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Corona Virus and the Trail

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    • LIhikers wrote:

      Astro wrote:

      Reminds me of the shock for the thru hikers in Trek of the 9/11 news.
      There are certain things you'll never forget, 911 is one of them for me. Others are when president Kennedy was shot, man walking on the moon, and when the space shuttles blew up.
      On my first day as a new professor (1986), our Dean gave an address to the faculty. He discussed how the faculty and students were of a different generation as they had different shared experiences. He said that while we (the professors) all shared the trauma of JFK's assassination, our students had not even been born in 1963. After the meeting I went up to Doug and suggested he get a new example as I was only 4 years old in 1963 and had no memory of JFK's assassination other than wondering why my cartoons were not on TV.. It had never occurred to him that his newest professor was not of his generation. I've heard him repeat that story on a number of occasions over the years.
    • Same age OMO,

      I remember watching the funeral on a little B&W with my mother. Why is everyone so sad Mom?

      Actually, the TV was a giant piece of furniture, only the screen was little :)
      “Of all sad words of tongue or pen,
      the saddest are these, 'It might have been.”


      John Greenleaf Whittier
    • JFK, I was 5. Dad was a USAF Fighter pilot. We lived outside Detroit and about 2 blocks from the school (off base housing). They dismissed us. I walked home somehow ahead of my sister. Dad had flown all night so he went to bed about when we were getting up for school. I walked in. Mom was making lunch, dad was rubbing his eyes after a few hours sleep and trying to drink some coffee. Mom said "what are you doing home? Are you sick?". I said "no, someone got shot and they let out school. The president I guess". Dad had the TV on in a minute as he also grabbed the phone to check with squadron operations. Mom just sat and stared at the TV. Dad got told to hang out and call back in 20 minutes. He called his parents, who lived in old east Dallas. They didn't have any updated news. Meanwhile, I fixed a lunch and went to play. I think dad was pulling night duty as they told him to sit tight, get some more rest and report to base at like 7 PM again. We ate dinner that night, dad in his flight suit. He finished, brushed his teeth, strapped on his gun, grabbed his flight bag, kissed us and left. He looked grim. But I remember.
      Pirating – Corporate Takeover without the paperwork
    • Our governor was on the national news, I guess trying to give some positive news since most of the airtime is used on governors that are in crisis mode. Only 80 people hospitalized statewide, and of 27 deaths I would bet over 50% if not 90% were due to other conditions that would taken their lifes anyway.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • Drybones wrote:

      noticed the other day two Kennedy girls died, one at sea, did not tell reason for the other but sounds like an od, if there is such a thing as a family curse that one has it.
      I personally disagree with the "Kennedy Curse". Most of it can be traced back to high risk behavior, such as having an affair with a mafia boss's girlfriend, habit of of assisinating (or at least attempting in some cases) other countries leaders, playing football while skiing around trees, flying an airplane through poor conditions when not instrument trained, going for a canoe ride in a dangerous area with a child, etc...

      I have not lost my life to any of these becuase they are things that I choose not to do. I believe the "tradegy" or "curse" is their arrogance and how they believe they are above all laws, including the laws of nature. Not wishing bad things upon them, but having a healthy dose of humility probably could have served them well.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • Astro wrote:

      Drybones wrote:

      noticed the other day two Kennedy girls died, one at sea, did not tell reason for the other but sounds like an od, if there is such a thing as a family curse that one has it.
      I personally disagree with the "Kennedy Curse". Most of it can be traced back to high risk behavior, such as having an affair with a mafia boss's girlfriend, habit of of assisinating (or at least attempting in some cases) other countries leaders, playing football while skiing around trees, flying an airplane through poor conditions when not instrument trained, going for a canoe ride in a dangerous area with a child, etc...
      I have not lost my life to any of these becuase they are things that I choose not to do. I believe the "tradegy" or "curse" is their arrogance and how they believe they are above all laws, including the laws of nature. Not wishing bad things upon them, but having a healthy dose of humility probably could have served them well.
      They were out on the Chesapeake Bay, I live not far from there and have been out there plenty. The weather on the bay can change drastically in 30 minutes, flat seas get whipped into whitecaps quickly in spring and summer storms. I've been scared more than once. The bay is no place for small craft.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • Trillium wrote:

      rhjanes wrote:

