The first “adventure” I went on after March this year was in May. I had gone straight from Spring Break skiing in Colorado, planning my mom’s PCT trip where I would join her for a month, to teaching remotely, PCT permits being cancelled, and walking the dogs 3-17 times a day to get my outdoor fix, just like everybody. Although I have to say I was getting a lot more outside time when I got back the 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours I usually spent commuting out to work. Texas State Parks closed down until May, when they opened up with reservations for day use. We decided the most socially distant way to recreate responsibly was kayaking, so we could push anyone that came near us with a 7 foot paddle.

Driving through Galveston the beaches were full of people, but when we got into the park itself there was almost no one there and everyone was keeping a significant distance. The park has a beach side and a bay side, and we were kayaking on the bay side, through saltwater grasses, stopping at lookout points. There are kayaking “trails” with numbered “blazes” to follow, and the birdlife is amazing. I kind of tricked Matt into going on a birding tour with me.