21 miles of people

By BILL BULEY

Staff writer

I was chatting with a friend early Saturday about my plans for the morning. I said I was going to run 21 miles.

“Why?” he asked.

“Because I don’t have anything better to do.”

“You could stay home and relax.”

I suppose it would be nice to stay home and read a book, drink coffee, or watch folks as they pass by in front of our 19th Street home.

But I’m one of those people who can’t sit still for long — which is where running comes in handy.

And a sunny, warm Saturday morning was a glorious day to run.

As I moved along the North Idaho Centennial Trail to Higgens Point, and then to Riverstone Park, it was simply spectacular.

The views of a calm Lake Coeur d’Alene and a lazy Spokane River were striking, as always. The snow-capped mountains in the distance were inspiring. The blue skies, peaceful.

Before I was done, I would cover a delightful 21 miles, and with every one of them, I felt blessed. It was one of the most enjoyable 21 miles of my life.

It wasn’t so much the scenery, though, that marked the day.

It was the people. It was 21 miles worth of men and women, boys and girls. Twenty-one miles of families and couples and singles and friends.

In these days of the coronavirus, when so many are scared for their health, when so many have lost their jobs and had to close their businesses, when we are told to stay home and flatten the curve, it brought a smile to my face to see so many out and about.

The longer I ran, the more I saw.

They were walking and running.

They were biking and skating.

They were fishing and feeding seagulls.

They were sitting on benches at parks.

They were strolling along with dogs.

They were drinking coffee.

They were walking hand in hand.

Now, all of that is pretty standard stuff in normal times.

But as we know, these are not normal times.

So when people waved and smiled and said hello, I nodded and waved back.

And yes, I suppose some could and will criticize these people for not following social distance guidelines and not self-isolating at home. I’m pretty sure there were times we passed within five feet of each other. Heck, out of the hundreds I passed, I saw only one, a man on a bike, wearing a mask.

Yet, seeing so many people doing something so basic gave me hope.

Because at this point, I don’t know what to expect when I go for my morning runs. Most days, there is no one else out there. Others, I’ll pass a few and exchange waves.

Often, the streets and parks and boardwalk and Sanders Beach and even Tubbs Hill are empty. The other day, Sherman Avenue was eerily quiet. The shops that make it so special were closed. I didn’t like it.

And then, there are mornings like Saturday, when so many are enjoying the beauty of North Idaho, when they are together, walking, biking and fishing, I think that maybe everything will be OK.

I hope so.

I hope all my 21-milers are so easy — and so packed with people.

•••

Bill Buley is assistant managing editor of The Coeur d’Alene Press. He can reached at 416-5110.