Blue View – Trekking 2020... Plan F?
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Three days ago, on April 15th, we were booked to board our plane to Lisbon and begin our trek through Portugal and Spain. Obviously, that didn’t happen... nor is it likely to happen anytime soon.
There is a bright side to this - originally we had planned to leave in early March, but my brother Paul was finally able to schedule his long overdue shoulder surgery, and we changed our plans so we could be around while he recovered. That turned out to be a lucky turn of events, because firstly, Paul’s surgery was a total success and he has regained full use of his shoulder and arm, and secondly, had the surgery not been scheduled, we might have still flown to Europe in early March, and then quite likely would have been stranded there, trying to find a way back home in the midst of the Corona Pandemic.
Our departure for the Portugal trek on April 15th was actually plan D. We had previously planned on walking from Jerusalem to Rome (skipping Syria and Turkey for safety reasons). That was Plan A. We bought maps and guides and patches and spent a lot of time planning our route and stops. With the political situation that developed in the Middle East at the end of last year and the beginning of 2020, however, we decided against this and started looking for an alternative.
Map of the Israel Natl Trail
We briefly contemplated Plan B which entailed walking the entire Israel National Trail (INT) from the Red Sea in the south to the border with Lebanon in the north. The Israeli INT website assured us that this route was quite safe, citing stats that indicated it was less dangerous than trekking our own Appalachian Trail. On the other hand, the southern portion of the INT, as we learned, involved walking the length of the Negev Desert. Water and food would have to be cached along the route, we’d have to carry all our gear, including water and supplies for 2-3 days between caches, plus tent, stove, fuel and sleeping bags. Walking the INT would probably be a great adventure, but on the Via Francigena last year, we really enjoyed having a shower, bed, hot meal and a beer at the end of a long day’s trek – surely we could find another option more along those lines.
Our planned trek through Portugal
That’s when we decided on the Portuguese Santiago de Compostela. Plan C was to fly to Lisbon in early March, then travel by bus and train to the southernmost point in Portugal and begin our trek northward. It was a little early, but the spring flowers would be in bloom and most of the crowds don’t arrive until later in the spring. Then we changed our departure date to April 15th, and called it Plan D.
When it became clear that we wouldn’t be flying anywhere, we came up with Plan E. We thought we could drive to Arizona and hike the 800 mile Arizona Trail (AZT) which runs from the border with Mexico to Utah in the north. Walking the trail each day would keep us isolated from other people, making it about as safe as sheltering at home. I did some research and found that for the most part, if we took our van, Blue, and a second vehicle, we could almost always find spots along the trail that were 12-18 miles apart and which were accessible by car. We could park one vehicle at the beginning of each day’s hike and the second at the end, making it possible to sleep in Blue most nights, and he could carry enough provisions for a week or two. There were a few stretches that we’d have to backpack for a couple of days, but for the most part, we’d have day hikes. It seemed like a workable plan. Then came the reality of the coronavirus. The National Parks and Monuments along the trail, as well as the Arizona state parks, are now closed, and many of the access roads I had planned on using are no longer accessible. Many of the businesses in the gateway towns along the route are closed. In addition, the Arizona Trail Association is discouraging through hikers, and the state of Arizona – like most every state - is under a stay-at-home, shelter in place directive. It certainly looks like Plan E is neither workable nor prudent.
So, will there be a Plan F? Like everyone else, we’re taking a wait and see position. The AZT seems unlikely to become an option this spring, and the summer months are too hot – even if the travel and social distancing rules are relaxed. Maybe this fall? Next spring? Who knows? In the meantime, we’re still walking everyday – either around the now closed golf course or one of the nearby trails… wearing our masks and maintaining our social distancing, of course.
I would like to add a comment about American Airlines. Their policy, as stated on their website, was to allow re-booking of flights without charge as long as the new flights were taken before Dec 31, 2020. This wasn’t a good option for us – assuming things are better next year, we might want to reschedule our trip for next spring, but certainly not by the end of this year. Then they called us… yes, they actually CALLED us! - and informed us that we could get a full refund on our fares if we visited their website and requested it. In addition, if we were willing to take a voucher good for future flights booked within a year, they’d toss in a 20% bonus. We don’t know whether all the airlines are doing this, but we’re certainly impressed and pleased with American’s policy. Thanks, American Airlines!