Last August, I wrote a blog about how you can get out into Southwestern Virginia and be by yourself. Usually, when I ride the backroads and hike the trails in Grayson and Carroll Counties, I rarely see anyone. I can go for hours without seeing another person. I’m used to the solitude and I spend that time with nature and creating art.
Because of recent events, however, I don’t have the wilderness to myself. It was jarring the past weekend to arrive at one of my fortresses of solitude and see that it had been taken over. These people were reacting to the pandemic by getting back to the country. I don’t know if it was because they had cabin fever, no money to spend on their usual pursuits, or both. Whatever the reason, there were dozens of people where I would usually see none.
I’m not complaining! I think it’s great that people are rediscovering the outdoors. Maybe it will incline them to take better care of our planet.