How I Am Trying to Survive the Pandemic?

In SF tonight. Usual neighborhood hike in Inverness with Beth yesterday. Stopped at our bench to meditate.

On the way back home, I discovered a new (to me) Osprey nest.

This morning, I went on a 56 mile bike ride with Bonnie. This is "Barry's Ride", from Nicasio. I rode it weekly when I lived there. I found some actual wild sage to go with the smell that I love.

Saw a bobcat out hunting in a pasture.

Cute calves

Here is Bonnie at the crest of the Marshall wall

We stopped at the halfway point for pastries at Route One Bakery (formerly the Tomales Bakery). Great pie!

After the ride, I left Beth and Meyer meditating (?) in the yard

I think Meyer is doing a silent back plank.

I came to the city, picked up a few items and went to the boat to fix a few things. New line on the down riggers. I am trying to fix a weird plumbing issue. When the boat is under way, sea water comes thru my bait tank pump. If I close off the line, it goes into the bilge. Not good. Otherwise, it fills up the bait tank. Hard to isolate the problem.

I plan to work on the boat all day tomorrow. Getting my brother Mike to help. I need to drive the boat with the pump visible to find out where and why water is coming thru the pump. 

How am I feeling? I am glad you asked. Strange. The biggest change for me was my gym closure. I am a bit of a gym rat, attending 3 or 4 spin classes per week. I like group exercise. Hard to exercise alone. I hate riding my bike outside alone. Great to ride with Bonnie today.

I am not working. My daily routine is the NYT crossword puzzle, NYT Spelling Bee, gardening, bike ride once a week, fishing 1-2 days per week, blogging, reading before bed, watching Netflix a few days a week, hiking with Beth about 3-4 days a week, reading the NYT, Washington Post and Guardian daily, worrying about the election. Is this enough? Sometimes, no. I feel a bit unfulfilled. I don't regret retiring. I enjoy the freedom from stress. I am partially bored as we transition to the new abnormal. It is stressful not knowing how long we'll have to exist like this. I really should not be complaining. I have it very easy. We are practicing safe living (masks + distance + keeping it outdoors). I have it easier than Beth. She has no active activities. No art class, no Laguna Honda, no San Quentin. She zooms a bit, hikes a bit, knits and reads. Pretty solitary.

Fishing keeps me sane for the most part. I check in with Greg almost every day. I am still learning. He has so much wisdom and shares it graciously. For example, yesterday there were reports of bad/dangerous conditions around Pt. Bonita. I asked Greg why, so that I can try to avoid the same. He answered succinctly, "South Wind". So simple, so true. Not only do you need to check the wind speed and tide and swell before coming around Pt. Bonita; you need to check the wind direction. I once came around the corner with Jeff Wolfert, in Jeff's boat when conditions were pretty bad. Someone described it as "Super Jackass" that day. Not fun.

Fishing gives me something to look forward to. A new adventure weekly. Studying the weather and fishing reports daily. Picking the right day. Getting all the gear ready. Anticipating. Not knowing what, if anything, we'll catch. The thrill of the hunt. That moment when you have a fish on the line. The adrenaline rush. The tense feeling as we get the fish to net and on the boat. The joy. 

How did I survive the pandemic? I fished.

the bear