[pct-l] Jumping Cholla!

[CHUCK CHELIN]

Good evening, Alphabetsoup,

I haven’t experienced any incidents with Cholla, or most other cacti, but I
once spread my ground sheet insufficiently far from a low Spanish Dagger
cactus and when I squatted down to spread my sleeping bag I ended up
sincerely wishing I hadn’t.

Steel-Eye

Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965

http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye

http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09


On Fri, Apr 1, 2011 at 7:54 PM, Alphabetsoup <alphabetsoupmmm at gmail.com>wrote:

> I was out doing a conditioning hike today and thought about a little known
> native plant that thrives in various places throughout the Anza-borrego
> desert section of the PCT. the Cholla Cactus...*Pronounced (choy ya)* For
> those of you who have never seen one, or experienced their potentially
> painful wrath I offer you a little information...
>
> The wind blows little round balls of thorns off of the main plant, the
> thorns have many tiny fish hook like protrusions that you cannot see, but
> You will feel them, as it can take a pair of pliers to get those things out
> of your skin, shoes, gear and clothes.
>
> All one needs to do is brush up against the plant, or be downwind of a
> cholla cactus during a gust of wind and you've got yourself a new friend!
>
> Don't Panic...*Do not* try to use your hands or anything soft like
> gloves...
> *DO *get out your comb and work it off yourself...Be sure to turn away from
> your fellow hikers so your not removing it in the direction of anyone
> else...you and your friends will find our why they call them "Jumping
> Cholla"
>
> If your not carrying a comb, this is one reason to do so...
>
> ymmv,imho,hyoh...and all that jazz
>
> --
> *Alphabetsoup*
> *~Soon to be PCT Thru-Hiker April 2011~*
> * www.postholer.com/alphabetsoup*
> *
> *
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