Tom Faranda's Folly

Nichelle Nichols - "Uhura" from Star Trek

From the NY Times. Back in the day, the Farandas were fans.

Nichelle Nichols, the actress revered by “Star Trek” fans everywhere for her role as Lieutenant Uhura, the communications officer on the starship U.S.S. Enterprise, died on Saturday in Silver City, N.M. She was 89.

Ms. Nichols had a long career as an entertainer, beginning as a teenage supper-club singer and dancer in Chicago, her hometown, and later appearing on television.

But she will forever be best remembered for her work on “Star Trek,” the cult-inspiring space adventure series that aired from 1966 to 1969 and starred William Shatner as Captain Kirk, the heroic leader of the starship crew; Leonard Nimoy (who died in 2015) as his science officer and adviser, Mr. Spock, an ultralogical humanoid from the planet Vulcan; and DeForest Kelley (who died in 1999) as Dr. McCoy, a.k.a. Bones, the ship’s physician.

A striking beauty, Ms. Nichols provided a frisson of sexiness on the bridge of the Enterprise. She was generally clad in a snug red doublet and black tights; Ebony magazine called her the “most heavenly body in ‘Star Trek’” on its 1967 cover. Her role, however, was both substantial and historically significant.

Uhura was an officer and a highly educated and well-trained technician who maintained a businesslike demeanor while performing her high-minded duties. Ms. Nichols was among the first Black women to have a leading role on a network television series, making her an anomaly on the small screen, which until that time had rarely depicted Black women in anything other than subservient roles.

In a November 1968 episode, during the show’s third and final season, Captain Kirk and Lieutenant Uhura are forced to embrace by the inhabitants of a strange planet, resulting in what is widely thought to be the first interracial kiss in television history.

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In a story she often told, that Saturday night she was a guest at an event in Beverly Hills, Calif. — “I believe it was an N.A.A.C.P. fund-raiser,” she recalled in the Archive interview — where the organizer introduced her to someone he described as “your biggest fan.”

“He’s desperate to meet you,” she recalled the organizer saying.

The fan, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., introduced himself.

“He said, ‘We admire you greatly, you know,’ ” Ms. Nichols said, and she thanked him and told him that she was about to leave the show. “He said, ‘You cannot. You cannot.’”

The Saturday wordle

President Bill Clinton offers the standard definition of recession (not parody or satire)

Yup. Common sense.

 

Great! Pope Francis compares cancel culture to "ideological colonization" and "colonializing mentality"

Oh so right. Two minutes long and insightful perspective to put on cancel culture, which is abundantly evident in my own town of Croton.

 

Friday's wordle

Would-be assassin of SC Justice Kavanaugh had big plans

Fanatic. Yes he is nuts but it only takes one success - think 9/11.

Nicholas John Roske, 26, told unidentified internet users that his goal was to reverse the then-leaked draft decision of the since-overturned Roe v. Wade decision, according to an affidavit for a search warrant in the case, filed in Maryland federal court this week.

Killing one jurist could change the decisions of the court “for decades to come,” authorities said that Roske wrote, adding, “I am shooting for three.”

Roske explained that "all of the major decisions for the past 10 years have been along party lines so if there are more liberal than conservative judges, they will have the power.”

The details represent the newest indication that Simi Valley, Calif., man wasn't focused solely on Kavanaugh, although it does not identify the other justices.

According to the filing, first reported by The Daily Beast, Roske's cellphone history in May and June of this year included searches for “quietest semi auto rifle,” “Reagan assassination attempt,” “most effective place to stab someone,” “assassin skills,” “assassin equipment,” “assassinations,” “supreme court" and “how to be stealthy.”

The Thursday wordle

Former republicans and democrats get together to start a new party!? (Not parody or satire)

That is the plan. Looks like the plan is to be economically "conservative" and socially "liberal." Worth reading if you are a politics junkie.

