Southern Arizona Road Trip Report

 2/18-

Worked almost a full day but did leave an hour early so I could eat dinner before my 7 PM flight.  That went off as scheduled and after a quick connection in Dallas, I was on the ground in Tucson just before midnight local time.  I checked into my fleabag motel just before 1 AM and hit the sack.

2/19-

Surprisingly, I was up with the sun this morning and captured some palm tree and catcus pictures before I showered up and hit the road.  My early start enabled me to hit Picachu State Park about 40 minutes north on the way to Phoenix.  I did a fairly challenging hike of about 1 mile on Calloway Trail then headed back south on the Interstate.  I didn't want to spend too much or too little time because I planned to arrive in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico shortly after noon.  I followed the plan to perfection.

This was my third visit to a Mexican border town and my fourth visit to Mexico overall.  Each one has a different vibe but as soon as you step foot on Mexican soil, you know that you are in a different place.  It's been described as a portal to another world.  Juarez and Nogales are more authentic than touristy places like Tijuana or Cancun.  In border towns, most people can speak English but Spanish will be appreciated even if slow and heavily accented.  I call myself the gringo with the southern lingo and that never fails to get a chuckle in response.  I find that I can recognize most of the words in Spanish but my comprehension is limited because the speech is too fast.  The key is to learn to think in Spanish and stop translating in your head.  Not so easy.  Some people worry about me going to Mexico.  However, I never felt unsafe despite the fact that Nogales does have a high crime rate.  In general, if you stick to tourist areas and don't do anything stupid, you'll be fine.  

Many Americans cross the border for cheap meds, dental work and food but I'm there to take in the culture and interact with the people.  I had a pretty good lunch at a bargain price, roamed the main streets and browsed some of the shops.  I got some delicious ice cream and purchased a T-shirt and shot glass from one of the shops.  I probably got ripped off on the price but the shop owner also walked me to a nearby hotel and helped me with the check-in so I didn't mind.  I may have been able to bargain to save a few bucks but chose not to do so.  I attended church then went out to dinner on the store owner's recommendation.  My hotel was about on par with low end American chains such as Motel 6 or Super 8 but at half price.  I only paid the equivalent of $35 US dollars.  It was a good call to stay in Mexico for the night.  It saved money and allowed me to drink a big margarita for dinner without facing the border guard shortly thereafter.  Again, I had a nice server and enjoyed brief conversations in Spanish. 

2/20-

I simply walked into Mexico without any questioning at all.  Normally, when going back to the USA, I'm usually only asked where I am going next then sent on my way after my passport is checked.  This time, I faced more questioning.  I was asked what I did in Mexico and why I would want to fly to Tucson for the weekend without knowing anyone in the area.  He wasn't mean and did not search me but he did find it strange that I would do something like this.  The scenery is beautiful and I wanted to do some hiking.  Simple.    

My first stop of the day was Mount Lemmon at 9,000 feet elevation and at least 30 degrees colder than  Tucson.  The road reminded me a bit of a desert version of the Blue Ridge Parkway.  Vegetation and landscape changes as dramatically as the temperature.  The ubiquitous cacti stop just after the 4,000 foot mark and you would think that you are in Montana or South Dakota shortly thereafter.  I didn't know until recently but yes, you will see SNOW on the ground in the winter once you hit about 7,000-7,500 feet.  In southern Arizona?  Not many people know that. 

Back at lower elevation, I spent some time at a park called Agua Caliente, which is a beautiful area with a nice green lake surrounded by palm trees and mountain views.  Too bad those were not high enough to be snow capped.  My last stop was Catalina State Park.  Unfortunately, the hike was too long and I had to bail halfway through.  It proved to be a good call as I got some epic shots of a cactus in the sunset sky.  

2/21-

Today was planned to be devoted to Saguaro National Park.  Yes, it was very nice but nothing really stood out compared to the 2 other state parks.  The hiking trail was similar to the one Picachu albeit with a bit more scenic views at the top.  With a bit of time to kill, I went to downtown Tucson for lunch.  Though the food was nothing special, my server was very nice.  Though Tucson has a large population, it has more of a small town eclectic feel.  The University of Arizona is just a few blocks away.  I ended up taking a walk down several main streets then went back to the airport with plenty of time to spare.  The flight back also went off on time but I did not get back home until after 11 PM.  I was hurting the next day.

When to Race Hawaii

 

I am now about 95 percent sure that I will NOT be racing in Hawaii in April.  I only have 9 more weeks to get in shape and I still have not run longer than 4 miles this year.  My standard issue run used to be 5-6 miles at 7:30 pace.  Now, it is 2 miles at paces that range from 8:00 all the way up to 11:00.  What will my fitness level be in 12 months?  Those prospects are not bright.  Fortunately, the time limit is 4 hours so even on my worst day, I should be able to walk/jog and come in under that.  That’s a pace per mile of almost 17 minutes.

