Book Group THE BOOK GROUP met on December 19 and discussed The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming by David WallaceWell. There were relatively few members present, probably a reflection of having selected a relatively long and very grim book, and not a good choice for the holiday season. The author presents an extensive and well-referenced account of the impacts of climate change—those already experienced and those to come. Wallace-Well’s message is that it is already too late to avoid many aspects of climate change. We have so far tried to ignore what is happening and think of climate change as a problem for the future. The author maintains that climate change is evident now and global in its impact, with those with fewest resources suffering most. Though Wallace-Well ends with the statement that he thinks we can find a way to keep the planet livable, the thrust of the book is that climate change is here. There is no longer a “normal.” The group decided on books for the next months, hoping that they would be less depressing. They are: n January 23: Lessons in Chemistry—a novel by Bonnie Garmus. n February 20: How to Stand Up to a Dictator: The Fight for Our Future—nonfiction by Maria Ressa. n March 19: Remarkably Bright Creatures: A Novel—by Shelby Van Pelt. n April 16: Prequel: An American Fight Against Fascism— nonfiction by Rachel Maddow. The Book Group meets the third Tuesday of every month. All RAPS members are welcome. —Joan Shireman Bridge Group THE BRIDGE GROUP needs additional players badly. Why would anyone join our group? Our players are friendly and enjoy the social aspect of playing bridge together. Why not investigate what our group has to offer? I would like to hear from any interested RAPS members or others you know who might want to play in our group. The Bridge Group does not require RAPS membership. Your friends and relatives would be welcome to join us. Please rattle your social and family networks to see if you might be able to shake loose a bridge player or two. Please contact me at 503-808-7715. My email address is: the.steve.brennan@gmail.com. —Steve Brennan RAPS Group Reports Hiking Group FIVE MEMBERS of the Hiking Group met in December to plan the next year’s hiking schedule. We tried to balance easy versus more challenging, in-town versus out-of-town, wilderness versus hard pavement. We decided to keep to the third Wednesday of the month, acknowledging that no regularly scheduled day will work for everyone. The group is amenable to adjusting the hiking day to accommodate weather extremes such as excessive heat or rain, or the flower season, so we encourage people who would like to hike but have problems with a specific day to let us know. Please contact Tom Dieterich or Cilla Murray at tgdieterich@earthlink.net. The schedule for 2024 as planned is: n January 17: Columbia Springs Loop (Vancouver Waterfront), 3.1miles. n February 21: Mary S. Young Park (Lake Oswego/West Lynn), about 8 miles of trails, route to be determined. n March 20: Jackson Bottom Loop (west of Hillsboro), 4.7 miles (may be birds). n April 17: Catherine Creek Tracy Hill Loop (6.1 miles) or Catherine Creek Arch Loop (easy). Washington side of the Gorge. May be flowers. n May 15: Tom McCall Point or Rowena Dell. Oregon side of Gorge. May be flowers. n June 19: Champoeg State Park (south of Portland). n July 17: Salmon River in Salmon River Huckleberry Wilderness, on Mt. Hood, 7.8 miles or stop at Rolling Riffle, 4.0 miles. n August 21: Wilson River (west of Portland, route to be determined). n September 18: Eagle Creek to High Bridge (6.4 miles) or to Punchbowl Falls (4.2 miles). Oregon side of Gorge. n October 16: Clackamette Loop (4.3 miles). Gladstone/Oregon City. n November 20: Portland Bridges: Sellwood to Tilikum Crossing. n December: Planning session. —Tom Dieterich 3 RAPS SHEET n JANUARY 2024
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