No more South Mountain hiking! What’s a nature lover to do?
Jamie - That discussion with Dave Hoganauer was so informative. I learned so much more about the Reservation than I thought I knew .As a child I remember going up to feed the deer where the dog park is now. I'm looking forward to the book that's coming out this spring. Mr Hogenauer will be missed.
FWIW at 2 p.m. on Sunday there was an Essex County sheriff with lights flashing at Locust Grove, clearing out people who had entered there (bypassing a barricade and a "Closed" sign). The Res is closed.
Brookside between Glen and South Orange Ave. remains closed to cars on Sunday between 6-noon. There were more people than I usually see (and a sheriff car on patrol), but it was not difficult to stay far from others.
Can someone explain how the virus is not contagious on a sidewalk but is contagious on a paved walking path that was originally paved wide enough to accommodate two way vehicular traffic?
spontaneous said:
Can someone explain how the virus is not contagious on a sidewalk but is contagious on a paved walking path that was originally paved wide enough to accommodate two way vehicular traffic?
They cannot close part of the parks. They cannot close just the narrow trails. They cannot close the dog park and the picnic areas and leave your particular favorite trail open. They cannot close Brookdale Park and leave South Mountain Reservation open because some privileged suburbanites think they can maintain social distance better than people from other towns.
They closed the parks because it was clear that there were to many issues with having them open, and better things for the sheriff's deputies to do than maintain safe distances between hikers.
max_weisenfeld said:
They cannot close part of the parks. They cannot close just the narrow trails. They cannot close the dog park and the picnic areas and leave your particular favorite trail open.
Actually, this is what they did in Watchung. The indoor, or concentrated active recreation spots are closed but the trails are open. I don't know whether its wrong or right. But that's the status.
When I was parked on Ridgewood Rd I saw multiple groups of people out for walks, and only one time did I see 6+ feet being given when passing. Telling people to take a walk on the sidewalk around their block is just as stupid if everyone is doing it
I'm wondering when everyone has/will cross the line to wearing masks at all times.
I'm been very cautious from early on about social distancing but the mask is some kind of line I struggle with, though I put a simple particle mask on just now to walk the dog.
spontaneous said:
When I was parked on Ridgewood Rd I saw multiple groups of people out for walks, and only one time did I see 6+ feet being given when passing. Telling people to take a walk on the sidewalk around their block is just as stupid if everyone is doing it
That was not my experience walking on Ridgewood earlier. People were staying more than six feet away from anyone else. My wife and I wore masks and crossed the street back and forth to distance from approaching people.
Isn't lack of exercise a health problem?
The situation is way past serious. The more we can stay home the better:
That's a big range--86k to 509k (and astronomically worse if no lockdown at all).
Busy parks will not push us in the direction of the best case.
And, from some local NJ police station:
spontaneous said:
When I was parked on Ridgewood Rd I saw multiple groups of people out for walks, and only one time did I see 6+ feet being given when passing. Telling people to take a walk on the sidewalk around their block is just as stupid if everyone is doing it
First, lots of people go to the park and end up together even if they are trying not to. Fewer people are walking around each block. If they are family groups they will be together. From my porch on Academy I see a lot of people, but not all at once and pretty well spread out.
With so little auto traffic now, it is easily possible to walk in the street or even down the middle of the street (which frankly I enjoy) in most neighborhoods in Maplewood and South Orange. We've been walking many blocks daily for weeks and folks casually steer wide of each other by crossing the street or stepping well into it (while saying "hello").
In other words, -not a problem. You don't have relegate yourself to the sidewalk of the vast majority of the now quiet streets.
FilmCarp said:
If they are family groups they will be together.
Obviously a group walking together probably live together, I’m talking about people approaching each other from opposite directions and passing each other
Telling people to just go walk around the block seems counterintuitive to avoiding contact with other
Lack of exercise a health problem? You’re being asked to stay home for a few weeks, possibly a couple of months. It isn’t ideal, but it is short term and not forever. Getting Covid 19 if you’re elderly or have underlying health issues is a bigger health problem than temporarily becoming a couch potato
I’m just having trouble understanding how walking down a two car wide path is dangerous but walking around the block isn’t.
Realistically they either both safe, or both risky
Spruce Run Recreation Area, a State Park, was lovely today. It's about 40 minutes away by car, and its paths are wide. Few people there, no social distancing problem:
We went to Sandy Hook today. It was a spit show. It is an "open" state park.
