BOLSA CHICA ECOLOGICAL RESERVE

Huntington Beach, California

Activity: Day Hike

Date: 3-22-20

Last year at this same time I took this same hike in Huntington Beach’s Bolsa Chica Wetlands. That was a glorious day, blue skies, bright sunshine, and lots of flowers and birds. I invite you to check out that special day, Chasing the Super Bloom.

Today was a much different day than that sunny California day a year ago. The feel was much different, a sense of gloom hung over the hike. The clouds had rolled in and a storm was brewing. Not unlike what we are all experiencing in these unprecedented times… Headlines and live News Media fill us with fear and dread, the Corona Virus- Global Sickness, Stock Markets Falling, and Death occupy our thoughts. There was a run on the grocery stores, shelves-no entire aisles barren. The Governor gave the order for all Schools to close, Gyms, Theaters, Sports all to shut down. Then the order to Shelter in Place, Stay at Home, all Non Essential Business to close. Fear, Dread, worry… for our families, for friends, for our economy, for our country, indeed for our world.

Until today I had not left the house since the order, except to walk the dog, because the Governor made it clear multiple times that we could walk the dog, and that we could go to the grocery store, but to use social distancing. But today after feeling a little stir crazy and missing my outdoor activities I looked up on the website and investigated the do’s and the don’t and it mentioned that hiking was good, that the exercise was not only important for our body and mind, but in particular to keep our immune system strong. It went on to say that many of the Visitor Centers at our National and State Parks would be closed and many services we are used to at the areas would not be available, but that we certainly could hike just to do so with social distancing in mind.

So I hit the trail, and I certainly was not the only one. In fact, the trail was quite busy, so was the beach bike path. People were out, families were out stretching their legs, breathing some fresh air, taking a load off their mind for at least a bit. There were smiles on the trails. People seemed to adhere to the social distancing. Lol, I know I did… Whenever there was a tight spot I moved off the trail to let the other people go by. I did not want it to be too awkward, so I usually occupied that time to take a picture of a bird or a flower. When there was a choice I tried to take the path less traveled. It was good to see people enjoying hiking.

Besides the obvious clearing of the mind, and moving of the muscles, I enjoyed being in nature. Even though busy PCH is never far away and this hike is not the wilderness that I thrive on, but it was still very nice.

There were squirrels, ducks, sea gulls, humming birds and storks that one is used to seeing on this hike, but what was amazing was there were hundreds upon hundreds of what I will call Terns just having the best time ever. Be sure to checkout the video clips below.

It was nice to be on the trail even if it was just a little urban hike.

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Thanks for accompanying me ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’ in these unusual and scary times. Remember to take a little break from it all once in awhile during this time of crisis, just like it is important to do all of the time, it is certainly important now more than ever. We will find that Balance again and Adventure- be it big or small can help us through. We need to all say Corona Virus – Take a Hike! Please FOLLOW, LIKE, COMMENT, and SHARE.

Here is to finding some balance in these strange times that seems more like a bad movie, then our new reality. Take Care-

Roger Jenkins, Pursuing Balance Through Adventure