[NMCycling] Crit 7/14 canceled, maybe write the governor.—copy of my letter to Grisham.

[Geoff Mather]

Here’s my letter to Governor Grisham about outdoor exercise. Pls feel free to copy any or all of it. 

> Dear Govenor Grisham:
> 
> I applaud your efforts to make decisions based in science, not politics, to help our community fight the spread of  COVID-19. Therefore I fully support the requirement to wear face masks in public, including while exercising indoors. However, I don't believe the science we currently understand supports your new requirement to wear a mask while exercising OUTDOORS. 
> 
> How did your administration come to the conclusion that it is safe to eat in an outdoor restaurant without a mask, next to other people, but not to run or ride your bike without a mask on our streets or bike trails? High-intensity cardio exercises like running or riding a bike with a mask are as difficult as eating with a mask on. A mask simply blocks too much air while exercising. 
> 
> I’d like to suggest an alternative that is more evidence-based policy: require social distancing from any other person while exercising outdoors without a mask.  Your administration has appropriately deemed some business “essential.“ As a former public health official, you understand that jogging, running and riding a bike are essential to one’s physical and mental health. I ask that you review your policy and reconsider outdoor exercise “essential” to enabling community health and allow it to be done without a mask but with more restrictive social distancing. 
> 
> 
> Respectfully,
> 
> Geoff Mather



> On Jul 10, 2020, at 11:27 AM, hawke morgan via Bike-racers <bike-racers at mailman.swcp.com> wrote:
> 
> I do not think we can do the Crit ITT with masks.  
> 
> If you disagree with the new maskless exercising ban I would encourage you to write Mrs Grisham. 
> 
> Here is the link.  https://www.governor.state.nm.us/contact-the-governor/
> 
> This is my letter:
> 
> Dear Govenor Grisham:
> 
> I am opposed to the ban on maskless exercising.  This is just not rational.  It is legal to eat out maskless on a patio and not legal to run or ride your bike maskless 200ft from any other human being. There is no way math or science makes that rational.  A more rational mandate might be to keep 20ft from any other person while exercising maskless.  Most of the time exercising outdoors I am much farther away from anyone, usually 200ft+.  If you are going to exercise by jogging around Johnson Field at UNM, riding some crowed part of the bikepath, or going to a gym, I can see having to wear a mask, but not all outdoor exercise.  
> 
> I am very supportive of being careful about the virus, and was one of the first people social distancing and wearing a mask in NM, probably 6 weeks before this was mandatory.    
> 
> Thank you for your time.  
> 
> Peter Hawke Morgan
> 
> Hawke Morgan
> Round About Co.
> (505) 259-6885
> yourstruly at fastmail.com
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