The Hills are Alive with the Sound of the Coronavirus Lockdown

Taking a walk during the lockdown has taken some figuring out.  When I realized I was breaking the rules by leaving my town limits I got a little bit worried, so the next day I opted for laps in the vineyards.  When I got tired of one, I moved on to another, but everything looked the same. The vines are leafless so between the rows I never lost sight of the mountains. If I'm still counting laps in May, at least I'll have a change of scenery.

When I told friends about my new gym, some were convinced that I was still breaking rules. I decided to take a couple of days off to study the decree from Il Presidente del Consiglio dei Ministri.  Article 1, number 1, letter d could be interpreted in different ways and if Italians disagreed on the wording, I certainly couldn't figure it out. It was so confusing it was later modified to a different article and number and letter but I can't tell you what that is right now because it's folded neatly in the pocket of my running coat with all of the other documents necessary to take a walk in Italy during the Coronavirus Lockdown. (It's true that I don't really need a running coat if I'm only walking, but the rule mentions athletes, so I thought I'd better look the part.) 

I have a student that owns a house near mine but doesn't live there.  I called him yesterday and asked if I could climb over his fence and cross his property to get to the woods. In doing so, I only have 45 seconds on the street.  So if I'm breaking any rules they're going to have to come get me on an off road 4-Wheeler.  And in the 8 years I've been safely crossing the borders on my trail runs, I've never seen one.  In fact, I've seldom seen anyone at all.  I know the local shepherd and he makes the same comment every time I pass.  Just like me, he's always in a different place.  I wave at my favorite farmers in their combines and wish the men collecting mushrooms good luck.

Even the sheep are on lockdown.

But today was completely different. Apparently I'm not the only one afraid of breaking the walking rules because the hills and trails were alive.  Most of the walkers were alone.  But if you decide to walk with a friend, the one-meter-safety distance is required and enforced. Two friends that stopped by this afternoon for a long distance chat in the yard had been questioned by the civil protection service (old men that volunteer) and told to respect the distance.  They were luckier than the two 70-year-old ladies that hadn't realized they were out of their city limits and were fined.

Mountain bikers passed with their bandanas drawn high, but I held my breath anyway.  Walkers kept their distance and sometimes didn't even say hello. They were probably holding their breath, too.  I used to be afraid of dogs on the trails and in the fields.  Now it's dog-owners. The woods seemed a lot safer when I was all alone.  And I could always find a bathroom.