The new party, called Forward and whose creation was first reported by Reuters, will initially be co-chaired by former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang and Christine Todd Whitman, the former Republican governor of New Jersey. They hope the party will become a viable alternative to the Republican and Democratic parties that dominate U.S. politics, founding members told Reuters.

Historically, third parties have failed to thrive in America's two-party system. Occasionally they can impact a presidential election. Analysts say the Green Party's Ralph Nader siphoned off enough votes from Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore in 2000 to help Republican George W. Bush win the White House.

It is unclear how the new Forward party might impact either party's electoral prospects in such a deeply polarized country. Political analysts are skeptical it can succeed.

Wednesday's wordle

Second day in a row I got it on the last line.

Reasons for not reading the Bible

The funny thing is, most people will have no idea what some of these references are to - what's The Chosen, and who the heck is Ehud?

We get it. It's hard to read the divinely inspired word of the creator of the universe. He's so judgy!...

Here are some of the best excuses for not reading your Bible:

1. 1. You just went to church last month and don't want to overdo it: You don't want to be an extremist!
   2. It's not as encouraging as Your Best Life Now: Joel Osteen's prose is to die for.
   3. If you take your eye off the Hot Pocket you're microwaving for one second it might burn: And then you'd be hungry! God wouldn't want that.
   4. You already watched The Chosen: It's so hard to get into a good book if you already know how it ends.
   5. Those 900 Korok seeds in Zelda: Breath of the Wild aren't going to collect themselves: Finding Korok seeds is a metaphor for finding Christ probably.
   6. You're Donald Trump and don't need forgiveness: He has never done anything wrong, ever.
   7. You're still recovering from the story of Ehud: Enough to give anyone PTSD.
   8. You misplaced your copy and new ones are so hard to find: You have to walk all the way to the back of Barnes & Noble.
   9. The Jordan Peterson lecture on Genesis you watched has you covered: Up yours woke moralists! We'll see who cancels who from paradise!
   10. It's not like the Bible is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work, or anything like that: 'Cause if it were, you'd definitely meditate on it day and night.

How I spent my birthday yesterday

I actually planned it all out myself - took Brigid on a surprise trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the Winslow Homer Crosscurrents exhibit, which was marvelous. It closes the end of this month which is why I wanted to get down to it.

A little bit from the website and then a couple of few pictures. ALSO if you hit the link Winslow Homer Crosscurrents  you can see and hear a virtual tour with commentary on a number of the paintings. If you like painting in general or Winslow Homer in particular it's worth doing the virtual tour.

Renowned for his powerful paintings of American life and scenery, Winslow Homer (1836–1910) remains a consequential figure whose art continues to appeal to broad audiences. This exhibition reconsiders Homer’s work through the lens of conflict, a theme that crosses his prolific career. A persistent fascination with struggle permeates his art—from emblematic images of the Civil War and Reconstruction that examine the effects of the conflict on the landscape, soldiers, and formerly enslaved people to dramatic scenes of rescue and hunting as well as monumental seascapes and dazzling tropical works painted throughout the Atlantic world. The centerpiece of the exhibition is Homer’s iconic The Gulf Stream, a painting that reveals his lifelong engagement with charged subjects of race, geopolitics, and the environment. Featuring 88 oils and watercolors, Crosscurrents represents the largest critical overview of Homer’s art and life in more than a quarter of a century.

After seeing the exhibit we got back to Croton and had a late lunch with the whole family - the four of us - at 105twenty.

The picture in the background of my silly selfie is The Gulf Stream, maybe the most famous of Winslow Homer's paintings

The guy looking frightened in the middle of the canoe is Homer's brother Charles. Winslow Homer painted it in 1909, a year before Winslow died.

Brigid, enjoying 105twenty!

Last one, a close up of the Gulf Stream. They didn't mind taking pictures - I used the office lens scanner on my phone. Of course none of these pictures do justice to the paintings ...or Brigid.

