Hi WS community,
I am hoping to do a bicycle tour this summer around the US (starting in Seattle), and wondering if anyone is still hosting guests during these uncertain times. I understand not wanting strangers in your homes right now. Just curious.
Sincerely,
Candace
FP Promote:
Not on Front Page
We hosted our first guest in the end of March. It was a little weird to be extending hospitality to our first Warm Showers guest just when a pandemic was starting to hit. We have a basement guest room and bathroom. We offered our guest an extra night because of bad weather and had a couple meals (appropriately distanced) on our front porch. I would imagine that most Warm Showers hosts would be willing to host. But maybe with some modifications to the way they have hosted in the past.Good luck getting on the road!
I just updated our profile, if you make it east to New York you will be welcomed with a Spagehtti dinner and CDC regulation open arms. Bike on.
I am hosting dependent on local restrictions. Have had 5 cyclist stay so far this year. If you make it to Montana let me know. If anything, at the least I will provide a place to set up a tent in the yard.
Curtis
We are still hosting, but have had only one set of guests so far (cross country cyclists). Our lodging is separate from our house, so we can easily social distance from guests, and we can leave it empty as needed before deep cleaning.
I have made a first short trip in EStrie and could find host but in Lanaudiere and Laurentides it is mostly impossible unfortunatly.
For not wasting time some members would have to notice it and not talking about those who only use it as host and never accept any guest ... sharing is something that is bilateral ...
We are not hosting right now during Corona because our house gives no opportunity for social distancing.
Neither are we traveling because of the virus. Too much unknown about the virus and we know young and fit people who became very ill and still are not recovered. And also three fit persons who died. So therefore very careful. Hope this all is over soon.
It makes me very sad to say this, as I love hosting, and have defined myself as a traveler since my early 20's, but we will neither be hosting nor traveling ourselves for more than a brief out-and-back overnight for the duration. The more I learn about this virus, the less I am willing to risk it, and our space is not big enough for effective social distancing. With respect to Covid, bike touring is probably the safest way to travel, and I understand that in other countries, there are effective testing and contact tracing policies that have cut transmission levels to a rate where travel is a reasonable choice, but I'm afraid there's not much chance of that in the US until after January 20, 2021.
It is not a curse to be blessed.
Read "guns, germs, and steel".
That is, if you want some insight.
Kenneth, you refering to that?
q:"...In Part Three, Diamond shows how basic agricultural differences between early societies magnified over time, leading to vast differences between societies’ health, technology, and social structure. First, he shows that agricultural societies developed immunities to deadly diseases like smallpox. Constant proximity to domesticated animals, combined with increased population density, meant that new germs were constantly circulating in agricultural societies. As a result, these societies became resistant to many epidemics—those who couldn’t survive died off, while those with immunities survived and passed on their immunities to their offspring...."
source: https://www.litcharts.com/lit/guns-germs-and-steel/summary#:~:text=In%20Guns%2C%20Germs%2C%20and%20Steel,a%20charismatic%20New%20Guinean%20politician.
.
I've been hosting along the Great Divide in Montana. Numbers are way down this year, but I've had 7 guests so far and 1 arriving this weekend. My place offers plenty of space for social distancing, plus I'm fairly clean and introverted, so I feel it's a fairly safe haven if bike traveller's need a place for a night or two.
We are not hosting, out of concern for the risks. Attitudes seem to differ by country. The USA seems less concerned than others, but with more virus. My partner is more concerned than am I, so we need to follow the more restrictive of our two responses.
In France, I am planning a tour, but will use camping grounds rather than WS.
I think that anyone wanting to use WS should have a strategy re the virus (distancing, masks, etc) , and tell the prospective host about it when requesting a stay.
I believe (wishful thinking?) that cycling in the fresh air helps protect me and others from the virus. That's because the virus disperses more readily outside and one is naturally more distant from others outside, and also keeping myself physically fit also helps protect me.
