Last night I took a spin up Grand Ridge to do some exploring on my mt bike. After a somewhat grueling climb, I made it up to a section of the trail I have never been on before. So, I'm thinking that the trail is wrapping around the back of the Highlands and is going to dump me out at some park. My plan was to turn around, reap the fruits of my labor, and ride back down the way I came. NO such luck. At one point the trail went from being really nice, open, and swooshy fast to almost no trail at all. The foliage just closed in and the trail became a giant boggy mess with logs littered every few feet that were unridable. Call me a glutton for punishment, but I kept going. I just had to see where that trail ended up.
I did eventually make it off the trail, but not until I had to hike through a huge thicket of Stinging Nettle (pictures included). My legs took the brunt of it and it felt like getting stuck with very hot needles. Not at all like acupuncture. The worst of it is my hand. It feels numb, like when you've sat on your leg the wrong way and you've put it to sleep, but WAY more annoying. Apparently, it's going to take a few days to go away. Very annoying. So take from me - stay out of the Stinging Nettle.
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I find that they last 4 to 8 hours depending on how bad you got into it, and you might have a bit of irritation the next day. The good news is the more you get them the less you reacte, and they are apparently good for treating arthritis.
At least it ain't poison oak.
Luckily, (knock on wood), I've never had poison oak and I don't think it grows here in Western Cascades. At least I've never seen it. My stinging nettle lasted well into the next day, but that is good news about becoming less reactive to it. Maybe I should do some more tromping around in it just to get it over with... Ah, maybe not. It is also good for all sorts of other ailments when taken internally. Very high in Vitamin C.
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