Pandemic Baseball

Last night Baseball returned. Sort of.

A very brave, mask wearing, Dr. Anthony Fauci threw out the first pitch to kick off a new season with new pandemic inspired rules. And, finally, after months of speculation and negotiation, in a rain shortened game, the Yankees beat the Nationals 4-1.

I've been debating whether I will watch the new season. The Phillies open their season tonight against the Marlins at Citizens Bank Park. No fans, no crying and no spitting allowed. It's not the new rules, the piped in noise, or the shortened schedule that bothered me though. It's the money grab.

My initial reaction to the announcement that a 2020 season would happen was annoyance. It's all about the money, I said. The TV revenues is what they are really after, I thought. The rules allowed players to opt out under certain conditions. And some players with big names and solid careers are doing just that. What about the little guy, I wondered? What about the ones trying to make their name and solidify their position? Do they really have a choice? It really bugged me for awhile and I know that my tiny personal boycott would not make any difference ---- except to me.

Then I realized that my indignation was hypocritical. I still go to work every day. And that's about the money, too. I need a paycheck (and a sense of purpose). I shut down like the rest of PA for a long while. And when allowed to return, I began to feel my way toward doing the things (I believe) can be done safely. For my own safety and that of others. Although I believe I am careful there is no way to know for certain that what I'm doing is enough.

Just because MLB is bigger and makes more money than me doesn't mean they should be held to a different standard. MLB shut down too. And when allowed to return they began to work their way toward returning to the field. Yes, they need the money. As do we all.

After getting over myself and my distress, I realized that the return of baseball can do a lot of good for many. Not everyone loves baseball. But for the many that do, this may be a chance to reconnect.  We can't go to the stadium and we shouldn't gather together in large groups but we can - as we've done with everything else for months now - participate together alone. And if you are a Phillies fan you know value of High Hopes.

Go Phils.

Keep Smiling Keep Moving
- Paula

Springfield Trail Guide

Warning: This may be the first and only one of these I do because life is short and my mind takes shortcuts, detours and left-turns-without-signaling on a regular basis. That being said, today I hiked the Springfield Trail and decided to create a guide for you.

The Springfield Trail is a 5-ish mile loop trail in and around Springfield (Delaware County) PA. I like to start it at Smedley Park but there are several trail head options. The trail itself does not have a website but the Smedley Park site has a page dedicated to the Springlfield Trail.

Enter Smedly Park off Baltimore Pike at Paper Mill Road. Paper Mill Road is between the Springfield Mall and the Blue Route (476) entrance off Baltimore Pike.

Travel the park road across the Paper Mill trolley stop and crossing to a parking area on the left. This photo is looking back at the way I drove in. My car is behind me to my right. I chose to do the trail counter clockwise today. The entrance is just to my left.

The Springfield Trail is marked with Yellow Blazes. The first section between the Paper Mill trolley stop and Route 320 is quite narrow in spots. There are lots of deer in the area. Long pants or tick repellent (or both) are recommended. The vegetation was very wet on this humid morning, the long pants also kept me legs drier than they would have been without. 

This first section follows Whiskey Run and the trolley tracks from the Paper Mill Station to the 320 Station (Sproul Road). Just before arriving at 320 you can see the edge of the Springfield Mall parking lot up on the ridge to your right. According to this paper found at DelawareCountyHistory.com, Whiskey Run is "a tributary of Crum Creek, large enough to have had located along its banks several mills powered by its flow." None of the mills still exist, of course, but it's easy to imagine them there. 

Arriving at Route 320 the trail leaves the woods for a short road section.
Springfield Mall and Baltimore pike are to the right (South on 320). To follow the trail turn right.  

The short road section takes you across the trolley tracks on the 320 overpass.
There is a yellow marker on the overpass wall.
And this one (center right) alerts you that the trail goes down the steps. 

And if you aren't sure the yellow markers continue down the stairs
The stairs are narrow and steeper than they look. Watch your step! 

At the bottom you will turn right and follow the tracks just past the overpass.
You are now walking under the road you just used to cross over.
Stay to the right - hug the wall - this is an active trolley line. 