  To their credit, Hawaii reversed the booster requirement to bypass the 5-day quarantine but what’s the point of any requirement in that case?  A 12-month-old vackseen is basically USELESS against Omicron!  I may have natural immunity too.  More on that later.  In order to participate in the race, I need either a vackseen OR a negative test WITH permission from an official.  The latter is not guaranteed.  If there are other options available, I would certainly prefer NOT to support an event with such stringent restrictions.  I did meet a woman named Robin at my Maine race, who is finishing her 50^th state at the race in Maui that I initially planned to run.  It sure would be nice to finish together but all things considered, it’s not looking like it will happen. 

There are 2 races in Honolulu over Holiday weekends.  One is Memorial Day, and the other is Veteran’s Day.  I’d prefer not to race on the Big Island because I’ve already been there.  Whether it’s Maui, Oahu or Kauai, I can’t lose.  I’d probably lean towards Honolulu (Oahu) because I think I can see pretty much all I want in 3 days instead of the 5-7 that I would need in Maui or Kauai.  I’d want to see Diamond Head, Pearl Harbor, Waikiki Beach and the North Shore.  According to the website for the Memorial Day race, there is no mention of any vackseen or testing requirement.  That said, I will certainly verify that with the RD before I sign up.  If true, I would almost certainly choose that one over Maui. 

As far as lifting restrictions, recent news is mostly good.  Several blue states have lifted mask mandates.  Word on the street is that although the city of Los Angeles still has a vackseen requirement for indoor dining, it is rarely enforced.  While restrictions may not be fully lifted in Hawaii within 3 months, I do think that there is a realistic chance of normalcy within 9 months especially if COVID deaths continue to fall.  A talk show host brought up the Vietnam War.  Even among people who supported it at the time, very few people admitted it after it turned out the way it did.  Same with Iraq.  It took about 5 years for the country to form a consensus that it was a mistake.  Come 2025, very few people will admit that the lockdowns, masking and vackseen requirements were good ideas.  Sadly, I’m afraid that it really will take that long but if current trends continue, most restrictions will be lifted before the 2024 election.

What will I do that weekend instead?  Florida beach hopping from Bradenton to Fort Lauderdale.  My parents have expressed interest in joining me.  Who knows how many chances I will have to spend time with them?  If my parents are able to make the trip with me, Hawaii is OUT for sure.   

As far as my training, my results in early February have been no better.  The adrenal spike is not fading like I hoped it would.  I need mega doses of Thym-Adren to run at all.  This need has triggered demand for more Vitamin C because of the Copper content.  I had bad reaction to Whole Food C and Adenosyl B-12.  I think both are related to Copper and I know for sure that Whole Food C is related.  At least there is an explanation this time.  Instead of that, I need Methyl B12 and the Ascorbic Acid form of Vitamin C. 

Any hope of improvement on the horizon:

I’ve got blood donation scheduled for Sunday afternoon.  That might lower the Iron and thus slow down the adrenals.  Also, I could try again to reduce my Lactoferrin, which related to Iron metabolism.  My last resort is another liver flush, which I last did in 2016.  It dumped copper out of my organs and Taurine and Glutathione were effective in cleaning it out of my tissues.  However, I would have hoped that TRS would accomplish that without the harsh side effects.   The blood donation should reveal whether or not I have COVID antibodies as I still suspect that I had the virus over New Years.  If I do, MAYBE I can get around a vackseen mandate for a Hawaii race.        

Rant: Autism

UPDATE:  I've since learned that my extreme sensitivity to pills is most probably related to elevated Cytokines and toxic metals.  Both are related to autism.  So too is candida overgrowth and gut dysbiosis. I've also read that 91 percent of autistic people have the MTHFR mutation.  That makes me VERY ANGRY! 

Back in the 1980s, children were diagnosed with autism at a rate of about 1 in 5,000.   Hell, I never even heard of autism until the early 1990s.  Now, it’s more like 1 in 50 with boys more likely than girls to be affected.  There is a school of thought that it really hasn’t become much more common.  It was simply not diagnosed in the past.  I believe the truth to be somewhere in between.  Autism cases have not really increased 100-fold in the last 40 years, but the rate is indeed increasing at an alarming rate.  I would say that it could be up to a 10 or 20-fold increase.

Let’s take a look at my childhood and some of the traits that I had:

I taught myself how to multiply and divide when I was in kindergarten but when it came to reading, I was merely average and was even assigned to track 2 in that subject.  That gap did close in later years.  Though I wasn’t on the same level as the valedictorian in Math, I could usually count on getting an A in Advanced Algebra.  My best subject in undergrad was Statistics and Probability and I nearly made it through an entire semester without missing a point.  I could manage an A in Regular English and earned solid Bs in those AP classes. 

