Pre-trip journey

July 15, 2021

Always a gamble

We live far away from any major airport. To get out of the country takes a 5 hour drive or an expensive shorter (and often cancelled) local flight. We start out early, just enough time to check the garden and measure the height of sunflowers and morning glories. Everything is bursting and we live in a place others come to cycle. Why are we leaving again?

B-bags are ready to go. At 45 and 48 pounds we have room for lots more.

Sunflowers just starting to bloom. They will be here when we get back.

Unseasonal daily deluges are making morning glories climb through gate, not just over it.

Another reason to dawdle is to check email for the official COVID PCR test results. We did the test yesterday and were notified that they were negative. All good. But only Ken got the official letter. We hoped that someone would come in early to the health department and send it out. No luck. We hit the road short one document (which we cannot tell if we even need) as I have a lab result but not the letter.

We called from the big road when we had reception. Yes, they have my results and were confused by the name. They would email it right away. We roll on and hope it is true. In the Garden State (New Jersey) we found coffee and a place to print. The trusted US combo — you can always find weak coffee and office supplies together.

I know lots of NJ towns yet I have never heard of this one. Good printing next door.

After printing the letter for $0.18 (best bargain ever) we are a little less uncertain about whether this show will go today. We plunge back out into traffic and elbow our way down to JFK along with everyone else.

At least Google tells us we are on fastest route. 40 minutes for 4 miles.

Car is parked nearly in the dump at perhaps one of the sketchiest places we have ever used. Hoping it is here and intact when we get back.

Squeezed between 678 and sanitation dept.

The dump is, in fact, just the trucks for the dump — we are next to the NYC Sanitation Truck station. All the garbage trucks come home to roost here each night.

Everyone needs to rest somewhere even garbage trucks. We see the semi-trucks all through the Finger Lakes hauling trash out of the NYC area.

Finally into the airport where things are exactly the same as pre-COVID except for masks. Mask use is half-hearted but they have them, it’s the law according to the signs everywhere. Bikes loaded at the odd size luggage where they are declared to be mobility devices. Does it matter? We are under the weight and size limit.

Now we are in the hands of the airline and can do little but walk until the flight. Inching ever closer to the start. Sorry, still no biking.

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Scott AndersonWe’ll be flying to Europe in a few weeks and are interested in your Covid protocol experience. I see you’ve been vaccinated, but you also got a Covid test before your flight. Was this a requirement?
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3 years ago

Zelda MekThings change daily. You have to do the EU PLF which is self-certifying (no documentation). This lack was holding up many at check in. We had to show vax card at gate and get temperature check. Needed paper boarding pass for stamp which was not a big deal but those using app unhappy.

There is no single place that describes what to do or when. Again speed of change is tough for airlines.

We did PCR as a belt & suspenders approach -- paperwork always helps when officials are unsure. We will see how well it works on arrival.
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3 years ago