Welcome to Spring 2020 Lockdown in Vermont's Mad River Valley!
Due to the "global coronavirus plandemic," Vermont and much of the United States has been on "lockdown" for five weeks now. According to the official WHO/CDC/JHU narrative, we are practicing "social distancing" and "sheltering in place" (remaining in our homes and only going outside for 'essential' activities like grabbing groceries) to "flatten the curve" of this "novel" "coronavirus 19."
Much more to the COVID story than meets the eye, of course. Read on.
Aerial view looking west over Vermont's Mad River Valley.
Some in Vermont, including myself, suggested adopting a BOTH/AND approach to the COVID, 1) isolating and protecting our most vulnerable populations - the elderly, the immunocompromised, etc - and 2) practicing reasonable seasonal guidelines when out in public to slow the spread of this "novel coronavirus." (What has since become known as the "Swedish" approach). Instead, Vermont policymakers, led by Republican Governor Phil Scott, aggressively adopted much the same "lockdown" approach as other US states. "Better to err on the side of caution," many said. Perhaps. In the meantime, this "lockdown" has detonated the Vermont (and the US) economy, thrown thousands of Vermonters out of work, and contributed to a state of isolation and despair for Vermont's most vulnerable wage earners and small businesses. We've written extensively about all of this at Vermont Independent - see our emerging COVID EMPIRE trilogy on the front page. Plenty to be learned here, and lots of tradeoffs no matter how we slice this Corona Beast. Stay tuned. Fortunately, we live and work in a beautiful place - so getting OUTSIDE and taking full advantage of Spring's arrival in Vermont has been lovely.
April mad paddling on the White River, Hancock to Pittsfield section.
Moving all my college and university courses online has been an interesting lift - interesting times ahead for all (under)graduate students and communities, including daughter Anneka, son Theron, and significant others.
A bit of the Himalayas in Vermont's Mad River Valley, above the Moretown stretch of the Mad River.
I temporarily set aside Life By The Horns yak writing to dive into weeks of research and COVID conversation - again, see COVID EMPIRE here.
Hiking with the Wu View Dawgs.
And daily Wim Hof breathing and cold water immersion, summer YakItToMe! food cart preparation, and BEMER learning continue, along with Our Geoengineering Age research.
Wishing everyone RESILIENCY in what will no doubt prove interesting times ahead.
Happy spring!