      JFK, I was 5. Dad was a USAF Fighter pilot. We lived outside Detroit and about 2 blocks from the school (off base housing).
      Selfridge
      Yep. After flight school in the early 1950's, dad was at Perrin (Pottsboro Texas), Andrews (when I was born), Elmendorf Alaska for the Cuban Missile crisis, Selfridge for over 4 years, including the Detroit riots and the F4 tornado that skipped over our house. Then he was training for Nam and we were at Eglin in FL, and Tuscon. Then Great Falls Montana and back to the DC area for his last stint.
      Pirating – Corporate Takeover without the paperwork
    • rhjanes wrote:

      Trillium wrote:

      rhjanes wrote:

      JFK, I was 5. Dad was a USAF Fighter pilot. We lived outside Detroit and about 2 blocks from the school (off base housing).
      Selfridge
      Yep. After flight school in the early 1950's, dad was at Perrin (Pottsboro Texas), Andrews (when I was born), Elmendorf Alaska for the Cuban Missile crisis, Selfridge for over 4 years, including the Detroit riots and the F4 tornado that skipped over our house. Then he was training for Nam and we were at Eglin in FL, and Tuscon. Then Great Falls Montana and back to the DC area for his last stint.
      Couple of thoughts, first thought is Alaska is a long way from Cuba, but obviously for the potential of escalation.
      Second, all the places your dad went reminds me of my mom when I went to college. She said it is good you are going to college, but you going to miss all the places the military would have sent you. :)
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • high risk behavior is OK as long as your are willing to accept the risk and possible consequences. It's a matter of personal responsibility . There are plenty of people who think I shouldn't ride my bicycle to work, especially using the route I do. But I'm willing to take the risk, and my wife's OK with it too. So if anything bad comes from it it's at least partially my fault...sort of.
    • Astro wrote:

      rhjanes wrote:

      Trillium wrote:

      rhjanes wrote:

      JFK, I was 5. Dad was a USAF Fighter pilot. We lived outside Detroit and about 2 blocks from the school (off base housing).
      Selfridge
      Yep. After flight school in the early 1950's, dad was at Perrin (Pottsboro Texas), Andrews (when I was born), Elmendorf Alaska for the Cuban Missile crisis, Selfridge for over 4 years, including the Detroit riots and the F4 tornado that skipped over our house. Then he was training for Nam and we were at Eglin in FL, and Tuscon. Then Great Falls Montana and back to the DC area for his last stint.
      Couple of thoughts, first thought is Alaska is a long way from Cuba, but obviously for the potential of escalation.Second, all the places your dad went reminds me of my mom when I went to college. She said it is good you are going to college, but you going to miss all the places the military would have sent you. :)
      Russia tried, and I'm sure still tries, to penetrate our air space on a constant basis. Not that WE'D do that..... The 317th at Elmendorf was the largest US fighter squadron ever assembled. Basically two squadrons, something like 42 pilots. The Cold War was fought without ever firing a shot (that the world knew about). They knew it was bad with the Cuban crisis as they armed and were instructed to fly below the known radar capabilities out to the three remote sites. That was flying tree-top level in fighter jets over the arctic. A risky thing to do. If the Soviets next got any reconnaissance, all they saw was....nothing. The squadron vanished to the remote sites, on high alert and the planes hidden in hangers. The flight crews got to come home for 2 hours, once during the entire affair. My uncle worked as an engineer for the Navy out at Norfolk. At a family gathering before dad headed to Vietnam (68), dad and uncle were talking Navy and USAF. Uncle mentioned finding out some about where the nuclear subs were during the Cuban deal. The pilots (SAC) were also circling the globe. The world was an eye blink away......

