Dad remembrance pilgrimage: Days 8-10

Previous leg: Omaha to Columbus, Nebraska

July 17-19: Columbus, Nebraska convalescence

Despite a lack of riding, my stay in Columbus with Doug and Randi proved to be quite a journey. Over the weekend a handful of attendees at my dad’s funeral tested positive for COVID, myself included. Although I had experienced a bit of congestion, because I deal with hay fever during the summer it can sometimes be difficult to know which symptoms are which. Before leaving Des Moines I took a test just to be safe. The result was negative so I pressed on with the trip unaware of my exposure.

On Sunday, July 17, I was not so lucky. Unaware that there was a problem, Doug and I went to worship at Federated Church, a congregation jointly affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the United Church of Christ. I had a bit of a cough, but otherwise felt fine. However, after getting a phone call that still more people were sick, I took a second test to be safe. This time the result was clear. I was infected. Fortunately, my cousin Carrie is a nurse in the local hospital and guided me through the latest COVID guidelines.

An unexpected extended stay

The next few days were spent isolating at Doug and Randi’s house, but I was been able to spend some time outside at Carrie’s place fishing on one side of her pond while the rest of the family hung out in the gazebo a safe distance away. One of the silver linings of isolation fishing was all the support I received from Carrie’s battalion of felines named after Pokémon characters. They supervised my worm selection and sniffed every fish we landed.

The head honcho of the farm is her 23 pound Maine Coon named Raichu. She was incredibly chill and one of the most gorgeous cats I’ve ever seen. Mollie, my aunt’s poodle, was less helpful, but she managed to not fall in the lake so we considered it a win.

Tuesday, July 19, marked five days since my symptoms appeared so I was cleared to partially emerge from isolation. The journey continued masked and socially distanced for the next five days. Needless to say, testing positive was an unexpected intermission and the delay meant that I had to modify my itinerary and removed the dirt road riding I had planned from the trip. If it it had to happen, I was grateful to be stranded with an expert who deals with COVID patients on a daily basis.

Huge thanks to the entire Columbus contingent throughout my convalescence.

Next leg: Columbus, Nebraska to Windom, Minnesota