Over the past few weeks of adjusting to the gradually shrinking new realities of not traveling, then not going to restaurants or coffee shops in my city, and then not leaving my house except for essential tasks like buying groceries, I started thinking about adventure stories that would enable some perspective on our synchronous isolation. And I kept thinking about one of the most uncomfortable stories I’d ever read, in one of the best adventure books of all time, Art Davidson’s Minus 148 Degrees: Three climbers who spent six days and six nights inside a cramped snow cave at 18,200 feet during the first winter ascent of Denali, the highest mountain in North America, in 1967.
So I thought I’d compare the two situations, just for a little levity:
Note that this is a joke, but there are a lot of people whose circumstances don’t allow for laughing right now. If you’re able and would like to donate a few dollars to help folks in need, here are a few charities to consider:
- Give Directly, which sends funds directly to those hardest hit by the economic effects of COVID-19
- Relief funds for restaurant, bar, and food service workers across the U.S.
- Use this directory to find a food bank in your area
- Meals on Wheels
—Brendan