Love in the Time of Corona, Update Eight: The Resurgence

Image Credit:  Fortune Magazine

My state -- adopted state, I should say -- of Texas is now in the news, along with several others, due to a disturbing surge in the number of cases of Coronavirus.  Simultaneously, my native state of New York, after having spent weeks as the hellish epicenter of this pandemic, seems to be a making a nice recovery.  I only hope they can sustain it, or at least hold on for as long as it takes the scientists to come up with a vaccine for the damn thing.

Why the spike in cases here?  Many are second-guessing the governor, saying he re-opened too quickly.  Others almost seem to blame the "Come and Take It," rugged individualism attitude they perceive Texans to have.  As one friend in New York jokingly said to me on the phone recently, "What is it with you people? First it's 'you can't take my guns,' and now it's 'you can't make me wear a mask.'"

If I had to pick one or the other of these two theories, I'd be more likely to pick the former, just based on my own personal experience.  The people I see when I'm out shopping seem to be using an abundance of caution, as far as masks and social distancing are concerned.

However...upon saying that...I recall that just after Governor Greg Abbott reopened the state, I did see a noticeable, if brief, rise in the number of shoppers without masks.  Apparently, that may have been enough to cause this frightening "spike" we're currently in.  So I suppose the correct answer to my multiple choice question on why we are in this predicament might just be "(c) All of the above."

Most recently, Abbott has tightened things back up.  While not fully "locking down," he has put restrictions back on bar and restaurant owners, who were already suffering.  

I feel for them, and for all of us.  Even the most reclusive among us are longing for things to go "back to normal."  (Though I don't think "normal" will ever look the same again.)

But as Brooklyn's own infectious disease expert Tony Fauci put it, the best and fastest way to do that is by continuing to stay home as much as possible, and to maintain social distance and wear masks in those instances when necessity forces us to venture out into this scary, new world.

30 Hikes in 30 Days: Day Seven: Crockett Gardens Falls

Day Seven:  Wednesday, June 24, 2020

Crockett Gardens Falls is a 7.6 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Georgetown, Texas that features a lake and is good for all skill levels. The trail offers a number of activity options and is accessible year-round. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. -- alltrails.com

The first of our new Hiking Rocks collection

When we set out on the 40-minute drive up to Georgetown, the rain began to fall.  We were a little discouraged, but decided to press on.  The hiking gods were kind to us, and the rain fell only briefly. The trailhead was clearly marked, and we had the whole parking area to ourselves (probably due to the rain).  The trail itself was only slightly muddy -- not bad at all.

The author, at the trailhead

 One piece of advice I can give to my fellow parents who hike (or hikers who parent) is the following:  Don't go hiking when you know you have to be home at a certain time in order to drive your kid to work.  I say this, because this is the kind of trail you could spend a long time exploring, and we just weren't able to.  In fact, we don't consider our time at Crockett Gardens complete.  It's Part One.

My lovely bride had the great idea of picking a rock to take home to commemorate our hikes from now on, so that was a new development born out of our trip to Georgetown.

There's not much else to share, other than a general impression that this is definitely a trail that's worth your while.  A bit of garbage, but I honestly couldn't tell if it was left behind just beyond the garbage can, or if maybe an enterprising racoon had pulled it out.  Generally a lovely place.

And yes, to paraphrase General MacArthur, "we will return!"

The author and his lovely bride

30 Hikes in 30 Days: Day Six: Mary Moore Searight Metropolitan Park

Just some of the many wildflowers at Mary Moore Seabright Park (Photo credit: J. Reyes-Fuchs

Day Six:  Sunday, June 21, 2020

Mary Moore Searight Park Trail is a 2.1 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Austin, Texas that features a river and is good for all skill levels. The trail offers a number of activity options and is accessible year-round. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.

Those of you who have read previous installments in this series with a keen eye for detail may have noticed me wearing my Adidas Stan Smith sneakers.  While great for tennis and general metrosexual, quasi-retro stylishness, they're not ideal hiking shoes and were starting to take their toll on me, in the form of some painful low-grade plantar faciiatis.  I'd imagine if you're a hiker -- especially of "a certain age group" -- you're probably familiar with it.  If not, I do not wish it upon you, nor would I ever.  If you don't take my word for it, go ahead and google it, and be thankful you haven't had the pleasure.

This is a long-winded way of saying that my lovely bride bought me a pair of good Columbia brand hiking shoes as a Father's Day present, so that I could continue our hiking adventures pain free.

Before...