One of my superpowers is a legendary long-term memory.  If you were to ask me what subject I had for 2^nd period in 6^th grade, I could tell you not only that but the room number and who sat next to me.  One of my old track teammates looked at me in disbelief when I told a high school story and asked: “How the f--- do you remember that shit?”

I usually had a terrible time getting up in the morning and didn’t feel fully awake until maybe 9:00 AM but was always wound up at night.  That problem is completely gone as I had no trouble getting up for 6 AM runs when I was competitive.

I spent quite a bit of time stacking soup cans in the kitchen and watched the same movies over and over again.  I still did the latter through college but not so much anymore.  However, there are several YouTube videos that I’m sure I’ve watched at least 10 times.

Poor eye contact, social skills and difficulty making friends.  My mother told me never to be a criminal because it always appeared that I was lying though she never actually thought I was.  I also had a tendency to "space out" at times. I could not read social cues either.  I recall a time when I was horrified after my mother told me to "knock 'em dead" referring to a couple of tests that day at school.  Sometimes I thought I was being bullied but it really just harmless teasing and I should have let it go.  Other times, I thought some people were being friendly to me, but I now realize that they were actually mocking me and my behaviors perpetuated it.   This aspect has improved but I’d still like it to be better. 

Bad handwriting, poor coordination, and messy bedroom.  Sadly, this is still a problem today.  I remember several school assignments that I simply could not do.  One involved making geometric figures out of paper or drawing 3 dimensional figures in art class.  My Shop teacher would have given me an F if my Dad didn’t protest that I had pneumonia.  That was true but I never could have figured it out even if I was healthy.  I would fare no better if put in the same situation today.  I would recommend teachers in non-academic subjects such as Shop, Music or Art to never give grades less than a C unless the student misbehaves. 

Unusual speech- I used to talk much slower and softer than other kids and was called a "retard" even though it was no secret that I was an A-student.  My final class rank was 18th in a class of 215.  It was not uncommon for other kids to laugh at me after I answered a question correctly in class.  Many times, I was told to shut up with a 4 letter word in between if I tried to join a conversation.  One such person admitted that he didn't even listen to what I said.  WTF!   A so-called friend of mine told me that if I made the top 7 in my high school class, I should decline the opportunity to speak at graduation to save myself embarrassment.  Today, my speech is almost normal for Alabama and it’s pretty much a non-issue.  If I didn’t live in the South, it could be a problem. 

If I was in Generation-Z instead of being a late Gen-Xer, I almost certainly would have been diagnosed with mild autism.  My Mom agrees that I did have mild autism symptoms as a child but for the most part, I have outgrown it.  Key word is for the most part.  As for my sharp decline in athletic performance, it is certainly possible that the toxic metals were lurking beneath the surface long before the symptoms appeared.  Even in elementary school, I had a sneaking suspicion that something was a little bit off about me.  Part of me is glad that I didn’t know.  Perhaps kids would have been nicer to me, but I know that I would have played the victim card and settled for average.  Clearly, I was capable of much better. 

Not every autism case looks the same.  Some children never smile.  It sure would be a shame if that was one of my traits.  Thankfully, it is not.  Some are extremely talented in art and music.  I am not.  Others are afraid of change, prefer the same routine every day and do not like traveling to unfamiliar places.  The latter is CERTAINLY not a problem for me and never was an issue.  I always enjoyed family vacations to new destinations.  That said, I will get anxious if you give me several tasks all at once especially if they are unexpected.  Also, I do often eat at the same restaurants on the same days of the week and order the same items from the menu. 

If autism cases are on the rise as I believe they are, what could be driving it?  Proponents of the school of thought that it simply diagnosed more often will say that it is all about your genetics.  You are either born with it or you are not.  There is nobody who develops autism as a toddler or child due to environmental factors.  I would mostly disagree.  Genetic mutations may make you more susceptible, but are not the cause.  I do believe that alcoholism does run in families but I guarantee that it will never happen to you if you don't take that first drink.  Some people, myself included, are poor eliminators of toxic metals due to genetic factors.  If they were never exposed to the toxins, they cannot suffer any ill-effects.      

Yes, I am going to go here.  The vackseen schedule is WAY too aggressive.  I would have no issue taking a shot to prevent a disease as deadly as smallpox or as crippling as polio.  However, the number of shots should be reduced and spaced out over a longer period of time.  That’s hardly an extreme view.     Nowadays, children receive up to 40 vackseens before they enter school.  Many are laced with toxic metals such as mercury as well as plenty of other not so friendly ingredients.  Nordic children receive fewer vackseens and also see much less autism diagnoses.  Most people can manage to detox but some cannot.  Indeed, I’ve heard and watched documentaries which detailed horror stories of children shrieking in pain hours after a shot then becoming severely disabled.  Granted, most cases are usually not that dramatic.  It is usually a slow fade over time that cannot easily be traced to a particular event.  No, I do not believe that vackseens are the ONLY reason for the increase.  Dr. Mercola believes that plastics and environmental pollution are factors as well.  I would agree.  Exposure to toxins is NOT good for anyone and to suggest that it cannot cause health problems is IDIOTIC!  If I was harmed by childhood vackseens, can you imagine how badly off I would be if I had to take today's schedule?

