Ultimatum

Hey, I'm looking for some cachers around the southwest Michigan area to go geocaching with. My friends apparently are afraid of water (they won't cross a six-inch deep, three foot wide creek if it meant life or death) and don't like to do it as much as I do, so I'm usually stuck in the position of going alone or not going, both of which are not options. I'm from Paw Paw, and I'm willing to go on caches as far east as Comstock (maybe Galesburg even), as far West as Lake Michigan, as far North as... well... I dunno of much North of here, and as far South as Dowagiac and maybe even South Bend. I'm SSI open-water scuba certified, too, but I'm not too good at depths of 55ft+. So if anyone's willing to, I'd first like to go find Newton's Cache.

MREs are good, but I don't use them for food. =) My friends and I play a *lot* of paintball. We play it so much that we'll buy MREs for the sterno packs and modify them a bit to make CS gas =) I think we're the only people that play paintball using semi-chemical warfare =)

Okay, guys, here's the deal. I went out and bought a $34 tube of Zanfel finally. The pharmasist I talked to said it's really good, too, so I tried it. Let me tell you... it's been two days since I put it on, and although the rash isn't totally gone yet, the itching was gone *immediately and totally*, and hasn't been back since. Even when I run the rash under water (which normally causes it to itch), I don't feel anything. The rash has really started to dry up, too, but it's still almost as big as it was originally because I'm hypersensitive. The pharmasist also told me about something called Oral Ivy, which apparently will help your body build up a *real immunity* to poison ivy. You drop five drops of it into a 2 ounce glass of water and drink it everday. I have yet to try this, but it's relatively cheap compared to Zanfel. If anyone else has heard of this or tried it, comments would be appreciated.

Okay, I tried the clorox bleach thing. Everyone else told me it would burn, but I really didn't feel a thing. It didn't get rid of the rash, and aside from stinking up my bathroom with bleach fumes, it did totally stop the itching. Thanks for the advice. =)

I went out on my friends property the other day to shovel muck for some trees (don't ask). I should have known better. There must be six-acres out there containing nothing but poison ivy. I got a small rash on my arm, and an even smaller one on my *wrist*. But, on the bright side, it got me thinking about geocaching education. I know most of you know all about the stuff, but for those of you who don't, I will now divulge just about everything I think I can remember about it. First of all, *no one* is immune to poison ivy. I use to think I was. I'd rub it on my face just to prove to my friends that I had super powers. I never did get it. What I didn't know, however, was that each exposure to the stuff drastically increases your sensitivity to it. My friend Shawn, who was also "immune" to it, finally got it all over his neck and hands, but for some strange reason, the rash didn't itch. One of the scariest things about poison ivy is that it's only contagious *before* a rash appears. Once the rash is visible, the urushiol (the irritant oil) on your skin won't leave that spot. I use to run my rash under extremely hot water because it simulated the feeling of scratching it. I later found out that it's just as bad as scratching. Do NOT use warm or hot water! It opens up your pores which allows the urushiol to sink deeper. Warm water simply makes the rash itch more, too. If you know you've come in contact with poison ivy, use a lot of COLD WATER. The oils are water soluable, but the water will also spread them. However, if you use enough cold water, you can completely remove the oils from your skin. Just to be safe, I suggest using alcohol on the effected area, too. The last thing you want to do about it is nothing. Why? The oils on your skin will sink into your blood, which causes a systemic infection. The oils will re-surface in areas where the skin was not exposed to the plant. This is what happened the first time I got it. I got it so bad, I had to go see a doctor. I got a real nice intramuscular Prednisone shot, which just so happened to be the most painful shot I had ever received, as well as a *80 MG oral prescription*. Talk about wired... I felt extremely tired and overly-caffinated at the same time for about a week. It more than cleared up my rashes in about three days, but because of the systemic infection, it came back even worse several days later. My Prednisone dosage was upped, and I was put on a prescription of Allegra. Maybe I just didn't notice it, but I don't think either helped much. It should also be noted that if you think you have a systemic infection and are going to see a doctor, be sure to the him/her in case the doctor wishes to prescribe an antibiotic such as Cephalexin. Antibiotics mixed with a systemic allergy will simply contribute to the problem. And any physician who has kept up with the literature knows antibiotics are usually ineffective for poison ivy anyway. I also use an anti poison ivy/oak liquid soap called Tecnu. I've heard people say it's nothing short of a miracle, and although next to Prednisone, it's the strongest stuff I've seen, I don't think it's as great as everyone makes it out to be. I guess you have to know exactly when to use it. If you try to use it after a rash has been there for a while (after a day or two of noticing the rash), don't expect much. (Yet another mistake I learned from my first infection.) However, I used it twice a day ever since the first day I noticed my current rashes. It totally cleared up the itching, and the rashes look like they're about ready to go away. But I wake up the next day to notice they're just as red and as big they were the first day I got them. I will say, however, that the rashes have not spread one bit since I used it. Interestingly enough, the original Tecnu Tecnu product was developed to remove radioactive fallout dust from the skin without water. So if you're ever under a cloud of fallout from a nuke blast, be sure to carry some Tecnu with you. =) I've also heard of a product called Zanfel, which claims to be the Holy Grail of all poison ivy medication saying it can get rid of poison ivy in hours. Apparently, it can get rid of the oils under your skin, where as Tecnu can only get the oils on your skin. I've talked to only two people who've used it, and they both say it's a divine cure for poison ivy. I have yet to use it, but if anyone else ever has, please tell me what you thought of it. It definitely sounds like it's worth a try. The only downfall I can see to it is that it costs over $30 - $40 for a 1 ounce tube of it... for that price, it *better* be good. Also, it should be noted that neither Tecnu nor Zanfel will do anything if you have a systemic infection. I have also heard of people using homeopathic approaches, such as taking pieces of the poison ivy leaves, putting them into gelatin capsules, and swallowing them. This is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. Please, above all, don't eat the poison ivy. When ingested, poison ivy can be fatal, or at the very least, cause month-long flu-like symptoms. And whatever you do, DON'T BURN IT EITHER!!!! The smoke from burning poison ivy can be just as deadly you if you inhale it. In fact, at one point during WWII, the military experimented with burning poison ivy as a weapon. This is all I can think of for now. If anyone else has anything to add, please do. =)

I really need a middle-of-the-road GPS unit for $75 or less. I'm really short on money, not having a job and al). My friend has a Magellan Companion for the Handspring Visor. I'd like to start doing this stuff without having to rely on his equipment. Besides, the charge on his Visor lasts about five minutes. Seriously. I need something that will last long. Other than that, all it needs to do is tell me where I am in any cooridnate format. If you have a car adapter, I'd be willing to buy that from you, too. Contact me ASAP. I'd like to have one within the next week or so. =)

Wrong forum area. Sorry =)

I really need a middle-of-the-road GPS unit for $75 or less (I'm really short on money, not having a job and all). My friend has a Magellan Companion for the Handspring Visor. I'd like to start doing this stuff without having to rely on his equipment. =) Anyway, all it needs to do is tell me where I am in any cooridnate format. It also has to last a long time on batteries. If you have a car adapter, I'd be willing to buy that from you, too. Contact me ASAP. I'd like to have one within the next week or so. =)