Here and There...

I received an email a week or so ago asking if I was planning on returning to work Spring Training at Surprise Stadium. The bats start swinging February 27th in the Cactus League and I had already made my annual reservations to stay at White Tank Park for the six weeks of Spring baseball. This would have been my fourth Spring Training to work at Surprise Stadium but it seems that dreaded five-letter word just continues to get in the way. It seems COVID is completely out of control in Arizona and the Governor has abdicated any meaningful attempts to control the virus. Since the start of 2021 the Grand Canyon State has seen as many as 17,000 new cases per day. Yesterday saw more than 9,800 cases and the day before had nearly 11,000 sun lovers testing positive. Dr. Marjorie Bessel, chief clinical officer for Banner Health, said this week that “One in four Arizonans who are tested for the virus are confirmed positive for COVID-19”. Hmmm, doesn't seem like the greatest of ideas to go stand in a tent and expose myself to thousands of fans. So I won't be going south this Spring and I'm going to miss it. I really enjoy the sunshine and warmth as well as the fun vibe that surrounds Spring b-ball in the Arizona desert.

No mention at all of COVID
on the Surprise Stadium site...

Given the conditions, why Major League Baseball is continuing with Spring Training as usual is beyond me (and way, way beyond my pay grade!). I guess if fans want to flock to crowded stadiums with the odds of being exposed at 25% that's their choice. The Sundancers, those wonderful volunteers who are the ubiquitous hosts at Surprise Stadium are a little more circumspect on their website and at least acknowledge, albeit without directly mentioning the C-word, that there is something to consider: "The health and safety of our fans and residents are the top priority for Surprise Stadium. We are currently working with our MLB partners, as well as local and state officials, to coordinate the safest fan experience for the 2021 season." I wish them only the best.

On a happier note I did get a chance last week to head down to the Great Sand Dunes National Park nestled against the Sangre de Cristo mountains just north of Alamosa. The early January day we went saw the brilliant blue skies Colorado is famous for and temps in the mid to high 30's. Fortunately there was little if any wind so conditions were picture perfect for a hike in the sand. 

Trudging up the dunes is an exercise in infinite patience. For every two steps forward you tend to backslide a step (kind of like 2020...) so slow and steady is the order of the day if you want to reach the higher dunes. I was surprised how many out of state vehicles were in the Medano Creek parking lot. Ours was about the only car sporting the green and white Colorado plates and there were folks who had come from Illinois, Texas, Virginia and Florida - quite a ways to travel to see these famous dunes. 

Once you start climbing the dunes you still get a sense of solitude and the views as you get higher and higher (some of the highest dunes are up to 750 feet tall) are the reward for all your hard work. I've camped at the Park in years past (the campgrounds are closed in Winter and reopen in April) and especially at night the stargazing  is absolutely amazing so this truly is a special place. Apart from hiking the dunes a fair number of folks were sledding the steeper slopes. Not quite snow sledding but it still looked like fun!

Here's a brief video of our visit. We're already planning a return trip once the weather gets nicer. It won't be quite the same as the sun and fun of March in AZ, but given what we're all dealing with its not half bad...