Just past the 320 overpass the trail goes off to the right.
The blazes on the utility poll signal right turn. 

For those unfamiliar with trail blazes a double blaze usually signals a turn. A right turn will have the upper blaze on the right. A left turn will have the upper blaze on the left. 

This next section follows the trolley tracks and Whiskey Run to Thomson Avenue. In the past, I've had to scramble over large fallen trees in this section. Today it was all clear. At the bridge (see above photo) turn left (see the blazes on the tree) At the other side of the bridge turn right. 
Although you won't know it till you get to the intersection - this is Stidman Drive. A short street with some nice looking quadruplex houses. Stidman Drive will bring you out to Thomson Avenue. 

 At Thomson Avenue turn left and go up the hill to Lewis Road.

At Lewis Road you will turn right. There are no markings that I could find here. You just have to know to go that way.

After turning right on Lewis, you will walk along Lewis for about 2 blocks (You'll cross over Gleaves Road as it jogs across Lewis). Right in the middle of all the houses the trees get thicker and if you look to your right you'll see the Yellow Blaze. 

This next section takes you from Lewis Road to James Lane. It goes up and down and up and down. There are several alternate routes and paths that go off up into people's yards. Don't go into people's yards. They generally won't like that. The alternate paths can be confusing and it is through this section that the trail maintainers have the most trouble keeping the blazes. There are lots of blow downs. There is also a blue blaze bandit that attempts to confuse people. The blue blazes will follow the yellow and then suddenly veer off. In some places the Blue Blaze Bandit covers over the yellow ones. Don't fret. It's pretty much impossible to get lost. If you enter the trail from Lewis Road, you'll have Whiskey Run on your left for a short portion and then after a very obvious creek crossing you keep Whiskey Run on your right and backyards on your left all the way to James Lane. 

Lots of steeper ups and downs through this section. Very pretty scenery with trees and water help to take your mind off that. 

Looking up at James Lane as the trail heads up away from Whiskey Creek

To your right as you approach the James Lane Trail head is Kovacs Funeral Home

At the trail head turn right towards Route 420 (Woodland Ave)
Kovacs Funeral Home remains on our right. 

At intersection of James Lane and 420/Woodland Avenue turn left.
I'm not sure if this is a trail marker or some other road mark
But it was in the right place for a trail marker. 

Continue up (yes UP) route  420 to where it ends at Route 320.
Cross at the light and turn left.
You are now walking South on 320

At this church you are going to turn right.
It recently changed names
so (IMO) it's better to remember the building not the name. 

The right turn at the church is onto Wesley Road.
But don't stay on Wesley. Instead turn right into
the church parking lot. Follow the right edge of the parking lot ....

..... to this trail entrance. The sign tells you that you are in the right place.
The church is to my right and just a little behind now. 

This next section travels through the woods to back to Smedley Park. There are a lot of switchbacks here along with more side trails and paths that lead to people's backyards. Again, don't go into people's backyards. It's bad form, unless you've been invited or have permission. That being said, there are portions of the HorseShoe Trail in our area that DO go through people's backyards but these are clearly marked. 

The switchbacks in this section of the trail make you feel like you are going the wrong way especially when the direction change happens at a fork in the trail. Just stick to the yellow blazes and you'll be fine. Sometimes you have to look down the forks to find the next blaze but you shouldn't have to go far to find the next one. The trail maintainers have done a great job of keeping up with re-blazing necessitated by downed trees. 

The trail goes under the Blue Route (476).....

......Just before popping out at the baseball fields.
Turn right here to go over a bridge toward the baseball fields

Follow the blazes on the park walking path.
The baseball field is straight ahead and
to your left is a playground

Just a few steps and this blaze is telling you to turn left back into the woods. 

The trail meanders on the (south??) side of Smedley Park. It goes under the Blue Route again. The Blue Route bisects the park more or less. The trail dumps you in the playground below. My car is just out of the top right corner of the photo below.

I wore sneakers for this hike. Not any conscious choice. It's been so long since I've done any regular hiking I just didn't think to put on hiking shoes. The sneakers were just fine. The last section does have a lot of tree rooted spots and I would have preferred my hiking shoes there but really I was fine. 

