From the Editor: Traveling during pandemic is a trip

As I headed off on a 2,000-mile road trip with my daughter two weeks ago, I was distinctly aware of the insanity of our venture.

We were leaving the relative safety - in terms of coronavirus - of northern Minnesota to drive to California, a pandemic hotspot.

But Franny needed to get back to college in Tucson (another hotspot), and this was her first time driving to school in a car that sometimes burns oil. And we went via California so we could visit family.

The trip was pretty great, I won't lie. We camped in the Canyonlands in Utah, where we watched a storm roll in across the mountains and canyons below, and then saw more stars than I think I've ever seen at night. I borrowed matches from a guy driving a Tesla who had traveled 8,000 miles over the previous 30 days - using the car's autopilot feature on many occasions - on paid leave from work. We ate sushi in Denver and conquered mountains in fourth gear. We talked about everything from systemic racism to pandemic precautions to how to top up the oil in a Mazda 3.

And we crowned our trip with lots of family time in Palm Springs and a trip to Joshua Tree National Park. With high temperatures at 118 degrees more than once, we also appreciated the backyard swimming pool, and the more temperate climate back home.

Saying goodbye to Franny was tough, as she left to pick up a friend and finish the drive to Tucson.

But the hard part came at the airport in Los Angeles, where I donned my N95 mask and face shield, ready to fight the virus with everything I had. I had no shame regarding my appearance, until I began to think I was having a panic attack because I felt like I couldn't get enough air. I pulled my mask away from my face, realizing that defeated the entire purpose of wearing it.

Ultimately, I swapped the N95 for a cloth mask, hoping the face shield would make up for the greater permeability of the cloth mask.

The flight to Minneapolis was packed, with every seat full. Everyone was masked, but it was still a rude awakening after trying to maintain social distancing from strangers the entire trip.

I self-quarantined at home the first week home, deciding halfway through that the only way to know if I had the virus or not was to get tested. My doctor told me I didn't really have any symptoms, but allowed me the final decision since I had been on an airplane.

The test was easier than expected. Instead of a 6-inch long swab prodding the back of my throat, I got a shorter swab swished around in my nose by a delightful woman decked out in protective gear in the parking lot of the Raiter Clinic.

My son and his girlfriend had to do our grocery shopping, but the results came through four days later.

Negative.

Hallelujah. I could return to work, go shopping, see friends (wearing a mask, of course) without feeling like I might be the next Typhoid Mary (for now).

I credit the precautions we took with social distancing, wearing a mask, and dumb luck.

The moral of my story? Be careful out there folks, minimize risks, wear masks for others and for yourself, and call for a test if you're worried. As Cloquet schools superintendent Mike Cary likes to say, we all manage to leave our homes every day wearing pants. We can learn how to remember to put on our masks as well.

Contact Pine Knot News editor Jana Peterson with your thoughts at [email protected] or 218-878-9332.