its interesting that my board is experiencing the exact same symptoms as this other thread on an ESP32.
One of their observations gives me a work around that is good enough for now. If I use a USB-A to USB-C cable instead of a USB-C to USB-C cable . . .IT WORKS even though I have to use a USB hub between as my macbook does not have a USB-A port on it.
Peculiar, but ill let it go as I have a solution that works good enough for me 
Thanks for the help as always!