Where to go on a flying vacation & mandatory mask ?s

[Piper18O]

I really wanted to take my wife on a flying vacation, making multiple stops across the country from Kansas to the east coast. I realize this is pretty open ended, but I am curious about suggestions from others about cool places a pilot, who may not make a trip like this again, ought to stop at, especially aviation related, but any "don't miss stop" suggestion would also be welcomed. I have never been to KFFA, so that would be my idea of a outbound destination, but would entertain suggestions for stops along the way and back that others have really enjoyed. My main concern is that my wife is somewhat hesitant because she is concerned about mandatory mask requirements, the ones issued by executive order, and she says she is so done with all of that. She had covid, (hers lasted a couple of days and was barely like a slight cold) and she has been vaccinated and just doesn't want to wear a mask anymore. It depresses her, and she doesn't even like to see others wearing them because it just makes her sad, and she doesn't want to be sad on vacation. For this reason alone I am a little hesitant to make this trip, but we might sell the airplane after this trip (if we go) and I may not ever get another chance at something like this. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[David Megginson]

I really wanted to take my wife on a flying vacation, making multiple stops across the country from Kansas to the east coast. I realize this is pretty open ended, but I am curious about suggestions from others about cool places a pilot, who may not make a trip like this again, ought to stop at, especially aviation related, but any "don't miss stop" suggestion would also be welcomed. I have never been to KFFA, so that would be my idea of a outbound destination, but would entertain suggestions for stops along the way and back that others have really enjoyed. My main concern is that my wife is somewhat hesitant because she is concerned about mandatory mask requirements, the ones issued by executive order, and she says she is so done with all of that. She had covid, (hers lasted a couple of days and was barely like a slight cold) and she has been vaccinated and just doesn't want to wear a mask anymore. It depresses her, and she doesn't even like to see others wearing them because it just makes her sad, and she doesn't want to be sad on vacation. For this reason alone I am a little hesitant to make this trip, but we might sell the airplane after this trip (if we go) and I may not ever get another chance at something like this. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I'm sorry to hear that your spouse has experienced emotional trauma from the pandemic. I expect we'll be seeing a lot of that over the next few months.

Most mask mandates should wind down once Canada and the U.S. pass 70–80% of the total population vaccinated, and then you'll have a much bigger choice of destinations that won't trigger bad memories for your spouse. It might be worth waiting a couple of months, if you can.

 

[JOhnH]

I returned a month ago from a Florida-Oklahoma-Colorado-Utah-Nevada and return trip. There were very few places that required masks. Some businesses still did, but many of them said the planned to drop the requirement on June 1. Here in Florida, I have seen mask usage plummet even since we returned. Now we go just about anywhere without a mask.

BUT, there are still a lot of people that choose to wear them. It's kind of funny though. Even though a lot of people CHOOSE to wear a mask, many of them walk around stores using their mask as a chin strap, not even bothering to use it to cover their nose or mouth. I can't speak for your wife, but I would think the change in mask usage should help alleviate her anxiety.

My wife on the other hand, gets anxious when people DON"T wear a mask.

 

[Fearless Tower]

Aside from airlines/commercial airports, how many places really still have mask mandates?

I live in a state with a Dem governor, and we have been without a mask mandate for several weeks now.

I just came back from a trip to Texas from VA and saw no mask requirements anywhere I went. Before that we did a trip to MO from VA over Easter weekend, and again, no masks required

 

[lblandina]

I really wanted to take my wife on a flying vacation, making multiple stops across the country from Kansas to the east coast. I realize this is pretty open ended, but I am curious about suggestions from others about cool places a pilot, who may not make a trip like this again, ought to stop at, especially aviation related, but any "don't miss stop" suggestion would also be welcomed. I have never been to KFFA, so that would be my idea of a outbound destination, but would entertain suggestions for stops along the way and back that others have really enjoyed. My main concern is that my wife is somewhat hesitant because she is concerned about mandatory mask requirements, the ones issued by executive order, and she says she is so done with all of that. She had covid, (hers lasted a couple of days and was barely like a slight cold) and she has been vaccinated and just doesn't want to wear a mask anymore. It depresses her, and she doesn't even like to see others wearing them because it just makes her sad, and she doesn't want to be sad on vacation. For this reason alone I am a little hesitant to make this trip, but we might sell the airplane after this trip (if we go) and I may not ever get another chance at something like this. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

And if you have allowed yourself to be in this predicament, can't do anything for you.