I estimate there were at least 2,000 people there. Many were walking and bike riding on the paved pathways. These pathways are narrow. I would guess 5ft wide. People were passing each other, going in opposite directions. At some points, they were 3 - 4 ft away from each other.
We did not bother to get out of the car - turned around and went home.
Today's temp. was in the 60's. Imagine when it hits 70's and 80's.
Adding to the problem of sidewalk distancing, is the people, trying to avoid other people. Their response is to walk in the street. This becomes real interesting on Maplewood Ave, by Bagel C.
Formerlyjerseyjack said:
We went to Sandy Hook today. It was a spit show. It is an "open" state park.
I estimate there were at least 2,000 people there. Many were walking and bike riding on the paved pathways. These pathways are narrow. I would guess 5ft wide. People were passing each other, going in opposite directions. At some points, they were 3 - 4 ft away from each other.
We did not bother to get out of the car - turned around and went home.
Today's temp. was in the 60's. Imagine when it hits 70's and 80's.
How about you just stay home and watch bird videos
Round Valley Reservoir, open til 7, state-sanctioned, 35 minutes from downtown maplewood, straight shot out 78, everyone we saw was respectful. If you just step off the path when you see people coming, no one can breathe in your airspace. I hate that the rez is closed, even if individual walkers are being careful. the problem is, if lots of cars are parked near entrances, all the chuckleheads will think it is fine to go in and party.
Formerlyjerseyjack said:
We went to Sandy Hook today. It was a spit show. It is an "open" state park
We did not bother to get out of the car - turned around and went home.
Sandy Hook is a National Recreational Park (which might explain why it is still open?)
I appreciate the heads-up about it being crowded as I was considering going down there at some point particularly since I grew up around there (lots of memories).
I guess my wife and I will have to settle for walking around the uncrowded neighborhood and the green green backyard.
addiemoose said:
And, the state parks closed today. argh.
“We have seen far too many instances where people have gathered in groups in parks erroneously thinking since they are outside social distancing doesn’t matter," the governor said. “Nothing can be further than the truth.”
eta - CNBC just had Murphy's announcement on.
So everybody crams onto the town streets on this beautiful day and can barely keep their distance. Makes a lot of sense.
The trails of the Delaware Water Gap Recreation Area are apparently still open -- for now. Facilities, including rest rooms, are all closed, though. I'd call first to make sure they're still letting people hike.
“The Peace of Wild Things”
When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.
Several shore towns have closed their boardwalks and/or beaches.
spontaneous said:
Can someone explain how the virus is not contagious on a sidewalk but is contagious on a paved walking path that was originally paved wide enough to accommodate two way vehicular traffic?
Although it defies all logic as you mention, it was a directive from an authority not named Trump and therefore should be blindly followed.
terp said:
spontaneous said:
Can someone explain how the virus is not contagious on a sidewalk but is contagious on a paved walking path that was originally paved wide enough to accommodate two way vehicular traffic?
Although it defies all logic as you mention, it was a directive from an authority not named Trump and therefore should be blindly followed.
The vigorous debate on this thread defeats your implied point that only Trump is questioned and the pronouncements of other/Democratic officials are treated as gospel.
Elle_Cee said:
So everybody crams onto the town streets on this beautiful day and can barely keep their distance. Makes a lot of sense.
There is an escalation of people walking in the streets. I guess, this is to avoid other people on the sidewalks.
My favorite this morning, was the sweetheart jogging in the middle of Prospect, ON the orange demarcation lines. She continued on this for about 100 yards, then moved over to the side of the road, but not on the sidewalk.
Reading SOMa Lounge it would appear that the people here who are not seeing unsafe distances of pedestrians on town sidewalks / streets may want to have their vision checked
jim4284 said:
Wonder if you can walk up from Claremont and run the paved path .
As of this morning, the entrance at the top ofo Warner Rd was open.
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Gardening in your own yard at this time of the year can be a great outdoor exercise location. It is spring rake out time. In my yard, step one is gathering fallen branches and twigs. Then raking out our beds... two aerobic and stretching exercises. Next will be strength exercises as I mulch and enrich the flower beds. We need to do some lawn reseeding...another exercise opportunity. Planting and mowing the grass....Two more ways to get exercise and be close to the natural world while following social distancing.