The "Combined" Poison Oak Thread :-)

Thanks J
Forgot to mention that as well. Wash or wipe your bike down

 

This is where I have to say I've never had a case of Poison Oak, Poison Ivy, or Poison Sumac. Either I'm extra careful, or I'm extremely lucky.

Or I'm a complete wimp who never gets in there in the first place.

 

As I read this I've got the last bit of PO rash healing on my shin...but from a couple of weeks ago. Haha. The PO is going off right now from all the winter rains.

And I've had a rash from Poodle Dog Bush too. Not that bad though.

 

I assume it is because of the amount of rain we have received this past Winter, but I am seeing far more P.O. growing this Spring than I have seen in years. I cringe every time I roll past it, which is a lot in my locale.

 

This is a great thread... I think we had one similar a while back, but it sparks the idea of a thread for hostile plants since there are several. Should we let this one run its course and start an Evil Plants Thread? More of a pictorial/description thread?

 

I've never been "got" by poison oak, ivy, or poodle dog when I know I should have been. One time up on Straberry Peak, Red Box to Switzer was inundated with Poodle Dog. We picked and chose and rerouted until we just got tired of it. I don't know about the others, but I just started plowing through it. My bars and gloves were soaked with P-Dawg juice.
I worried for like two weeks............. nothing!

On another Strawberry ride we dove into the Gabrielino Trail and it was smothered with Poison Oak. I was terrified! I knew I had multiple moments of contact, still, nothing. I'm not prepared to test my theory, but I think I might be immune to such flora.

Come to think of it, both those rides were led by @rossage! Hmmmmmm..... it's all making sense now.

 

Lucky dog, apparently you are not allergic.

 

Hey! The imtbtrails Search Engine works!
Check this Post out Mike/Ozzie/ @SnakeCharmer !
http://www.imtbtrails.com/forum/threads/how-to-prevent-poison-ivy-rash.4606/

I think once the mystery is gone, it's just a matter of thorough discipline.

 

Let's get this thread going again (sorry Mikie).

I now understand how to be proactive where my skin is concerned. In truth, I already knew this stuff but I am lazy about being responsible where becoming infected is concerned.

So, let's talk about decontaminating our riding attire/clothing/and wash clothes. Once I am infected, I wash all of my suspected infected items in a cold wash with detergent and color safe bleach. Is that enough??? I using rubbing alcohol on my riding shoes, too.

How do you guys disinfect everything?

 

What??? No worries, my snake charming poison oak infested friend!

 

I am not so lucky, I attract any and Everything. Got that PO in MDO and it reacted the next day. Even after showering in the campground shower for 30 minutes with my new bottle of Zanfel and a bottle of Dawn.

 

I got P.O. bad once on my leg after a ride in the San Gabes. Was too tired to take a shower after the ride and went to sleep. Woke up late the next morning and went to work dirty. About week later my leg started to itch and swell up. Treated it with all the usual remedies but too late. I checked with the internet doctor and found out there is really nothing you can do , just let it run it's course. Continued to swell up for like 3 weeks. My leg was more than double its regular size. Then almost overnight the swelling went down. Normal again. Lesson learned, take a shower after riding the Gabes or other P.O. filled trails.

 

@SnakeCharmer,
May I combine the two threads sir?

 

You're asking me? I thought you were the boss?

 

I am highly sensitive to Poison Oak. It really sucks when I get exposed to it and useually results in several transfer outbreaks and weeks of irritated skin.

A few years back a friend took me "hiking" through a bunch of PO up and down the banks of trabucco creek. I was wearing shorts he was in pants. I did not know I had been exposed and I was not paying attention and he never told me to beware and I never asked or even thought I was rubbing against PO most of the day.

The next morning I went surfing at trestles at dawn. While crossing the river mouth on the beach we past through a swarm of hungry mosquitos and I was bitten everywear including my legs. I am kind of allergic to mosquito bites and swell up. Keep in mind I did not know I had poison oak yet.

The next few days I was really itching a lot and did everything I could to treat the bites. That week I was wearing my MTB skin guards, and could not figure out why my mosquito bites were getting worse. 2 weeks latter the bite locations were getting better, but the pattern of irritation on my left leg was moving around and duplicated in several places on my legs. Funny. So my PO infection had been picked up by my MTB skin guards and now appeared in same pattern but moved around a few times.

Off to the doctors on the 3rd week of torture. "You have poison oak" what?

 

Bubba who?

 

Hah! I'm asking you cuzz I respect you as imtbtrails family.

 

Ah gee, thanks!

I think it would be great to combine the threads.

 

Tell you what, I'll merge them and leave the title as The Poison Oak thread.

 

I think this Yellow Fiddleneck is whats been messing my legs up the last few weeks.
.
http://www.desertusa.com/flowers/Fiddleneck.html

Its got hairs kinda like Poodle dog bush.

 

Ok so this is....poison oak?

 

Yep, that's the stuff. Steer well clear of it.

 

@SnakeCharmer
And we were having a snack on a rock and behind it was full of PO.... will be more careful next time in the outdoors.

 

During the summer months it turns red. My niece thought it was something else and handled it with her hands multiple times And it didn't turn out well. She argued that it wasn't for along time. Doctor finally set her straight.

 

Yep it's so nice and healthy this year! and when the leaves fall off in summer you still need to watch out for the bare branches.
I tend to notice PO just like I would a snake, kind of on the subconscious level and steer clear.

 

Okay. Hopefully you've already had your dinner. Apparently I picked up something over the last week or two and don't know what. I did see a lot of poodle dog on the Ojai ride last Saturday. Anyways what to do now since it's obviously too late to scrub. Any recommendations?

 

Depilatory?

 

Antihistamine. Stay on it for a good ten days. If its itchy, calamine lotion.

It looks like poodle dog to me. Bummer.

 

Thorougly wash all of your riding attire including your shoes with dish soap.

 

Beer.