Month: November 2021

No bus yet for CHC – South Run, the Cross County Trail, Lake Mercer, and Burke Lake – Independence of Barbados – A case of lowered expectations – Evening statistics

The Capital Hiking Club held a Zoom meeting yesterday, during which the issue of resuming the bus hikes was discussed. As might be expected, the emergence of the omicron variant, which occurred some days after this issue was placed on the agenda, induced the Board to defer use of the bus until April at the earliest. I am tasked with making out the hike schedule up to that point. The schedule has already been completed up to and including January 1st, so there are twelve additional hikes to plan for. They will have to conform to certain criteria: not too far from the DC Metro area, no hikes that begin at one parking area and end in another, and so on.

Today I went with CC and TK on a hike that goes along the South Run Trail to Lake Mercer and the Cross-County Trail, takes the CCT up to the road leading to the Fairfax County Parkway, loops back to Lake Mercer, and then completes the circuit around Burke Lake. Like the Lake Fairfax hike, which I led last week, it is not spectacular, but it traverses quiet woodlands that provide a welcome relief to suburban sprawl. When we lunched at Lake Mercer, we saw numerous waterfowl, chiefly gulls and loons, skimming the lake surface, and at one point we saw a bald eagle as well. A few members of the group elected to omit the circuit around Burke Lake, but the greater number persevered to complete a hike of 20 miles in length and with about 1000 feet of elevation gain. We went at an appreciably strenuous pace, as is suitable for the Vigorous Hikers, averaging close to 4 miles per hour and arriving back at the parking area at about 2:30. We were aided by the fact that the weather has been rather dry for the past several days and that, consequently, none of the pylons of the fairweather stream crossings were submerged. The hike was enlivened by the occasional snow flurry and a brief hailstorm in the morning, but these quickly passed, removing the dampness from the air and giving way to sunlit skies and temperatures well into the 50s.

Barbados is now a republic. It actually became independent of the United Kingdom in 1966, but remained a constitutional monarchy and continued to pledge allegiance to Queen Elizabeth, who was represented on the island by a local Governor-General. But now it is formally a separate nation, though it remains a member of the British Commonwealth. The motives of its population for preferring independence from a nation across the width of the Atlantic is understandable, but how will be they be able to thrive on their own? The island area is well under 200 square miles and its population is less than 300,000. Only a little over one-third of the land is arable. The Barbadians use up approximately five times the amount of natural resources that the island is capable of producing, which means that they are heavily dependent upon imports. The island’s government currently has a fairly prosperous economy fueled by three factors: tourism, the international business sector (it is home to several prominent world banks), and foreign direct-investment. It has a huge national debt, however, and whether it can continue to maintain its standard of living without being propped up by the UK remains to be seen.

A curious comment from Bradley Cooper, an actor of “A Star is Born,” when describing an incident in which he was accosted by a stranger during a subway ride approaching him while brandishing a switch-blade knife. Cooper managed to jump a turnstile and run to the station entrance, thereby foiling any intended attack. And here is his summing up of the episode: “My guard was down. I realized I had gotten way, way too comfortable in this city.” I daresay I am more captious than most people, but it seems to me that one should be able to enter subways and buses and other public transportation without being subjected to assault and attempted homicide.T

oday’s statistics as of 8:00 PM – # of cases worldwide: 263,013,313; # of deaths worldwide: 5,232,577; # of cases U.S.: 49,422,000; # of deaths; U.S.: 802,972. At this point the virus has infected nearly 15% of the national population and has killed nearly one in every 400.

Hike to Split Rock – Mileage and elevation gain totals for 2020 vs. 2021 – The omicron variant – Evening statistics

Today I went with AD, RH, and others on a hike starting from Keys Gap to the Loudoun Heights Trail down to Split Rock and back. It is the same hike that we did in mid-July; and yet it is not the same, for the Appalachian Trail has been re-routed from the point that it enters Harpers Ferry National Park. The new segment is much less rocky than the one it replaced. The view of Harpers Ferry from Split Rock was quite different at this season. In the summer we saw rafts afloat on the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers, as well as numerous people along the pedestrian bridge spanning the Potomac and on the C&O Canal Towpath, as well as various hikers at the top of Maryland Heights. Now, of course, there were no rafts, and we saw hardly any people on the bridge, on the towpath, or atop the overlook. The town was thrown into even greater relief by the absence of tourists.

At this point I have hiked less than 1900 miles for the year and it is uncertain whether I will be able to complete a full 2000 miles, as I did last year. However, I will be getting in more elevation gain. Last year I ascended a total of 292500 feet, and this year I have already done over 298000 feet; I probably will end up with a total greater than 300000 feet for the year.

There is some slightly optimistic news concerning the omicron variant: South Africa, where the variant was first identified, has seen no significant increase in hospitalizations. It is too early to be certain, but it is possible that this new variant, while it is highly contagious, may be less virulent than the delta variant. Obviously, it is best to take the standard precautions as all wait to see how this new complication unfolds: wear facemasks indoors, wash hands frequently, shield sneezes and coughs.

Today’s statistics as of 8:00 PM – # of cases worldwide: 261,740,249; # of deaths worldwide: 5,216,866; # of cases U.S.: 49,093,775; # of deaths; U.S.: 799,391.

Meandering in Rock Creek Park – Hiking and mental health – Going along the Dickey Ridge Trail, including the Dickey Hill overlook – The emerging omicron variant – Obstacles to our entering the endemic stage – Evening statistics

I went yesterday with JK to Rock Creek Park, starting from Peirce Mill to take an 11-mile circuit via the Valley Trail to the Boundary Bridge and returning by the Western Ridge Trail. I had not done this hike for nearly a year, but I remembered the directions and turnings very well; it has been a standard hiking route for numerous hiking clubs, particularly during the Christmas season. I have already remarked on one of the numerous advantages of living in the DC Metro area is being in close proximity to a park of this description: throughout much of the hike one goes along the stream with hardly any dwellings or stores in sight. The footpaths are extensive: this particular hike takes in only about one-third of the total mileage of the park’s hiking trails. Nor do the park hikes skimp on elevation gain; the trails meander over numerous hills and although the ascents are not very long they accumulate over distance. The total elevation gain for today’s hike was about 1700 feet. When we started from the parking area the sky was gray and overcast, but from the moment that we started the sky began to clear and we walked in sunlight for much of the morning. It was cooler than the Thanksgiving Day and windy as well, blustery at times but invigorating. Initially we encountered few people, on account of starting early. Later on, however, we encountered many other hikers, including three friends from the Capital Hiking Club doing a hike of their own. Even so, JK said that the trails were much more crowded yesterday.

JK, who is considerably younger than I am, is still working and during the hike we discussed how hiking generally can act as a restorative to counteract the frustrations that accumulate during working hours – what I call “clearing away the office cobwebs.” When I worked at Northrop Grumman I made it a habit of taking a walk of a couple of miles during my lunch hour. My colleagues were somewhat nonplussed when I adhered to this practice even when the weather was cold or sultry or damp, but in the end they came to look upon it as a kind of institution.

On a few occasions some of them would accompany me on my route, but I cannot say that I won many adherents to the habit of periodic walking. I was glad to see that today, at least, so many people were using the trails to advantage and that several families were taking young children along. American children in general do not walk a great deal and they receive little encouragement to do so, either by the schools or the groups that organize their extra-curricular activities.