 

[Piper18O]

I'm sorry to hear that your spouse has experienced emotional trauma from the pandemic. I expect we'll be seeing a lot of that over the next few months.

If we don’t lose our heads, we will get through all of this. Our method has been to know the facts while trying to avoid the constant barrage of “we’re all going to die” warnings. It has worked pretty well for the most part, since almost everyone in our circle of friends has gotten Covid over the last year or so, and no one that we know has died or experienced long term effects. Still, we know that this has been a deadly illness for a small percentage of people, so we can’t say it isn’t real. We are doing our best to not live our lives in fear by understanding the facts, but limiting our exposure to doomsday sayers as much as possible. That has worked well for the most part. Still we are all human and the last year and a half has taken its toll psychologically on us all. We have done a fair amount of weekend trips, and have gone to places that are more conservative politically speaking, and that has worked well for us. It hasn’t opened the whole country to us though. My wife has always been more of an anxious minded person, while I am just the opposite, so I kind of balance her fears out for the most part.

I know that we need to “get back to normal” whenever possible, and we have done that pretty well, I think. A trip like this may test that resolve but I think we really need to do this. It will be great for me, since I tend to roll more easily with the punches, and I think she really wants to do it too, so that is why I am asking others for advice in planning a trip like this. I hope people don’t make this into a political thread. We just want to avoid pitfalls along the way if possible. Thanks again in advance for your various stopping place suggestions!

 

[Piper18O]

Even though a lot of people CHOOSE to wear a mask, many of them walk around stores using their mask as a chin strap, not even bothering to use it to cover their nose or mouth. I can't speak for your wife, but I would think the change in mask usage should help alleviate her anxiety.

I think you are right. I don't think she has a problem with somebody choosing to wear a mask. It has more to do with everybody being mandated to wear them. Seeing everybody masked up and not knowing anybody is more frightening to her. I guess maybe in her nightmares, the robber with the mask was the evil bad guy, and that is a problem for her in real life when "everybody could be the bad guy." She worked at a place where everybody had to wear a mask for a while, and that was very hard for her, and she was at a place where she knew everyone. It really didn't work that well since most everyone got covid in spite of the masks. Thankfully for her, that mandate has ended and things have gotten back more to normal in her little world, and she doesn't want to go back to how it was. She just wants things to move forward.

 

[atbroome]

Went to Tysons mall in VA today for the first time in over a year. I'd say about 20% of the stores still had signs up that masks were required for entry. The rest either had nothing, or a sign saying that masks were recommended for non-vaccinated customers. I'd also say about 80% of the the patrons walking around the mall were wearing masks.

Aside from airlines/commercial airports, how many places really still have mask mandates?

I live in a state with a Dem governor, and we have been without a mask mandate for several weeks now.

I just came back from a trip to Texas from VA and saw no mask requirements anywhere I went. Before that we did a trip to MO from VA over Easter weekend, and again, no masks required

 

[Fearless Tower]

Went to Tysons mall in VA today for the first time in over a year. I'd say about 20% of the stores still had signs up that masks were required for entry. The rest either had nothing, or a sign saying that masks were recommended for non-vaccinated customers. I'd also say about 80% of the the patrons walking around the mall were wearing masks.

You can’t fix stupid (or more accurately over reactive)

What I’ve noticed, since the governor lifted the mandate. Is a lot of businesses still have their mask signs up and employees are still wearing masks, but as every day passes, fewer and fewer patrons are masked. And no one is saying a thing to them.

I am a mask believer, they had their time and place, but I’m now fully vaccinated ave not worn a mask in a few weeks.

 

[sourdough44]

I just came back from SD way, only a few masks in sight. I think MN was still grousing bout the requirement. As long as you avoid the certain enclaves, should be just fine.