Actress Jenny McCarthy shared that her son experienced a sharp decline within a day or two of getting a vackseen.  Thankfully, with treatment he is doing better.  Though I normally do not care about Hollywood celebrities, if I could pick one to meet, it would be her.  Like many men my age, I had a bit of a crush on her as teenager and at least based on interviews that I have seen, she seems to have a good heart full of compassion and is respectful to those who disagree with her.  

Off Topic: NFL Alternate History

 

I don’t watch much football nowadays.  I was turned off by the kneeling and I prefer the old style of play with more downfield passing.  I was a pretty big fan growing up and my favorite team was the Pittsburgh Steelers.  I’m fascinated by the fact that just ONE key play can and does alter the fortunes of a franchise for years to come, especially when it comes to the draft order.  Let’s take a look at a few examples.

In 1969, the Steelers quarterback threw an apparent game winning touchdown in the final minute of the game in the season finale.  The score was called back because of a questionable holding penalty and the Steelers lost by a field goal.  Because of the loss, the team secured the first overall pick, which was used on Hall of Fame Quarterback Terry Bradshaw.  The rest is history.  What happens if the penalty was not called, and the Steelers won the game?

The Chicago Bears would have had the number one pick and were also interested in Bradshaw.  The Bears did not have much of team throughout most of the 1970s.  My guess is that Bradshaw gets off to a rough start as he did in Pittsburgh, but he goes on to have a rather average career and does not win any Super Bowls even if Walter Payton eventually arrives.   Today, he would be largely forgotten.  I admire Bradshaw and can identify with some of his life experiences.  I too was pre-judged as dumb because of my southern accent.  Fact is that if the line doesn’t block and the receivers can’t catch, even the most talented QB will struggle.  On the other hand, journeymen QBs have looked great in limited action as a substitute for a championship team. 

As for the Steelers, I believe that they do win their first Super Bowl without Bradshaw but NOT the last 3.  There were not many quality QBs available in the draft in the early 1970s.  Kenny Anderson was the only one that could have been a possibility.  Their coach Chuck Noll preferred to build through the draft but may have been forced to make a trade for a QB.  Could the Steelers have been as successful with an average QB but an elite defense and running game?  I don’t think so. 

Let’s now move forward to 1974.  Dallas was all set to use their first-round pick on Wide Receiver Lynn Swann.  Unfortunately for them, Pittsburgh picked one spot ahead of them and you know the rest.  Swann torched the Cowboys in the 1975 and 1978 Super Bowls and won the MVP in the former.  If Dallas had lost just one more game in the previous season, at least one of those Super Bowls would have gone the other way.  Dallas also nearly drafted Jerry Rice in 1985 but San Francisco traded up in the first round to cut in front and draft the GOAT at his position.  Can you image the Cowboys teams of the early ‘90s with Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin AND Jerry Rice?  It could have been the greatest dynasty of all time.  As for San Francisco, they probably win the 1989 and 1994 Super Bowl without Rice but Cincinnati wins in '88.

Bo Jackson made it known that he would never sign with Tampa Bay, but they drafted him anyway.  Rumor has it that San Francisco offered a very good package including Ronnie Lott, but it was turned down.  The Niners would have scary good in the late ‘80s with Bo Jackson.  Assuming that Bo doesn’t get injured, he goes on to have a Hall of Fame career in football and probably never plays in MLB.  Another interesting possibility is that Tampa Bay passes on Jackson, and he is instead drafted number 2 by Atlanta.  I don’t think he wins any Super Bowls with Atlanta, but he would have been teammates with Deion Sanders.  Perhaps he does try baseball under that scenario.  I believe that the Steelers could have drafted Barry Sanders instead of Tim Worley in 1989 if they had lost one more game the previous year.  However, with Sanders still going strong, they probably don’t trade for Jerome Bettis.

My last what if is the tuck rule game in 2001.  The pass was ruled incomplete because the QB’s arm was going forward even though it was pretty clear that he was not in the act of throwing the ball.  If the play had been ruled a fumble, New England loses in the playoffs and the Super Bowl is probably Pittsburgh against the St. Louis Rams with a QB matchup of Kurt Warner vs Kordell Stewart.  Even as a Steeler fan, I’d have to bet on the Rams to win this one.  Despite the playoff loss, there is little doubt that Tom Brady wins the job over Drew Bledsoe and goes on to be the GOAT with only 6 Super Bowl wins.  This is unlikely but what if New England sticks with Bledsoe and trades Brady?  Does he have the same success with a mediocre supporting cast?   