We are still hosting (just had no requests through WS or CS this year (jut vrienden op de fiets) and we will use WS on our next trip, too. We are living in germany in a very rural area, were in home office now for 5 months and still are, didnt had any parties even all family events didn't happen. We have a house and the space to host people in a private room or in the garden on the other hand, when we will be on our trip through the netherlands starting on the 22nd of august we will use campsites with CS and WS, as campsites actually are overcrowded in germany and in the nl, this could get challenging. We are healthy did follow all the regulatories that were given and still could get infected with that virus. Life is dangerous and always ends with a death. Yes, there is a little chance to get in contact with the virus but i will not take down the risc to 0% as that would mean, lowering socal contacts to zero. Not even contact to family members nor friends. I would then die for loneliness
We are in southern germany and have more hosting requests now compared to last year. Yesterday we had 3 young cyclists here, who are on a trip from Prague to Valencia. Very polite guest who insisted on sleeping in the garden with only there sleeping bags and a tarp against possible rain. We had breakfast inside but with windows open to allow for good ventilation. Lots of interesting discussions.
Compared to other risks I take in live - I think hosting in a careful way (kissing and hugging or sitting tightly together in an unventilated room are avoidable) is OK for healthy hosts and healthy cyclists.. Live is not without risks.
What I can't understand is when people behave fearful at home but do airline travel.
Andreas
My previous post was deleted. I guess do the fact, that some links for some ppl was enought to trigger their believes.
To repeat, yes ppl are hosting, among them me.
Hosting covidians is straight no, unfortunately.
Safe travels!
We are hosting in Southern Spain (Jerez de la Frontera). Due to the circumstances we are spending as much time as possible with our guests in our roof top terrace (which is nice anyway) and being cautious but nice and welcoming. I hope this helps
The only reason I wasn't hosting during some weeks was because I did some bicycle touring myself. Now I am back to hosting.
I could have had guests ... but I didn't notice their request because there was something wrong with the e-mail-notification ... I hope that's fixed now.
Guests do not have to be too close to me when they stay in the spare bedroom. If they have a free-standing tent they could even camp in the back yard (there's no lawn, but something like a porch). Nothing wrong with 'keeping your distance', i.m.o.
Hosting travellers would be great but covid has spoiled all that for now. If the three rules are followed: open spaces with good ventilation, uncrowded, and no close conversations that removes about 80% of the risk. This means that travellers could stay outside, on the deck or tenting in the back yard. Food is not straight forward, since the risk is primarily on the side of the traveller. Bottled water is ok. Bathroom facilities? That may be problematic. I would be interested in hearing of these kinds of details in the feedback in order to make an informed decision to host.
I have been hosted recenlty (August) by several WS hosts in Southern Spain (Andalucia) and Portugal (the Algarve) (5 wonderful sets of hosts). Very many thanks to all of you.
Whether to host or not can depend on:
Local / Regional infection rates (low in the regions I was travelling through)
Level of concern about the virus (varies between hosts)
Facilities availalbe (eg separate bathroom / outdoor space for camping / eating etc.)
So I think to host or not has to be a personal choice and reflect what you, the host, are comfortable with.
We are willing to host campers who can stay in our backyard. Best if they can use our hose in the backyard for cleaning but if they really want to have a warm shower, we can do an orchestrated dance with lots of ventilation so they can have a safe warm shower. Also willing to provide outdoor dining :-)
Managing with COVID takes extra work but with staying outdoors, maintaining distance, wearing masks, washing hands/surfaces, and proper ventilation it is managable.
We are willing to host campers who can stay in our backyard. Best if they can use our hose in the backyard for cleaning but if they really want to have a warm shower, we can do an orchestrated dance with lots of ventilation so they can have a safe warm shower. Also willing to provide outdoor dining :-)
Managing with COVID takes extra work but with staying outdoors, maintaining distance, wearing masks, washing hands/surfaces, and proper ventilation it is managable.
We are willing to host campers who can stay in our backyard. Best if they can use our hose in the backyard for cleaning but if they really want to have a warm shower, we can do an orchestrated dance with lots of ventilation so they can have a safe warm shower. Also willing to provide outdoor dining :-)
Managing with COVID takes extra work but with staying outdoors, maintaining distance, wearing masks, washing hands/surfaces, and proper ventilation it is managable.
We are willing to host campers who can stay in our backyard. Best if they can use our hose in the backyard for cleaning but if they really want to have a warm shower, we can do an orchestrated dance with lots of ventilation so they can have a safe warm shower. Also willing to provide outdoor dining :-)
Managing with COVID takes extra work but with staying outdoors, maintaining distance, wearing masks, washing hands/surfaces, and proper ventilation it is managable.
