in Naples Florida the end of March.  It is great having friends in the RV park with us and we so enjoy getting together with the Geri/Bill and Peggie/Tom and their friends.    All activities in the town and in the campground come to an abrupt halt as governments begin to follow CDC guidelines to lock down and stay home.   

Miami Hearld Headlines

Florida Keys closed to all tourists and visitors because of the coronavirus spread

With deaths being reported in Washington state and NY in early March, panic hits stores with runs on toilet paper, hand sanitizer and anything to make homemade sanitizer. We start stocking up on nonperishable food, making numerous trips to grocery stores where long lines leave shelves bare.  There is NO chicken to be found.  School systems start to close and Spring break hits Florida bringing thousands of students and families who are now home schooling, pack the RV parks, hotels, beaches and bars bringing the first covid case to the Keys and the Keys lock down. On Friday, March 20 the news reports.... if you don't live here or have a long term lease, leave by Sunday at 6 p.m. Friday afternoon we in middle getting the RV polished and Deb panics, worry about scenes of hurricane evacuations taking 8 hours to get off the keys, petro stations, cars, trucks, RVs running out of gas blocking highways, etc. etc. So we pack in 21/2 hours, kick out the guy polishing the RV (he only half done John NOT HAPPY with Debra for this but knows that once I in all out panic mode there is no stopping me) and we get on the road. 
Boy was I wrong, we hit NO traffic all the way out of Florida.  Second night we camp in a Cracker Barrel Restaurant parking lot with 4 other RVs (so far) after being on the road for 10 hours. We try to appreciate the sunset and block out the horror that is yet to come.....hurry home.   Just before stopping for the night, wearing my hot pink rubber gloves and mask, I pump diesel while John checks the tires.  The pump won't work so I have to go in and pay and then disinfect the credit card.  Still doesn't work, have to go in again.  Over loud speaker, clerk calls for maintenance to go check the pump, as I walk away he asks if I "pushed the button"..... Ah, No.  Then over the loudspeaker he says, "never mind, she didn't push the button".  About half hour back on the road I admit to John that I don't know how to pump gas......a little stressed out am I.  Next day we drive home all the way from Lumberton, NC.  A 12 hour day, 10 1/2 hours of driving for 713 miles.  Very strange, NO traffic in NYC!  Only takes us 2 hours to get home from NYC, normally a 3 hour trip on a good day.

Two months ago Covid was just a concern in China, having not acted on it early, now it is devastating countries all over the world.  Stock market is crashing as people fear deaths in the millions unemployment, and personal and corporate bankruptcy and economic depression.  The government is pumping billions into the economy, sending stimulus checks to everyone in the $1-2,000 range depending on your income, all of which helps a few businesses who can survive online.  Mail order businesses like Amazon are booming as are delivery companies.  Nobody is flying, stores are closed unless selling food, booze (deemed essential), and medical supplies so airlines stocks and retail store stocks plummet.   Most businesses are working from home in order to remain open which if efficient, will change the future work paradigm.