Mt Rushmore was fairly busy, a few families had mom, dad, & the kids masked up, among us Neanderthals. They’re grown accustom, makes them feel secure.

 

[Groundpounder]

Regardless of requirements, I bet a year from now you'll still see some people wearing masks.

 

[Jim K]

Regardless of requirements, I bet a year from now you'll still see some people wearing masks.

Agreed. Probably forever. They've become a security blanket for some, and a virtue signal for others. It'll be interesting to see how it's handled at banks and other secure locations.

 

[Rushie]

I recommend Ocracoke Island (W95). It’s been a few years since we’ve been there but I assume it’s still much the same. Howard’s Pub is a decent walk from the airport. They used to send a car to pick you up sometimes, I don’t know if they still do. You can rent a cabin for a few days, rent bicycles and maybe golf carts, to get around or just walk if you are able, it’s a small village. It’s just a unique piece of America.

I’m totally with your wife but she should not forgo the trip because of the masks. I hate it, makes me feel claustrophobic, fogs up my glasses, tangles with my hearing aids and most of all, reduces the airflow to my nasal orifices (I am not into breath play!) A few months ago I hit my limit, had had enough, and one day just quit wearing it, walked into all the stores without it. Nobody said a word to me. But then this is Texas.

I do have a new appreciation for surgeons though. I don’t know how the h#11 you operate with your glasses all fogged and with near hypoxic levels of O2 getting into you.

I nearly didn’t fly back east to visit my mother because of the airport/airline mask requirement but I bucked up and did it. Your wife needs to do that for you. I had to wear the thing from 4:30 am to 6:00 pm with a long layover in Dallas, miserable! Hot and sweaty the whole time feeling like I’m suffocating. Your wife won’t have to wear them in your private plane. Tell her just carry one and don’t put it on when you go into a place unless somebody says something and requires it. Then she can put it on for a short while. It won’t be as bad as she thinks, lots of places are quitting the stupid mask thing. Back in NC overpopulated suburbs there were some kids at the playground made to wear masks, poor things, as they climbed all over the equipment all the other kids were climbing on with their little snot covered hands. Idiocy. But most people had no masks anymore except some business employees and even they weren’t enforcing customers to wear them.

It’ll be okay. Make the trip.

Oh, W95 frequently has a stiff crosswind, just saying.

 

[Piper18O]

Agreed. Probably forever. They've become a security blanket for some, and a virtue signal for others. It'll be interesting to see how it's handled at banks and other secure locations.

I don't watch the news much, especially around my wife. I don't know what to believe anymore. Originally Fauci says masks don't really help much, and then he wanted them mandated. Originally he said we only needed to isolate the elderly and immune compromised, (This was not public, but has now been revealed) and then everybody needed to quarantine. People, politicians, and media are constantly changing what they say, and some are convinced that it is being done to divide us. I suppose it would be necessary to divide us in order to bring this country down, and transform it into something completely different. I don't know. My wife and I just try to lean on the tried and true values that we were raised on and even that in itself is "controversial" today. For all these reasons, we have tried to not be partakers of the virtue signaling, and divisive actions that so many seem to be encouraging. That is the reason for my question in this thread. What places should we stop at that might help minimize the exposure and virtue signaling that is being propagated. I would love to hear suggestions.

 

[Groundpounder]

You're going to encounter people wearing masks everywhere and all the time for a long time to come. Probably in fewer and fewer numbers, but they will always be there. If you can't deal with that then I'm not sure what to tell you.

 

[Rushie]

If you are planning to use Uber, they’re still requiring masks and have no plans in sight to drop it as far as I can tell.

 

[wsuffa]

Went to Tysons mall in VA today for the first time in over a year. I'd say about 20% of the stores still had signs up that masks were required for entry. The rest either had nothing, or a sign saying that masks were recommended for non-vaccinated customers. I'd also say about 80% of the the patrons walking around the mall were wearing masks.

I was there last week. Apple Store still has a mask requirement and limits on the number of people allowed inside - resulting in a very long line out in the mall with people standing close to each other. Absolutely stupid - you can stand close in the line but not inside?

LL Bean and (IIRC) Williams Sonoma also had mask requirements.