... and After

Excited to break in the new kicks, I followed my iPhone's directions to . . . the Borden Milk plant??  That was as close as we were able to get to our intended destination -- Colorado River Park Wildlife Preserve.  If there is an actual entrance or trailhead, we never found it.

Not to be discouraged, my lovely bride suggested we check out "the park next to Paredes Middle School," a place her work had taken her on several occasions.  Aside from its existence, she didn't know anything more about the place, other than that it looked nice from the outside, and caused headaches for the staff at Paredes, who occasionally had to chase down naughty students who chose to sneak off into the park next-door for a variety of reasons one can only imagine.

As it turns out, it is called Mary Moore Searight Metropolitan Park, and was a major find.  There are a tremendous array of wildflowers all around, and a big field that I'm sure was normally full of people, pre-Covid.  

One of many lovely flowers (Photo credit J. Reyes-Fuchs)

While it wasn't the original plan, we thoroughly enjoyed our hike, and managed to get a little turned around, as is our tendency.  But we were given directions by a very nice scout leader, and found our way out eventually.  

One note of caution:  while the trail was by no means "crowded" in the conventional sense of the word, there were definitely more hikers, joggers, and dog walkers than we've seen in any other park we've visited so far, so if you're concerned about the virus, you'll want to have that in mind.  But whether you choose to go now, or you wait till our numbers improve, I have no doubt you'll enjoy Mary Moore Searight Metropolitan Park.  

And by the way, the shoes worked out great!

MLB, looking stylish and proud of the excellent hiking shoes she got me

30 Hikes in 30 Days: Day Five: Bastrop State Park

Friday, June 19, 2020

For more than 70 years, folks have visited Bastrop State Park to enjoy its history and marvel at the Lost Pines. Forest fires and floods have ravaged the park in recent years. Now comes rebirth: new trees, new plants and new life. Come see the park’s recovery from nature’s fury. We’re just 32 miles east of Austin. -- Texas Parks & Wildlife website

Map of the park, at the Scenic Overlook

We'd been living in Texas for just over three years when the brushfires raged across Bastrop in 2011.  I can remember the constant bonfire smell in the air, a slight burn in the base of my throat, and a dark cloud on the horizon that was vaguely reminiscent of one that hung over our home in New York City ten years prior, after the attacks that toppled the World Trade Center Towers.

This was our first trip to Bastrop since that devastation; we'd taken our boys to the Capital of Texas Zoo in Cedar Creek not long after making our move southwest.  I don't want to dwell too much on the damage that was done by the 2011 fires, because, as the website's blurb above suggests, one does see amazing, inspiring evidence of rebirth and regeneration when one hikes the trails of this majestic park.  However, the old-growth trees that now stand like blackened gravestones command your attention in a way that cannot be denied.

One of the many "tree gravestones" at Bastrop State Park

The deep black of the countless burnt out trunks has an interesting, ultimately beautiful effect:  somehow all the colors that surround it are enhanced -- the blue of the sky, the green of the pines and brush, the copper brown of the soil, and the white of the sand, which the pines apparently love.  

A blackened tree trunk, bringing out the colors around it

As far as the hike itself, my lovely bride and I enjoyed it thoroughly.  It was the longest we've done so far, my iPhone health app logging nearly 8 miles and 23,000 steps, and, as such, a good reminder about the importance of perseverance and going on when you think that you can't.  (This may have been due to our choice to "go with it" when we realized we'd gotten off the red trail, known as the scenic overlook loop, and onto the purple trail, which is significantly longer and takes you through the lovely Lost Pines section of the park.  

The author, asking a Lost Pine if it needs directions

This may be a bit of a stretch, but I think there was something about the resilience of this amazing piece of parkland that may have inspired me to finish my 7+ miles.  Mother Earth has a way of coming back from even the most devastating blows, natural or man-made.  As I sat in a bit of found shade, I took a few sips of water, caught my breath, and looked out at the burnt out timber, surrounded by flourishing, new growth, stood up, and said, "Okay.  Let's do this."

And we did.

My lovely bride, enjoying the splendor, and ready for an ice-cold Topo Chico

30 Hikes in 30 Days: Day Four: Bull Creek District Park and Greenbelt

Day Four:  Wednesday, June 17, 2020:  Bull Creek District Park and Greenbelt

Bull Creek District Park is a 48-acre city park in Austin, Texas. The park was created in 1971, and named for Bull Creek, the stream that passes through it and provides the focal point of the park's primary attractions of swimming, hiking, and fishing.  -- Wikipedia

My lovely bride and me, on one of the scenic elevations at Bull Creek Trail

Bull Creek runs through impressive rock formations, and offers some moderate to challenging trails. We saw a good amount of wildlife during our hike, including river turtles, minnows and larger fish, and a good sized rabbit who crossed our path. We spotted a couple of cardinals and a black heron, as well.

