Best Thing About Surviving COVID-19 in Lane County

1. Parks, trails and open spaces

2. Being alive/not dead

3. Being close to nature

This is the first — and, god willing — the last year this category for surviving COVID-19 will exist. To hell with it. The winner, however, a worthy winner if I do say as a COVID survivor myself, is parks, trails and open spaces. Yes, it beat out being alive/not dead to take home the grand prize, which may surprise a few, but what is being alive worth if we can’t enjoy the little things in life?

The better half of quarantine as I call it, or the first couple months of living in a pandemic world, was a time of extreme isolation. Restaurants were closed, bars were closed, people were actually following social distancing measures and we are all hiding out in our caves we call our homes and apartments. But what made it better was the meditative state of trekking away from our isolated holes and into the idyllic Lane County springtime nature where we could take stock of the important things in life.

While my first time back to running after having COVID on Pre’s Trail only lasted a mile and a half because my lungs still didn’t work, the sunset from Knickerbocker Bridge was a reminder of why I was lucky to be alive. Imagine those views and beautiful spaces when we get through this mess: That nod to the oncoming runner, petting a stranger’s dog or even having a smoke with a stranger by the river; the audacity to be stupid and worry-free in the fairy-nymph wonderland we call our home.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!