Like college baseball, MLB, and NASCAR. And a few music festivals too.

Pass the time by playing RV Tailgate Life Quarantine Bingo.

The RV Tailgate Quarantine Bingo Card

Here’s the quarantine bingo card that I made for you guys:

How to Play RV Tailgate Life Quarantine Bingo

The object is to get a B-I-N-G-O – which can be done in any number of ways. Get five in a row, up, down, or diagonal to win. You can also play four corners, getting each of the items in the corners.

Or full card where you have to do everything on the Quarantine Bingo Card!

Some of the squares were specifically picked to remind you to take care of your RV during this lockdown period.

It’s been over a month since I last had the RV out. I took my RV in for maintenance just before I was planning to leave for the Atlanta NASCAR race where the RV tailgating was scheduled to start on March 12.

So I need to get out there and check the water level in my RV house batteries and exercise the RV generator.

And with all this down time, since I’m not out RV tailgating, it is a good time to do some RV mods or upgrades, 30+ Tips for Spring Cleaning Your RV, or clean out the RV closet.

But don’t worry, not everything is dull and boring maintenance stuff.

We can try some new tailgating recipes, grill some food, and have a camp fire while sitting in some camping chairs.

You can also use this time to save some money. Finish your taxes and deduct the interest from your RV loan! Or shop for new RV insurance. Lots of insurers are providing refunds or future credits because fewer people are out driving and having accidents right now.

RV Tailgate Bingo!

Did you complete RV Tailgate Quarantine Bingo? Send us pictures of your completed card or pictures of you enjoying (in a socially distant way) your RV during quarantine or lock down.

I’ll post the best pictures here on the blog, share them on Facebook, and retweet them on Twitter. Just tag @RVTailgateLife on Twitter!

Don’t forget to pin the Quarantine Bingo card so your friends can play too!

The post Play RV Tailgate Life Quarantine Bingo appeared first on RV Tailgate Life.

But right now, the practice fields are sitting empty. Because we are under stay-at-home and social distancing orders.

Unfortunately, many people are not taking these orders seriously.

They continue to gather in groups, whether for church or play dates. People are still going to the beaches (looking at you, State of Georgia). People are still hitting up trails in great numbers. And yes, people are still traveling whether via RV or car.

This means that we are risking the 2020 college football season. A prime time when many of you will use your RV, will tailgate, and will enjoy being with friends and family.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links for various products below. You get the same low prices and we earn a small commission.

Please Stay Home and Socially Distant

The medical experts are saying that we need to stay home. That social distancing stops the spread of the virus, gives the doctors time to find treatments and develop vaccines.

But if we aren’t staying home and staying distant, the virus keeps spreading. Hospitals will get overloaded. And life won’t get back to normal.

And it won’t just be spring football that isn’t happening. Soon it will be summer practice. And then the real season.

Without football, we won’t have tailgating. Road trips. All those great tailgate meals and good times with friends.

So I’m begging you, please stay home. Let’s end this thing now!

Is the 2020 College Football Season Really at Risk?

Short answer: yes!

See, here’s my thinking: we are looking at another month, at least, of stay-at-home orders.

April is a wash completely. We are now looking at whether we are still quarantined into May.

And if we have to keep pushing out these orders, because people won’t stay home, we will be eating up May, June, July…. you get the idea.

I don’t think it will be an on-off switch either. I don’t think that they will magically allow big groups to gather again, at least initially. I think we will see a slow, gradual release of restrictions. Kind of like how they started limiting crowd size slowly – first at 1,000, then 500, then 250, 50 and now 10. Expect it to go up more gradually than it came down.

And depending on how gradually it goes up, our football teams may be limited in how they can prepare for a season. And we don’t want to just throw them out there without the proper conditioning. Because then there will be a drastic increase in injuries. Especially considering that many may not be keeping up with their regular exercise and training programs since gyms are closed and access to trainers is limited to virtual meetings. This alone may push out the beginning of the football season.

Remember, one of the reasons that they have delayed the 2020 Olympics to 2021 is because the athletes couldn’t train properly in these conditions. It’s not hard to see that training delays will affect the college football season.

Then consider that this may not be the final quarantine period we have. We may loosen up restrictions knowing that we may have to go back under quarantine/stay-at-home restrictions if the number of cases go up again.

Think about the chaos that will ensue if we start the college football season and then have to stop it. Will it be “fair” to a team if they have to forfeit a game because they can’t travel to an away game because they are under quarantine even if the entire country is not?