Unfortunately, we spotted a lot of garbage, too. I felt a little like the Native American in the classic anti-littering ad I grew up with in the seventies. ("Keep America Beautiful") From the moment we hit the trail, I started noticing all kinds of trash -- in the water, in the trees, and on the trail.

It's clear from burnt embers and charcoal briquettes that there's an after-dark scene that goes on here. Whether it's teenagers having fun, or homeless people trying to survive, or some combination of the two, there's an overabundance of refuse that I'd be remiss not to mention.

That being said, the beauty ultimately outshined the rubbish, and my lovely bride and I ended up having a memorable morning of hiking at Bull Creek. My hope is that once the pandemic is a thing of the past, the Austin Parks and Recreation department will do a better job maintaining the natural splendor of this place.

She's become quite the trailblazer, my lovely bride!

30 Hikes in 30 Days: Day Three: Copperfield Nature Trail

Day Three: Tuesday, June 16, 2020

Copperfield Nature Trail is a 3.5 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Austin, Texas that features a river and is good for all skill levels. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, nature trips, and bird watching and is accessible year-round.

Trailside wildflower on the Copperfield Nature Trail
Photo credit:  J. Reyes-Fuchs

When I researched this particular trail, I wasn't sure what I was dealing with. It is located in an area dotted with apartment complexes, a large Vietnamese church complex, and a lovely subdivision I'd failed to ever notice in my ten-plus years living in the area.

On paper, it looks unimpressive -- a big loop ringing a residential neighborhood. Unlike Webberville, it is by no means in the middle of nowhere; it is very much in the middle of Austin's ever-spreading sprawl. I pictured a nice walking trail, paved, on a green belt maybe. Nice, but probably no great shakes.

I was mistaken. Copperfield is a lovely, well-maintained trail. It even had some pretty good hills, which Jeanette and I were not expecting.

My lovely bride and I, when we saw a steep hill up ahead

There are a few sections that run uncomfortably close to people's back yards, and even a point that spit us out into the middle of a suburban block, and gave us minimal signage to find our way back to the trail.  

Other than that, however, Copperfield Nature was a pleasant surprise and a great workout. My lovely bride and I give it two enthusiastic thumbs up.

Love in the Time of Corona: Update Seven

Note:  I dedicate this post to all those who have lost loved ones to Covid 19.  To the rest of you, I say remember them when you hear people talk about "hoaxes" and that they're willing to "take those odds," because in taking them, they're not only endangering themselves, they're endangering all of us.

-------

I'm my fathers son.  In so many ways.  He had a habit -- one I share (or inherited) of indulging in a kind of "conjectural time travel."  For instance, he'd bite into a particularly good cut of meat or seafood and say, "Can you imagine the first person who dropped this creature into a fire, and then took that first taste of cooked food?"  It was like he was trying to resurrect that mythical cave person just long enough to experience the pure rapture they must have felt in their moment of discovery.

The author's father, Hanno Fuchs in Tokyo, circa 1951

While I've certainly caught myself doing the exact same thing, I also have a tenddency toward projecting my present reality into the future as I try to imagine what the as-yet-unborn chroniclers of our time will say about it.  I can recall, for example, getting into a heated debate with a local supporter of the good ole second amendment, and his God-given right to "bear arms."

"How will the historians judge us when they look back at the sheer number of our compatriots we allowed to die due to our inability to control the firearms industry?"

(He didn't care much for this line of argument.)

I bring up this habit of mine, because I find myself very aware that we are currently living through a moment historians will write about, and deem "significant."  For one thing, the "twenty-teens" will be remembered for bringing us, arguably, I suppose one has to say, the most inept president in our country's history.  Also, this "novel" virus has torn our economy to pieces, and, most importantly, we've hit a tipping point as far as human rights abuses are concerned -- more specifically how the dominant (read white, straight, male) culture discriminates against black Americans and women.  People have stood up, and continue to stand up, for what is right.  In courtrooms, and in the streets.

I wonder if Trump's ineptitude may ultimately prove to be what we "thank for" this sea-change of rebellion we're experiencing.  Unlike his predecessors, he has no filter between thought and speech.  Previous presidents were better at saying the pretty things we need to hear that allow us to accept the status quo (aka "American Way").   Although previous American presidents certainly may have believed that sometimes you just have to "grab [women] by the pussy" or that "there are good people on both sides," they've rarely said it aloud.  On Twitter or elsewhere.  This one can't stop, which may be helping to keep the revolution going.