Today I went with AD and RH along the Dickey Ridge Trail in Shenandoah National Park, going from the Visitor Center to the northern terminus and back, with an additional loop that took in Fox Hollow, Snead Farm, and the Dickey Hill overlook. The overlook, which I have visited many times, contains expansive views of the Browntown Valley bordered by the Massanuttens, with a glimpse of the Alleghenies further to the west. It was somewhat chilly but very dry, and the color of the sky was intensely clear and blue. The climbs were only moderately steep, but they amounted to 2500 feet of elevation gain in all.

AD is on the board for the Wanderbirds and since I am on the board for Capital Hiking Club it was natural that we fell into discussion about possible dates for the resumption of bus hikes, as well as the plans for continuing hikes during the interval before we can use buses again. The emergence of the omicron variant, as may be imagined, has complicated matters. Formerly it appeared that we would be able to have bus hikes early in 2022. There is undoubtedly a demand for them. But the new variant is certainly troubling. At this point it is unknown whether the vaccines, even when fortified by the booster, will be effective against it. Viruses mutate continually, which means that new variants will emerge even when the disease enters the endemic stage – as we see now with influenza, for instance. The question is whether this one will prove to be as contagious and as deadly as the delta variant or whether it will eventually subside.

The reluctance of a certain portion of Americans to get vaccinated is another factor. At this point about 58% of the national population is vaccinated. It has been estimated that to bring the virus under control, our immunity rate must reach 80% or even as much as 90%. Our immunity rate for measles, for instance, is 95%. Even now there are sporadic outbreaks of this disease, but they are outbreaks against a background of almost no cases or scattered endemic cases. At this point the daily rate of COVID vaccinations is barely over 10,000 across the entire nation, which indicates that we will not be achieving immunity very soon.

Yesterday’s statistics as of 8:00 PM – # of cases worldwide: 260,858,293; # of deaths worldwide: 5,205,888; # of cases U.S.: 49,050,408; # of deaths; U.S.: 799,137.

Today’s statistics as of 8:00 PM – # of cases worldwide: 261,352,467; # of deaths worldwide: 5,211,922; # of cases U.S.: 49,077,695; # of deaths; U.S.: 799,312.

Thanksgiving in quiet – The winter surge gains momentum – Evening statistics

It has been a quiet Thanksgiving, the celebratory meal taking place in the middle of the day with DC and JC (and which featured, among other dishes, a salad containing some of the most flavorful tomatoes I’ve ever tasted, which came directly from JC’s garden).  It was mild and warm, and we walked a mile or so after the main part of the meal before we continued with the dessert.  I was glad to have avoided travel during Thanksgiving week, which is invariably disagreeably hectic, be it by plane, train, or car.  At the same time I am anxious to see my New York relatives again, so I will probably be going there the following week. 

The situation this year is somewhat different from what it was last year.  Various social events that were suspended in 2020 have now been restored:  the Macy’s Parade, for example.  Yet the pandemic continues to spread, and there is talk of yet another variant emerging from South Africa.  At this point the delta variant remains the most prevalent, accounting for more than 99% of the cases currently active. 

The pace of the increase has decelerated:  the past additional 1 million cases developed over a period of 11 days, whereas during the previous winter peak it took only 4 days for a similar increase.  But it is uncertain whether such a trend will last.  During the past week there has been an average of a 23% increase of COVID cases in the nations of North and South America.  In Europe the situation is worse.  The WHO has reported more than 2.4 million new cases in that region as of the week that ended Nov. 21, or approximately 67% of all COVID cases worldwide during that period.  Just a few weeks ago experts were talking of the pandemic being reduced to endemic status well before the end of the year, but at this point such a favorable outcome seems very unlikely.

Today’s statistics as of 8:00 PM – # of cases worldwide: 260,248,187; # of deaths worldwide: 5,198,442; # of cases U.S.: 48,988,273; # of deaths; U.S.: 798,520. 

Hiking in the Massanuttens – Cowering to Xi Jinping – A welcome show of non-subservience – Booster shot reactions – Evening statistics

Yesterday I led a hike for the Vigorous Hikers that I had led nearly a year earlier: a double loop, with both loops starting from Elizabeth Furnace.  I varied it, however, by starting the first loop up Sherman Gap and descending by way of Shawl Gap, and I was glad afterwards that I did.  The last mile of the ascent up to Sherman Gap is both steep and rocky, and its current covering of fallen leaves made one’s footing very uncertain.  Descending along the milder gradient of the Massanutten Trail from Shawl Gap was much easier than going down Sherman Gap would have been.  The second loop, also, was in the counter-clockwise direction instead of clockwise, going along the Massanutten Trail to Meneka Peak and descending along the Tuscarora Trail.  This option enabled us to have lunch at the Buzzard Rock overlook, which is one of the highlights of the hike.  The forecast had been for cloudy weather, but it was clear for the most part and there were many views of the valley from the ridgeline through the bare branches of the trees.  Several of the hikers elected to do the first loop only, which is 9 miles with about 1750 feet of elevation gain.  But the remainder who persevered and completed the second loop made good time, and everyone was back at the parking area by 3:30. 

ChIna is, most appropriately, forcing its business partners to master the art of kowtowing.  JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon recently remarked that the Chinese Communist Party and JP Morgan were each celebrating its 100^th year, adding, “I’d make you a bet we last longer.”  He currently is groveling, apologizing for the jest and castigating himself in public for hinting that the CCP’s lifespan is anything less than infinite.  Doubtless his continued self-abasement and his protestations of gratitude for the unkindness it displays towards him will eventually convert its haughty disdain into condescending acceptance and pave the way for smoother business relations.  It does appear that our president is able to provide at least a measure of backbone in his dealings with the mainland.  Biden has invited Taiwan to the democracy summit to be held on December 9-10, disregarding the shrill protests of Xi Jinping’s government; and while this falls short of endorsing Taiwan’s independence, it is at any rate better than nothing.

The CDC is claiming that fewer people have been experiencing severe reactions from their booster shots than from their second doses.  That has not been so in my case.  Setting aside the question of whether my digestive upset on the day following the booster was a direct consequence of receiving the booster or simply a coincidence, my arm was more tender and the soreness lasted longer than was the case with either of the initial two vaccine shots.  However, the CDC appears to be assuming that the booster is same brand as the initial vaccine, which again was not so in my case.  My first two shots were of the Pfizer vaccine, whereas the booster was Moderna – which combination is said to be slightly more effective than getting both the two vaccine shots and the booster from the same source.   There have been other stories from various acquaintances of severe reactions from booster shots, but it is all anecdotal; one would like to see some verifiable data on the subject.

Today’s statistics as of 8:00 PM – # of cases worldwide: 259,681,148; # of deaths worldwide: 5,191,314; # of cases U.S.: 48,968,090; # of deaths; U.S.: 798,215. 