 

I wore a mask for the entire hike today. I was out early today. Some would say it wasn't necessary since I only saw one other human being on the trail. That's not the point. If we stand a chance of beating COVID, we must get used to wearing masks ALL.THE.TIME when we are outside our homes. (And inside our homes if we invite others in). Scrambling to put them on when someone approaches is not good enough. 

It wasn't hard to keep my mask on. I lifted it a very few times to get a breath at the top of a climb. I need more air at the top of a climb even without a mask. The mask I wear for hiking allows me to put a hydration tube under it easily. If I was using a bottle, I would have lowered or raised it momentarily to drink. Your mask protects me. Please wear it. 

As I hiked today and thought about creating a trail guide, I wondered if I should rate the hike's difficulty so others could make decisions. But decided against that. Easy, moderate, hard (or whatever adjectives one might use) are so personal. And quite frankly a hike that might be hard one day is easier the next day depending on one's mood, nutrition and weather conditions - to name just a few factors. If you want to take a hike take it. And if you are unsure if you are 'up to it' my advice is to hike with people you trust. By that I mean with someone you know has your back if you say "This isn't working for me". Someone who will hike back with you if necessary no questions asked; no judgments. BTW, I'll be that person for anyone who wants to take me up on it. 

I hope you enjoyed this guide to the Springfield Trail. I enjoyed creating it. 

Keep Smiling Keep Moving

-Paula 

Reasonable Accommodations to Mandates Requiring Face Masks

This post is a public service announcement from me to those among my readers who are confused about exceptions to wearing face masks.

BE SURE TO READ MY DISCLAIMERS AT THE END OF THIS POST.

As the COVID 19 Pandemic continues, more and more businesses as well as state and local authorities require the wearing of masks to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus. My own state, Pennsylvania, recently enacted a mask wearing mandate. These polices have launched loud debates in some circles and even precipitated the appearance of fake mask exemption cards. (The spelling errors alone should have been a clue).

What follows is an attempt to help you separate fact from fiction.

FACT: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a disability as: a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment.

FACT: There are people who cannot wear a face mask for a disability related reason.

FACT: Not all disabilities are observable.

FACT: The ADA applies to persons who cannot wear a mask for mental or physical health related reasons.

FACT: The ADA exists to prohibit discrimination and guarantee that people with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else to participate in the mainstream of American life.

FACT: The ADA provides that persons with a disability have the right to request a reasonable accommodation to a policy or practice so that the person with the disability can participate in, or benefit from the programs, services or goods being offered.

FICTION: The ADA protections mean that a person with a disability that prevents them from wearing a mask must be admitted  to public spaces without a mask.

FACT: A reasonable accommodation request may be denied for three reasons (according to the law). The reason that mostly applies to COVID 19 is the direct threat exception. An accommodation is not reasonable if it poses a direct threat to others.

As of this writing, guidance from the CDC and the EEOC supports the analysis of the spread of COVID 19 as a direct threat. The virus can be spread by anyone whether symptomatic or not. And the wearing of masks is designated as one (of many) methods for reducing the spread and reducing the risk of infection.

Therefore, the owner or operator of a business or place of public accommodation may deny access to persons without a mask. However, at the same time, the business owner or operator must offer other accommodations that are reasonable. Click here for more discussion on this topic including some examples of reasonable accommodations.

To be clear, Just say no is not an option here.

Are there people out there who are taking advantage and asking for accommodation even though there is no disability related need for one? Of course there are. However, asking for proof of disability (although  permitted under ADA) is risky if not done correctly. And for the purpose of today's topic - COVID 19 and Face Masks - it's not going to make a difference that matters. When we let fear of being made a fool by those who would take advantage control our actions, we risk discriminating against those who truly need accommodation.

Disclaimer #1: I am NOT your attorney. If you are the owner or operator of a business or place of public accommodation, please seek the advice of your counsel as to the applicability of this information to your business.

Disclaimer #2: I've done the research. I am confident in the accuracy of my words as of the date of this writing. However, guidance from the CDC and other state and federal entities is likely to change as the COVID-19 pandemic evolves. Stay informed.

Keep Smiling Keep Moving,
-Paula