There was a time and place for masks, and I do believe in them, but vaccinations in the county where Tysons sits is so high that there was at least one day last week with zero new cases reported.

 

[Piper18O]

You're going to encounter people wearing masks everywhere and all the time for a long time to come. Probably in fewer and fewer numbers, but they will always be there. If you can't deal with that then I'm not sure what to tell you.

I don't think that is really a problem for her. It is the places that mandate it, and everyone must wear a mask. The loss of freedoms is a depressing thing for her, especially when we haven't been shown that it really makes a difference, except for the oppurtunity to virtue signal and divide us, it seems.

I recommend Ocracoke Island (W95).

Sounds very interesting. I will have to look into that!

 

[Piper18O]

There was a time and place for masks, and I do believe in them, but vaccinations in the county where Tysons sits is so high that there was at least one day last week with zero new cases reported.

I pretty much agree with you, I also think many more people have actually gotten covid and never realized it. That plus the vaccine that is available should allow us all to determine our own fate.

 

[Groundpounder]

I don't think that is really a problem for her. It is the places that mandate it, and everyone must wear a mask. The loss of freedoms is a depressing thing for her, especially when we haven't been shown that it really makes a difference, except for the oppurtunity to virtue signal and divide us, it seems.

Not sure how to help you. Good luck with your trip.

 

[Rushie]

I don't think that is really a problem for her. It is the places that mandate it, and everyone must wear a mask. The loss of freedoms is a depressing thing for her, especially when we haven't been shown that it really makes a difference, except for the oppurtunity to virtue signal and divide us, it seems.



Sounds very interesting. I will have to look into that!

I’m going to try to get in touch with someone I used to know there and see if I can find out what it’s like with masks these days.

I truly understand your wife, and am traumatized myself with the authoritarian way this has all been handled even more than the physical issues with the mask itself. The consequences of the massive change in society over this pandemic are depressing and to tell her to just forget it is easier said than done. If she can’t relax and have fun, I understand why you don’t want to bother trying to have a vacation. If the wife ain’t happy, you ain’t happy. I don’t know how you guys put up with us.

All I can suggest is she stop being concerned with her own feelings and consider yours. Women don’t appreciate how much a man loves having her along for pleasant company on vacations. We tend to marinate in our own emotions. Men don’t help by being so accommodating. Sometimes you have to hit us over the head with a two by four. Say, “Hey, I have needs too. Do you think you can bury your grief and rage over the sorry state of the country and just be in a good mood and enjoy yourself with me so I can have a last cross country vacation with the woman I love before we’re too old? Can you please just do that for me?”

That might wake her up and put her on a different wavelength. You don’t want her to fake it or do it grudgingly. And you can’t order her to do it. But maybe illustrating your perspective for her will help her grow past this issue she has with the masks. Maybe see that there are more important things to focus on, like your marriage.

It’s more than just “he wants to fly the plane all around.” It’s a shared experience that has much deeper meaning. Women don’t get that, unless you tell them.

This isn’t a criticism of your wife, I’m saying all this because I’ve had to be hit over the head with a two by four before I remembered to consider my husband’s feelings and needs.

I apologize if this is too much un-asked for advice.

 

[Rushie]

I called a couple of people on Ocracoke and was told everybody is pretty much not requiring masks. Howard's Pub is not, the reality company we used to have our house with said they "recommend" it if you haven't been vaccinated but mostly people are doing what they want.

 

[OneCharlieTango]

Springfield, MO is probably as open as anywhere. You can lose several hours at the original Bass Pro if that’s of interest. And Springfield-style cashew chicken is hard to beat.

Rogers, AR is close and likely opening, though they were much more closed that MO in September. Lots of attractions there, including Crystal Bridges, which is a really great art museum. I don’t know what you’re flying, but there are a lot of grass strips around there.

Back to fishing, there’s Gaston’s resort in NW Arkansas.

 

[somorris]

Gaston’s would be a great place to stop for a day or two, or even more. Trout fishing on White River is great. If you stop at Sikeston, MO, Lambert’s restaurant will pick you up at the airport and you can eat at the home of “throwed rolls.”

