No matter how our world changes, especially as it has during these months of pandemic quarantine, we look for constants, we search for something to give us comfort, and for many, it is connecting with nature and spending quiet time in natural surroundings alone, or with family or with a friend. Members of the Board of Trustees of Trailside Museum and Ward Pound Ridge Reservation would like to share how the Res offered an opportunity to escape from the days and weeks of separation from loved ones and normal life routines. We are sure the thoughts of how the Res provided a sense of tranquility and purpose for us struck similar feelings with others. And so we begin….
The silver lining for me and my family during this Covid era has been the refuge provided by Ward Pound Ridge Reservation. We experienced the trails and beauty from late winter in March to early fall in September. Our eyes were focused on the trees as they morphed from bare to budding bright green leaves to full and lush with abundant foliage and now the greenery is turning to the beauty of fall with oranges, reds and yellows. The last six months of Covid in Ward Pound Ridge Reservation has been a gift from Mother Nature during a very trying time. She knows how to calm us and care for us with her best medicine—her beauty. —J.
During the earliest days of the pandemic, the only social contact I had outside my immediate family bubble was socially-distant running with a local friend. We would typically start in the meadow parking lot and run the north side of the Res (Brown, DH trails). As we ran more we got more ambitious and added south side trails as we crossed over to Blue at Kimberly Bridge and integrated the Fire Tower, RT, Red or other trails. We integrated the relatively newly marked CB trail that winds by a stream from Michigan back to the Meadow parking lot. It was a great way to finish what (at least for one run) was a 13.1mile half marathon. —Brian.
While the pandemic has been tragic on so many levels, it brought families from all over the area outdoors to soak in the fresh air and relax surrounded by nature. My family was no different. My daughter, along with her young family, moved back to my home where we could hike daily in “the Res” or Mountain Lakes. My 4-year-old grandson became adept at reading the trail markers and leading the way across the bridges and along the rivers and streams. At the same time, my hiking buddies and I though forced to forego our annual summer hikes in the Adirondacks and the White Mountains, found we could connect trails around the perimeter of the Res, and take 12-mile hikes with significant elevation gains along the way. Thanks to all the staff who work so hard to keep this treasure open for us to enjoy. —Susan.
During the peak of the pandemic shut down, when most every public venue was closed, access to the Reser-vation was a comfort zone. No matter the time of day, or how often I visited the trails or walked the blacktop roads – alone or safely distanced with a friend—the experience was uplifting, calming, restorative and pure joy. Linda P-W
Walking the Great Meadow almost daily this spring and summer gave my husband and me time and space to reconnect with the earth, the birds, the seasons and with each other. The wide, open expanse allowed my mind to cool down from all my fevered thoughts so it could wander in the clouds and sun. The meadow gentle, uphill inclines helped both of us stay strong as we challenged ourselves to run or quickly walk up them. The widely mown paths left occasional passers-by plenty of room to stay safely distanced while we enjoyed the chance to smile and wave at one another. How lucky we are to live in the midst of such riches. —Margie
We were in Vermont during the early days of the COVID shutdown, so when we came down to South Salem in early May and went to the Res for a Sunday morning hike, I was stunned by the number of people in the park —on the roads, in the woods, on the trails, along the rivers—everywhere one could gain access. I felt like I was on a movie set, the landscape peopled with extras for an upcoming scene. I was so happy to see this level of activity; it was heartening to experience a positive unexpected consequence of this very grim time. —Pat.
An oasis of tranquility in a time of crisis.
A place for relaxation, reflection, and a good breath of clean air,
A resource for us all, that changes with the seasons,
A place that demonstrates resilience in face of the exigencies that
anthropogenically accelerated climate change bring.
—Linda B.
Pandemic Interlude
Following the sun
Stopping by the Fallen Oak in the Meadow
The Res offers Peace.
—Maureen.