Great time, tough day! Honestly, much better than I thought it would be. Well . . . we'll just see how far these poison oak blooms on my arms go before the final assessment!

Boy that MikeTX is one good lookin Texan! Looks like you guys had fun.

Cheers!

Always looking for a tough hike. Where is Little Blue ?

What happened to Squishy!?

Thanks, guys- that was a great time. I've never had to bushwhack through chaparrel & poison oak in order to descend to a stream, which is followed for a mile (around, under, & through brush too) to another hillside, through more brush, just to get to the summit ridge. Epic! So far I think I only have one PO bloom on my wrist where my watch was (so far)- I should survive. Nice seeing you Matt, fittingly on another CHP (we're definitely a twisted group, I've decided)- let me know if you want company on any future ones. Dingus, a pleasure to meet you & shoot the shit, in the mountains no less, & look forward to the next time our paths cross (on some deranged hike, a climb, or whatever)- thanks for your guiding services too! Mike, glad you could make it & good to meet you too- hope you get the chance to relax your next trip to Cali (maybe do something less painful- Whitney or something logical ...)- or, you know, now that you've got 2 down, just go for it, join the club, & do all the CA cty highpoints (hardest one's behind you!)! Thanks again, guys.

At least someone else got the itchies! Yeah, up and down my arms and legs, so all that clothing and Technu didn't do much. Orrrrrrr, it did, and it could have been much much worse. Still it isn't all that bad, it is dispersed and not super concentrated.

When people at work find out and say, "Sorry," I tell them not to be. I knew I would get this when I planned the hike. And then they look at me funny and make an excuse to go somewhere else. No one here hikes with me, oddly.

Staring at the 2"-diameter red rash on my wrist right now- itches like f%^&, but I was honestly expecting way worse, so it's all good. I have yet to wash my clothes from the adventure, though, & my daypack that I used I haven't touched since I got back out of fear...

Glad you got those loppers, Dingus- thought the forest swallowed them in anger. PM sent.

If you guys PM me your addresses, I'll burn some CDs with the pics I got & send 'em your way. Could I get any pics you guys took?? That would be awesome.

yeah, check out my version of photos from the first try in 2006 here:

link

And yes, this is my wife's car. Gulp.

Dingus Milktoast wrote: I didn't take a shower until MONDAY! I went the whole weekend without a real cleanup. Re-wore the same pants rock climbing on Saturday too. Not one rash... and a couple of itchy spots I failed to scratch and never amounted to anything. I'm lucky that way!

I recall the bushwhack heading up the stream, using lopers like they were the Jaws of Life, a tangled mess of vegetation that was almost impossible to discern one variety from the next. As I'm following DMT I eventually let down my guard thinking maybe the PO isn't so bad - HE doesn't seem too concerned. I may have been shredding PO with the loppers like I was making a salad, for all I knew. Later he sort of smiles and tells me he's immune to the stuff. I came down with rashes everywhere. I mean *everywhere*. And I was covered head to foot in clothing. It was almost a week before I got a full night's sleep. Worth it, though.

Bob Burd wrote:Worth it, though.

right there with you!

Bob Burd wrote:As I'm following DMT I eventually let down my guard thinking maybe the PO isn't so bad - HE doesn't seem too concerned... Later he sort of smiles and tells me he's immune to the stuff. I came down with rashes everywhere.

This explains a lot... I was wondering about his carefree attitude towards the stuff. Makes me think of a comment made to Mike in the other thread how Little Blue wouldn't compare to Baldy- oh no it doesn't... Big ups to both you & Dingus for laying the groundwork for this little stroll- greatly appreciated by the rest of us. Glad I wore coveralls.