Without a doubt, patience for the stay at home order is waning. Armed protests and lawsuits aside, even adherents to the order are getting a little stir crazy. Creative is the only cure for this crazy.
A close friend of mine turned 50 last week on Cinco de Mayo and we celebrated in a virtual online gathering with his extended friends. Nothing replaces in-person parties, but the beautiful thing about a Zoom party is that people from around the world can join. We toasted with lime tequila with people in Europe, Africa, and across the United States.
A physical gathering would have been impossible, not because of coronavirus, but because these people were spread all over the world. It begs to wonder if these virtual gatherings will become a more normalized event for celebrations after the pandemic, as it provides for connections that otherwise wouldn’t happen.
By far the most popular activity to defray the cabin fever during this stay at home order has been bicycling. Cycling by its nature is a distanced activity. Methow Cycle & Sport has been slammed with repairs and sales of bicycles and equipment. Bicycle repair was deemed essential from the beginning of the stay at home order as it’s a mode of transportation – thank goodness – as this has been the lifeline for our family’s ability to not go stir crazy. I think our family alone has been to the shop weekly as our bikes have seen more time on their tread in a month than they do in a year.
This past weekend, Washington Pass welcomed cyclists to the top as. As road crews rest on the weekend, the highway allows for the annual pilgrimage of bicyclists in the safety and comfort of the absence of vehicles.
For my Mother’s Day wish, I cashed in on some time away from my kids and finally made the ride. After 14 years, I still had never done it, and Saturday the opportunity arose. I knew each year the ride is almost ritualistic for many riders – like a rite of passage marking of the onset of spring and the harbinger of the hordes of vehicles and tourists to come. How fun to scream down the highway without the added hazards of motorhomes, RVs, and 18-wheelers! I think I am hooked.
The cancellations of organized events like the Sunflower Relay have come with a lot of heartache for sports enthusiasts and amateur athletes alike. To address the loss, Methow Trails and Cascade Endurance have come up with a creative solution: a “Virtual Race for the Methow” on May 23. The idea is to keep the spirit of friendly competition alive and well in the valley, while supporting a local charity. Participants can choose between supporting Room One or Little Star Montessori School. You register and pay for the event online at Methowtrails.com, select your charity, chose a route, run on your own time before May 31, and enter your time online. Prizes will be awarded to a variety of distances, sex, and age groups. With two weeks left to stay at home, staying healthy seems pretty fun these days.
