The coronavirus is no joke. We got our first taste of how serious it was back in March when one moment, people were busy at work. The next moment, they were told to go home until further notice. Many are still home with no further notice forthcoming.
The biggest metropolitan areas were swiftly locked down. As a society, we didn’t even know that that meant. We certainly had no clue about how long it would last. For several weeks, the top priority became acquiring toilet paper and hand sanitizer.
We were still grappling with the importance of masks, and where to find them in reasonable quantities.
Today, the lockdowns are mostly behind us. But we are still not open for business, either. If you are not an “essential worker,” you are working from home if you have a job at all. The kids are likely doing school from home as well. That means that it still feels like lockdown
That is not a healthy feeling. There are good reasons to get outside and be fully human. Get far enough away with your family and you will be able to enjoy some fun activities sans mask. Here are a few suggestions to get your started
Day Trips
You don’t have to do a cross-country road trip to get in the car and see where the road takes you. It might not be a safe proposition to stay in hotels right now. But you don’t have to stay overnight. There are plenty of great places to visit that are half a day’s drive.
Before you hit the road, to the opportunity to get the vehicle serviced. If you have some body work you have been putting off, do a quick search for “auto body shop San Diego and treat your ride like the magic carpet it is. You don’t want to take off with that smashed tail light. And drive carefully if you are a bit out of practice. You want to hit the road and not anything else.
Hunting
Believe it or not, many people don’t get their meat from grocery stores. They get it directly from the source. Responsible hunting is an excellent way to keep the family fed during the winter. It also bypasses those soaring meat prices.
One of the best things about hunting is that it is covid-safe. One of the top advantages of climbing tree stands for deer hunting is that you can take a deep (but quiet) breath of fresh air without a mask or worry about a deadly virus for a few hours.
Hunting also provides a golden opportunity to teach your children things about nature they need to know, as well as provide durable skills that will do them good stead throughout a lifetime. Teach them to play video games and they will never grow bored. Teach them to hunt and they’ll never go hungry.
Boating
Boating is one of the most versatile outdoor activities going. One of the things that makes it so great is that there is a leveler everyone from beginner to expert. You can spend a lazy afternoon floating in a canoe with nary a care in the world. Or, you can brave the rapids with a heart-pounding adventure in a kayak.
You can get out on the water for the practicality of catching fish, for the exercise, for the challenging adventure, or no reason at all. The industry for small boats has been booming. Covid has been good for boating. And boating is a good way to beat the lockdown blues caused by Covid. You can breathe easy out on the open water.
Every outdoor activity entails some measure of risk. Long drives depend on the reliability of your car and the skill of the driver. Hunting places you in the wild where nature is not so tame. And boating carries drowning risks even with a safety jacket. Engage in all outdoor activities responsibly. Also, no mask required.