Illness on the trails – Devil’s Marbleyard – Bedford – Surprising number of boosters administered – Evening statistics

I have not yet mentioned my activities of much of last week, and yet they are not without interest.  On the 14^th (Tuesday) I went with the Vigorous Hikers to cover Overall Run and the Elkwallow area, but this venture did not turn out well.  At lunch I felt a curious compression within the chest, almost certainly related to digestion; the pain began during the middle of eating and it was not radiating from the heart.  Eventually it passed and I felt well enough to continue, but unfortunately I did not take care to be in the company of at least one other hiker, as I should have done under such circumstances.  And within a short time after the hikers spread out I felt a recurrence of illness, this one accompanied by nausea and diarrhea, and it was so severe that I hastened to go off of the trail and wait until I could recover.  I felt weak and faint for some time after I had vomited, and had to remain inactive for a few minutes.  I called out at that point, but the others were out of earshot.  Eventually I felt well enough to resume hiking, but when I got as far as the Weddlewood Trail it was becoming obvious that I would not reach the others in time, especially since the days are now shorter and I was in danger of not reaching the end of the hike before dark.  So I returned to Matthews Arm Campground and from there to Skyline Drive, where I managed to find a couple of good Samaritans who were willing to give me a lift to a place where I could obtain cell phone service.  Before they did so, however, we hailed a patrol car with two park rangers for assistance.  These, I may say, were not very helpful.  They were principally concerned with ensuring that I was not so ill as to necessitate my being taken to a hospital, which is comprehensible; but once I had assured them that I was feeling better I had quite a lot of difficulty in making them understand that my main concern at this point was to get to a place where cell phones could work and I would have an opportunity to contact the remainder of my group.  I did at last extort from them an admission that at Thornton Gap the cell phone reception was much more reliable; to that point my rescuers accordingly transported me, and they were so considerate as to wait until I had contacted the other group members and received assurance of my being picked up before they left to return to Washington.  They were indeed a very pleasant pair, and we chatted a great deal about our hiking experiences during the drive to Thornton Gap. 

BR and DG, with whom I rode back to Centreville afterwards, wondered whether this episode could have been brought one by a reaction to the booster I had received on the 15^th, and I cannot swear that this was not the case.  This temporary illness, as I say, felt like a digestive issue.  But I ordinarily am not subject to ailments of this kind, and whether or not this particular episode is a result of the booster shot, I simply do not know.

The following day all traces of the illness were gone and I went through with arrangements I had made previously to hike in Devil’s Marbleyard, whose trailhead is something over a 3-hour drive from my place, and afterwards to stay overnight at Bedford.

Both of these goals came off satisfactorily.  Devil’s Marbleyard is an imposing 8-acre rock field with quartzite boulders ranging from the size of coffee tables to those of large vans.  The trail goes up to the boulder field, providing comprehensive views of the forest below as one scrambles to the top, and eventually it forms a junction with a second trail that leads to the Appalachian Trail.  The hike was about 8 miles in all, and after it was over I had time to check in and explore the town of Bedford. 

I had stopped there briefly before when I had traveled to Burke’s Garden in October, but now I had a chance to look at it more carefully.  It advertises itself as “The World’s Best Small Town”; and while I would not advance that claim for it, it certainly is an extremely attractive place, well-situated in a picturesque mountain valley, with very handsome architecture and numerous historical monuments.  But it clearly has undergone hard times.  I had anticipated dining in a restaurant within the historic town center, but there are virtually none available, nor indeed any building that serves as a gathering place for local residents.  Many buildings were empty, with signs advertising that they were available for rent, and the streets were almost deserted as twilight began to fall.  The town is very close to the Blue Ridge Mountains and one might expect it to provide stores and eating places that cater to tourists and to locals congregating to enjoy mountain-related sport activities.  But there were none, at any rate in the town center.  I was forced to dine well outside of the center, at a chain restaurant (Ruby Tuesday) – not at all a bad meal, by any means – and the hotels are also a couple of miles away from the center, including the one where I stayed.  At this hotel, incidentally, the clerk noted with some regret, indeed with a touch of despondence, that the breakfast provided with the room was quite light and that in all probability it never would regain the variety it had provided before the pandemic started.  It was difficult to tell whether the town’s depressed state is a result of the pandemic or of the decline of small towns in the U.S. generally.

Rather curiously, considering how many Americans are resistant to the idea of COVID vaccines, quite a significant amount of the population has already received booster shots.  At this point nearly 20% of all people 18 years or older have received one.   For those 65 or older, the number is twice as high.  Of course, anyone who has already received a full vaccine is probably predisposed to receive a booster shot without protest.  But it is still a curious discrepancy between the number of people who have refused to be vaccinated at all and the number of people who have been willing to receive boosters so promptly.  It may be added that resistance to the COVID vaccines has greatly eroded among seniors; 99.9% of them have received at least one dose.

Today’s statistics as of 8:00 PM – # of cases worldwide: 258,354,484; # of deaths worldwide: 5,174,046; # of cases U.S.: 48,727,543; # of deaths; U.S.: 794,706. 

Hiking in local forest – Lament for sequoias – A bold dwarf amid cowering giants – Evening statistics

Today I led an official Wanderbirds hike.  There were sixteen of us in all, and we went on the Lake Fairfax Loop, a very pleasant hike that, without affording any spectacular views or offering any significant physical challenge, meanders through several miles of quiet woodland whose tranquility contrasts vividly with the crowd and bustle of communities such as Tyson’s Corner and Reston just a little distance away.  We were fortunate in our weather.  It had been dry for the past several days and, as a result, the areas that commonly become muddy on the Cross-County Trail under ordinary conditions were fairly firm underfoot, with only one rather marshy area.  We saw numerous birds, including several cardinals and the occasional blue jay.  Towards the end of the hike we saw a red fox as well.  And afterwards, as is typical for a Wanderbirds hike, we feasted together, using the picnic tables close to the Visitor Center just beyond the park entrance. 

I have heard news that a hiking venture I did just a few months earlier may have been completed just in time.  Kings Canyon and Sequoia Parks, which I visited in June, will be forced to remove 10,000 giant sequoia trees damaged by a combination of the recent wildfires, age, drought, and disease.  The wildfires impacted 27 groves of sequoias within the Sierra Nevada range; there are only 70 existent groves in all.  The wildfires of 2020 and 2021 may be responsible for a loss of as much of 20% of all giant sequoias. 

Lithuania has dared to do what many larger and more powerful nations are too fearful to attempt:  it has recognized the independence of Taiwan by allowing the latter nation to open a representative office in Vilnius.  The Chinese government has shown its displeasure by expelling the Lithuanian ambassador and reducing the level of its diplomatic relations with Lithuania to below ambassador level.  The Lithuanian government, while well-aware of the sullen resentment of the Jinping administration, is by no means willing to be guided by it, and is further displaying a blithe disregard of Chinese interference by planning to open an office of its own in Taipei.  One wonders when other countries will attain a degree of self-confidence to emulate the resolution of a country comparable in size to West Virginia and containing less than 3 million in population.

Today’s statistics as of 8:00 PM – # of cases worldwide: 257,820,862; # of deaths worldwide: 5,167,758; # of cases U.S.: 48,592,810; # of deaths; U.S.: 793,651.  At this point over 14.5% of Americans have been afflicted by the virus, more than one-seventh of the national population.

Foreign protests – A small-scale and somewhat muddle-headed local protest – Unexpectedly good new from Brazil – Evening statistics

The U.S. is not the only country with virulent anti-vaxxers.  Protests have been erupting over the anti-COVID regulations in various European nations.  Austria’s regulations that restrict unvaccinated people’s movements caused 35,000 protestors to take to the streets of Vienna.  Croatia has similar regulations (unvaccinated people cannot enter public buildings at this point), causing a crowd of demonstrators in Zagreb that necessitated 1300 soldiers to be dispatched in order to prevent the crowd from rioting.  Similar demonstrations are occurring in Amsterdam, Belfast, and Rome.  In Rotterdam police opened fire on protestors, resulting in seven people being injured. 

