is very nice. I just have to step out of my hotel room, and go back 1-2 blocks before I find one of the paths that lace the areas surrounding town. The path up to the castle (which stands almost vertically over the downtown section) gets ya huffin and puffin good.
Unfortunately I also had my first literal run-in with stinging nettle last night. I can recognize all the poisonous plants found in the eastern US from a distance, but it's my first encounter with the stuff. Got a nice 4" x 4" patch of sting from brushing my knee over it. Makes you forget the burn in the quads.
is very nice. I just have to step out of my hotel room, and go back 1-2 blocks before I find one of the paths that lace the areas surrounding town. The path up to the castle (which stands almost vertically over the downtown section) gets ya huffin and puffin good.
Unfortunately I also had my first literal run-in with stinging nettle last night. I can recognize all the poisonous plants found in the eastern US from a distance, but it's my first encounter with the stuff. Got a nice 4" x 4" patch of sting from brushing my knee over it. Makes you forget the burn in the quads.
Run faster 🙂 Maybe it's a different kind that what we have here, or it doesn't bother me anymore (have been stung in my yard, maybe 20 yr ago), or it's effect is minor at certain times, but many of our single tracks have at least some overhanging it. Maybe after 100s of people hit it, it has lost its toxins. Although sometimes proper foot placement can avoid it, I usually hit it while biking the one route. It also comes into my yard from the highway. Cow parsnip caused a lot of people grief earlier in the summer and was overhanging a lot of trails, to the extent that people were trying to get longer shorts to wear in races.
Yes, I was impressed with their pathway systems too (we were there April 2004). Had some great runs along the big rivers, on quiet paths. I'd really like to go back and do some serious bike touring! But since I was there in April, perhaps the nettle wasn't out yet, did not encounter that.
Teresa in AZ
David Geesaman said:
is very nice. I just have to step out of my hotel room, and go back 1-2 blocks before I find one of the paths that lace the areas surrounding town. The path up to the castle (which stands almost vertically over the downtown section) gets ya huffin and puffin good.
Unfortunately I also had my first literal run-in with stinging nettle last night. I can recognize all the poisonous plants found in the eastern US from a distance, but it's my first encounter with the stuff. Got a nice 4" x 4" patch of sting from brushing my knee over it. Makes you forget the burn in the quads.
"David Geesaman" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
is very nice. I just have to step out of my hotel room, and go back 1-2 blocks before I find one of the paths that lace the areas surrounding
town.
Quoted message said:
The path up to the castle (which stands almost vertically over the
downtown
Quoted message said:
section) gets ya huffin and puffin good.
Unfortunately I also had my first literal run-in with stinging nettle last night. I can recognize all the poisonous plants found in the eastern US from a distance, but it's my first encounter with the stuff. Got a nice
4"
Quoted message said:
x 4" patch of sting from brushing my knee over it. Makes you forget the burn in the quads.
Those are in the eastern US woods also. I used to encounter them all the time orienteering, and they can get you pretty badly even through nylon pants.
"Dot" <dot.h@#duh?att.net> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
Unfortunately I also had my first literal run-in with stinging nettle last night. I can recognize all the poisonous plants found in the eastern US from a distance, but it's my first encounter with the stuff. Got a nice 4" x 4" patch of sting from brushing my knee over it. Makes you forget the burn in the quads.
Run faster 🙂 Maybe it's a different kind that what we have here, or it doesn't bother me anymore (have been stung in my yard, maybe 20 yr ago), or it's effect is minor at certain times, but many of our single tracks have at least some overhanging it. Maybe after 100s of people hit it, it has lost its toxins. Although sometimes proper foot placement can avoid it, I usually hit it while biking the one route. It also comes into my yard from the highway.
This patch was pretty thick and right at a fork in walking paths, out in the open. I changed my mind which path to follow and let my swinging leg brush hard across the plants. I went around side of the patch that would be generally untouched. It stung immediately, and when I took a closer look at the plant I saw it had millions of tiny needles on the underside of the leaves. Felt like all those tiny barbs were embedded in my skin. A guy at work confirmed that it also had irritative resin in it, too. Anyway, I won't be cutting that corner again.
"David Geesaman" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
is very nice. I just have to step out of my hotel room, and go back 1-2 blocks before I find one of the paths that lace the areas surrounding town. The path up to the castle (which stands almost vertically over the downtown section) gets ya huffin and puffin good.
Sounds lovely. I've never been out of the US myself...So, I'm envious! ;-) Do you live there now or just visitin'?
Quoted message said:
Unfortunately I also had my first literal run-in with stinging nettle last night. I can recognize all the poisonous plants found in the eastern US from a distance, but it's my first encounter with the stuff. Got a nice 4" x 4" patch of sting from brushing my knee over it. Makes you forget the burn in the quads.
Yuk! Sounds nasty! I hope it doesn't last too long. JJ
"JJ" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
"David Geesaman" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
Someone I assumed you were from out west - probably because Dan S recognized your name, and he's a left coaster. From where do you hail in the east?
Downtown Pennsylvania. (near Harrisburg)
Not tooooo far from me! I'm in eastern PA. JJ
Sounds good. Haven't I seen you posting in rec.eq also?
Anyway, sometimes my g/f goes to shows in Lancaster area and is a regular on lancasterhorse.com. Give us a shout if you're ever headed to a show there.
Oh, the itching mostly subsided by the next day, and was gone in a couple more. It didn't cause any redness or rash like I expected it would. But then again, maybe all the rain I endured while hiking in the alps this weekend soaked it out :o).