 

The Tuesday wordle

Yale: "Woke Doctor: Biden ‘Working While Having COVID Infection Epitomizes White Supremacy Urgency"

Thanks to MC for sending me this.

Another example of how the Woke Progressive movement is destroying/collapsing itself. Kimberly Sue is an MD and has a PhD also.

A woke doctor, who is also a professor and a medical director, claimed Friday that President Joe Biden was “epitomiz[ing] white supremacy” because he was allegedly working while sick with what has been described as a mild coronavirus infection. The remarks from Kimberly Sue, MD, who is an assistant professor of medicine at Yale University and the medical director of an organization that advocates for giving drug addicts clean needles, come after Biden claimed that he was “getting a lot of work done” while sick.

“POTUS working while having COVID infection epitomizes white supremacy urgency in the workplace,” Sue tweeted. “Sets a bad example for everyone that he cannot rest. COVID infection is serious, symptoms debilitating for many, and ppl should take time off without working through it.”

What happens when everything is defined and seen through race. Here are responds by some notable people to this craziness.

• James Woods, actor: “Because working epitomizes ‘white supremacy?’ Can you hear yourself?”
• Rita Panahi, political commentator: “Too many in the medical profession seem determined to beclown themselves.”
• David Harsanyi, The Federalist: “Working while sick is ‘White supremacy urgency.’ You definitely need a PhD to come up with something that insane.”
• Larry Taunton, columnist: “Because people of color are lazy, right? Leftists can’t help outing themselves as the real racists.”
• Daniel W. Drezner, professor: “Putting the claims of ‘white supremacy’ to one side, surely a competent doctor would know better than to offer the exact same strictures to everyone infected with a disease that generates wildly varying symptoms.”
• Kurt Schlichter, attorney: “This is perhaps the stupidest tweet I’ve seen on Twitter today.”
• Brit Hume, Fox News: “This is what happens to the brains of people who view the world and all that is in it through the prism of race.”

 

Monday wordle

My birthday picture with President Biden

Artistic license. Today is also the Feast of St. Anne. My mother always told me if I was a girl I'd have been named Anne.

 

 

"Homeless Person Offers To Give Steve Bannon Some Change And A Hot Meal"

As he was found guilty of failing to reply to a Jan. 6 committee subpoena.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Former White House Chief Strategist and media executive Steve Bannon was offered some change and a hot meal when he was discovered by a homeless man Monday.

"Hey buddy, you look like you're having a tougher time than I am. Here, have a couple bucks for a Big Mac," said the homeless man.

Bannon is standing trial this week ... Reports indicate, however, that his unkempt appearance is typical and not the result of additional stress.

"I'm a professional," said Bannon. "I made sure to shower two weeks ago."

According to sources, the unidentified homeless man was happy to help the beleaguered Bannon until it was discovered he had a net worth of $20 million.

"I bought that man a Big Mac!" witnesses heard the homeless man say.

At publishing time, Steve Bannon had made $300 just sitting in front of the courthouse.

The Sunday wordle

Fr. Brian Brennan

After an almost five year battle with pancreatic cancer, our parish pastor, Fr. Brian Brennan, died last Sunday morning. His funeral was this past Friday. An astonishing number of clergy, including three Bishops, concelebrated his funeral. There were about 14 clergy on the altar, many of whom were not expected. The theme was "The Good Shepherd". The funeral was taped, and I've started the youtube tape near the very end of the service, as the chief celebrant, Bishop Farrell, gave a wonderful short summation and tribute to Fr. Brennan and our parish. And some pictures below if you scroll down - unfortunately I was unable to get any pictures of the congregation.

 

And these were scanned off photos at the wake Thursday.

Fr. Brian (younger!) behind John Paul.

the theme of the funeral was A Good Shepherd.

 

Track World Championship: Women's 4 x 100 relay

Note: Track and Field World Championships are every two years - second only in importance to the Olympics.

As it often does - comes down to Jamaica v. USA. Great relay.