And yesterday, I regret to say, I saw a small crowd of protestors against the vaccine mandates waving their signs on a couple of street corners in Fairfax.  There were not many of them and they had chosen a rather odd place for their demonstration:  they were situated near some of the buildings that are used for community events (such as the city library) but which do not house any administrative offices.  The City Hall and other administrative functions are about a half-mile away from where they were staging their protest.  That suggests that they are not very familiar with the layout of the city and that they consist mainly of intruders from the outside.  I certainly wasn’t about to set them right as to the most effective location to stage their protest.

There is good news from Brazil, of all places:  the rolling 14-day average of COVID deaths has fallen to 228 a day, the lowest since April 26, 2020.  Vaccination has been progressing at a much faster rate than here.  As of ten days ago at least 75% of all Brazilians have received at least one dose and 57.6% are fully vaccinated.  The number of fully vaccinated may be over 60% by now.  The anti-vaccination movement in that country is practically non-existent, despite Bolsonaro’s posturing.  Even his supporters have hastened to receive the vaccine.  In the words of Natalia Pasternak, a microbiologist and president of Instituto Questão da Ciência, “Brazilians have a long tradition of getting vaccinated, for free, and the vaccinations are seen as a right, not a duty.”

Today’s statistics as of 8:00 PM – # of cases worldwide: 257,408,440; # of deaths worldwide: 5,163,072; # of cases U.S.: 48,558,229; # of deaths; U.S.: 793,539.

A true Trump disciple – Our dwindling number of health-care workers – Evening statistics

The past few days have not been without some personal adventures, but I must defer the description of these until I have more leisure.  However, there are a few news items of interest:

Paul Gosar is one of the few elected officials – possibly the only one – whose own siblings have urged that he be ejected from political office.  Gosar has ten siblings in all; of these, six actively campaigned against him when he ran for re-election, and two of them called for him to be removed from office, stating that he is “unhinged.”  His recent behavior provides some basis for their repudiation of him.  He posted an animated video on Twitter that depicted him and fellow Republican Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert gunning down a character with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s face edited onto it.  As a result, he has been officially censured by Congress – the 24^th person to undergo this process in Congress’s entire history, a timespan of well over 200 years – and has been removed from all committees. 

It is scarcely necessary to add that the vote on the censure went along strictly party lines.  Gosar certainly is an inspiration to those who feel that making death threats against one’s colleagues on public media is a pleasant and interesting activity for enlivening one’s leisure.  So of course his fellow-Republicans all dutifully voted in his favor and declared his behavior to be unexceptionable, while Kevin McCarthy has vowed to reinstate Gosar on his committee assignments if the Republicans regain control of the House in the 2022 elections.  As a crowning triumph, Gosar has received an accolade from his idol, Donald Trump himself, who has “sniffed the exhalation of his own herd” and is rejoicing to discover an acolyte who shares his own predilection for cold-blooded thuggery.   

From “The Man Who Came to Dinner,” when the nurse of Sheridan Whiteside, the play’s flamboyantly obnoxious and unmannerly title character, walks out on her role as his caretaker –

WHITESIDE:  You realize, Miss Preen, that this is completely unprofessional.

MISS PREEN:  I do indeed.  I am not only walking out on this case, Mr. Whiteside – I am leaving the nursing profession.  I became a nurse because all my life, ever since I was a little girl, I was filled with the idea of serving a suffering humanity.  After one month with you, Mr. Whiteside, I am going to work in a munitions factory.  From now on anything that I can do to help exterminate the human race will fill me with the greatest of pleasure.  If Florence Nightingale had ever nursed you, Mr. Whiteside, she would have married Jack the Ripper instead of founding the Red Cross.  Good day.

Unfortunately, the COVID pandemic has transformed many hospital patients into temperamental, capricious, loud-mouthed, and abusive Sheridan Whitesides and many professional medical workers into resentful Miss Preens, and the walkout of the latter is anything but laughable.  Nearly one in five American health care workers have left the profession.  Who can blame them?  They have been assaulted at their work and vilified for refusing to distribute quack COVID remedies such as hydroxychloroquine. Those who swell the ranks of the departing professionals are among the most experienced and with the greatest repository of knowledge.  It will take a long time to rebuild our medical system, even after the pandemic has receded.

Statistics as of 9:00 PM for 11/16/2021 – # of cases worldwide:   255,059,156; # of deaths worldwide: 5,129,267; # of cases U.S.: 48,161,377; # of deaths; U.S.: 786,268.

Statistics as of 7:00 PM for 11/17/2021 – # of cases worldwide: 255,642,388; # of deaths worldwide: 5,137,461; # of cases U.S.: 48,262,913;  # of deaths; U.S.: 787,726.

Today’s statistics as of 8:00 PM – # of cases worldwide: 256,307,769; # of deaths worldwide: 5,146,198; # of cases U.S.: 48,398,455; # of deaths; U.S.: 789,155.

The booster shot – Scouting the Lake Fairfax hike – Our aging Congress – Lockdown in Austria – Sumner Zervos throws in the towel – Sale of the Trump International Hotel – Evening statistics

It is becoming more difficult to make daily entries when life has made at any rate a surface appearance of having returned to normal.  Events occur periodically, of course, but they are becoming less and less influenced by the pandemic.  Today, however, was an exception:  I received my booster shot this morning.  The process made quite a contrast to what I underwent for the initial vaccine.  On that occasion I registered on the county website and then waited for weeks, wondering whether I would get vaccinated in time for the trip to Sequoia in June – and it must borne in mind that I had registered in February.  When I received my shots at INOVA, there was a large crowd of people in front of me on both occasions.  They were moved along very efficiently and my waiting time was minimal, but all the same the conditions today were very different.  For today’s booster I logged onto the CVS website a couple of days earlier, selected an appointment time, walked into the store (it is less than a 15-minute walk from my house), received the booster very promptly, waited in the store for the specified 10 minutes, and walked back home.  No one was ahead of me and no one was impatiently waiting for my booster to be administered so that he could be served in turn.  It is, incidentally, a Moderna booster, while my other vaccination shots were Pfizer, but the two vaccines are compatible and some have suggested that a “mix-and-match” approach may be slightly more effective than relying upon one vaccine brand only.  Outside of a slight soreness on the arm where I received the vaccine, there has been no other physical reaction. 

This past Saturday I scouted the Lake Fairfax loop, which I will be leading a week from today.  It is a modest hike, 9½ miles in all, with very mild elevation gain, but it is a pleasant amble and the drive to the trailhead is quite short for most people in the area.  It involves a section of the Cross County Trail, which is muddy in places; but this coming week is supposed to be fairly dry and I’m in hopes that the puddles will not be troublesome on the 21^st.   The week before Thanksgiving promises to be fairly active, since I will also be leading a hike on the 20^th for the Capital Hiking Club and a hike on the 23^rd for the Vigorous Hikers.  I have mentioned in earlier entries how being a member of a tightly-knit social group can encourage one to acquire unexpected talents.  I can remember the days when I hesitated to lead a hike of any description, being extremely doubtful of my abilities to do so; but the influence of the Wanderbirds club impelled me to develop an aptitude that I probably would not have acquired on my own. 

Patrick Leahy has announced that he is retiring.  It is something of a shock that he has done so, for at 81 years of age he is practically a juvenile in his current setting, having been a Senator for a shockingly brief period of 46 years.  Well, OK, I’m exaggerating, perhaps, but I’m not inventing:  our Senate and House of Representatives are considerably older than those of any previous administration.  It has now become the norm for our politicians to drag out their careers to the last possible moment, thereby converting the two houses into a gigantic Geriatric Club.  In 1981, the average age of a Representative was 49 and the average of a Senator was 53. Today, the average age of a Representative is 57 and the average age of a Senator is 61. Fifty Senators and 141 Representatives are over the age of 65.  So, incidentally, are 14 of our state governors.  Two members, Senator Dianne Feinstein (California, Democrat) and Representative Don Young (Alaska, Republican) are 88.    Some 44 congressional districts boast of representatives whose age is more than double the median age of their constituents.