      Our stint in Alaska was considered "Overseas" at the time. We went up just after statehood.
      Pirating – Corporate Takeover without the paperwork
    • Still optomistic, but buffer with AMC opening things up is down to a month. :/


      Lodging and Activities
      Our most optimistic plans for returning to limited public operations had previously targeted early May for lodging and program open dates. As of this notice we are instead staging resources in anticipation of staggered re-openings for AMC facilities across the region no earlier than June 4, 2020. All decisions about bringing facilities back online will be made with the best interests of our staff and visitors in mind and under the expectation that many services will need to be adapted to new and evolving health and safety standards.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • Despite my warnings and explanations, my son and his college buddy are planning a section hike from PenMar Park to Route 501 next week. I told him that he probably wouldn't be welcome passing through Boiling Springs and Duncannon, and that it would be prudent to avoid shelters and privies.

      You know what they say... young, dumb and full of cum.

      The good part is that they have incredibly unrealistic mileage expectations. 26 miles on Day 1. 131 miles in five days. I expect him to call for a pickup from Duncannon or Peters Mountain.
      Trudgin' along the AT since 2003. Completed Sections: Springer Mountain to Clingmans Dome and Max Patch NC to Gorham NH

      "The days I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations...those are pretty good days." Ray Wylie Hubbard
    • max.patch wrote:

      What's the point of hiking to/thru Duncannon when the Doyle is closed? :(
      The local nickname is 'Dumpcannon'.

      I lived maybe 20 miles south of Duncannon for 30+ years and only visited three times. All three were to go to the Doyle as part of a section hike.
      Trudgin' along the AT since 2003. Completed Sections: Springer Mountain to Clingmans Dome and Max Patch NC to Gorham NH

      "The days I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations...those are pretty good days." Ray Wylie Hubbard
    • Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
      Fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way.
      Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
      Waiting for someone or something to show you the way.
      Tired of lying in the sunshine staying home to watch the rain.
      You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today.
      And then one day you find ten years have got behind you.
      No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun.
      So you run and you run to catch up with the sun but it's sinking
      Racing around to come up behind you again.
      The sun is the same in a relative way but you're older,
      Shorter of breath and one day closer to death.
      Every year is getting shorter never seem to find the time.
      Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines
      Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way
      The time is gone, the song is over,
      Thought I'd something more to say.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.
    • Astro wrote:

      Still optomistic, but buffer with AMC opening things up is down to a month. :/


      Lodging and Activities
      Our most optimistic plans for returning to limited public operations had previously targeted early May for lodging and program open dates. As of this notice we are instead staging resources in anticipation of staggered re-openings for AMC facilities across the region no earlier than June 4, 2020. All decisions about bringing facilities back online will be made with the best interests of our staff and visitors in mind and under the expectation that many services will need to be adapted to new and evolving health and safety standards.
      I will take this as a positve, update today from AMC still holding to June 4. :)
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • Astro wrote:

      Astro wrote:

      Still optomistic, but buffer with AMC opening things up is down to a month. :/


      Lodging and Activities
      Our most optimistic plans for returning to limited public operations had previously targeted early May for lodging and program open dates. As of this notice we are instead staging resources in anticipation of staggered re-openings for AMC facilities across the region no earlier than June 4, 2020. All decisions about bringing facilities back online will be made with the best interests of our staff and visitors in mind and under the expectation that many services will need to be adapted to new and evolving health and safety standards.
      I will take this as a positve, update today from AMC still holding to June 4. :)
      Since most of the AMC leadership operates out of Massachusetts, I am guessing that they will be heavily influenced by what Massachusetts is doing. The 'shut down' order is set to expire on May 4th, but is likely to be extended.
      Today the Governor declared schools will not reopen this year (they typically go until the third week of June), and that daycares are to remain shutdown until June 29th.
      “Of all sad words of tongue or pen,
      the saddest are these, 'It might have been.”


      John Greenleaf Whittier
    • IMScotty wrote:

      Astro wrote:

      Astro wrote:

      Still optomistic, but buffer with AMC opening things up is down to a month. :/


      Lodging and Activities
      Our most optimistic plans for returning to limited public operations had previously targeted early May for lodging and program open dates. As of this notice we are instead staging resources in anticipation of staggered re-openings for AMC facilities across the region no earlier than June 4, 2020. All decisions about bringing facilities back online will be made with the best interests of our staff and visitors in mind and under the expectation that many services will need to be adapted to new and evolving health and safety standards.
      I will take this as a positve, update today from AMC still holding to June 4. :)
      Since most of the AMC leadership operates out of Massachusetts, I am guessing that they will be heavily influenced by what Massachusetts is doing. The 'shut down' order is set to expire on May 4th, but is likely to be extended.Today the Governor declared schools will not reopen this year (they typically go until the third week of June), and that daycares are to remain shutdown until June 29th.
      Nothing has changed -- no treatment for it if you get it and go to the hospital much less a vaccine.

