Cabin fever cures

Residents spend time outside but exercise caution

BELLA VISTA — With school out, weather improving and the threat of a viral outbreak on peoples’ minds, many are finding the outdoors an attractive option, promising activities for families with enough space to keep a safe distance.

Resident John Hurley was using exercise equipment near Cooper Elementary School with his daughters, Mya and Kayla Hurley, who applied hand sanitizer between bouts of climbing.

“We’re enjoying a little break from the normal, and we’re thankful for the amenities here,” he said. “We like to stay active.”

The family has been sheltering and working from home, he said, and one of his two sons works at Allen’s.

They’ve been abundantly cautious, he said, and on outings such as this everyone is taking precautions, using sanitizer, washing their hands and keeping a safe distance to reduce the possibility of illness transmission.

Mya Hurley, 9, said she enjoys living in Bella Vista.

“It’s fun, I guess,” she said. “We have a lot of nature around us.”

Roma and Dan McCaherty were preparing for a bike ride on the greenway along Lake Bella Vista.

Roma McCaherty said they’ve been careful to minimize their trips and stay home much of the time, but they’ve gone on outings together.

Trails tend to have plenty of space, she said, and she typically hikes while Dan goes mountain biking.

“Today we decided to do something different,” she said.

While they rode off, Bentonville resident John Crouse watched his children — Jack Crouse, 3, and 19-month-old Eloise Crouse — kick along on their strider bikes.

John Crouse said cabin fever was setting in and he was eager to get outside.

“The weather was a big reason we wanted to be here,” he said.

Despite concerns over covid-19, he said, he believes there’s enough space outdoors, on trails and other amenities, that his family can stay active and safely avoid contact.

Crouse added he thinks people in the area have done a generally good job of behaving safely.

They did some hiking at Blowing Springs before hitting the pump track near Cooper Elementary, he said.

Crouse said he was very glad to get out while he still can.

“We’re not on lockdown yet; it’s probably coming,” he said.

Kayla Hurley (left), 14, works her way across a set of monkey bars near Cooper Elementary School in Bella Vista while Mya Hurley, 9, talks with their father, John Hurley. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Keith Bryant)

Jack Crouse, 3, sails down a slope on the pump track near Cooper Elementary School in Bella Vista while his father John Crouse supervises.

Bella Vista resident Dan McCaherty (left) unloads his bicycle for some greenway riding while talking with Roma McCaherty.