IRL, both Stewart and Warner would be benched 2 years later and sign elsewhere.  Warner would go on to find a good home in Arizona while Stewart failed in Chicago.  I believe Stewart gets a longer leash by simply getting to the Super Bowl and so does Warner for winning it.  Warner bounces back and has a HOF career all with St. Louis and perhaps they still have a team.  Stewart continues to play erratically for Pittsburgh.  Perhaps the draft order in 2004 is different and the Steelers have a higher pick.  Do they still end up with Roethlisberger or do they go with the consensus pick in Eli Manning or even Philip Rivers?  I think it’s pretty clear that Pittsburgh got the best of those 3, but either Manning or Rivers probably does well as a Steeler too.  My second choice would be Rivers, but Brady may have 2 more Super Bowl wins if Manning was not on the Giants.   Wild stuff that could have happened very easily.              

January Training

 

UGLY!  I’m not even keeping track anymore, but I will estimate that my monthly total will be around 40 miles.  Longest run of the month was a mere 4 miles though I may try to beat that this weekend.  Fastest pace was 8:28 per mile on a 2 miler in 16:56. OUCH!  No interval workouts.  Pretty much all junk.  If I do go to Hawaii, I have just under 3 months to get in shape for a 13.1 miler.  At this point, I will not even try to run it all the way through.  It will be a Gallo-walk with a 4:1 ratio, which would likely bring me home between 2:20-2:30.  Normally, I would never show up at the starting knowing that it will be that bad but, I only have ONE to go. 

Pills:

Good news is that as long as I take the Intrinsic Factor, the inexplicable reactions SHOULD stop!  That’s a MAJOR victory.  However, there are several pieces of bad news.  First, I have 2 MUST take treatments every day with Thym-Adren and Fulvic Acid.  Fulvic acid has apparently REALLY spiked my adrenals.  I’ve had to go with the drops simply because the powder is too strong.  Even on the drops, I need 6 pills every day.  If I take neither or the Fulvic Acid alone, I can’t run at all.  I tried to run on the Thym-Adren alone without the Fulvic Acid and started off pretty well but faded early and was done after 1 mile in 9:xx. 

As for the other pills, I can handle a long weekend without them, but I cannot quit any.  Perhaps if I was taking more Fulvic Acid, it would be a different story but that’s not an option.  If I did that, I’d need 9-10 Thym-Adren pills and still would not perform as well.  No Thanks.  I had one bizarre episode with CBS drops.  Without the Intrinsic Factor, I could not tolerate that stuff at all.  With the Intrinsic Factor, I cannot function without it.  WHAT THE  _______!  While my dietary habits have worsened in recent years, even complete abstinence from the forbidden drinks would not have done it without the Intrinsic Factor.  For the record, I’ve had only 1 cheat day in the 10 days since I returned from El Paso.  The good news is that once I figured out that the missing pill was hurting me, I was noticeably better immediately after taking it.  By the second day, I was pretty much back to the new normal.  By comparison, with the inexplicable reactions, it often took 3 days before I could run again and 5 days for it to totally clear. 

Yes, there have been small signs of improvement in recent days.  After I got back from El Paso, I barely broke 28 minutes for 3 miles running almost all out.  Yesterday, I actually dialed back the effort a bit but still managed 4 miles in 35:17 (8:49 pace).  That is what should happen.  Improvements from day to day should not be significant and may not even be noticeable but over time, it becomes evident that the process is working.  Think about the hour hand on a clock.  You can’t even tell that it is moving at first glance but if you come back 6 hours later, it is in the opposite position.

Leaning AGAINST Hawaii in April

 It's a tough decision.  If I don't go now, I may not get another chance but then again, there are a lot of potential SNAFUs.

As of now, if you want to go to Hawaii and bypass the 5-day quarantine requirement, you have 2 options:  Get triple vacksinated despite the fact that by Pfizer CEO’s own admission that it provides limited protection OR get a negative test from a partner lab ONE day before arrival.  Obviously, the former is not an option for me and too many things can go wrong with the latter.  I saw this coming, which is why I went last year without a race to complete my Visit all 50 States Challenge.  Normally, I would not even consider going to a place with such stringent restrictions, but everyone knows why I still might make an exception.  I have just 1 state to go to finish the Half Marathon Challenge and am rapidly declining.  Training has been AWFUL!  Today was 3 miles in 27:54 (9:18 pace) and this was actually one of my BETTER showings so far this year.  At the rate that I am going, it won’t be long until I cannot run at all. 

Here is what could go wrong:

Omicron is still surging but is expected to calm down before race day in April.  I’ll find out next month whether my New Year’s respiratory illness was COVID or not.  If it was, I will be much less concerned about catching COVID again.  That said, there is still about a 1 in 50 chance of a false positive.  If that happens, I’m screwed.  No go on the trip and I may not get a refund for the flight.  I certainly won’t get refunded for the race but probably won’t have to pay for the hotels.

