[pct-l] Tick Talk

[atjulliard at yahoo.com (Alan Julliard)]

Bill in Sacramento said:
>In the summer I also tend to avoid the lower
>elevation areas where poison oak occurs because
>they're also tick infested. I hate ticks even 
>more than poison oak.

Me too.  But first a couple of comments more on poison
oak.
 
My wife and I lived in Mendocino County a long time
ago and were constantly getting PO on hikes.  Someone
shared their folk cure for the itch problem (once
infected) and it worked for us.  Take a hot shower,
starting out warm but increasing the heat as you
tolerate it.  Initially, it makes the itch worse so
you have to bear with it.  As the heat increases, a
point is reached where there is sudden relief from the
maddening itch which can only be compared to orgasm. 
Apparently, the body releases something to deal with
the itch and the effect lasts for a couple of days. 
The skin has a chance to heal because you are not
scratching all of the time.  This may not work for
everyone but it made all of the difference to me.  And
until they get all of those showers installed every
few miles, it won't do you any good on the trail.  Of
course, that other poisonous plant that Mendo County
is famous for, popularly known as Mary Jane, can
trigger a fatal dose of lead poisoning if contact is
made, so hiking is best avoided there at certain times
of the year.  

The worst PO I have ever seen used to be located
halfway up Reed's Direct, a famous rock climb in
Yosemite Valley, worst because it is a crack climb and
the bush was growing in the crack...you get the idea. 
Not only did the granite chew up my forearm but I had
PO on top of it for a week!

The Southern California PCT guidebook has a discussion
of poison ivy on page 23 with a note under Special
Problems for Section D.  On page 25, there is a
discussion of ticks with notes under Special Problems
for Sections C and F.  My question is where have most
hikers (or horse riders for that matter) encountered
the worst ticks on the PCT in Southern California?  I
never encountered either PO or ticks on my hike but
that is because (I realized in a flash of light) the
PCT was mostly on roads in SC when I hiked it.  Now,
as I prepare to hike an actual trail this spring, I
will have to deal with all of these things.  Also,
what prevention (clothes and/or repellant) worked for
you?  I've been covered in ticks before but I prefer
to not repeat the experience (though that might be
good training for Fear Factor).

Alan


	
		
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