Can we really expect a state that has taken so long to issue a stay-at-home order to not say “hey, we won’t issue one now because then our national contender team will have to forfeit a game” even if the situation calls for it because of a localized yet significant outbreak happens? (Looking at you Alabama and Georgia, among well, all the Southern states)

See why I’m thinking that we are completely putting the entire 2020 season at risk right now?

What About Playing in Empty Stadiums?

While the pros could conceivably play to empty stadiums, is that feasible for college football?

Sure, the TV revenue would definitely make it better than no football at all. But many programs won’t have the funds to do field teams without ticket and concession revenue. Many are already struggling as it is, do you think this will make it better?

But that still means we have 500 or so people, from the teams, coaches, staff, refs, stadium personnel, and media, that need to congregate and half or more of which will travel each week (refs, media, the visiting team).

For us, as fans, football games without fans in the seats would be disappointing but better than nothing. We will just have to up the homegating! (That’s like tailgating but at home)

Because of the dollars at stake, you can bet that the officials in charge will do absolutely everything that they can to make sure that we have a season.

And it may not look like any other team – shortened, delayed, or otherwise weird schedules. Empty stadiums.

What if a Player Tests Positive?

Back in early March, we were playing a lot of what-if games. Maybe we continue on, maybe we have empty stadiums. No one really thought that we would be shutting down all sports within days.

Then Wednesday, March 11, 2020 happened. The Utah Jazz contacted health officials in Oklahoma City, where they were playing, to get a test for a player. Rudy Gohert tested positive. It shut down the NBA immediately. And all major sporting events for the next two months were cancelled by the weekend.

One test for one player came back positive and it shut down everything for at least what will be four months now. (March already, April, May, and June all canceled already)

What happens when one football player tests positive?

Can you be the team doctor that tells the coach it is OK to put those players out there on the field when they could get sick? Or the head coach, the athletic director or school president? Can the conferences really put their teams out there when they are at risk? Or allow fans to attend?

With everything that is going on, could you really be the person that says “play ball!” and risks infecting so many people, many of whom could very well end up in the hospital or dead? The optics would be absolutely horrible for any team, conference, or league that did so.

Especially with everything that we now know about this virus.

What You Need to Do Now to Save College Football

Stay home!

If you can, use services like Amazon Fresh to order and have your groceries delivered in a no-contact way. (In other words, they leave the groceries at your door and then leave. You get the groceries from your front door step without ever saying even hi to the delivery person)

Don’t leave the house unless it is an absolute necessity. If you must leave, then make sure that you are washing your hands and not touching your face. Wear a mask or gloves if necessary to remind you to not touch things or your face.

For more on COVID-19 in easy to understand terms, Dr. Daniel Ketterer has a great primer updated periodically on Facebook.

Will it work? Don’t know. But it is the best shot we have right now. We’ve got about 60, maybe 90 days, to save college football as we know it for 2020.

While You Wait: Try the 100 RV Decluttering Challenge

RV Travel and Campgrounds in the Times of Corona

I know, it is tempting to get in the RV right now and take off for a remote campground somewhere. But please, just stay home.

First, if you are traveling, you will be doing things like visiting gas stations, grocery stores, and more. Every time you get out of the RV, you are risking getting or spreading the infection (the latest from Dr. Fauci is that up to 50% of people with the virus won’t show symptoms so you may have it and not know it).

Second, if you have a place to hunker down, whether your home or a family member’s home, that is one more spot out there for a full-time RVer that doesn’t have a place to go. With many state park systems completely or partially shutting down, many full-time RVers are having places to stay.

Resources and Tips for Full-Time RVers

Full-time RVers, please find a place, if you haven’t already, that you can hunker down at for a long while. Whether that is with family or friends or at a campground, plan on spending a month or more in one place. And not being able to enjoy any of the amenities.

If you need to find a park, Rootless Living has a list of RV parks that are still open.

Somewhere that has hookups is probably your best bet right now. It means less times having to explore out for fresh water, dumping waste tanks, or refilling the gas can. And as temperatures warm up, the power use is going to go up. Because hello summer and hot temperatures.

For those campgrounds and parks that are continuing to operate, they really should have all the common areas shut down, including playgrounds and other places people like to congregate. Yes, that means the pool too. And bath houses. Because those need to be cleaned and disinfected. And since the vacationer and weekend RVers are out there, hopefully you can spread out your spots within the campground a little more than usual so you aren’t on top of each other.

Why I’m Not Supporting Re-Opening the State and National Park Campgrounds

I know that closing state and national park campgrounds and even some private campgrounds is rough on full-time RVers.

