Over the last month of shelter-in-place, our staff message thread has been filled with our favorite songs of the day, last night’s homemade conchas and chocolate chip cookies, and daily words of motivation and encouragement. We go on walks “together”, and we share pictures of rocks painted as ladybugs, strangely-shaped trees, chalk art, and the beautiful spring weather in NorCal and SoCal. These photos, songs, recipes, and laughs have brought us closer as a team, despite the physical distance. It reminded each of us that while it’s impossible to predict the future, the best thing we can all do now is to take care of ourselves and each other.

“A Good Wander” is an ongoing series dedicated to sharing the stories and experiences of walking, biking, rolling and living in a time of physical distancing. Without further ado, welcome to our first of many, “A Good Wander” blog series, staff edition!

If you’d like to submit a photo and story to share, please tag us or DM us on Instagram or email us at wendy@calwalks.org.

Untitled

I get tired of working from home At the office I got a nice little set up Got me a stand up desk so my back isn’t thrashed at the end of the day Got me a cute little couch and a little fridge to put all of my . . . esnacks Pero pues, el menor sacrificio para el bienestar de todos The most minor price to pay amidst a literal dying world Es más, I was practicing gratefulness even before covid hit So here goes my list I am grateful for my happy playlist That it even exists before I ever thought I would really need it A curated stream of sounds that all blend into one long tune against endless views of other people’s “home offices”

I am grateful that I live with my fam A mirrored and looped version of my own sense of humor, x2 I am grateful for abundance No nos falta nada And I never thought we’d get to say that I am grateful for connections A negation of leaving your hood for the “comforts” of mobility A clear link in the sharing of resources I am grateful for tears The way I know I still feel deeply for others Even though I know we’re not there anymore I am grateful for movement A universal truth I know we’ll all attain As soon as we stop hoping to get back to “normalcy”

-Wendy Ortiz, Anaheim

Stop and smell the flowers

The best part about walking is being able to stop and smell the flowers. As shelter-in-place continues for another month, I’ve been reminiscing about how exciting it was to explore new places. I miss being able to freely explore new surroundings and take in the small details that make these places unique. In New Orleans, I remember listening to jazz musicians play Louis Armstrong and admiring the sight of cast-iron balconies as I walked through the French Quarter. In Lucerne, I wandered through cobblestone alleys passing by frescoed buildings, mini boutiques, and cafés filled with the scent of Swiss chocolates. And in San Francisco, I enjoyed the conversations I had with my friends as we strolled through The Embarcadero, pausing to pay attention to the clapping sea lions and feel the ocean breeze.

Although we’re limited to our immediate neighborhoods, I still go on walks, stopping every so often to smell the flowers. There is so much to see, hear, and feel just from the front steps of my porch that I had never noticed before. I’m looking forward to being able to move freely but for now, I’m excited to explore my neighborhood and find joy in the dandelions that are growing, hearing the chatter of children as they bike past, and feeling the nice spring breeze as I walk and explore.

-Theresa Do, San Jose

Discover and Explore

When we were little, my brother and I loved to wander around our neighborhood with our parents. We would collect random sticks and rocks that had no objective value, but were worth everything to us. As we grew up, we learned the best ways to the park, the library, and the grocery stores. We learned which houses had the most exciting plants and which houses had dogs that would bark at you from behind the fence if you got too close.

Last week, I took advantage of a break in the rain to walk around the neighborhood. When I was out, I saw my neighbors walking with their two little kids. The same streets I’ve been walking around forever are still almost brand new to those kids. They get to discover and explore the same neighborhood for the very first time, and I’m so excited for them.

-Nikita Sinha, San Jose

Untitled

Mamá said she was tired of being home

Voy a ir caminando a la tienda a ver si tienen huevos

Okay pero no vayas a comprar nada mas eh, ya tenemos suficiente

Ooookkaayyy ookkkaaayyy Iiii kknnooowww Iiiii kknnoooww

Mamá was gone for a long time

Over an hour

Esta señora de seguro ya se hecho toda la tienda

*Ring Ring*

Má, a dónde andas?