 

Saturday wordle

Boston woman: "jumped from burning subway car into river", swims to shore and "carried on with her morning"

Interesting story in the Guardian (UK). If you hit the link there's a brief video of her in the water heading for shore.

Thankfully no one was injured, but the sudden fire, as the train crossed over the Mystic River – known in part for its historic use, and misuse, in local industry – was a frightening experience for the 200 or so passengers who climbed out of windows on to the tracks.

One commuter remained undaunted, though. She jumped off the tracks into the water, swam to shore, and carried on with her morning.

“An unidentified female passenger jumped off the bridge into the river,” Somerville fire chief Charles Breen told the Boston Globe. “Our marine boat happened to be in the river for training and was on scene immediately. The woman refused to get into the boat. She was provided a life jacket and proceeded to swim to shore … then she walked away.”

No emergency support. No shot for whatever bacteria is lurking in the Mystic River – cleaner now than it was in its industrial heyday, sure, but still no one’s ideal of a recreational spot. No one else’s business. Just on to the shore and on with her day. A common refrain among local commenters was that she was probably already late for work anyway, knowing the MBTA, and just needed to keep moving by any means possible. Maybe she’d had a large iced Dunkin’ and felt invincible.

The Friday wordle

Track world championship - American women go 1-2 in the Hammer Throw

Note: Track and Field World Championships are every two years - second only in importance to the Olympics.

 Wow this goes nicely with the women doing so well in the shot put. It is a crazy event - I saw high school throwers hit themselves with the hammer!

Thursday's wordle

Nice work if you can get it: Dr. Fauci's retirement pension

Two points - he's worked for the government Since 1968. And he probably wasn't always politically shilling as he has been the last several years. May 2021 - "If you are vaccinated you will not get Covid." Must be his Jesuit education - Regis HS and then College of the Holy Cross. And I could be wrong; he's been head of Infectious Diseases going all the way back to Reagan! So perhaps he's always been office politics astute. Read the excerpt below to see he REALLY owes a lot to George Bush 43. Here he is on the cover of In Style magazine (they ceased doing a print publication a few months after this) - "With all due modesty I think I'm pretty effective".

Dr. Fauci’s Retirement Pension ($414,667) Will Exceed President Joe Biden’s Salary ($400,000) It’s the largest federal retirement package in history. An unprecedented golden parachute made possible by career-end salary spiking.

This week, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), announced his retirement effective January 2025. By then, he will have turned 85 years old and served in the federal government for 59 years.

Our auditors at OpenTheBooks.com crunched Fauci’s cash pension payout as of his anticipated retirement date.

Today, Fauci earns a federal salary of $480,654 per year. However, by 2024, Fauci will likely be making $530,000 in salary – an increase of nearly $200,000 since 2014.

Therefore, we estimate that Fauci’s first year pension payout will exceed $414,000 – more than the salary for the President of the United States ($400,000).

In 2021, in my then-column at Forbes, we first reported that Fauci was the most highly compensated federal employee making $417,608 (2019, last available salary) and then earned $434,312 in 2020. For both years, Fauci was the top-paid federal employee, out earning “the president, four star generals, and roughly 4.3 million of his colleagues." 

Fauci’s salary then increased to $456,028 (2021) and he makes $480,654 today. We estimate he’ll make $504,686 (2023) and then $529,921 (2024).

So, in December 2021 (published at Forbes), we estimated that Fauci’s pension would exceed $355,000 per year—the most lucrative in federal history. However, Fauci didn’t retire and now the numbers are a lot larger.

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How does Fauci outearn everyone at the federal level?

After all, he heads up a relatively small subagency of the National Institutes of Health -- itself just one agency within the Department of Health and Human Services.

Fauci's massive pay increase actually dated back to the George W. Bush administration. We unearthed a 2004 memo outlining a "permanent pay adjustment" for his biodefense work. Think of it as a permanent bonus.

So, Fauci made more than his boss – NIH Director Francis Collins ($203,500); he outearned Collin's boss, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra ($203,500); and his pay drafted President Joseph R. Biden’s pay too ($400,000).

