The President and Covid-19

I was disappointed twice today by the President and his campaign. Although such disappointment is not unusual, two things that happened today struck me as outrageous and deserving of condemnation here, notwithstanding that the President is ill and might otherwise deserve our sympathy and support.

The first disappointment came in an an interview by Chris Wallace of Fox News with Steve Cortes, a senior member of the Trump campaign. Wallace quite appropriately asked Cortes why he thought it was okay for the Trump family and the Chief of Staff to remove their masks during Tuesday’s debate, notwithstanding the rule that all audience members wear masks. After hemming and hawing about how the family were all recently tested for the virus (as were all the other audience members as a precondition of entry), Cortes finally stated that the family was entitled to exercise their choice on the mask wearing issue. Wallace pointed out that, because of the rule, they did not have that right, at which point Cortes pivoted to accusing Wallace of unfairly haranguing the President during the debate (a charge Wallace deftly dismissed by reciting the number of times Trump interrupted him and Vice President Biden).

What Wallace did not say to Cortes, and what I wish he had, was first to remind him that the campaigns of each candidate had agreed to those rules, lest the Fox audience be left with the impression that the debate commission had arbitrarily imposed them. Second, I wish he had asked Cortes why, even if the first family and Chief of Staff did have a choice in the matter, they would choose to visibly dismiss the health concerns of everyone else in the audience, since they had to know that many attended the debate in reliance on the agreement that everyone in the audience would be wearing masks. The only answer I can think of is that, regardless of their belief in the efficacy of masks, they really don’t care about other people. That’s pretty much been the message the administration has projected on the mask issue all along, at a cost of untold lives.

My second disappointment came when I saw a video of the President in a motorcade this afternoon, having gone out to cheer up supporters who were assembled outside the hospital. Even though he wore a mask, the idea of someone infected with the virus forcing Secret Service and other personnel into an enclosed vehicle with him bespeaks the same callousness that his family displayed in the debate. Why his earlier video shout out to the supporters was not enough is beyond me. And I would guess that his little foray outside the hospital was against medical advice and not helpful to his recovery, either.

Outdoors close to home

Although I’ve always been an avid outdoors person, the pandemic has further motivated me to spend time outdoors, where I feel a little safer. The usual great areas for hiking, biking and kayaking, the Catskills and Adirondack, have become very crowded, and the more one seeks a natural, outdoor setting, the more traveling relatively long distances costs and cuts into recreational time. I’ve thus started to focus on nearby opportunities, and I have discovered a few that, despite my living in the area for over 30 years, I didn’t know about before.

Well known to all, though worth mentioning, are Thacher and Grafton Lakes State Parks. At Thacher, the Indian Ladder Tail has reopened. Although there now are parking meters everywhere but the scenic overlook, parking is free during non-holiday weekdays if you are over 62 (just scan your driver’s license where indicated on the meter. Nearby Warner’s Lake provides swimming and boating opportunities.

Grafton Lakes is a true gem. You can enter through the park’s main entrance (and pay unless it’s a weekday and you’re 62 or over), but you can continue into town and turn up Long Pond Road for free access any time to boat launches on three lakes (swimming is prohibited, being limited to the beach reached through the main entrance) and several hiking trails, including one leading to a fire tower that provides wonderful views.

A little less well known, but great for boating, are Dunham Reservoir and Dyken Pond, both near Grafton Lakes. Each offers free access (at Dyken Pond, you can open the gate at the parking area to drive down to launch your boat; then drive back, park in the lot close the gate, and return to the launch by foot; when you’re done, do the opposite.

For a variety of hiking destinations in and near the Capital District, check out the Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy. I have hiked almost all its preserves, and find them well maintained, safe and convenient. The web site of the Rensselaer Plateau Alliance also has some fairly close by preserves. Barberville Falls, near Poestenkill, is beautiful, easy to find and has ample parking and a map at the trailhead.

Perhaps the biggest surprise to me (thanks to Kevin O’Toole of the Times-Union) is the Bloomingdale Brook Waterfall Trail, the trailhead for which is next to the WMHT studio building on Global View Road in the Rensselaer Technology Park in North Greenbush. This well marked and maintained trail is very scenic, with serval small falls. The preserve far larger than I expected, and easy to follow but as yet unmarked trails criss-cross the area. There is a parking lot and map at the trail head and, contrary to what some internet posts say, the trail is easy to find. You can’t beat it for an after work hike or if your time is limited.