Let's Take A Walk!

Apex Lake

Face it. Taking a walk today is not nearly like it was just a few weeks ago. Then, we had a nice circuit at Apex (NC) Lake, a greenway trail that circled the lake and officially called Lake Pine Loop. It is about 2.2 miles around the lake which once was the main water source for Apex. By the time we walked from our home to the trail and took detours through adjoining recreational areas (youth baseball fields, tennis, basketball and volleyball courts, and playground equipment for the youngsters) before returning home, our walk was about four miles. It took about an hour.

We said hello to everyone we passed in both directions. Some returned the greeting; others grunted or stayed silent, refusing to make eye contact. We made it a game, guessing the reaction to a simple "good morning" or "good afternoon" or a nod of the head and a smile. Friendly people; grouches.

We wondered if the oncoming traffic, usually two side-by-side but sometimes three or four across, would edge over a little or walk single file so there was room for everyone on the six to seven feet wide pavement. Holidays and weekends increased the greenway users. It became crowded which made us rethink our route.

Today, we're street walkers, staying clear of the lake trail because of COVID-19 and social distancing. We obey and walk single file when approaching on-comers. We walk off the path to create more space, but there are too many people there now who think otherwise. They are not social distancing, hogging the trail as we dart into the flora and fauna. A request for approachers to walk single file yields harsh reactions.

We have several neighborhood routes routing us by many beautiful homes, along busy streets, through older neighborhoods, in front of apartments, and behind commercial shopping centers, all on wide paved streets, some with sidewalks and others without. Being able to social distance is easy. In most cases we cross to the other side of the street when others approach.

Now we encounter runners and bicyclists who come up on us from behind offering little warning to move aside, They seem to demand the right of way. Some, but not all, runners run as if they own the path. Most of the streets have bicycle lanes but the two-wheelers are determined to use the sidewalk. We're not hard to get along out there. We take precautions. But many, but not all, runners and bicycle riders do not. Late Night host Seth Meyers knows what I'm talking about. Click on this Seth Meyers YouTube link.

But we press on. Yes, walking today is unlike walking a few weeks ago. It borders on being unhealthy, even with the exercise. We are aware of the issue of spreading the coronavirus, but there are many out there who seem not to give a damn. We've found our routes which avoid Apex Lake, and that's unfortunate.

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CLARIFICATION: Yesterday, I wrote about taking part in the Sunday School class, "I'm instructed to ask no questions and offer no comments." Just to clarify, that request did not come from the Church or classmates. It was a home appeal.