I was waiting the first host , i could say like spring..here in North Italy, i lost some request mostly by french ciclysts cause i was on holyday or last minute. I hosted them again yes but now seem all slowing again also due to the season yes, and France has sort of lock down again.From Germany and Italy too,
yes I am still available as a host. Actually, I am waiting for my first guest. So if anyone is looking for a place to stay in the north part of the Netherlands, let me know:)
watch this space thinking of heading there on a solo trip. I hope get to host first through so i return all the hospiltality i've recieved!
Can't wait for someone to request a stay! We haven't had anyone for ages.
Can't wait for someone to request a stay! We haven't had anyone for ages.
Can't wait for someone to request a stay! We haven't had anyone for ages.
Can't wait for someone to request a stay! We haven't had anyone for ages.
yes i am still riding and hosting. only way to stay sane and connected. cheers. thierry
we are still open for hosts, well easy, as we do not get much requests, there are many other hosts in Dresden. We are aware of the risks, and of rules changing nearly day by day. Nonetheless, we would think about ... who is asking, where he is coming from, where to go? Single person, or a group?
As we can offer separate room (or balcony) for sleeping, we think we can handle the risk remaining.
But it might be daring at the moment to plan for a longer trip. We had a request in March by a guy travelling Norway-Nepal, he still manages to cross czech border by train last-minute, but got stuck in Prague and had to return to Norway in April. Really sad story ...
Best regards, keep safe,
Thorsten
We would like to cycle from Sinsheim (southwest) to the North Sea within Germany in March. Including along the Weser cycle path. I would like to dedicate this trip to serious gastronomy and only eat "take-away food" in restaurants. Do any of you in Germany currently offer hostings at all?
We would like to cycle from Sinsheim (southwest) to the North Sea within Germany in March. Including along the Weser cycle path. I would like to dedicate this trip to serious gastronomy and only eat "take-away food" in restaurants. Do any of you in Germany currently offer hostings at all?
We would like to cycle from Sinsheim (southwest) to the North Sea within Germany in March. Including along the Weser cycle path. I would like to dedicate this trip to serious gastronomy and only eat "take-away food" in restaurants. Do any of you in Germany currently offer hostings at all?
We would like to cycle from Sinsheim (southwest) to the North Sea within Germany in March. Including along the Weser cycle path. I would like to dedicate this trip to serious gastronomy and only eat "take-away food" in restaurants. Do any of you in Germany currently offer hostings at all?
We would like to cycle from Sinsheim (southwest) to the North Sea within Germany in March. Including along the Weser cycle path. I would like to dedicate this trip to serious gastronomy and only eat "take-away food" in restaurants. Do any of you in Germany currently offer hostings at all?
We would like to cycle from Sinsheim (southwest) to the North Sea within Germany in March. Including along the Weser cycle path. I would like to dedicate this trip to serious gastronomy and only eat "take-away food" in restaurants. Do any of you in Germany currently offer hostings at all?
We would like to cycle from Sinsheim (southwest) to the North Sea within Germany in March. Including along the Weser cycle path. I would like to dedicate this trip to serious gastronomy and only eat "take-away food" in restaurants. Do any of you in Germany currently offer hostings at all?
We would like to cycle from Sinsheim (southwest) to the North Sea within Germany in March. Including along the Weser cycle path. I would like to dedicate this trip to serious gastronomy and only eat "take-away food" in restaurants. Do any of you in Germany currently offer hostings at all?
We would like to cycle from Sinsheim (southwest) to the North Sea within Germany in March. Including along the Weser cycle path. I would like to dedicate this trip to serious gastronomy and only eat "take-away food" in restaurants. Do any of you in Germany currently offer hostings at all?
We would like to cycle from Sinsheim (southwest) to the North Sea within Germany in March. Including along the Weser cycle path. I would like to dedicate this trip to serious gastronomy and only eat "take-away food" in restaurants. Do any of you in Germany currently offer hostings at all?
At the moment there are still hard restrictions on contacts in Germany. We are only allowed to meet with one other person not from the same house hold. So, if you are not traveling alone, it might be difficult to find some hosts. Hotels are colsed at the moment and only guests with buisness purpose are allowed. For supermarkets you will need an FFP2 mask or at least a medical one.
