From my own first-hand knowledge, people are partaking in all the good things the outdoors offer, but unfortunately, some people aren’t exactly doing it safely.
We have some solid tips to make your outdoor experience safe and fun, but also in compliance with social distancing rules.
1. ALWAYS BRING YOUR MASK
Despite the fact that you’ll be outside, you still need to bring your mask with you. For example, I went to Belle Isle for a walk a couple of weekends ago, and halfway down the trail, I encountered more than 10 people, a family, walking together. I ended up turning around and walking back down the path because I didn’t have my mask, and if they live in different households and aren’t social distancing in the park, then maybe they’re not doing it in other places either.
Yes, chances are you are going to encounter someone with a connection to the virus, but for the sake of being outdoors and establishing some sort of sanity, wherever you’re walking, bring your mask with you, and maintain a distance of 6ft. It doesn’t mean you have to wear it the whole time, but if you’re on a walk and you see someone walking ahead of you or toward you, please put the mask on.
2. TRY AND AVOID HIGHLY POPULATED AREAS
Another tip for being outdoor: Try and avoid locations with large gatherings. Another Belle Isle example: Sunset Point is probably the most popular area along the river line, so you should avoid going to that part of the island and find another spot with fewer people. If you’re not much of a walker and want to lay in the grass and chill, there are many spots where you can take your headphones to and relax.
If there’s a park near your house that tends to get more people visiting, maybe opt to walking the sidewalks of your neighborhood instead.
3. IF YOU ABSOLUTELY FEEL LIKE YOU CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT SEEING OTHER PEOPLE
If you are able to maintain social distancing, being outside with a couple of people can be done safely. I saw a few women sitting more than 6 feet apart with lawn chairs and masks on at the park. There have also been quite a few people that have done Social Distance hangouts by sitting in or on their cars more than 6 feet apart and talking loudly so they still have social interaction. This does not give you permission to have barbecues and whatnot, but this is at least something social to tide you over.
4. TAKE UP BIKE RIDING
As you are probably aware, whether you’ve seen it on the roads in the past, or if you read our Bike Life story, but there was a huge Bike Culture surrounding Detroit. If you have a bike, maybe start getting conditioned to participate in a local ride once quarantine is lifted!
5. MAKE YOURSELF A PLAYLIST AND GO FOR A WALK
I don’t know about you, but I think that mixtaping is a lost art. For those of you under the ripe age of 30, we used to give mixtapes to our friends, people who wanted to date, etc. So how does this translate in 2020? You can make your friend a playlist, or make a playlist for yourself, and then take a walk with it. The plus side is, you’re not capped on how many songs you can choose on Spotify or Apple Music, so you can include all your favorites. And if I may add a suggestion to a summer sounding track? Post Malone and Swae Lee’s “Sunflower.”
6. YARD WORK
Though many see doing yard work as a chore, others enjoy getting into the dirt. Contrary to popular belief, you can visit hardware stores, and you can get things like seeds and plants, but you have to social distance when doing so, and you may have to wait in a line to get into the store due to social distance guidelines, but after that, it’s smooth sailing.
7. USE YOUR MEDIA-DRIVEN MIND TO CREATE A NEW PASTIME
You’ve got a great camera on your phone right? Try to shoot some photos around the neighborhood outdoors and practice good picture taking. And once you feel you are comfortable sharing with others, maybe start an Instagram or Twitter account showing them off.
More into gaming? Now is a great time to brush up on your Pokemon Go skills. You can actually play from home now, with the closest raid point being accessible due to quarantine, but you can also go for a walk up to your nearest poke-stop.
Start learning the basics of a sport like basketball, soccer, rollerblading, etc.
The possibilities are endless! What have you been doing outdoors? Let us know in the comments on Facebook!
