TOGETHER RIDES DURING PANDEMIC = APART!

Riding solo and at times with Susan have been fine. I miss riding with some of my friends — and having something “on the calendar” to plan for. I asked Cindy if she would ride with me — apart. We would begin our ride from our home at an agreed upon time and do our own route, stop along the way and have tea and snack. At the end we would share a photo or two of our tea spot and share a bit about our ride by email. Everyone should have such a good friend as I have in Cindy ;’-). She immediately said yes to my plan and so we did.

My Pandemic Calendar...

Some of the things I shared with Cindy from our apart rides.

We both enjoyed one day a week of a ride and tea “together”, and that led to another plan. After having tea time apart together for several weeks, Cindy suggested we actually have socially distanced tea together! Picking a place to meet up about midway on our individual ride, we choose our own starting time and route and come together at a pre-determined time, tea in hand, for some distanced face to face time. Not the best option to share time together, but it is progress ;’-).

This then led me to suggest rides apart together with the Rainbow Rider group. Now ten of us participate in the plan. The changes from my rides with Cindy are: rather than tea time, we have a “theme” for each weekly ride; we post a photo of what we found for the theme, then have a zoom get together later, on the day we ride. Not all ten participate every week, but it has been fun to share time together on zoom (who even knew what zoom was three months ago, now I host one!), and the themes give us a focus for our rides.

THEMES thus far have been: The five senses; the color red; anything bird related; water; fences/gates; benches; rocks. We continue on from here.

Jenny’s boys — Etienne and Andre — joined in for the first ride but I cannot find a way to include the video of them riding.

Sarah and family in California joined us for the first two rides, and I wait for them to join us for more ;’-)

Lucy, Kaitlyn, Jaydon, Sarah feel their five senses on a ride in sunny CA.

And those same four found RED...

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High School Seniors could not have much in the way of celebrating graduation this year. Many schools helped with a plan for that, and Susan and I rode to her school to applaud the graduates. And I got RED. 

Also got this beautiful red.

Bird related ...

Water...

Fences/Gates...

Benches 

Rocks

We continue on with our “virtual together” riding and do the best we can to stay not only active, but connected. 

Stay safe and well my friends. 

RIDING NEAR HOME DURING PANDEMIC

Even during Phase 1 (we are now in Phase 2), we could exercise outside as long as we maintained the 6 feet social distance from anyone else, and did not go far from home. This is easy to do when cycling on your own or with family members from the same household. So there has been no need to wear a mask when I do my riding. I always carry a mask with me for times needed, and often wear my buff around my neck so to be able to pull it up over mouth and nose at times I am not able to distance. So — as a friend has noted — at times I am riding in the buff ;’-) (Thanks Kathy).

Most of my rides near home have been solo, but recently Susan has been joining me on some of those rides. I repeat many routes, find some ways to vary them, and Susan has scouted addition ways that I have incorporated into my list. Some rides have been long, many have been short, and distance is of no importance to me in the sense of needing to ride long and far. As long as I get on my bike for an hour or so, I am happy.

I find interesting, pretty and fun things on many rides that I do right from my front door (garage door actually).

Lake Serene is a place I often stop for my snack and drink. This day could not have had better weather.

Ducks thought it was a great day too ;’-)

Found a few fun things...






One of my longer rides takes me into Everett and to the Community College. The college is next door to the building where I worked (back in the day). There had been a fire in one of the buildings on campus just a couple of years before I started working there, and I always like to stop and give thought to this firefighter who lost his life helping others.

Spring flowers were starting to add color...

Susan and I took a couple of rides to different parts of our town as well as into Edmonds.

One of the parks near our ferry landing.

Watched as the ferry came into port at Mukilteo.

Too bad this park setting was locked and for residents of that area only. It would have been nice to walk along that trail. But, we enjoyed the view.

On our way to Edmonds we rode the short trail thought Lynndale Park.

Always wanting a “reason” to bike, or something to bike to, Susan found something about the Moon Walk rock in Edmonds that we had not known about, so we found that.

Can never pass by a bike photo op ;’-).

After a long day on the saddle, I needed a stretch. What better place than with a model! 


I have more to come, but in another post. Stay safe and well my dear friends.

PANDEMIC 2020 HIT

The Coronavirus-19 hit all of us. Once Susan and I left Fort Casey in early March we were home bound for a few months. My only time out of our house was for riding on my bike. My bike was, and continues to be, my savior during this time. Except for a day or two in each month, I have ridden every day. 

When this all started, the closures and shut downs were a jarring, somewhat surreal, observation. Through the first weeks I noted signs that needed to be recorded, and on my riding I took photos for just that purpose.

One of the first closures I saw was of our local golf course. Later, when golfers could not yet enjoy their sport, the grounds opened up for walkers and cyclist to enjoy the trail through the course. This gave Susan and me a great opportunity to see the grounds and views that we would never otherwise see. Sad trade off however. Or at least the reason we could do this was sad.

All the playgrounds and parks were totally closed.

Schools and all grounds were closed.

It appeared that ALL libraries closed.

Churches, shops and restaurants were shut.

When we are outdoors and cannot keep 6 feet distance we need to wear a mask. And now (June) we must wear a mask anytime we must go inside for something, and all personnel are required to wear a mask.

We should stay close to home even if we can get out of the house.

Susan’s haircutter started out optimistic about her reopening date. Reality struck... She stopped updating and it is now June 18 and she is not yet able to open.

Through it all the medical workers, doctors, nurses, helpers, first responders, fire fighters, and others did their monumental work to help those who had become victims to the virus. Many residents showed their thanks and their honor for the work the “heroes” did and continue to do.

We all continue to have hope that this will all be ok.

Our state (Washington) is opening things on a four Phase basis. It is all a bit complex, and some counties have been able to apply to reopen earlier than others. It all depends on how the “curve” is looking. Susan and I have now been able to do a little local RVing, and that will be my next post.

I miss all my friends and my regular life, and wish all to stay safe and healthy. I long for when I can share time with you again.