      Maybe they'll open, maybe they won't -- but if they do it won't be safe.
      2,000 miler
    • Want to go to the Y or your favorite fitness center and work out? Then grab a massage afterwards, or perhaps even a tattoo? How about getting a haircut or even splurge and get a manicure or pedicure? Then end the day by grabbing a meal at your favorite restaurant and then decide over drinks with your significant other if you want to catch a movie or go bowling.

      If that sounds good then head to Georgia cuz our dumb ass Governor just made all that essential and open for business on Friday (restaurants and movie theaters have to wait til Monday).

      What pleasantly surprised me is the Y announced what Kemp said and said they would open as sure they could ensure it was safe -- and more than 90% of the comments on Facebook urged them NOT to open as it clearly isn't safe. And most of us are continuing to pay our monthly dues to support the Y even without receiving any services. (They're operating as a day care for the children of health care workers right now.)

      We can also attend church in person on Sunday. I'll stream services online like I've been doing the last couple of months. I'd be shocked if my church opens the doors on Sunday.
      2,000 miler
    • Trillium wrote:

      max.patch wrote:

      head to Georgia cuz our dumb ass Governor
      just wondering about all those folks who voted for him over her.
      I really don't think anyone cares about Georgia politics except me, but since you asked I'll reply. These numbers are from memory and may or may not have changed since the election.

      She didn't pay her income taxes for 2 years and owed the IRS over $50,000 and had to enter into a payment plan with the IRS. She had over $75,000 in credit card balances. She is in her mid forties and somehow has amassed over $90,000 in student loan debt. Not going to mention her mortgage and car loan as that it legit debt.

      Her failure to pay her income taxes allowed the Reps to run ads such as "She didn't pay her own taxes but she wants to raise yours."

      Many people think that if you can't manage your own money you forfeit the right to manage the states money. And that not paying your income taxes should should be an immediate disqualifier to holding public office.

      Obviously, the political process failed in Georgia.
      2,000 miler

      The post was edited 2 times, last by max.patch ().

    • And for the presidential election. 45 can't manage money either and I believe that the people who voted for Kemp likely voted for Trump as well. So, I don't think that managing money had much to do with the outcome of the Georgia gubernatorial race. More likely, color and gender. And I daresay, that Abrams would have managed the response to the pandemic better.

      The post was edited 2 times, last by Trillium ().

    • Trillium wrote:

      And I daresay, that Abrams would have managed the response to the pandemic better.
      She probably would have. It would be hard to do worse.

      To end this on a positive note, so far every church that has commented has said that it's too early to open the doors. And almost every restaurant has said the same; a lot of restaurants are offering take out only and will continue to do only that.
      2,000 miler

      The post was edited 1 time, last by max.patch ().

    • max.patch wrote:

      Trillium wrote:

      And I daresay, that Abrams would have managed the response to the pandemic better.
      She probably would have. It would be hard to do worse.
      I believe you may be suffering from metropolitan area bias. What may be needed for metropolitan areas like Atlanta and its suburbs is not the same for rural GA (same with other states). I live in a town of a little over 20,000 and other than not letting students come back from Spring Break (we draw from all 50 states and around 50 countries) and public schools finishing the year out online everything is pretty much the same (few exceptions like gyms, barbers, sit down dining, but those should change soon). Now the mayors in major cities may need different guidelines. I would not be surprised if most of the communities in GA agree with the governor. Also, not surprised if the mayors of cities like Atlanta want to provide stricter guidelines. So basically, if you live in a metropolitan area you think things should be locked down, and if in a rural area you feel like the lock down is the media tail wagging the dog. Probably why we have governors to make state wide decisions, and mayors to make decisions for their local area. Generally the more local decisions can be made the better.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General