Austria has mandated a new lockdown, but only for the unvaccinated.  Austria has a population of approximately 9 million, of whom 2 million aged 12 or older have resisted getting the vaccine – a fairly substantial fraction, well over a third of those for whom vaccines are available (at this children younger than 12 cannot receive the vaccine).  Unvaccinated people 12 and older may not leave their homes except for basic activities such as working, grocery shopping, or going for a walk.  These measures have been instituted because authorities are concerned that soon hospital staff will no longer be able to handle the growing influx of COVID-19 patients.  Other countries, in Europe at least, may soon follow suit.

Summer Zervos has dropped her lawsuit against Trump.  Her fatigue from the incessant legal battle, which lasted over a period of five years, is understandable, but it is unfortunate all the same.  The lapse of the suit is one distraction less that Trump has to worry about, which frees him up to do more harm elsewhere; and if there is any opportunity of doing harm, we may be assured that he will seize upon it. 

A slightly optimistic note may be sounded by the news that he is selling the Trump International Eyesore – er, Trump International Hotel – close to the White House.  It has lost about $70 million per year ever since he acquired it in late 2016 and his willingness to get rid of it may signify that his interest in Washington has diminished. 

Today’s statistics as of 8:00 PM – # of cases worldwide: 254,519,497; # of deaths worldwide: 5,121,295; # of cases U.S.: 48,057,164; # of deaths; U.S.: 784,669.

The cravenness of Mike Pence – Another COVID surge in the wings – The sunlight of autumn – Evening statistics

It might be expected that I would engage in an anti-Trump diatribe upon his interview with Jon Karl from ABC, one of the many that have enlivened these memoirs ever since – well, ever since the beginning of the journal, I suppose.  This was the circumstance:  upon being asked about the rioters chanting “Hang Mike Pence!” Trump’s response was “Well, the people were very angry,” adding that “I thought he [Pence] was well protected and I had heard that he was in good shape.”  Trump, of course, was shielded and cocooned in the White House during the events of the riot, avidly watching them unfold on TV, and his blithe unconcern for the safety of anyone else is thereby perfectly comprehensible.  So why am I not fulminating against him for declaring that he has no problem with people calling for the murder of his own vice-president?  Simply because displays of brazen callous heartlessness on his part are a law of Nature, and as such call for no more comment than one would bestow upon a jackal mauling its prey or a black mamba viciously attacking a passerby without any apparent provocation.  I am, however, simply dumbfounded by one salient fact:

Mike Pence is unwilling to offer the tiniest breath of criticism against the man who has aligned himself with Pence’s would-be murderers. 

This is more than mere political expediency; it is abject.  Certainly if Pence doesn’t voice any protest against such behavior, no one else will.  His fellow-Republicans are too intimidated even to mention the matter and Democrats are not inclined to exert themselves on behalf of a Republican ex-Vice President.  Pence thus finds himself completely without allies, and his cringing sycophancy makes his isolation well-deserved.

Experts are predicting a new surge of COVID cases this winter.  The number of daily cases and deaths has gone downward over a period of several weeks, but the rate appears to have reached a plateau; in some states it is rising again.  There simply are too many people who remain unvaccinated to make another surge improbable – more than 52 million over the age of 18 in all.  People are becoming careless about wearing facemasks as well.  It is not so bad in this area; as I went shopping today, nearly everyone was wearing one.  But in places such as Idaho, masks have almost completely disappeared.  The same situation prevails in much of Virginia outside of the DC and Richmond metro areas.  Our medical facilities reflect this situation.  In Northern Virginia hospitals the bed shortage that we have seen in September has receded.  But in other parts of the state many hospitals are without available ICUs.  CC, who has several relatives who work in health care, tells me that in Winchester, for example, the hospitals are filled to overflowing with COVID patients. 

Looking back on this entry, I see that it is fairly doleful; and yet on a personal level there was nothing to complain about.  Indeed after a rainfall in the night that cleared away in mid-morning, the day became another one of those splendid days that this area sees in autumn.  No painter has been able to duplicate the strange intensity of sunlight during this season, not even those of the Luminist school.

Today’s statistics as of 8:00 PM – # of cases worldwide: 253,183,516; # of deaths worldwide: 5,103,630; # of cases U.S.: 47,829,911; # of deaths; U.S.: 782,869.

Penalties for the unvaccinated – A few dissentient murmurs from Trump followers – Evening statistics

Those who remain unvaccinated by choice are certainly suffering for their convictions, and not only in this country.  The government of Singapore has announced that it will not cover medical expenses for people who are “unvaccinated by choice” after December 8^th.  Austria is contemplating a lockdown that extends to the unvaccinated only.  In the Australian state of New South Wales, unvaccinated people over the age of 16 are not permitted to visit another person’s residence, go to public gyms or recreation facilities, dine in restaurants (they may still order food for take-out), attend wedding or funeral services, or travel outside of the local government area in which they live.  Various German states have likewise barred the voluntarily unvaccinated for public indoor settings such as restaurants and bars.  Travel, of course, is providing a great incentive to accept the vaccine as inevitable.  I know at least one person who resisted taking the vaccine as long as he could until he found that international travel imposed many more restrictions on unvaccinated travelers than on vaccinated ones – mandatory quarantine times, for instance.

About 40% of the world’s population is vaccinated at this point.  In the U.S. about 68.5% of the population 12 years or older is fully vaccinated, which is reasonably close to the figure of 70% that some have claimed will confer herd immunity.  Indeed the U.S. has been criticized for promoting boosters instead of exporting vaccines to other nations in need of them.  I see nothing wrong, however, with any nation attending to the needs of its own population first before attempting to rush to the aid of others.

There appears to be a scintilla of dissention among the Trump ranks.  Herman Cain, who co-chaired a coalition called Black Voices for Trump, died of COVID one month after attending the Trump rally in Tulsa last year, where, like the majority of the other attendees, he wore no mask and made no attempt to practice social distancing.  It is not clear whether he caught the virus at this event, but he was hospitalized nine days afterwards and died just one month later.  Some of the staffers are now confiding to journalists about the guilt they feel over his death:  “we killed Herman Cain,” in their words.  It is not surprising that staffers have turned on Trump, for eight of them contracted the disease at the rally and then were forced afterwards to drive 1,200 miles back to DC.  One car contained three staffers who had tested positive and they were all riding together in what other staffers afterwards referred to as a “COVID mobile.”  So perhaps if more people who have been maltreated during the course of their employment by Trump – not an insignificant number – begin to vent their grievances in public, cracks will appear on the hard, glazed surface of this graven image and reverse the course of idol worship that has tarnished the nation for four years and more. 

Today’s statistics as of 8:00 PM – # of cases worldwide: 252,620,968; # of deaths worldwide: 5,094,933; # of cases U.S.: 47,693,516; # of deaths; U.S.: 780,775.