¡Ya mero llego, aquí estoy en la esquina. Nunca van a crear a quien me encontré en la tienda!

Omg my moms can’t go anywhere without running into someone and getting the latest chisme

Okay pues ten cuidado cruzando la calle, ahorita nos dices

Mom walks through the front door

¡¿A quién crees que vi en la tienda?!

I can’t even tell you who she named next because this señora se escapó con el big carrito y se trajo huevos, frijoles, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, toothpaste, toothbrushes, cucumbers, chips, Polvorones, water, and clorox

Amá, I thought you were just going for eggs?!

¡¿Ah sí pero que rico te estas comiendo esos Polvorones verdad?!

I sit down con mis cookies

¡¿Okay pues, dime a quien vistes?!

-Wendy Ortiz, Anaheim

A Year Ago Today...

Last week my social media accounts and iPhone simultaneously remind me that a year ago today we were not under quarantine. I wasn’t cutting my napkins in half, nor inventing unique meals to avoid a trip to the grocery store. I wasn’t working from a foldable desk in the middle of my living room. I wasn’t sanitizing my cell phone and checking the county health department data every day, and I was definitely not spending 20 plus hours a week in Zoom meetings.

I was wandering through water basins, going under natural bridges, and exploring the vast expanse that is Death Valley National Park. I was eating three meals a day out of a cooler and imaging what a 40-year trek in the desert might feel like. I was taking dozens of photos of rocks, rock sculptures, rock formation, sand dunes, and the sweeping views found in a desert biome. Even though I’ve lived in the Sonoran Desert I always thought of the desert as a mostly barren and beige landscape. It’s not, there’s so much variety in its phenomenal panoramic views, muted color palettes, and amazing sunsets. There’s hidden life everywhere.

After resenting the unsolicited reminder, I decided to go on a walk and explore my own neighborhood with the same excitement, curiosity, and wonder, as if it was a completely new landscape to me. After walking twelve thousand steps, I noticed that spring is here, I counted at least 75 varieties of trees and flowers. Many of my neighbors have fruit trees they aren’t eating, there’s a pack of 5 cats that like to dig in a front yard, there’s butter lettuce growing in a landscape buffer across the street, Astroturf is very popular but so are drought tolerant yards, people still smile when you walk by, and I am even more thankful for my little sunny corner of the world.

This week I want to encourage you to go out and explore your community with new eyes. Maybe as an anthropologist or landscape historian or botanist. Take some photos, Google some plants and homebuilding designs, and share what you find with us on social media.

-Miha Tomuta, Stanton

Untitled

We used to always play in the alleyways The only open spaces we had at our complex The only runways long enough for us to compete at carrerritas The kids’ backway channels to mischief and invisibility Only occasionally interrupted by the vecinos pulling out of their garage But what did we care? A still moment of darting eyes before the next chamaco yelled Race you to the trash can!

Now the kids are home No more school And staying inside feels equally a loss to them as it does to me Packs of siblings bounce a ball against their neighbor’s garage door Away from others They all pace back and forth in the kids’ backways playground Mothers look on as the kids never tire out No more work now anyhow Tenemos que ocuparnos con algo

-Wendy Ortiz, Anaheim

Skate CO

COVID-19 had definitely thrown me and many others for a loop. It’s been difficult and frustrating but overall I’m thankful to be doing well. A silver lining in this time of uncertainty has been figuring out ways to stay active. I started by doing walks alone and began inviting my little brother. It occured to me that since he liked skating and I had my bike we can do occasional rides together. What started out as a once a week outing of Hugo on his skateboard and my on my bike, became part of our daily routine. Hugo and I have been exploring our neighborhood, staying active, and even having conversations about ped/bike safety changes we would want to make. I made this video to share his perspective and so he sees his growth as he continues to develop his skating skills. I’m reminded of a line from a blog post by Esther about using this time to remember to connect. I’m thankful to have the opportunity to connect with my brother in a more active way and to experience with him his joy, his passion and his growth.

-Alma & Hugo Leyva, Fullerton

A Good Wander: Staff Edition!