UPDATE AND RAMBLINGS

What has been going on in my world you ask? Not a lot. I am still staying pretty much close to home and practicing social distancing. While some of the restrictions have been lifted here in the Old Dominion a lot of people in my immediate area are still concerned at bout the virus now that the Radford University Students are moving back to campus. And a larger concentration of Virginia Tech Students will be back in the next few days. 

I fully expect to see a dramatic surge in cases in my immediate area over the next few weeks.  I makes very little sense to me to limit gatherings like church services, outdoor events while bringing thousands of outsiders back into an area that by and large has has a pretty low number of infections so far.  I have very little confidence in the University Administrators, the Local and State Governments ability to manage anything. 

The full time local residents of the area have done a really good job of social distancing and managing the new normal and now you are going to bring back thousands of students from not only all over the United States but all over the world. Not knowing where they have been and who they have been in contact with over the last several month, makes absolutely not sense to me.  These decisions on both a national and state levels further lends credibility to the theory that this entire plandemic is a political stunt.

I have no doubt that COVID-19 is real and it is a serious illness and I really don't want to take a chance on getting sick as I am a really back patient. I will continue to social distance, and when requested by local businesses, wear a mask when shopping. Not necessarily, because I think wearing a mask serves any purpose, but out of respect for the business owner so as not to cause them any problems with the government. 

I am also going back to using home delivery for groceries and restaurant meals now that the students are back in the area.  Again I have little doubt that the infection rate is going to increase significantly and I just don't want to take a chance on getting sick. 

Enough about all that.  One of my friends ask me the other day what were my plans for the rest of the year. Basically, I am just taking it day by day.  From what I am seeing and hearing I probably won't be attending any college football games this year.  All indication are that the games will be played in stadiums completely free of fans or attendance will be limited to only the most significant donors.Plus, like I have said, a college campus is probably the most dangerous place you could be if you are concerned about the virus.

It also doesn't look like the same may be true for the College Basketball season. Like football most of the revenue comes from TV Money so their will probably be a season so the NCAA and the Conferences can reap some benefits from the Media Money.

I know it's a long time off and my chances of attending the 2021 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament is considerably less than 50%. I have at least started glancing at tournament sites and dates.  If I attend, the two most likely sites will be Raleigh, North Carolina or Dallas Texas.  Wichita, Kansas comes in a distant third right now. 

For now and for the rest of the year, my plans are to continue to take day trips that allows me to get out while still social distancing.  I am considering reviving something that I have been kicking around for a year or two. That is to do a complete video tour of U. S. Route 11 in Virginia.

I can do a large part of it in a series of day trips, while staying at home. While I am in the early planning stages, it looks like I would start at Bristol and work my way north all the way to Winchester. My early plan is to spend some time in the cities and towns along the way, sampling the food at some of the local restaurants and visiting some to the old roadside attractions that still dot the landscape.

Like I said I am still in the early planning stages and probably won't get started on it until later in August and I would hope to finish the project sometime in October.  But like all things, it will depend on the virus and the restrictions that may resurface down the road.

Looking ahead to 2021. Everything that I had planned in 2020 has been pushed back to next year.  If I attend the basketball tournament in either Dallas or Wichita, then I would like to continue on west to California. My previous plan was to get to California and spent a couple of weeks touring National Parks along with the Reagan and Nixon Presidential Libraries. Then slowly making my way back east along Interstates 70 or 80. But again it all depends on the social climate and what reopens in 2021.

I would also like to take the bus trip that I had planned with Sunshine Tours out through New Mexico, Colorado and the National Parks of Utah.  I don't know if that will happen or not, as Sunshine like most of the travel industry has been had hit and are struggling to stay in business. 

Trips to the Presidential Sites in Ohio and to Michigan along with a fall trip through upstate New York,, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine are also on the radar. It is never too early to start planning, but it remains to be seen if the plans becomes a reality.

Finally, I have uploaded some new content to my YouTube Channel. I am getting better about editing and uploading new content. My desire is to get a new video uploaded about every 7-10 days.  So if you really get bored, slip on over there and take a look at it. 

For now, I hope everything is well in your world, and that you can stay healthy and active during these ever changing times. 

THE UGLY

This is the final installment of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.  What I am going to list here are 5-places that I have no desire to go back too.  If you haven't been triggered by now, this should do it.

1.  BALTIMORE, MARYLAND:  What can I say, most of the city is just nasty and dirty with burned out buildings and gutter trash every where. Some third world countries are in better shape than Baltimore.  Even when visiting the areas around the water front and sports stadiums, you are confronted by gang of unruly youths that harass you.  I visited Baltimore on two separate occasions and never enjoyed one single moment. It is unsafe and just plan and simple a horrible and nasty place to visit.

2.  MYRTLE BEACH, SOUTH CAROLINA: I use to enjoy going to Myrtle Beach a few times a year to play golf. The was nothing more enjoyable than golfing during the day and then enjoying a good meal and entertainment in the evening. Not any more! The entire city has been taken over by gangs and the violence is never ending. Almost daily the news is reporting tourist being assaulted in broad daylight and the violence really gets bad at night.  Over the past few years I have notice that the streets are dirty and littered with graffiti and quiet frankly the City Officials seem to have given up and turned their city over to the thugs and gangs. It is really a shame that what used to be one of the best vacations spots on the east coast has been taken over by gangs and it is just not a safe place to visit or to live for that matter.

3.  NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA: Been There, Done that. There is no need for me to go back. I did not enjoy the french quarter at all. It is basically dirty, and filled with drunk tourists, pan handlers and pick-pockets. Everything is over priced and only a few place live up to the hype. It you like to party, then maybe once you get by the filth you would have a good time but it just wasn't my thing. So I have been there and have no intention of going back.

4.  RICHMOND, VIRGINIA: This is the capital city of my home state and it is a crap hole. Again the entire downtown area is a really dangerous place at night. Seems like every where you go in this city day or night you are confronted by roving gangs of thugs. You know it is really bad when the police tell you to get off of the street for your own safety.  Lots of the buildings in downtown Richmond are vacant and have been taken over by the neighborhood gangs.  I use to have to go to Richmond from time to time for work and never felt safe if I had to go into the actual city. I retired in 2018 and haven't been back and have not interest in going back.

5.  ROANOKE, VIRGINIA. I left the Roanoke Valley in 2012 and moved to the New River Valley to get away from all of the drugs and violence that was finding it's way into Roanoke.  Even though I actually lived in Salem, Virginia, I was only a half mile from the Roanoke City Limits. And while Salem did an excellent job in keeping the trash out of Salem, I was close enough that some of the crap was creeping into the area where I lived.  The last time I was in down town Roanoke was earlier this year when I had and early dinner with some friends on the City Market. The City Market used to be fairly nice but now it is showing its age and there are some less than desirable people hanging around and it only gets worse the deeper into the night you go.  Don't even think about going to Valley View Mall. No matter what time you go it has been taken over by unruly teens who get their kicks out of harassing shoppers. Roanoke is fast becoming another crap hole that respectful people avoid.

So there you have it. If you live in any of these place, you have my deep sympathies. It you are think about relocating I wish you all the luck in the world. And if you are upset and pissed off about anything that I have said, then so be it. This is my opinion and that's all that matters.