There is a "worser case scenario" than that too.  Suppose that I take the test and the results don’t come back until I am on the plane.  I was nearly sent to quarantine last time because I didn’t have a hard copy but protested that my results didn’t come back until I had left home for Atlanta.  Fortunately, the boss over-ruled the employee and accepted my electronic result.  I REALLY don’t want to be put in that position again.  If I test positive, I will be stranded in either Hawaii or my connection city for who knows how long.  If the negative result does come after I land in Hawaii, I suppose that I would be released from quarantine but even that may not be guaranteed.    

There is also the possibility of a flight delay and a missed connection.  I could still fly out of Atlanta but would have to stay overnight in a hotel with access to a printer in case the results come overnight.  Last time, I connected in LAX, which worked out well logistically.  Both flights were about 5 hours.  I would prefer to take 2 flights instead of 3 to reduce the risk of a missed connection.  Suppose that happens and I do not arrive in Hawaii until the next day, which is 2 days after the test.  That would render the results invalid, and I will be sent to quarantine.    

As of now, I am leaning AGAINST going to Hawaii but I could still change my mind.  The backup plan for that weekend is beach hopping from Tampa to Fort Lauderdale, which would be nice but pales in comparison to Hawaii.  I am just ONE state away from finishing my goal.  Fortunately, the time limit is generous so that should not be a factor.  Still, I would strongly prefer to end this NOW rather than later.  If not for COVID, I likely would have finished this in early-mid-2021.  What could happen in the future?  Will the restrictions continue into the endemic phase?  Probably.  In fact, it could get worse.  What if there is a rigid vackseen mandate with no option for a negative test?  For the record, I would still decline the shot. 

El Paso Trip Report

 

1/13-

Despite some concern about cancelled flights due to the Omicron surge, my flights out of both Birmingham and Dallas went off as scheduled.  I had a slack day planned just in case something went wrong.   I picked up my rental car and drove about 20 minutes to a parking lot about a half mile from the Sante Fe Street bridge to Ciudad Juarez in Mexico.  Downtown El Paso is much like any other American city but as you get to the Centro shopping area on the border, you will see some Spanish language signs so there was a bit of a Mexican vibe before I crossed over.  As usual, there was no passport check, and it was about 2:00 PM when I arrived on Mexican soil.  My first step there was a near disaster as I almost twisted my ankle on a crack in the road but fortunately my luck held, and things would get better.  Juarez is the former murder capital, but things have become a lot safer in recent years.  I never felt in danger as long as I stuck to the main roads and did not go out after dark. I was offered taxi service but responded with a polite: “Yo puedo caminar.” (I can walk.)  

I followed Juarez Ave and eventually found my way to the famous cathedral, where I spent some time in prayer.  I would have liked to have attended church there, but it did not fit my schedule.  Next, I would spend some time in the market just to take in the vibe, some culture and a few short conversations in Spanish.  I did purchase a Coke, a cake and a smoothie.  I had hoped to tour a museum of the Revolution but unfortunately it was closed so I headed back towards the USA and a stop at the Kentucky Bar, which is supposedly the birthplace of the Margarita.  I had one of those and some wings for dinner but no real authentic Mexican food this time around.  I did enjoy conversations with a couple local girls.  After some deliberation, I decided to spend the night in Mexico.  Hotels are a lot cheaper, and I did not want to have to go to the bathroom while waiting in a long line back to the USA.  The hotel was bare bones, so I did go out for an after-dinner drink, but it was just across the street.  I had a VERY nice server there.  Her smiles truly touched my heart.  They really did like the gringo with the southern lingo.  I wish I had said "Me encanta tu sonrisa." (I love your smile.) 

1/14-

I was up and out the door at 5:30 AM hoping to beat the rush to the USA.  No issues with customs and no COVID checks (I verified this beforehand) but I still had to wait 30-40 minutes.  I timed it well however as I got some great shots of the sunrise from Scenic Drive overlooking El Paso.  From there, I headed east to Guadalupe Mountains NP.  I won’t say that was a bad call but there just wasn’t enough time to do it justice as all the hikes were 4+ miles.  I spent about 2 hours at Franklin Mountains State Park back in El Paso and wish I had more time there.  That was spectacular with its canyon views and rock scenery.  I treated myself to steak at a bar and grill that night and enjoyed a conversation with a girl from Seattle. 

1/15-

Crossed into New Mexico.  I did some hiking in Lincoln National Forest on a trail called Bridal Falls.  It was little more than a small stream but the desert and mountain views along the way were worth it. After lunch in Alamagordo, I headed to White Sands National Park.  WOW!  That was awesome.  Snow white sand and mountains in the background.  On rare occasions, these mountains are capped with snow, which would have been epic. 