I am sorry, that this is not the best news for your plan. My apparment is far off your route. Best Luck und stay safe.
Ok so let me get this straight. You cannot meet more than one person from the same household.
And wo is controlling that? Is there a cop at every corner in the streets asking everyone all the time where they are going? Bloody hell, wake up, there is no such thing. You people are so brainwashed that you cannot think straight. Just go and visit your friends, nobody is going to arrest you for that and in case you still worried that there is an actual cop stopping you on the road. Guess what, they would just send you back home, no harm done.
But here is the math behind it: You do not visit your friends as a couple, but you go to the same supermarket like your partner AND your friends. If there would be some spread of a virus right there at that particuliar supermarket you might all be infected. So what is the point in not meeting then?
But most likely you all go to more than one market and you meet just one on one every other day. You do the math, spreading a virus is now even more likely.
Unless you are a good citizen and even wear your mask at home, with friends, at bed, under the shower and during intercourse of course.
Hey Sven, your comments seem off the mark. We should not worry so much about being arrested, we should worry about keeping our friends and family members alive.
Wearing a mask at home, at bed, in a shower, etc does not matter. But when you are with people not from your own household, masks do make a big difference. Surfaces are not a significant transmission mechanism for COVID but many have touch phobias so, alas, hygiene theatre in this space continues...
And get vaccinated as soon as you can.
Kathinka clearly said, and I quote "We are not allowed to ..." which indicates that she is not questioning what is getting yold. She just obeys it.
Nobody is allowed to tell a human that they can not meet other people. Or are those telling us DICTATORS?
So, if you are not afraid to break the law, you have a choice to meet as many people as you want. It does not matter. A virus spreads, no matter what.
As I said, today you meet your neighbor, tomorrow your partner goes over there. What is the point of that, nonsense unless you keep your mask on even at home when you are with your partner. You just dont get it. It is no rocket science.
Snd Tim, please give me any scientific proof that with all those measurements, the death toll is less then without. Please entertain me. I am very curious how you wanna prrof this.
Still waiting for Tims proof.
But cannot wait, so here is the proof that all those meassurements like temp check, hand washing, masks and social distancing, closing schools, shops, curfews does not make a virus stop spreading.
Nicaragua did not locked down the country in march 2020. Only the land borders and no flights. But life went on just like any other day. I was there, I saw it with my own eyes. No masks,only the police but police is usually brainwashed anyway and believe in the course, they are trained to be paranoid.
Every shop was open, no curfew, no restrictions, no teparature scans, no hand washing. nothing that undicated that there is a virus around.
Oh hold on, there are viruses around all the time. So if toubnow look at the so called Covid cases statistic. Oh boy, there were a few in the beginning and for almost s year almost none.
How so. Ut is called herd immunity. A virus spreads, infect 80% of the population with a peak after 2 months and then only the weak and elderly die and the rest recovers and is immune, their immune system as designed and intended by nature fights it of, kills it and eradicates the virus.
End of story.
But since we locked people away the virus was floating around soo long, that it actually had time to get immune itself and mutated. How crazy is that. We are the course of it, nothing more nothing less.
So dont tell met this virus is different and it would be worse without all those nonsense with the masks and all. That is no science but propaganda.
I mean seriously? Desinfecting my shoes before entering a Shop? Really? WTF
"And get vaccinated as soon as you can"
Or, as these new 'Covid vaccines' are experimental and for use only under 'an emergency', and the trial is set to go from 2021 until 2023, perhaps it's best to wait and see what happens to those who have been 'vaccinated' before you get that stuff injected into yourself? For a virus which has a 99.7% survival rate, and the average age of death being around 82 years of age, why are governments so desperate at pushing these so-called 'vaccines' - also, the firms producing them haven't exactly been honest in the past, they have proven track records for being fined millions/billions for the damage they have wreaked. No, I am not an 'anti-vaxxer', not at all, but I am suspicious of the agenda, and I do not believe this is all to protect populations from a virus that is no worse then the common or garden 'flu (and where has that vanished to since 'Covid' turned up?).
