Grant and I travel a fair bit once the Highland games season starts, this year is obviously a little different.
No biggy, but we were sorta itching to get away. So, I did some searches and we had looked at Colorado or Flagstaff AZ, but we finally decided to keep our limited traveling funds in New Mexico.
I drive to Santa Fe nearly every day so ...that's no fun...too hot for the southern part of the state.....and I am not a camping person...OH Taos.
I've only been there like 2 or three times....Look up a fun place to stay right downtown....super touristy I know...but we were only going for one full day.
Now, New Mexico has some pretty strong and clear guidelines in place, but there are some places that have even stricter guidelines. I had heard that Taos had a curfew...etc. So, since I am an adult, I call the hotel and ask.
You know, because I AM THE ONE TRAVELING.
Turns out, they still do have a curfew, but it's like from 12AM-6AM. He also outlined other things that I already knew because I live here, but that's ok....I am pretty sure he is reading from a script so to speak. Masks, 6 feet, restaurants at 50%, blah blah blah...
So we get there.
Seriously, no big deal. The hotel has all the plastic shield things up. Every single restaurant has the Northern New Mexico Restaurant Guidelines posted either at the host stand or in a window. Lots of places actually have boxes of masks. Many stored have HUGE signs in the windows letting you know how many people can be in the store at any given time.
There is a little confusion, in my mind, about the mask wearing "in public" As I understand it, if you are walking or exercising you don't have to wear one. I always have one and put it on if I get close to people...simple courtesy in my mind, but I am fully aware there are people; lots of people, who have other ideas.
OK....so....here is my point...(long time to get there I know) The hotel parking lot was filled with plates from Texas and Oklahoma and Arkansas...I can't say that the people I will describe next were from that state...but you get my point, right?
PEOPLE WERE ASSHOLES....The tourists were assholes, the people eeking out a living were fantastic....the tourists were huffy, frustrated, muttering under their breath about having to wait, bloated pieces of shit.
For god sake....restaurants have only been open for dine in service for two weeks here....I could tell some of the servers were not only brand new, but trying really hard to "get it right."
Since there is absolutely no national leadership on this issue and frankly lots of states that have different mandates county to county; city to city, it is up to YOU dear traveling American to take 5 minutes to either call a hotel or for fucks sake GOOGLE the mandates in the city you are traveling to.
I did it and I am only 2 hours away.
It is a PRIVILEGE that you can travel...that you have the money; the time, to travel. Be nice to the people who are showing you a good time in THEIR city....I mean shit...YOU are the one coming from a hot spot and bringing your shit attitude and possibly a virus to where they live and work and see their grand parents.
Ok, that being said....getting away was great, different, but great. And Taos is lovely....and I am so grateful we spent the weekend there. We actually met some fun people who we ate "close to" two days in a row. Had a grand time chatting and I saw some old friends from my CrossFit days..Mark and Kim!
Grant has been asked to judge one of the few games that has not been cancelled this year. I think it's crazy. But if we do go....guess what, I will be calling ahead or Googling to see what the mandates or requirements are....
It is very unlikely I will go to throw, as tempting as it is. It's a two fold thing for me, my Achilles and knowing what 125 athletes on a field looks like. I miss it...but as we say in New Mexico...Yeah~No.
Who knows though, unlike those who have knuckles that scrape the ground, I am willing to take in new information and change my mind and/or behavior because of it.