While I'm sympathetic to those whose livelihoods, whose years of hard work have been affected or obliterated by the pandemic, I'm troubled by what I'm seeing right now.  After re-opening some states, including Texas where I live, we are, sure enough, seeing a spike in both Covid cases and deaths.  The president has one of his rallies coming up next week and has boasted about receiving 200,000 requests for tickets.  Those fervent members of his so-called "base" have been told they'll need to sign an agreement of indemnity, releasing the president and his government of any liability should they come down with Covid, which is, after all, a liberal hoax.

This is the crucial moment the historians will look back on, when, in the midst of a global pandemic, protestors took to the streets anyway.  When our answer to "il Duce" gathered the faithful by the thousands.  We don't know the consequences yet.  But we will.

There was something very pure about my father's liberalism -- maybe because he escaped the Nazis at age 12, before he could be added to the thousands of males from his town in Germany who were systematically exterminated.  I'm just glad he was spared seeing this man in power, and what he's doing to the democracy my father cared so much about, and fought so hard to preserve.  That said, I do believe that, like me, he would be extremely encouraged by the young leaders who have taken to the street to speak out against injustice, and to fight for a better country and a better world for all.

30 Hikes in 30 Days: Day Two: Round Rock Memorial Park, Round Rock, Texas

Day Two:  Sunday, June 14, 2020

Memorial Park consists of 14.11 acres of land. This park provides a cool and shaded atmosphere with the abundance of trees. The 0.60 mile trail runs alongside Brushy Creek, which provides a stimulating view for any runner, walker, or bike rider. Follow the trail to see the legendary “Round Rock” that can be seen in Brushy Creek. For the softball players out there, Memorial Park offers a softball field along with a full concession stand. Parking is available just outside the field and only a few steps away from the playground. Park goers can also enjoy other amenities such as picnic tables, grills, and drinking fountains.
                                -- from the Round Rock Parks and Recreation website

This morning's hike was in Round Rock Memorial Park.  Just off I-35, it's a hidden gem.  I've driven past the entrance on my way to meetings at C.D. Fulkes Middle School on several occasions and had no idea.

We drove over a one-lane bridge to arrive at a small parking lot nestled between a softball field and a playground.  We made our way down the paved path and got to a road where a man was casting his fishing line into the water.  A marker told us this was Brushy Creek, and also the site of the "Round Rock" whence the town got its name.  We stopped to snap a selfie in front of the famous boulder, which neither of us had known about until today.

The author, left, and his lovely bride, crowned by the "Round Rock" 

Soon after getting a shot of me looking regal in front of a babbling waterfall, we came to a sign reading "Trail Closed."  We paused, discouraged, and considered being upstanding, rule-following members of our community until, that is, we saw two fisherman in camouflage jackets and waders ignore the sign, at which point we said, "Eff it!" and forged ahead.

The author, posing for a statue in front of a waterfall

So glad we did.  Round Rock Memorial Park turned out to be a beautiful hike and a fantastic workout.  

And yet another gorgeous morning spent with my lovely bride!

30 Hikes in 30 Days: Day One: Webberville Park, Webberville, Texas

Saturday, June 13, 2020 - Day One

Webberville Park is located in far eastern Travis County in the small, rural community of Webberville, approximately 30 minutes drive from Austin.

The park features the flat, gentle terrain typical of the Blackland Prairies, with plenty of large oak and pecan trees that offer shade to the grassy picnic areas. Two miles of hike and bike trails meander through the serene, wooded surroundings.

Webberville Park is a favorite location for lazy afternoons of fishing, picnicking, horseback riding, or just shooting the breeze.

The paved boat ramp is one of the most popular access points to the Colorado River, both for motorboaters and canoeists.
                                                -- Travis County Parks Website

Webberville is sprawling, with a few picnic areas, two well-kept softball fields, and a spot to ease your canoe into the water.  Due, I'm sure, to the pandemic, the park was pretty well deserted.  We crossed paths with maybe half a dozen people during our hike.  I can only assume the place would be hopping with visitors on a usual Saturday.

Favorite Moment:  The original idea I had of going to Webberville was to scope out the possibilities for canoeing, as a colleague had informed me she'd gone kayaking and enjoyed it thoroughly.  As we walked up the path, we found the sign directing us to the boat ramp, which was affixed to an old canoe that had been repurposed as a planter for some local wildflowers.  Jeanette's eyes widened and lit up.