There's more if you hit the link. And see the "Further Reading" links at the end.

Men's shot put - world championship duel, Crouser v. Kovacs

Note: Track and Field World Championships are every two years - second only in importance to the Olympics.

The big dudes. Very big and an American sweep.

 

Bonus - two minute interviews with the three Americans

Wednesday's wordle - another ace - under one minute

Getting the answer on the 2nd line is basically the fastest it's possible to do. Luck - and skill required. only about the 4th or 5th time I've gotten it that quickly.

"One in five US adults condone ‘justified’ political violence, mega-survey finds"

From the Guardian (UK) which does not have a pay wall so easy to read the whole article.

They discovered that mistrust and alienation from democratic institutions have reached such a peak that substantial minorities of the American people now endorse violence as a means towards political ends. “The prospect of large-scale violence in the near future is entirely plausible,” the scientists warn.

A hardcore rump of the US population, the survey recorded – amounting to 3% or by extrapolation 7 million people – believe that political violence is usually or always justified. Almost one in four of the respondents – equivalent to more than 60 million Americans – could conceive of violence being justified “to preserve an American way of life based on western European traditions”.

Most alarmingly, 7.1% said that they would be willing to kill a person to advance an important political goal. The UC Davis team points out that, extrapolated to US society at large, that is the equivalent of 18 million Americans.

The study, Views of American Democracy and Society and Support for Political Violence, was led by Garen Wintemute, Sonia Robinson and Andrew Crawford and has been published on the preprint server MedRxiv. Over three weeks beginning on 3 May, the UC Davis researchers gathered the views of a representative sample of 8,620 people nationwide.

So, think BLack Lives Matter riots, or January 6th riot - and this - "House Democrats Block Resolution to Condemn Violence Against Churches and Pregnancy Centers"  All depends on Whose Ox is Gored.

"House Democrats Block Resolution to Condemn Violence Against Churches and Pregnancy Centers"

I suppose when you only have two issues to run on - hate Trump / love abortion then you're OK with attacks on Churches and Pregnancy Care Centers - including the one that helped Tim's birth mother and put us in touch with her. I guess they are waiting for someone to be killed.

House Democrats blocked a resolution Tuesday condemning the violence that has targeted dozens of pro-life pregnancy centers and churches since May. Republicans on the U.S. House Rules Committee criticized Democrat leaders after the vote, saying they refused to even consider U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson’s House Resolution 1233.

Here's some of the data, courtesy of United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

Backgrounder: Attacks on Catholic Churches in the U.S.

 

 

First time ever - American woman wins the world championship in the shot put.

Note: Track and Field World Championships are every two years - second only in importance to the Olympics.

Great stuff. If you are wondering, the women's shot put weighs 8.8 lbs - the men's is 16 lbs. This is one of the two events Tim was excellent at (the other the javelin); all county in high school and all conference in college. So - Tom and Brigid do enjoy watching the field events...

The Tuesday wordle

Track world championships - here's the women's 100m sprint

Note: Track and Field World Championships are every two years - second only in importance to the Olympics.

This is great - Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce is five feet tall, 35 years old and a mother (by c-section).  She has won eight Olympic medals (three golds), the first one in 2008! The whole six minute video is worth watching, including a head on shot of the race - very revealing of what a sprinter puts themselves through.

Bonus! A 90 second interview with the Jamaicans.

Monday's wordle

Biden economic advisor says they can still get something positive done - prescription drugs perhaps

Injecting competition into prescription sales which can lower medicare costs. OK. Works for me.

Washington Post's "helpful" ideas on weathering a recession

Written by some not-so-clever columnist I've never heard of.

Seven ways you can financially prepare for a recession

Here's the 7th suggestion - just work harder! Those WaPo folks sure are clever...