 

1/16-

Skiing in Cloudcroft, which was a bit of a bust.  Only the bunny slope was open, and I stayed for just over 2 hours.  Just not enough snow and I did not have the time to go further north for real skiing.  Not a total loss however as I caught an epic sunrise and some snow-capped peaks.  I should have done more hiking instead.  In New Mexico, palm trees can grow at 4,000 feet elevation in the southern part of the state but just 20 miles away at 8,000 feet, you will usually find snow on the ground during winter.  Really cool.  I spent the night in Las Cruces about 45 minutes from El Paso and walked down Main Street, which had a real New Mexico vibe and felt like a smaller version of Santa Fe with palm trees. 

1/17-

Back to El Paso for a walking tour of downtown and a visit to a nice lake with mountain views where I did a junk run.  I hoped to see the history museum but not surprisingly, it was closed for MLK Day.  Out of things to do, I went to the airport early, which proved to be a good call.  My Dallas flight was delayed but I was able to get on an earlier flight.  Not sure if I would have made my connection otherwise.  Good trip overall but I could have done a few things differently.  One person asked why a Bama boy would want to come to El Paso and Juarez, Mexico.  WHY NOT?  The scenery is beautiful.          

Sinus Cold or Omicron (Personal Anecdote)

 After some deliberation, I decided to come home for Christmas and attend the family party in spite of the Omicron surge.  My brother-in law caught a cold before the party but tested negative for COVID on both a home test and a PCR test.  My Dad woke up on Christmas Day with a nasty cough that evolved into a pretty bad cold.  He also tested negative for COVID.  Both my Dad and brother in law are fully vacksinated and boosted.  My nephew who is vacksinated but not boosted was down with a fever and nausea for a few days after Christmas.  He also tested negative.  

As for me, I was symptom free during Christmas and tested negative with a home test prior to the party on Christmas Eve. I attended church with my mother then put in an appearance with the extended family on Christmas Day.  The next day on the trip home, I had some weakness and a bit of a tickle in my throat.  I figured that I was just tired from the driving.  I got extra sleep and took it easy for the next couple of days.  It appeared that I had fought off whatever it was and thought I was in the clear.  Not so fast.

December 30 (Day 1)- Feeling weaker and weaker as the day progressed.  Mild sore throat and very watery stools.  That's not out of the ordinary for me especially if the pills are out of whack.  It wasn't until lunch time when I had no appetite and could barely eat one small hot dog that I began to get a little worried.  I wanted to get tested again but there were no appointments and home kits were sold out. I left work early and when I got home, I felt no better after extra pills and a big glass of water.  I ate nothing for dinner.  Took my secret formula of Lactoferrin plus Benadryl, which knocked me out and put me to sleep.

December 31 (Day 2)- Pretty much out of commission.  Spend most of the day in bed.  Developed a cough, sinus congestion, a mild headache and a low grade fever.  I could not find a thermometer but I estimate that my temperature was about 99.5F.  Concerned but no feeling of panic or doom. I certainly have felt a lot worse than this in the past with other infections.  Took Motrin, cough syrup and a double dose of Benadryl with Lactoferrin.

January 1 (Day 3)-  MUCH better in terms of strength and energy.  Voice sounded awful and still had a pretty bad cough.  Fever was gone (98.1F) and my appetite was beginning to recover.  Felt well enough to do a 1 Mile junk run.  Of course, I did very poorly (9:36) but that has been the case with or without the virus.   

January 2-3 (Day 4 and 5)-  Pretty much the same.  The cough lingered for another 4 days and I began coughing up small amounts of phlegm.  My voice didn't really recover until Day 7.   I was well enough to work on January 3 but as per CDC guidelines, I stayed home until the 5th day was completed.   

The big question:  Did I have COVID?  If so, it was almost certainly the mild Omicron and not the more serious Delta.  My Mom is pretty much convinced that it was NOT COVID because nobody in the family tested positive and my Dad's symptoms were very similar to mine.  I'm not so sure.  The loss of appetite and the watery stools are 2 common Omicron symptoms.  Moreover, home tests are not always reliable when it comes to Omicron.  I read reports of people testing negative on Day 1 then positive on Day 3.  

How would I rate this in terms of discomfort? On a scale of 1-5 with 1 being a typical cold and 5 being a bad flu, I'd rate this as a 2.  If this had hit during the week and COVID was not a concern, I would have missed just 1 day of work.  Basically, a 2 day illness plus a week of residual crud.  Most people who caught Omicron said it was a 3-4 day illness with a quick recovery.  Perhaps the Benadryl plus Lactoferrin made a difference.  The best way to tell at this point is to go for blood donation next month.  That will reveal whether or not I have COVID antibodies.  I actually hope that it was COVID.  I will be less likely to be forced into taking the vackseen if I can prove natural immunity and because my case was so mild, I will feel fully vindicated for my decision to decline it.  