 

[Katamarino]

Originally Fauci says masks don't really help much, and then he wanted them mandated. Originally he said we only needed to isolate the elderly and immune compromised, (This was not public, but has now been revealed) and then everybody needed to quarantine.

Allow me to introduce you to the concept of the best advice changing as more information becomes available, and the overall situation changes (a few cases vs a flood). There were probably people in the 1800s saying "Well, the doctors used to recommend leaches, but now they suggest no leaches, I just can't trust them".

 

[Bob Noel]

Allow me to introduce you to the concept of the best advice changing as more information becomes available, and the overall situation changes (a few cases vs a flood). There were probably people in the 1800s saying "Well, the doctors used to recommend leaches, but now they suggest no leaches, I just can't trust them".

I absolutely agree that knowledge can increase/change over time (and, sadly, sometimes knowledge can be lost or "forgotten").

But let's not forget the concept of people not telling the truth in order to further an agenda.

nah, like *that* never happens.

 

[dell30rb]

Legitimate question from the OP. I have no interest in spending my vacation time and $$ to have to deal with a bunch of covid restrictions. For work, I don't really care.

NC is pretty much over it, if you have any plans to visit. Masks not required in most places, and in the dwindling stores/restaurants that do, just roll in without one, if they really care they'll give you one (most don't care, the sign is just there for show) and if you really care about being there, you can put it on and stay.

 

[Groundpounder]

I've been on Block Island since Friday morning and the only place I've had to wear a mask is inside the airport building. Very few people wearing masks overall. Most businesses say no mask required if fully vaccinated. Bar Harbor was the same way last weekend, and Vail was the same two weekends ago.

 

[Llewtrah381]

But let's not forget the concept of people not telling the truth in order to further an agenda.

I completely agree AND would say that’s not universal. Fauci, for example, has been as straight a shooter as possible with changing knowledge and while trying to honestly do what’s best for us Americans in the face of relentless, dishonest “…people not telling the truth in order to further an agenda.” Because some are dishonest by nature doesn’t mean those they smear are also - or certainly equally - dishonest, regardless of what the liar says.

BTW: looks like this thread is (or has at least become) a veiled conversation about mask wearing. IBTL

 

[wsuffa]

IBTL

 

[MooneyDriver78]

For me the lack of or high price of rental cars was the determining factor.
Paying over a $100/day for an economy car if you could find one is just nuts. I hope next year it’s back to normal…but we’re not there yet.

 

[Jim K]

For me the lack of or high price of rental cars was the determining factor.
Paying over a $100/day for an economy car if you could find one is just nuts. I hope next year it’s back to normal…but we’re not there yet.

Yeah. I've been planning trips where we can walk or someone can pick us up. B&B's are a good option to get from the airport to within walking distance of downtown.

 

[Rushie]

I've been on Block Island since Friday morning and the only place I've had to wear a mask is inside the airport building. Very few people wearing masks overall. Most businesses say no mask required if fully vaccinated. Bar Harbor was the same way last weekend, and Vail was the same two weekends ago.

I got yelled at by TSA for not having a mask on when I went through security at the little dinky Beaumont terminal. I forgot about that when I said nobody has said anything to me about no mask. Okay, the ONLY person in Texas that has said anything is a TSA agent. I pulled one out and put it on, only to immediately be told to take it back off so they could compare my face to my picture ID. This is 4:30 in the morning pre-coffee. Never occurred to me to put the stupid thing on entering the building.

 

[Palmpilot]

I don't watch the news much, especially around my wife. I don't know what to believe anymore. Originally Fauci says masks don't really help much, and then he wanted them mandated. Originally he said we only needed to isolate the elderly and immune compromised, (This was not public, but has now been revealed) and then everybody needed to quarantine. People, politicians, and media are constantly changing what they say, and some are convinced that it is being done to divide us. I suppose it would be necessary to divide us in order to bring this country down, and transform it into something completely different. I don't know. My wife and I just try to lean on the tried and true values that we were raised on and even that in itself is "controversial" today. For all these reasons, we have tried to not be partakers of the virtue signaling, and divisive actions that so many seem to be encouraging. That is the reason for my question in this thread. What places should we stop at that might help minimize the exposure and virtue signaling that is being propagated. I would love to hear suggestions.

