S240's and Lyme disease question.

[lungimsam]

I see vids and read about S240's/touring. Sounds like alot of fun.

 

But are you all concerned about getting Lyme Disease (tic-borne) from sleeping on the ground outdoors?

 

Here in Maryland, Lyme disease seems to run rampant. I know several people, who have had it, along with their family members. So I would imagine that sleeping on the ground nights could be very risky here in MD.

 

 

[Jim Mather]

http://www.cdc.gov/features/lymedisease/

 

 

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[Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery]

There's a lot to be afraid of in the woods: Lyme disease, West Nile Virus, Hanta virus, wild beasts, stabbing yourself in the hand while cutting summer sausage, crashing your bike into a tree, lightning, tornados. Sometimes there are sadistic serial killers roaming around in the woods.

On balance, I'd say S24O trips are pretty terrifying, but fun enough to make it worth doing anyway.

[John Blish]

I try to check myself for ticks every evening but there sure could be one that I don't find.  One of the advantages of camping where you can shower, for me, is that it is easier to check in the shower.  

Maybe we are talking about 2 different things.  I sleep in a tent with a floor and zippered doors that don't have their bottom right at ground level.  I think that provides some protection.  Even tick size critters usually don't get in when the zipper is snug.

My guess is that folks who are out in the same area as where I tour but are just doing a day ride have about the same amount of exposure as I do when I tour and camp at night.

When I walk off the path or roadway into the weeds and bushes I try to check myself at least a little bit when I get back to the pavement but I sometimes forget or just don't bother to do it.

I know a guy who has Lyme disease and it is real but like any risks associated with outdoor activities you have to try to understand the statistical likelihood of an occurrence.  

Indoor activities too I guess.  No one wants to get shot in the back upon the unexpected return of a neighbor's spouse who was said to be at work. 

-jb

 

 

 

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John Blish
Minneapolis MN USA

[lungimsam]

I must sound silly, wondering about this. As, for thousands of years humans have lived and had to function daily out of doors.

[James Warren]

No, not at all. Jim Thill's response sounded joking at first read, but then I realized it was quite thoughtful. The idea being that S240's do carry risk and danger, and that is a streak that makes them invigorating. They are not dangerous enough to scare one from doing them, but I've never been on an overnight bike tour when there wasn't at least one moment or time period when I went on slightly higher alert, worried about my safety a bit. The tick thing would be a part of that in Lyme disease country. But you do the ride anyway, because overnighters are AWESOME!

 

-Jim W.

-----Original Message-----
From: lungimsam

 

I must sound silly, wondering about this. As, for thousands of years humans have lived and had to function daily out of doors.

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[John Blish]

The fact that you are aware of it and have some concern probably makes you safer than some others who are not. 

From what I read even the most cautious experts are not saying "Don't go into the woods, weeds, bushes, etc." 

What they are saying I think is be sure to look yourself over as carefully as circumstances permit and remove any ticks you find.

-jb

On Fri, Oct 19, 2012 at 12:13 AM, lungimsam <john1...@gmail.com> wrote:

I must sound silly, wondering about this. As, for thousands of years humans have lived and had to function daily out of doors.

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[Horace]

I guess it carries the same risk as camping in other circumstances. I go camping a couple of times a year, and we have no shortage of ticks out here in California either. I use a tent and set it up away from brush.

H.

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[NickBull]

If you get Lyme disease, which is highly-prevalent among ticks found where I live, your post will no longer seem quite so witty to you.  I know several people whose lives have been devastated by Lyme disease.  It's much like living with MS.  Myself, a few years ago I found a tick while on a camping trip with my son.  It had been attached for only about an hour, but in the next couple of days I developed the classic Lyme disease "target" around the tick byte.  That's despite the fact that many of the Lyme disease websites say the tick has to be attached for 24 hours.  Fortunately a strong dose of antibiotics took out the Lyme disease.  About half the time, there are no immediate symptoms of Lyme disease, so if you get bit by a tick, make sure to save it so that the tick itself can be checked for Lyme.

I still go camping, anyway.  Life is full of risk.

Nick

[Mike On A Bike]

I apprenticed with an herbalist/wildcrafter for a while who'd pulled
off innumerable ticks in his 30+ years in the field, and he'd always
say if you pull them off within 24 hours there is zero chance of
getting Lyme. He mentioned this to a Duke University infectious
disease specialist who agreed. Anecdotal evidence, but I've always
gone by that and as truly horrific as I know Lyme's is, it's no reason
to deprive yourself of nature as long as your cautious.

[NickBull]

Apparently the tick that got me didn't get the memo about the 24-hour waiting period!  My doctor confirms that there are known cases of transmission in less than 24 hours.  The CDC website says that in "most cases" the tick has to be attached for 36 to 48 hours.  You have to be careful how you remove the tick, because if you squeeze the body then it acts like a handy hypodermic full of Lyme-causing bacteria.  And you have to get all of the mouth parts out.  You're supposed to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible and gently, steadily pull them out.  Easier said than done.  It's entirely possible that I either squeezed the body of the tick or left mouth parts behind, this was about a decade ago before Lyme disease was quite as prevalent.

I agree with not depriving yourself of nature as long as you're a little bit cautious.

Nick

[Jeremy Till]

Interesting lyme disease fact: California, birthplace of the S240, has a statistically significant lower incidence of lyme disease, thanks to a lizard--the Western Fence Lizard--which is common in the area, and whose blood contains a protein that kills the lyme disease bacterium.  So when our local ticks feed on these lizards--which I guess is a fairly common occurrence--any lyme disease they are carrying is killed. 

http://www.calacademy.org/science_now/archive/wild_lives/fence_lizards_050601.php