2021 Travel Stats

 -26 states visited.  Made the strict standard in 24 of them.

New Years- Live in Birmingham, Alabama(1)

MLK Weekend- Ski trip to Maggie Valley, North Carolina (2).  Night on the town in Nashville, Tennessee (3), passed through Georgia (4)

President’s Day- Hawaii trip (5)

March- Pensacola Beach, Florida (6)

April-Delmarva trip.  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (7), Dover, Delaware (8), Salisbury, Maryland (9), Cape Charles, Virginia (10)

May- Duluth, Minnesota (11), Superior, Wisconsin (12)

Memorial Day- North Coast.  Gary and Indianapolis, Indiana (13), Louisville, Kentucky (14)

Juneteenth- Dallas, Texas (15), Texarkana, Arkansas (16), Memphis, Tennessee, Vicksburg, Mississippi (17), passed through Louisiana (18)

Independence Day- Wildwood, New Jersey (19), Rockaway, New York (20)

August-Bar Harbor, Maine (21), Mt. Washington and Hampton Beach, New Hampshire (22), passed through Massachusetts (23)

Columbus Day- Augusta and Atlanta, Georgia, Clemson, South Carolina (24), Blue Ridge Pkwy, North Carolina, Clingman’s Dome, Tennessee.

Veteran’s Day- Beach hopping from Daytona to Fort Pierce, Florida

Christmas- Skiing in Beckley, West Virginia (25) and a walking tour of Cincy, Ohio (26).

Rant: Moving the Goalposts

 

Back in March of 2020, we were told to stay home for 2-4 weeks to flatten the curve.  We were initially told that face masks were ineffective but that was changed.  Talk of the virus escaping from a lab was dismissed as conspiracy theory but now, it is generally accepted to be true.  A 4-week lockdown to prevent the hospitals from being overrun was a price that I was willing to pay.  Though some of the restrictions were eased, it would be 14 months before I was back to working in the office full time.  When the “flatten the curve” and “stay home and save lives” did not allow for a return to normalcy, we were told to simply wait for the vackseen. 

I predicted vackseen mandates early in the pandemic, but it was also dismissed as conspiracy theories that could not possibly happen.  If merely 50% of the population gained immunity either through infection or vacksination, herd immunity would kick in and the virus would be eradicated within a few months in 2021.  Pretty safe to say that didn’t happen.  Nations such as Singapore, Israel and Gibraltar achieved near universal vacksination yet are still seeing spikes in cases.  We were initially told that while breakthrough infections can happen, they are extremely rare.  Nope.  Vackseens actually do little to stop the spread and we’ve had more deaths in 2021 than in 2020.  They only provide temporary protection against severe infection, and you may be left more vulnerable to both COVID and other diseases when it wears off.

Fauci has only recently admitted that we may have to live with boosters indefinitely and that it is only a matter of time before the definition of fully vacksinated will be changed to include a booster.  When that happens, individuals who were once deemed fully vacksinated will lose their privileges unless they get a booster!  Don’t want a booster because of a bad reaction to a previous dose?  Too bad!  Patients who develop new or worsening illness shortly after the shot are often told that it must be unrelated unless it is so obvious that it cannot be denied.  Man, I never thought it would get that bad!   I have a sneaking suspicion that I was harmed by childhood vackseens and had many characteristics of mild autism as a child though I was never diagnosed.  A childhood acquaintance became disabled because of the COVID vackseen and I’ve read tons of horror stories on Facebook groups.  Though I did predict the mandates, I did NOT predict that the vackseen would be this unsafe and ineffective nor did I expect that governments would double down on boosters when that became clear.     

Australia has been known to put people in internment camps just for close contact with a COVID-positive individual.  Canada has required the vackseen for air travel and many others, including the US require it for entry into the country (illegal immigrants exempt).  If Biden had his way, unvacksinated people would be unemployable and barred from virtually every public venue.  How far will the mandates have to go before I cave?  I will still try to hold out even if it is required for air travel.  An employer mandate?  I really have no choice in that case.  Fortunately, I am in deep red Alabama so that probably won’t happen for a while.  A mandate to stay in hotels?  I am not willing to limit my travel to day trips so that’s a cave.   

I wish I had the balls to walk off my job in the event of a mandate.  If my career was such that I could get a similar job with similar pay, I would do it.  I have enough in my bank account to handle a few months of unemployment and I figure that if enough people do walk out, the mandates will eventually be lifted.  Mass non-compliance! I work in State government and finding a job with similar pay that also has a pension plan would be next to impossible.  I cannot take early retirement for at least 10 years, so I am stuck. 

For the record, I want COVID under control just as much as anyone else.   There will be new variants every year, which will render the original vackseen less and less effective over time.  Hopefully, the new variants will be less deadly than the original strain but possibly more contagious.   We need to pivot the focus from vackseens to therapeutics, which is what should have been done from Day 1.