Science is supposed to be evidence-based, and that means that as more evidence becomes known, scientists' recommendations should change accordingly.

Attributing the behavior of others to virtue signalling is pure speculation.

 

[Palmpilot]

I absolutely agree that knowledge can increase/change over time (and, sadly, sometimes knowledge can be lost or "forgotten").

But let's not forget the concept of people not telling the truth in order to further an agenda.

nah, like *that* never happens.

The trouble is that it is too easy to just assume that everyone is acting out of a nefarious agenda, while rejecting other explanations. The fact that we can imagine something doesn't make it true.

 

[Bob Noel]

The trouble is that it is too easy to just assume that everyone is acting out of a nefarious agenda, while rejecting other explanations. The fact that we can imagine something doesn't make it true.

ya know, my (sarcastic) statement "like *that* never happens" isn't the same thing as claiming or believing it always happens.

 

[Palmpilot]

ya know, my (sarcastic) statement "like *that* never happens" isn't the same thing as claiming or believing it always happens.

I should have written "someone" instead of "everyone." The latter was an exaggeration on my part.

 

[Llewtrah381]

Science is supposed to be evidence-based, and that means that as more evidence becomes known, scientists' recommendations should change accordingly.

Attributing the behavior of others to virtue signalling is pure speculation.

Here in TX the biggest group of people I see still wearing masks are workers in restaurants (almost universal, at least in the ‘burbs) and stores (maybe 75/25), probably because of company policies intended to protect workers and patrons.

My wife and I were just observing the other day: someone not in one of those roles and still wearing a mask may well be an anti-vaxxer at this stage. In some ways the message about positions implied by wearing a mask seems to have flipped, I suspect.

 

[wsuffa]

Science is supposed to be evidence-based, and that means that as more evidence becomes known, scientists' recommendations should change accordingly.

Attributing the behavior of others to virtue signalling is pure speculation.

That's accurate to a point.

"Science" is a method: make a hypothesis, test the hypothesis, if not proven to the negative the hypothesis stands. Rinse, lather, repeat. As more evidence is known, the hypothesis may be proven wrong - in which case a new hypothesis is offered.

So far, so good. People have applied the term "science" to any form of investigation - even if it is just research with conclusions drawn therefrom. Science as a method may also not be "fast" which runs counter to the increasing demand to get fast results. I would argue that the speed of development of the vaccines in the case of Covid is the result of a lot of work done in the past.

Where things break down is that science can't tell us what to do, per se. I can advise, but in the end the decision on what to do with the information and resulting theories/hypotheses is up to folks that get to make the decisions for us. Obviously, we get to decide stuff for ourselves, but in today's world many folks have delegated that decision process to others, namely bureaucrats and politicians. They become the "deciders". They can choose to follow the findings from the scientific method, or they can choose not to. We have seen both in the pandemic (and I'd argue that we see it even today as most states have lifted their restrictions, but USDOT has insisted that they will keep tight restrictions in place well into September).

Both might claim to follow science (and both might be right), they have decided to use different confidence and risk factors in deciding what those people subject to their rules will do. And sometimes the rules cause more damage than they prevent: there was a very good story yesterday about retirement/nursing home restrictions preventing families from spending time with their loved ones and the possibility that this is causing more dementia and other psychological problems (as well as denying folks the ability to spend time with loved ones who have limited time left on earth). There have been other stories recently on various pilot/flying boards - and to @Rushie 's point, it is my belief (without evidence offered) that the forced mask rules on airliners when most all of the rest of the country has opened up is leading to some of the ill-tempered behavior in the air.

 

[MooneyDriver78]

Science is supposed to be evidence-based, and that means that as more evidence becomes known, scientists' recommendations should change accordingly.

Attributing the behavior of others to virtue signalling is pure speculation.

Except viruses are not exactly new. Hospitals have been dealing with infectious diseases for 100 years or more. We’ve had vaccines for 70 years? We shouldn’t be confused about if masks are effective and whether someone who is vaccinated needs to wear a mask.