By Derek Wallentinsen
As responsible citizens, we are practicing physical distancing, but that doesn’t mean we have to remain isolated inside.
During this crisis, it’s important to keep up our mental and physical health. Getting outside in the fresh air and sunshine can help. It’s way to lessen some of the anxiety and depression that come from seeing and hearing too much news, being isolated, losing a job, struggling to cope with a suddenly changed world. And it’s perfectly legal – even in California, walking and hiking are exceptions to the lockdown rules. California sources don’t suggest that it’s essential for people to go outside – just acceptable if they must, for the reasons I’ve listed. You can’t go to a bar right now, but you can walk your dog, take your child outside, go for a stroll – as long as you maintain a safe distance from others.
As we pass into spring, a higher sun means longer days and warmer temperatures beckoning us outside. Going out and getting some exercise can be a natural step toward keeping a strong immune system. Just remember if out for too long, the UV can give you a burn– so wear a hat and sunscreen!
I walk most days and try to hike twice a week. Usually my hikes are with groups; now with the virus crisis, I go solo or with just one or two others. You may want to do easier or shorter hikes while alone.
Some of my favorites in Albuquerque include the many Bosque trails. Though relatively popular, you can still maintain your physical distance from others. The trails are flat and great for just getting in the miles.
One of Albuquerque’s strongest points as a city is the size of its park and open space system. Parks are a great place for a shorter walk or to do laps. Montgomery Park in the NE Heights is a regular on my list. Arroyo del Oso golf course trails are long and you can walk a lot on dirt, which is better for you than pavement or asphalt. Or you can walk on the grass at Bullhead. Smaller parks like Altura and Taylor can be lapped for longer sessions. And there are many others in the city. Most likely you live within walking distance of a park, and the journey there provides more leg stretching.
The Foothills Trail and connecting paths are great accessible hiking at the base of the Sandias. The rise of our local massif provides the option of the gain you may crave in your exercise cycle.
The tramway is closed. However, as of this writing, trail access and parking are available at Sandia Peak Tram’s lower terminus. I like the Tramway Trail for a good, rugged workout going up over 1000 feet. It’s four miles round- trip to the top of the ridge north of La Cueva Canyon or five miles to do the whole thing up to the La Luz trail junction.
On the West Side, Petroglyph National Monument trails remain open, though the park’s visitor center is closed.
Even during the gloom of the virus crisis, all these and many more sunny routes await you!
Derek Wallentinsen is a naturalist writer-photographer and a longtime New Mexico resident. He was raised in Farmington and Santa Fe and currently resides in Albuquerque. His pictures and writings have appeared in such places as Planetary Astronomy Magazine, Sky and Telescope, Southern Sierran and in the last 20 years at numerous locations on the World Wide Web. A recent Albuquerque Journal article on El Morro National Monument featured several of his nightscapes. Retired from the IT and optical manufacturing industries, he now works as a seasonal park ranger protecting federal lands.