Hikes in autumnal weather and sunlight – More attempts to palliate the actions of the January 6^th rioters – A setback for Trump and its ineffectiveness – Encouraging news from the WHO – Another food store in Fairfax – Evening statistics

I have been diverted from the journal as a result of the weather of the past several days, which featured autumn weather at its best.  Not only are the temperatures comfortable but the skies have been exceptionally clear and the sunlight has displayed an intense mellowness that occurs only at this time of the year.  Naturally I have been out of doors a great deal, hiking Monday in Burke Lake on my own and hiking the Browntown loop with the Vigorous Hikers yesterday.  This last hike is one I have never done before, although I have been over parts of it previously.  The hike begins from a parking area of a church in the little village of Browntown and goes along a road that eventually turns into the Browntown Trail, which I have never used before.  The Browntown Trail ascends gradually past the park boundary up to the Appalachian Trail, at which point I was on more familiar territory, going north up to the Dickey Range Trail and turning down the Lands Run Trail, which eventually terminates at the end of a road that leads back to Browntown again.  It is a beautiful hike and, despite the fact that it involves about 3400 feet of elevation gain, not unduly strenuous; the ascents are for the most part not especially steep.  We had lunch together at the overlook at the top of North Marshall.  We have used this overlook as a lunch stop on various other hikes, and it is fascinating to see it during different seasons.  On this occasion many of the trees at our elevation had already shed their leaves, while those in the valley below were just beginning to change color.

On the way back I had a rather frustrating conversation with BR about the rioters of January 6^th.  If he had maintained that they were merely rioters like all others and not, as I contend, guilty of sedition, I could understand such a point of view, however mistaken I might think it.  But he was continually asserting – with what degree of seriousness it was difficult to tell – that they were carrying few or no weapons during their breach of the Capitol; and how he acquired such a notion, which flies in the face of all documentary and photographic evidence, I have no idea.  It is on a par with the risible suggestion, put forth by various Republican members of Congress, that people entering the Capitol on that occasion were merely “tourists.”  The monetary damage alone that they inflicted on the Capitol has been assessed at well over $30 million, to say nothing of one policeman losing his life and several others severely injured as a result of their activities, many of them to such a degree that they will be disabled for life. 

In connection with this matter, district Judge Tanya Chutkan turned down Donald Trump’s attempt to keep White House documents from the hands of the House committee investigating the riot.  But several delaying tactics are still available and Trump can be relied to use every single one of them.  The delay can easily last well past the 2022 elections; and if the GOP regains control of the House as a result, they will simply terminate the investigation.  That other investigation about his blatant attempt to steal votes in Georgia, in which I had placed such high hopes, appears to have come to nothing, as have additional suits from various parties to hold him accountable.

Matters are coming to a point that I’m contemplating a process of molding a statuette of Trump out of wax, jabbing it with a few dozen pins in all directions, and using a pair of tongs to hold it over an open fire while reciting the Lord’s Prayer backwards until it wastes away.  No earthly power appears to be able to touch him, but maybe some supernatural intervention might work.

After restoring myself to a somewhat calmer mood, I am pleased to find that the WHO has reported that virus incidence rates are falling all over the world, with one exception.  Cases continue to rise in continental Europe.  Much of this appears to be due to Russia and various other nations that were formerly members of the Soviet Republic.  In other parts of the world rates are declining, even in Southeast Asia and Africa, despite the lack of vaccines.  In the Americas, the new weekly cases fell by 5% and deaths declined by 14%, with the highest numbers of decreases reported from the United States. Even in Brazil new cases are occurring less frequently than before.

I have neglected to mention that yet another food store is on the verge of opening in Fairfax City, this one by Amazon.  After having very nearly transformed the strip malls into an anachronism and driven all of the Mom-and-Pop food stores of this country to their knees, Amazon is going into live marketing on its own.  Yes, it may be true that Jeff Bezos is ending up second-best in his contest with Elon Musk for ownership of the moon; but does he not possess the entire planet by way of compensation?

Today’s statistics as of 8:00 PM – # of cases worldwide: 252,092,605; # of deaths worldwide: 5,087,462; # of cases U.S.: 47,641,613; # of deaths; U.S.: 779,942.

Catoctin Mountain Park Hike – Celebrating Diwali – COVID in Russia – Big Bird and Ted Cruz – Evening statistics

Yesterday I led a hike for the Capital Hiking Club in Catoctin Mountain Park.  It got off to a somewhat hectic start.  I have seen the Catoctin Mountain parking areas crowded on occasion in the past, but never to the extent that they were yesterday; both lots adjoining the Visitor Center were full, and cars were parked along the road and in other parking areas half-a-mile or more from the Visitor Center.  Several hiking groups beside our own had elected to hike there that day.  No doubt the lovely weather (in the 50s, sunny and clear, with the particularly mellow light that is characteristic of mid-autumn) was an important factor. 

Once our group got collected, however, matters went more smoothly.  We paused at various junctions to ensure that everyone stayed on the route, but at no point did we have to wait more than a few minutes.  Everyone was hiking at a good pace.  The park features numerous overlooks, where we stopped to take in the view.  There is plenty of variety among these:  the view at Chimney Rock, for instance, looks down upon an uninhabited portion of a wooded valley, while Thurmont Vista (as the name indicates) provides a bird’s-eye view of the town of Thurmont, and the Blue Ridge Summit, where we ate lunch, overlooks scattered farms.  We took a slight detour to view Cunningham Falls, the largest cascading waterfall in Maryland, as well.  The water was flowing freely, thanks to the recent rains, over the rocks down to the pool at its base 78 feet lower than the top where the falls begin.

I was a bit hampered by the fact that no second leader was available.  At the beginning, before we set off on the hike, I polled the group to determine whether to lead the long or the moderate hike.  The majority said that they wished to do the long hike, so I thought that I would have to send the few who wished to do the moderate hike on their own.  By the time the two hikes diverged the moderate hikers would be staying upon a trail that had only one significant turn, so the risk would not be enormous.  By the time we reached the Blue Ridge Summit, however, I noticed that the energy of several hikers was flagging and I polled them again while we had lunch.  At that point all but four opted to do the moderate hike.  So I took the four who wished to do the longer hike and went over the route with them.  Again, there were not many turns to worry about and they had my cell phone number if they ran into difficulties, so I was not overly worried.  They appear to have completed it without running into any significant problems. 

The remainder went under my guidance along the moderate route, and none of them were complaining at the end about receiving short measure.  We socialized a bit in the parking area after our return, talking about the club hikes in general.  There is a great desire for the return of the bus hikes.  Many hikers in DC who do not have cars have relied in the past on clubs such as CHC and the Wanderbirds to give them the opportunity to get transport to the various parks in the area.  I myself hope that we will see a return of the bus hikes in the near future, but it is unlikely that they will be restored until after the New Year.

Today I went to what was, for me, an unusual celebration, that of Diwali.  It is a somewhat amorphous holiday, being observed by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and even some Buddhists, and the observations vary from one region to another.  GP, our host, comes from the extreme south of India, whereas two of the guests were from other regions, and the descriptions that each gave of the manner in which they celebrated the holiday in their native regions differed greatly from the others’.  However, there are certain common features.  The holiday celebrates the spiritual victory of light over darkness and appears to have had its origins in a harvest festival, since it is celebrated during a new moon during early to mid-autumn.  The celebrants clean and sometimes redecorate their houses, and they wear their finest attire (GP and the two Indian guests wore beautifully colored sherwanis, coat-like garments that come down to the ankles).  Another feature of the holiday is feasting, and that we had in abundance:  GP provided a variety of vegetarian dishes, including a soup flavored with garlic and coriander, naan, and a rather complicated entrée with potatoes and various seasonings.  GP’s roommate said that he had spent at least eight hours preparing the food, and I can easily believe it.  GP is a member of the Capital Hiking Club (in fact he has been my co-leader on occasion), which is how I and a few other club members obtained an invitation.  Many of the guests from the CHC were meeting the other guests for the first time, but soon we were all chatting together as if we had known one another for years. 