Where are the environental activists? Where is the scowling Greta Thunberg? Billions of plastic test kits Made in China (now there's a surprise!) all going into landfill, or being dumped into the oceans. Trees and hedgerows now adorned with used face masks. Face masks littering the streets. Where are the fines for throwing your virus-ridden face mask on the ground? There are none. It seems that 'Covid-laden' masks on the ground constitute no threat at all!
What of the Police handing out fines? And if the 'vaccinations' are really reducing 'cases', why are local councils in the UK advertising for 'Covid Marshalls' (also known as 'snitches') from July 2021 until 2023? The British are now 'allowed' (thanks, Government!) to go to pubs and drink their now over-priced beers but only outside in the 'garden', served by staff wearing visors, and many believe they now have their freedom back! It's so sad. And, of course, untrue.
There are people who are in a panic, always willing to trot out the old line about "keeping friends and family members alive" as if, without a face mask you're automatically a 'spreader and killer', and willing to toe the government line, and too afraid to speak out in case they lose their cushy job and their furlough money. And then those who are sceptical of the whole narrative having witnessed the blatant lies of governments which hand out (very!) lucrative 'Covid contracts' to their mates, and who dare to ask questions.
The pharmaceutical companies dishing out these 'vaccines' are exempt from comeback/compensation claims - why? For a year we've been told that anyone testing 'positive' (by tests that don't even work!) for Covid (even if it exists!) who die of anything (run over by bus?!) within 28 days of being tested get marked down as a 'Covid death' to ramp up the statistics, yet anyone who dies after a 'Covid vaccination'... well, they are all 'co-incidences', aren't they?!!
There are many here, I'm sure, who would have condemned the old 'Apartheid' policies of South Africa (in the "good old days" when farmers weren't getting murdered there and having their land stolen with the blessing of their government) - yet where is the outcry of living in a current state of Apartheid here and now, with the smug who have been 'vaccinated', and those who haven't had the jab, or those who are 'vaccine hesitant' being labelled as 'Refuseniks'?
In conclusion, I can only suggest that you try to think for yourselves and not just believe what your television, radio, and most of the 'media' (controlled by the State) pumps out. There are nasty shades of 1930s Germany arising, and if you don't fight for your freedom and rights now you will most definitely have them snatched away by those who claim to 'have your best interests at heart'.
That's how I think of it too, Ross. And the biggest problem I see is: now the people are divided in two 'camps'. Those who find all restrictions useful and those who don't, and then those who want everyone to be vaccinated as soon as possible and those who don't
I am afraid their is a third group.
And I am in the middle of it
I have had plenty of discussions over the last 14 years of my travels in all countries. But in almost all cases those discussions were held among white Westerners, let it be in Europe, Australia, NZ or the US, or with expats in soo many so-called third world countries. And I mean, I travelled in more than 100 countries, some of them the poorest on earth like Sierra Leone ( yearly income of 100$ (hundred) pp).
And in all of those discussions one thing was clear for me, it is a bloody whealty people problem, if not white people problem.
The third group I am afraid are those who nobody cares about in our sick society. Those are the ones that would not get vaccinated for years if at all. I mean some of them life so far of the grid that it is almost impossible get their by car, let alone with a vaccine, that need to be cooled in order to work.
Do you ever think about them? No,you just have you luxury wealthy people problems, like a vaccine passport or the right mask and nonsense.
But for sure, let them suffer, let them die, who cares, they multiply too much anyway, right?
What you dont know is, that those are actually much better of. They live a healthy life, connected to Mother Earth, they font even need to care if your sick society crashes alltogether. They have their cattle, their farms, their veggies, their community. They dont need vaccines or other BS from us. But hey, let us tell them too, that they need it,they might believe us, shell we. And let us sell them more of our useless material stuff, they would be soo much happier then.
Example: Why did the government installed free Tv sets in even the poorest household in the desert in Morocco?Because now they can manipulate them, while they watch the propaganda in TV. Easy to control now, those half nomads, living in a shack, which is their home, but looks like it is for the goats. They were happy before, but now they see all the Ads and want it too. Great idea folks.
Here is an idea?
What, if I do not watch TV and therfor news, do not know the newest restrictions and go out after curfew to see a friend. Nobody can force me to watch news. So what are they gonna do? Fine me anyway?
Страницы