7. Get a side gig. Many employers are begging for workers.

There are a record number of job openings, with the unemployment rate at 3.6 percent. The economy saw job gains in transportation, warehousing, leisure and hospitality, education, health services, and government, according to the Labor Department.

“But there is obviously a risk that unemployment could rise,” Hamrick said.

Even if you don’t need the money right now, it may be a good time to get a second job or find work in the gig economy to boost your income and savings. Now’s the time to prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

The Sunday wordle

Florida Governor DeSantis running ad in California

I guess in response to California Governor Newsom inviting Floridians to move to California...

LOS ANGELES, CA — Governor Ron Desantis has responded to Governor Gavin Newsom's political ads in Florida by running political ads of his own in California. ...

"Listen, folks, it's simple really — in Florida, we believe in clean sidewalks, and shrinking the homeless problem — NOT growing it!" said Governor Ron DeSantis in his California statewide ad. "So to all the woke libs out there let me be clear: do not come to Florida. Stay in California and indoctrinate your own kids — that is if you actually have kids ..." Viewers are then treated to a shot of DeSantis wrestling an alligator.

"Here in Florida, we do not want more crime, or taxes, or a racist school curriculum. We want citizens that are BASED and red-pilled," continued DeSantis's ad. "Still thinking Florida is right for you, Cali libs? Well, just remember that we have American flags all over our state, we LOVE guns — and most importantly — President Trump lives here permanently." The commercial ends with a shot of DeSantis and Trump throwing commies out of helicopters.

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At publishing time, many of the libs who saw the ads are now trying to sue Ron DeSantis for emotional damage and trauma. Ron DeSantis has responded with plans to run the same ads on CNN and MSNBC.

 

Saturday wordle

Amazon Prime Lord of the Rings Prequel - looks pretty stunning

The series starts in September. Here is the trailer - just came out yesterday and already viewed 2 million times - but you have to like storytelling. I hope it stimulates some people to read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

 

The Friday wordle

Saint Kateri Tekawitha (NY born!) feast day was yesterday

I posted this about Kateri Tekawitha two years ago.  Saint Kateri Tekawitha -  the miracle that led to her canonization which was pretty amazing.

Below is something that was posted yesterday on Aleteia - the same last words of St. Mother Teresa. Brigid and I have been a couple of times to Auriesville in upstate NY, where she was born.

How St. Kateri’s final words summarize her beautiful faith

 

Thursday's wordle

The Global Economy: one pie chart that says an awful lot

This is from a website called The Visual Capitalist

This link has lots of interesting info and I've posted their chart under the link - The $100 trillion global economy.  

So who is our rival? Note that Russian economy is less than one tenth the size of China's.

Pope Francis on President Biden's "incoherence".

Asked about Biden — a self-professed "devout Catholic" who supports blanket legalization of abortion on the federal level — the pope dismissed the president as incomprehensible.

"I leave it to [President Biden's] conscience and that he speaks to his bishop, his pastor, his parish priest about that incoherence," the pope remarked.

The pope has been hesitant to directly meddle in politics since the beginning of his papacy — afraid to devolve the Holy See into a normal, secular world power.

The Wednesday wordle

President of Mexico invites Californians to come to Mexico - for their less costly gasoline!

How can this be?

My long held belief that women are smarter than men has been severely tested

UPDATE: From an email I just received from a woman - ".......................................how do you know these 3 are really women?"

For at least the past 15 years I had the "insight" that women are innately brighter then men; that men have been in the driver's seat for thousands of years only because we have the testosterone.

Recently I've had to re-think that view - here are three brief examples of why - the last the best (worst)...

 

A heartbeat away

And a Berkeley Law professor

"6 Scenic Westchester Hikes With Water Views"

This is from Westchester Magazine. The only one I am not familiar with is Westmoreland Sanctuary in Mt. Kisco.  Looks interesting though; will have to check it out.

