Has anyone else been reading headlines and news articles as if they were from The Onion during regular times? The video of
the guy cleaning his groceries is classic and will be watched in disbelief by incredulous audiences many times in future years (but honestly, it is helpful, and right now we are following some of his guidance). The
Point Reyes Light's "Sheriff's Calls" is full of people reporting other people doing very normal things, like going to the beach, surfing, etc. On social media too, from people's reactions, you'd think going to the beach was somehow dangerous--for people who only are familiar with crowded Southern California beaches on summer weekends, this attitude is excusable--but the world is full of lightly-traveled beaches with few virus-carrying humans where it is perfectly safe to be (and probably one of the safer places to be in the spectrum of risk).
So last weekend I went to the beach (yes, this used to be normal and acceptable behavior). And I wasn't going to let anything stop me--not the dirty dishes (partially dealt with), screaming kids (handled), lovely wife, cute cats, social media shamers, poorly-worded closure signs, or lingering symptoms. I'm so done with being sick. After seven months of sickness and disease (with two kids in two schools we get plenty of colds), and having had the latest cough for over five weeks, I was finally feeling well enough for a big day of exercise. I needed to get out.
By the way, my SARS-CoV-2 antibody test came back negative. So I had the flu shot last fall, plus I probably had the flu or something similar twice since January. But I digress.
The bike ride from San Geronimo to Limantour Beach is about 20 miles (40 miles round trip). After passing through the Samuel P. Taylor State Park campground on the Cross Marin Trail, I was catching up to three cyclists ahead of me. Not really wanting to deal with passing, I followed at a slower pace, then at Platform Bridge they disappeared and I merged onto Sir Francis Drake Blvd adjacent to another cyclist. I tried to get ahead but couldn't, then fell back, then passed, then was passed. This was my first time over Olema Hill on a bike, and it was hard to find my pace while at the same time trying to be adequately physically-distanced ahead of or behind the other rider, who was much older but frequently rides long distances. He disappeared ahead before I reached the top.