Such peaceful and harmonious scenes present quite a contrast to what has been going in other parts of the world.  At this point, for instance, Russia is undergoing a wave of the virus just as severe as the delta variant has been here.  It is consistently averaging more than 40,000 new cases every day.  The official death toll is about 246,000 but state statistical service, which also counts deaths in which the virus was a contributing factor or was suspected but not confirmed, indicate the virus’ impact is significantly more severe and that the real death toll is actually about 462,000.  If this figure is accurate, it means that Russia’s mortality rate is one of the highest in the world, far worse than that of the U.S. or of most European countries outside of Hungary and the Balkan nations. 

There is something of a flurry going on over the virus in this country as well, but it is taking the form of comic relief.  A Twitter message that purports to come from the popular Big Bird muppet from Sesame Street said that he had received his COVID vaccine:  “My wing is feeling a little sore, but it’ll give my body an extra protective boost that keeps me and others healthy.”  This light-hearted tweet has drawn down the wrath of various anti-vaxxers, who denounce the “propaganda” being disseminated to their children, and among this group is none other than Ted Cruz.  I have previously disparaged him for flying to Cancun while his state was undergoing an electrical crisis caused by the weather; at this point my opinion of him has sunk to such a depth that I now wish heartily that he had never returned. I suppose that such a wish is rather inconsiderate of the Mexicans.

Today’s statistics as of 8:00 PM – # of cases worldwide: 250,597,519; # of deaths worldwide: 5,064,450; # of cases U.S.: 47,336,577; # of deaths; U.S.: 775,218.

The PHTA meeting – A panegyric on Babbitt – Evening statistics

Yesterday I went to a meeting with the Potomac Heritage Trail Association.  It is gratifying to see how matters are progressing.  The counties in the area for the most part are favorable to extending the network of trails in the suburbs that surround DC.  Loudoun County is on the verge of setting up a county-wide trail similar to the Cross-County Trail that traverses the entire county of Fairfax.  Much of the route consists of segments that RS has worked out, in which effort he has allowed me to assist him.  So I will, in a small way, be associated with the trail improvements within the local area in future years. 

There has been a good deal of chatter recently about Ashli Babbitt, who, it may be remembered, was at the forefront of the attempt to batter down the door of the Speaker’s Lobby shielding members of the two houses during the riot of January 6^th and who was shot in the mêlée.  There is now an attempt to whitewash the reputation of this sweet creature and to transform her into some sort of martyr for the Far Right.  It occurs to me that I have neglected my responsibilities by failing to declaim upon the occasion, for, as W. S. Gilbert says, what is life without a touch of poetry in it? I therefore hasten to repair the lapse with the following eulogy.  And if it be objected that some of the events related in this narrative sound too fantastic to be true, I can honestly assure the reader that I have invented nothing.  Here, then, is:

The Saga of Ashli Babbitt

(With Various Other Particulars of the Demonstration on January 6, 2021)

Ashli Babbitt
Had a habit
Of listening to QAnon.
They’ve a cheery
Little theory
That Donald Trump has truly won.
The two house chambers
Are stocked with traitors
Democrats, every mother’s son.
While Michael Pence has
Lost his senses,
Thereby spoiling all the fun.
The recent election 
Requires correction;
What on earth is to be done?

In this dilemma they held a conclave 
To organize a violent shock wave,
To that end alerting their numerous following
Whose myths the latter are always swallowing.
“To Washington!” they cried, all in one lump,
For the stoic philosophy of Donald Trump
Inspired them all with magnanimous pity,
Which naturally stirred them to invade the city.
Drastic measures were needed, that was plain.
Volunteers for them were not called in vain.
Plans shaped up for a great saber-rattling,
And they joyously prepared themselves for the battling.

First they produced their very own shaman,
His function a puzzler to me, a mere layman.
But present he was, dressed with horns and with hoofs –
No; with horns only (it may lead to reproofs
To confound him with the incarnate devil – 
I admit that it borders on being uncivil;
His defending counsel in after days, it is said,
Claimed he was not violent, merely weak in the head.)

Then the Oath Keepers
Each opened both peepers
To their uttermost extent
While all of the Proud Boys,
With their loud noise,
Gave their emotions a strident vent.
And members of the Eighty Percent Coalition
Issued a mild and calm admonition
To electors ratifying the votes of the nation
That consigned all to them to eternal damnation.
Divers other groups who claimed with authority
To look after the interests of the Silent Majority
Gathered in force for the upcoming rally
With a march on the streets as a grande finale.

These representatives of the long-suffering mass
Flocked in droves to DC (flying business class),
Lodged in four-star hotels the evening before
And, to fortify their spirits all the more,
Swallowed copious drafts of alcoholic beverages,
The favored resource of those who plan leverages,
And laid down maneuvers for their course to follow
On that significant day of tomorrow
And while on these plans they labored and toiled
They became what is commonly known as “well-oiled,”
Eventually falling into peaceable slumber
With pleasing night dreams of raiding and plunder.

The day dawned; they gathered upon the Ellipse,
Every trace of composure fell into eclipse
As many speakers aroused them all to hysteria
Till they quivered like patients beset by malaria.
Here Brooks urged sacrifices of their lives and their money,
Giving none of his own – which is rather funny.
Then Eric and Junior, the two elder Trump chillun,
They pointed their fingers at many a villain
Who failed to support the just claims of their father,
(Doubtless concluding it was too much of a bother),
While Giuliani, his profile like that of a wombat,
Repeatedly called out for “trial by combat.”
As the crowd grew morose and they became growly,
Most appropriately for a Donald Trump rally – 

He comes! He comes! Yes, Donald Trump himself,
The Arch-Reneger of Contracts and the Lord of Pelf!
Sumptuously attired, yet always in disarray,
That glittering sequined idol with his feet of clay,
And with heart of lead and with head of brass,
He rivets the glances of th’admiring mass.
He speaks!  And oddly, it little matters how often he
Subjects his auditors to streams of cacophony
In the form of his harsh yelping vocalization
That bids them to fight on behalf of the nation –  
By which he means himself; but no matter.
They would serve him, were he as mad as a hatter
(Which conjecture, some claim, indeed is the case;
For his frantic gestures and contortions of face
And other displays of glaring inanity
Seem scarcely compatible with pretentions to sanity.)
 “Walk down to the Capitol!” at last he cries.
“To the Capitol!” they repeat to the echoing skies.
Shouts in thousands of throats soon arose
Emphatically vowing to wreak trauma with blows
And to demonstrate their undying loyalty
To Trump, in the glory of his self-declared royalty,
Pledging to ransack upon the behalf
Of this embodiment of Pride, Lust, Greed, and Wrath.

Trump departs, first tacitly giving his blessing
To his champions’ intent of ferocious aggressing.
And forward they march, swiftly gaining momentum,
All in accordance with the man who just sent ‘em, 
To the Capitol, which now is but scantily warded,
For when Bowser urged it be properly guarded
She was told such demands were quite out of the norm
But that her request would be processed in form.
As the Pentagon solemnly deliberated
The mob pressed forward and became quite elated –
(But calling them a “mob” will infuriate purists;
I should of course refer to them as “tourists”)
These globetrotters, I say, gleefully discovered 
The Capitol to be all but uncovered.
A sparse line of troopers and an improvised fence
Were all that it boasted by way of defense 
As the stranded police were o’erwhelmed by their harriers
Little challenge had the rioters in breaching the barriers,
Soon they were besieging with vigor and zest,
And there stomped Ms. Babbitt among all the rest.