All about the views during a hike? Hit these Westchester County trails for breathtaking vistas of rivers and lakes in the region. There are many out there who think Westchester is not the hiking capital of New York State (they may be correct, but still…).While Westchester may not have as many trails as its surrounding counties in the Hudson Valley, it is packed with hikes aplenty. In addition to being a great way to get moving outdoors, these treks also offer stunning and serene views of the Hudson River and the many lakes, ponds, and more that fill the county.

Whew - avalanche footage - "Oh dear God"

This is from the "Gear Junkie" website. Hit the link for the text and 49 second video. SPOILER: No one killed, but awfully close!

Hiker Films Massive Glacier Collapse in Kyrgyzstan

UPDATE:You can also see it below - Nine Brits and one American on a trek.

 

Bummer. Had to cut short my Appalachian Trail overnighter this past weekend

UPDATE: Monday evening - knee is much better - used the elliptical in the gym and lifted weights Monday afternoon. Go figure?

I had a knee issue - my right knee. The knee suddenly started to act up around mile five. A year ago Dr. Michael Gott (family orthopedist! Has performed surgery on myself, Tim and Brigid) had a look at my right knee due to some pain and clicking. I did not have arthritis in the knee, probably a torn meniscus. But there was no MRI so no final diagnosis and the knee has given me very little trouble. In fact in the last few months I've started doing Romanian Deadlifts with a 65 to 75 lb barbell and it seemed to help both knees.  On my almost nine mile warm up hike to see if I could pull off doing the CT. Appalachian Trail Hike - Second shakedown for tentative CT hikes - Beacon to Breakneck I had no trouble at all with either knee. And that hike had a lot of up and down - you would figure that if my knees were going to give me trouble, that would uncover it

Not sure what happened - the knee started to bark on the flat surface along the Housatonic River and by the time I started the last  big climbs and then finished it, I was in a world of hurt. You can see the up and down in this graph. I realized coming down from the last peak on the right that I could limp the next three plus miles to the camp shelter - but then I had another 11 plus miles to go for Sunday.  Just made no sense - If I was asked "On a scale of ten what would you say your pain level was?" I'd have said between a 7 and 8. The pain was in the lower, outer aspect of my right knee - if my knee had a watch face it was hurting from 7 to 8 o'clock.  I called home and Tim picked me up - I'd gone over my route with everyone the day before so it was easy for Tim to meet me on Old Skiff Road, which the Trail crossed. I still had to limp off the top of the hill (Caleb's Peak - see the view below) to the road, which took about thirty minutes, and Tim arrived about an hour after that. So home Saturday night. Knee was still bothering me Sunday evening when I went out and walked a bit in the neighborhood.

Here's a picture near the first peak on the graph above.

Along the pretty Housatonic River which on the graph above is the squiggly line between the peaks. About five miles and it was somewhere in there I noticed my knee was irritable.

And as the trail meandered off the river but still paralleling it -

And back to the Housatonic.

And here is a volunteer who was trimming the bushes back just off the river. And not a young man - probably older than myself.

The trail came to a car park and road - someone had put out water for hikers - which went on for maybe a mile - then right turn and heading up, up, up...

A 600 foot of elevation climb - getting me up to about 900 feet  - not helpful for my knee.

The terrain was crazily rugged - this is NOT part of the trail - just off it and very typical. 

At the top of the next to last peak - St John's Ledges - named for a guy whose last name was St John

And here's the view at about 900 feet, into the Housatonic River valley. Pretty cool! See the river?

Then the trail drops about 150 feet, before going up about 300 to the highest point on this section of the AT, Calebs Peak. The map says it's at  1060 feet.

YIKES! Hat is from Australia (thank you June) and refers to a cricket series played every two years between, Australia and England.

Coming down off Calebs Peak - and going downhill is the worst on your knees - I decided that discretion was the best course - no way I'd have enjoyed continuing - and called home. I walked down the trail about another 3/4's of a mile to Skiff Road and Tim picked me up about 75 minutes later.

If you've read this far and are still interested - here was the original plan. On the Appalachian Trail in CT this weekend!