But here’s the thing. Many of these closures are in high vacation traffic spots. They are campgrounds that have 14 day limits, in many cases. Or they are in hot spots, where we really don’t want anyone anyways.

And they all attract people to get out and enjoy the great outdoors during stay-at-home and quarantine rules. And what we need right now, more than anything else, is for people to stay put. Not travel. Not congregate. And re-opening these parks does that.

You know how full-time RVers always complain about the weekenders and vacationers filling up your otherwise quiet and secluded RV campground? That’s exactly how it would be if all the RV campgrounds were open.

Save College Football: It’s Not Just A Meme

Early on, you probably saw a meme going around Facebook. It was probably something along the lines of “If you told people that staying inside for 7 days would save the 2020 college football season, the entire south would be locked in their rooms right now.”

Well guess what, friends? It’s not just a meme. We are talking about real possibilities here.

If we don’t socially distant ourselves and basically stay home, we might lose college football for 2020.

We’ve already lost so much. Let’s not let this happen too!

Stay Home!

Like this story? Pin for later!

You may also like:
This Was Not The Madness We Expected This March
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30+ Tips for Spring Cleaning Your RV

The post Stay Home and Save College Football appeared first on RV Tailgate Life.

The college basketball conference tournaments should be over. The brackets picked.

We should be at the office with multiple monitors going pretending to work while we watch games all day.

We should not be quarantined to our homes with no sports on television, likely for two months straight.

This is not the madness we expected this month.

Everything is Cancelled

Last Tuesday, I went grocery shopping. Everything was packed in the RV, ready for a Thursday morning departure to Atlanta Motor Speedway for the Folds of Honor 500. Life was going on as normal, but with more hand washing.

By Wednesday night, the NBA was cancelling their season. NCAA conference basketball championships and the Tournament was going to be without fans.

By Thursday morning, it was clear that life was not going to be the same, especially for sports fans.

The NHL was cancelling its season by midday.

There were rumors that NASCAR was going to follow suit. With an announced 1 pm press conference, I decided to wait on my departure. I didn’t want to get down to the Speedway just to have to come back home. So I waited, and I waited.

And in typical NASCAR fashion, the news was late. But it was what I expected – no fans at the race.

And on Friday, MLB announced that the baseball season would be late and the NCAA and NASCAR were both announcing that despite their earlier announcements that the games would go, the games would, in fact, not go on.

And we don’t know when they will be back.

What’s Life Without Sports?

I don’t know about you, but my life is heavily scheduled around the sports schedule. Baseball, Football, NASCAR, Basketball, Hockey. And recently, Soccer. All the random college sports that will catch my attention for a minute here or there.

The last time that sports weren’t a major factor in my life was… never. Seriously, my parents tell stories of me as a baby and getting up early on the weekend while they wanted to sleep in. So they would put me in my car seat and sit me in front of the television to watch football. I loved it.

Like many of you, I’m trying to figure out what life looks like right now. I’m not going to or watching sports. I’m not traveling. I can’t even go out and enjoy a nice drink at a bar. Or go to a good concert.

Stupid virus.

The good news is that my laundry is all caught up. And the house is pretty clean right now.

What Are Some Good Binge Worthy Shows?

Since my life has for so long revolved so much around sports, I haven’t really watched much in the way of television the past few years.

So, I’m asking you… what are the best binge worthy shows? What should I watch to keep entertained over the next 8 weeks?

What To Expect from RV Tailgate Life Right Now

My RV is parked in my drive way. This down time gives me an opportunity to get some things fixed on the RV.

To do some RV mods to make it better for when I get out there again for some tailgating.

And a chance to provide some excellent content for you, my readers.

I’ve also got lots of food here with recipes that I’ve already tested. I was all set to debut them at the Atlanta NASCAR race. But since that didn’t happen, I’ll be making them at home. I’ll still provide you with the recipes, which will be great for you to cook while you are stuck at home too.

I just won’t have my normal tailgate taste testers. Or pictures from the tailgate to go with the recipes.

But hey, a good recipe is still a good recipe, right?

Stay Safe & Healthy & Sane

I know it is rough guys. It’s going to be a really long two to three months, at least, before we get back to our new normal, whatever that ends up being.

But the priority here is that all of us make it till then.

So wash your hands, practice social distancing, and reconnect with family and friends (virtually, if they aren’t in your household). Get that honey do list done around the house and the RV.

And before you know it, you’ll have an awesome story to tell years from now. Where were you when the coronavirus hit? How’d you survive the lockdown?

The post This Was Not The Madness We Expected This March appeared first on RV Tailgate Life.