"Oh my gosh, why didn't I ever think of that?" she said, as we began googling on our phones, and
pricing new, more portable kayaks.  Something told me we wouldn't be mounting the canoe on top of the car any time soon... 

The author, right, and his bride.  Webberville Park, Webberville, Texas

Here Kitty Kitty by Jardine Libaire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a heartbreakingly lovely writer Libaire is. She captures both the joyful magic and excruciating pain of youth, through the eyes of Lee, as human a narrator as I've ever read.

Toward the end of the book, Lee watches a group of boys cross a lot outside her building in Brooklyn. In this gorgeous collection of sentences, Libaire speaks directly to the heart (or mine, at least) about what it is to have once been young:

"And I want to go, to be part of it. Absurd as this is, I yearn after the place where they vanished. But in this life we take turns at being enchanting, then enchanted. First we play in the streets, unaware of the freedom burning in the sun on our hair and the cigarette in our mouth, unconscious of the daydreams we inspire. Then it's our time to sit at a window and watch, and we are moved."

I nodded as I read these words, a hand on my heart. "Yes," I said aloud. "Yes."


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The Young Lords: A Radical History by Johanna Fernandez
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It's a rare occurrence to read a book at exactly the right moment -- not just "personally;" I'm talking about the right historical moment, as well. Fernandez's book, which chronicles the rise, growth, and ultimate dissolution of the Young Lords -- from alienated street gang, surviving in 1960s urban poverty, seeing the inequities and injustices firsthand while serving as interpreters of language and culture for their migrant parents, to internationally-known agents of change -- is a handbook for today's youth who are trying to make an impact on today's troubled society.

As I write this review, there are an unprecedented number of protest actions happening in all fifty states of this country, as well as internationally, in response to the murder of George Floyd, a Minneapolis man whose death at the hands of police officers was caught on video, and is only the most recent in a long line of such killings of unarmed black men. People have broken their Covid 19 quarantines by the thousands to come out and be counted, and there seems to be an overwhelming sentiment of "Enough is enough."

We're now at that crucial moment, where the talking heads have made their arguments on CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, and the rest. We've gone out to be counted at our local protest, unapologetically calling out for justice in the streets. Some have expressed their anger and heartbreak in more violent forms, others have seized an opportunity to create mayhem and to steal.

And now comes the aforementioned crucial moment-- the "lull," as it were, that all too often ends in the placative "normalcy" that some folks yearn for -- that "Great" America that was never great for some. Complacency replaces upheaval, the status quo fills the vacuum left once the protestors put away their picket signs.

This is where Fernandez's book comes in. Instead of falling prey to the overwhelming tendency toward political inertia, instead of giving in to the "pendulum theory" of American politics (that which swings too far to the right will swing back to the left again), look at the example of the Young Lords and other revolutionaries like them that Fernandez writes about. Be inspired by their victories. (I did not know, for example, that those vivid PSAs I grew up watching as a New York-area kid in the 70's warning us about lead poisoning -- a baby, about to ingest a paint chip, next to a rusted radiator -- were a direct result of the door-to-door, grassroots efforts of the Young Lords.) Similarly, their actions at the Bronx's Lincoln Hospital led to the creation of a Patient Bill of Rights.

We need to be reminded in this important historical moment that political action can and will lead to change. Fernandez gives us this reminder, in an extremely well-written, readable narrative, that is exhaustively researched. She gives us not only the "victories" I've mentioned, but also provides a cautionary tale of what happens when movements lose their way, sometimes by falling prey to the very ills they're speaking up against, creating hierarchies based on ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation.

When, like so many other well-meaning white liberals, I posted, on Facebook, pictures of myself at our local Black Lives Matter protest, a distant cousin who lives in the UK commented "Dan, is there any hope for your country?"

I responded by saying "There's something about this current movement that feels different and gives me hope."

And I do believe that. I'm also concerned about the "lull" and the very real possibility of falling back into the status quo that leaves so many of my black and brown brothers and sisters on the outside, looking in, and wondering how much their lives really do "matter." As Fernandez says in her Afterword, titled "Coda: Beware of Movements:"

"Social movements and their organizations are not measured temporally but in terms of impact and the extent to which they shift consciousness, public debate, what's accepted, and how we live."

Not only do I encourage all the young leaders emerging in this current struggle to read "The Young Lords: A Radical History," but I do so for any member of the human race who believes we can reach a better, more just and more loving version of our ourselves.



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