We are heading toward Navajo Nation. The Nation is the hardest hit area of the USA per capita for COVID. Even worse than NYC. Information says that genetics, plus poor life style (health issues such as diabetes and obesity) are the main factors.

They have been locked down Fri-Mon AM for eight weeks. At this moment the emergency declaration is set to expire June 7th. Things don't look much better, as far as a decrease in infection rate. Do we trust the order will really expire?

I called the police station in Chinle and asked about the lockdown. They said 8 PM Friday to 5 AM Monday. Anyone on the road *can* be fined $1,000. and thrown in jail for 30 days. Lockdown means no stores at all are open. We would be stuck in the motel room three days. I love my husband, but maybe I don't want to be in the same room without leaving for 72 hours!

We want to think that any sheriff seeing us on the road wouldn't care - but the penalty is stiff if it is imposed. I think instead we are going to build three rest days into our route. At least we will be in a variety of places and be able to go around town.

It's tricky making an all motel route. Especially through tourist country. We were working on reservations in late 2019, long before COVID. If we build three days in to the first part of the trip, they have to come from somewhere.

We did have three days at home for a break before the second half of the trip. The fast answer to the story is that we can make this work if we make a route change to Gateway instead of going over Grand Mesa and give up all of our days off at home.

There is a silver lining in that we were short on rest days on the first section. Now we will have plenty.