SUGAR TREE, TENNESSEE – “Aren’t you worried about coronavirus?” a friend asks. “And what about all the riots? Isn’t it dangerous to be driving around America?”
More below…
New Country Digs
Another day… another new digs…
Four weeks ago, we decided we’d had enough of the lockdown. We packed our suitcase, hitched a tent to our car, and hit the road.
So far, we’ve driven several thousand miles throughout Florida, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee, camping along the way.
We’re exploring America and meeting as many people as we can.
Today, we drove another 168 miles west. I’m writing to you from a garage somewhere in western Tennessee. Here’s our latest campsite…
Michael and April’s house
Our hosts tonight are Michael and his wife, April. They live in the hills above the Tennessee River.
They’ve offered to let us camp in their driveway for a couple of nights and show us around their neighborhood.
I’ll introduce you to Michael and April tomorrow… and show you some pictures…
Next week, we’re heading to Kentucky… then Indiana… and all the way north to Michigan and the Great Lakes. Then we’ll turn west and head for Wyoming.
At least, that’s the plan today. Tomorrow, we’ll have a new one…
Moving Too Fast
“We’re moving too fast,” says Kate.
It’s true. We packed up this morning. We drove for more than four hours today. This is our fourth night in a row setting up camp in another new place.
The long stretches on the road and all the unpacking/packing up in the campground don’t leave me much time to write, or the kids much time to study.
And it’s tiring.
“Want to stay here another night?” I asked. “Michael said we could stay as long as we liked. It’s comfortable. We’ve got Wi-Fi. We could have a rest day tomorrow…”
“Okay,” said Kate. “We need a rest day.”
Here we are earlier today among the wheat fields of central Tennessee…
Tennessee wheat fields
Back to coronavirus… and the rioting…
Interesting Times for America
For the last two years, we traveled internationally, living out of a suitcase, and sleeping in Airbnbs and hostels.
But because of the government lockdowns, mandatory quarantines, tracking, border closures, and all that other guff we’d have to put up with if we went overseas, we decided we’d explore America instead this year.
Besides, I don’t think there’s ever been a more interesting time to drive around America… not in my lifetime, at least.
I was worried there’d be all kinds of obstacles to traveling during lockdown. I needn’t have…
We’ve seen almost no evidence of coronavirus here in southeastern America. Hardly anyone’s wearing masks, including us.
No one’s social distancing. And except for the occasional germ shield at a supermarket cashier, you wouldn’t even know there was anything going on.
And as for the riots? We’re out in the countryside… living among RVers and campers. Life couldn’t be quieter or more peaceful…
– Tom Dyson
P.S. Here’s Penny wearing her mask, but only as a fashion statement…
Penny’s fashion statement
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FROM THE MAILBAG
Following Tom’s Emergency Investment Summit in late May, one reader inquires about a timeline for buying gold, and another is applying Tom’s recommendations to his own portfolio…
Reader comment: Your children are so blessed to have both of their parents guiding them intimately in their academics and life skills.
I would like to invest in the gold mining companies you suggested in your Tom’s Portfolio newsletter. Is it a good time now to buy them still?
Tom’s response: Yes, it is. Now is the time to buy. I imagine the Dow-to-Gold ratio is going to be heading lower again soon… at which point it’ll be too late.
My feeling is, with this gold trade, it’s either buy now or don’t do it at all. If you missed my recent presentation on this, you can still catch a replay here.
Reader comment: I will never have your confidence about going all-in in gold. But today I started the paperwork to place 50% of my IRA in a self-directed precious metals fund. Soon, I will be a gold owner. I enjoy reading about your travels. It is something I have wanted to do for several years, but unless I go alone, I will never be able to do it. My wife’s health is my biggest rope tying me down. I wish you the best in your travels.
Kind readers provide the Dyson family with helpful travel information… while others offer to host them during their road trip…
Reader comment: Not sure if you’re planning to drive to Alaska, but the U.S./Canada border crossing has been closed for months. There will be a projected reassessment on June 19 (with further remained closings anticipated by U.S./Canada authorities). I do like your “damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead” attitude.
Reader comment: I surely enjoy traveling vicariously with you and your beautiful family. We have taken your counsel and converted savings into gold, as well as converting an annuity to gold. Thanks for your counsel. If you all are ever in Washington state, we have rooms for your family to stay with us.
Reader comment: Your postcards have been very informative and entertaining. You always have something interesting to say. While in Tennessee, hope you take in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It’s a wonderful and interesting place to visit.
Reader comment: No idea if your travels will take you as far north as St. Louis from where you are, but if so, we’re about 20 minutes from St. Louis. There’s a mowed field for camping (if you want), a pond good for swimming and fishing, a picnic area with a fire pit, and free use of our bathrooms and showers (or real beds if you want some A/C).
Tom’s note: Please keep your comments coming at [email protected]. We love reading them and I’ll do my best to reply to as many as possible. But with all the driving and setting up camp, cooking over the camp stove, and trying to keep clean in public bathrooms, my inbox has overflowed a bit recently…