Innocuous sightseers these, though ‘tis true,
They occasionally shouted “Fuck the blue!”
As they bawled and brawled and looted and pillaged
And voided their bladders to add to the spillage
And shattered the windows and defaced the walls
And splashed blood and feces through all of the halls
And shrieked imprecations and paraded their shaman
And vowed they’d hang Pence even higher than Haman
And howled out death threats at the top of their lungs
And brandished their crowbars and pipe bombs and guns
And alighted on laptops and artwork to fleece
And slaughtered an officer and beat up police;
In short, in the course of their amiable rambles,
They converted the building to a ruinous shambles.

But over and above such pleasant diversion
Was the main objective of their gallant excursion,
For shielded by the door of the Speakers’ Lobby
Were all members of the nation’s legislative body
Whom our heroes had sentenced to punishment condign
For failing to toe the Donald Trump line.
So, with Babbitt leading as their ambassador,
They marched thereto intent on a massacre.
They pounded glass panels into numberless shards
And hurled maledictions and assaulted the guards
And they hammered and smashed down the Lobby’s front door.
In the midst of this tumult Babbitt leapt to the fore,
True to the lessons she learned from her mentoring
She proved to be adept at breaking and entering,
Vying for the honor of heading the mob
Intent on their mission to butcher and rob
When at last a beleaguered lone guardsman spotted her.
In defending the captives he aimed and he shot at her
As her spirit began, seething, to boil and bubble
Till the terminal bullet, when it gave her no more trouble.

In concluding this strictly authentic narration
It remains to supply her funeral oration
And to particularize her epitaph in full:

A brazen, vicious, traitorous trull,
A housebreaker, assailant, felon, thief,
Whose passing can come only as a relief,
Murderous in intention, treasonable in action,
Along with the rest of her perfidious faction;
Both morals and mind alike vitiated and rotten,
Done away with, thankfully, and best forgotten,
The alternative being to condemn and to curse her
As the willing witless tool of a sordid usurper. 

Today’s statistics as of 8:00 PM – # of cases worldwide: 249,812,912; # of deaths worldwide: 5,052,463; # of cases U.S.: 47,267,705; # of deaths; U.S.: 773,747.

The long-delayed autumn temperatures – Youngkin’s victory – Evening statistics

I awoke to find that it had frosted overnight:  the first frost of the year, and the latest first frost of any year that I have seen.  And I have lived in the area since 1960, with only one absence in the autumn of 1966, when our family was living in Denmark.  If my observation is correct, last night represents the latest frost in over 60 years at least.  The day as well was a brisk autumn day, though sunny and clear.  Ordinarily such days appear in the two preceding months as well, but in both September and October this year the days were all well over 50 degrees. 

Youngkin has won the election.  McAuliffe conceded to him this morning.  To an extent this result represents a tradition in Virginia gubernatorial elections: the winning candidate has generally been from the party opposite of the occupant of the White House.  Anti-Biden sentiment was definitely a factor.  Only about one-fifth of voters said that they view their vote as a way to express support for Biden, while nearly 3 in 10 said that it was their way of expressing opposition.  Virginia has a tendency to impose moderation on its governors, so there is hope that Youngkin is not, as McAuliffe tried to portray him, a Trump in miniature.  His lieutenant governor is Winsome Sears, the first woman to serve Virginia in that office for all of the commonwealth’s 400-year history, to say nothing of her being the first woman of color to do so – which is certainly an encouraging sign.  I still would have preferred McAuliffe; but while I regret Youngkin’s victory, I cannot look upon it as a catastrophe – not yet, at any rate. 

Today’s statistics as of 8:00 PM – # of cases worldwide: 248,769,773; # of deaths worldwide: 5,036,137; # of cases U.S.: 47,090,416; # of deaths; U.S.: 770,671.

Two hikes – The Breaux winery – The Pocosin/Conway River loop – The waning of the pandemic and its effect on the journal – The importance of Fairfax County in Virginia state elections – Evening statistics

Yesterday I went on a winery hike.  The hike was a there-and-back between the Weverton parking area and the Ed Garvey shelter.  The hike included a visit to the cliff overlook upon the Potomac.  The view of the river from above gives the impression of an area wild and all but uninhabited, even though Harpers Ferry, which is not visible from the overlook, is only a couple of miles to the west of the peak.  The shelter is one of the handsomer ones on the Appalachian Trail, newly painted, with two stories, a porch, and an adjoining area with a picnic table.  After we descended from Weverton Cliffs to the parking area, we went to have lunch at Breaux Vineyards, which was, as one member of our group remarked, very similar to the wineries in Napa and Sonoma:  expansive views looking downward from the vineyards into the valley below bordered by the mountain range, elegant architecture, and spacious areas for drinking and dining, both indoors and upon the terraces on all sides of the building.  The wines are certainly expensive, but they are undoubtedly the best wines I have tasted at any Virginia winery.  It was a lovely autumnal day, cool and dry, with sunlight filtering through the many-colored leaves – for after the unusually warm weather of September and much of October, cooler temperatures are at last initiating the process of the leaves transitioning from green to various shades of red and yellow.  We took our lunch outside, pooling together various foods as we usually do, and wined and dined and ate and conversed in a leisurely fashion for two hours.

And today I went with the Vigorous Hikers on a loop that begins with the Pocosin Hollow Trail, goes along the Appalachian Trail upon reaching a ridgeline, and descends via the Slaughter and Conway River Trails.  It was a hike that I had never done before and it was enjoyable; it would have been extremely enjoyable if the weather had been more cooperative.  Regrettably it rained much of the day – lightly, to be sure, not to a degree that made walking uncomfortable, but it was sufficient to obscure viewpoints, to render various rocks underneath slippery and not very reliable to step upon, and to make the stream crossings very challenging.  But it wound its way through beautiful foliage and the portion of the hike that went along Pocosin Creek featured views of numerous cascades of water foaming white on the pools at their base as they pounded down.  It was chilly at the top of Lewis Mountain but was considerably warmer as we descended back towards the Conway River.

During the ride back homewards DG rallied me about the journal, both with regard as to whether it will ever come to an end and about its current accumulated length.  And indeed its word count at this point is nearly half-a-million; much has happened over the past twenty months. As to when it will end – COVID will never go away completely, that much is clear.  It does appear likely, however, that we will come to a point when it will acquire the status similar to that of influenza, that of a troublesome disease that will affect many and be fatal to some every year, which the prudent will strive to avert by preventative measures such as vaccinations and mask-wearing during certain seasons, but which is no longer severe enough to warrant shutdowns and crowd restrictions.  The journal will conclude when COVID is a pandemic no longer.  With luck that may even be as little as a few weeks from now.

The polls for the Virginia gubernatorial elections have closed, and now all that can be done is to wait to see the outcome.  It is too close to call at this point and onlookers will be in suspense for some time to come.  It has already been declared that the results from Fairfax County will be delayed; and since Fairfax County is larger than the next three most populous counties in the state combined, it will be difficult to get a complete picture of the race without it.

Today’s statistics as of 8:00 PM – # of cases worldwide: 248,216,572; # of deaths worldwide: 5,027,385; # of cases U.S.: 46,980,702; # of deaths; U.S.: 768,551.