Get Your Grump on Thursdays - Was (What's chapping my @ss today?)

[j44ke]

The bugs the hornets injected me with. Got stung. Got better. Got sick, didn't get better. Waiting for the bug to be identified so we know what antibiotics to use. I can't think of a nice way to describe how I took samples this morning. I'm down six pounds in ten days. Fatigue is off the charts. Can't eat. In the past I've done 6 months of chemo, five weeks of intense radiation, ridden more than 200 miles in a day several times, done back to back centuries, I think I know fatigue. This has it beat hands down. I am not enjoying this. Best weather of the year and I couldn't ride my bike to the end of my street without needing a broom wagon.

Worst part is I can't help but think I'm shaking hands with my future self. Old age is not for cowards, my dad said. Oh boy.

My wife got bitten by a yellow fly (one of the "deer" fly types) and developed a significant bacterial infection, causing her leg to double in size in 24 hours. We actually had to cut up a pair of pants so she could wear them to the emergency center. It was not an allergic reaction, and antibiotics were required to deal with it. The doctor talked about the range of non-allergic reactions to insect bites and stings, including immune responses triggered by stings that can be like flu.

In my wife's case, he said fly bites can get contaminated by whatever the fly bit previously, like a manure-covered cow hide. And we were in an area with a lot of cows.

Hope you get some results back soon and can get on the road for recovery shortly thereafter. Insects are amazing, but not great when it is your body as the illustration.

[bigbill]

Winged harbingers of misery. We have an extra large bug zapper on our Wyoming property. After about a week, the mosquito population dropped sharply because several hundred would be immolated each evening. I think this broke the reproduction cycle. Then we went away for three nights with the travel trailer, and I put the light away. Now the mosquito population has exploded again, and we're starting over. I think the next investment might be in a fogger.

F'ing black and deer flies. They bite me through my cycling kit while riding out on the BLM. DEET fires them up, and Picaridin is ineffective. They get me while I moving. Mosquitoes seem unfazed by lycra as well.

I love Wyoming in the summer, it's so much better than Arizona, but no mosquitoes where I live in AZ.

[j44ke]

Winged harbingers of misery. We have an extra large bug zapper on our Wyoming property. After about a week, the mosquito population dropped sharply because several hundred would be immolated each evening. I think this broke the reproduction cycle. Then we went away for three nights with the travel trailer, and I put the light away. Now the mosquito population has exploded again, and we're starting over. I think the next investment might be in a fogger.

F'ing black and deer flies. They bite me through my cycling kit while riding out on the BLM. DEET fires them up, and Picaridin is ineffective. They get me while I moving. Mosquitoes seem unfazed by lycra as well.

I love Wyoming in the summer, it's so much better than Arizona, but no mosquitoes where I live in AZ.

We’ve been using a Thermacell. It just just a small device that uses some electrical doohickey to make repellent particles. Probably the same tech as used in vaping devices. It repels mosquitos instead of killing them, so it doesn’t kill other possibly beneficial insects either. I guess we breathe in whatever it is that does the repelling, but so far no ill-effects, except for a hacking cough, blood on our pillows in the morning and the inability to smell the coffee brewing. I am kidding of course. We have an espresso machine, not a coffee brewer.

Humor aside, I’d recommend giving it a try. Works well enough that two people can sit outside and watch the sunset without too much insect harassment.

[rwsaunders]

I second the thermacell Bill....hard to believe that it works but it does.

[bcm119]

I feel like the world would be a better place if all the Dodge Chargers/Challengers were rounded up and buried at Yucca Mountain with the other globally hazardous materials.

[Scott G.]

I feel like the world would be a better place if all the Dodge Chargers/Challengers were rounded up and buried at Yucca Mountain with the other globally hazardous materials.

If like cars were delivered sans air-bags and seat belts, the natural head thinning effect
of the Dodge would be greatly enhanced. Maybe add bias ply tires ?

[DoubleButted]

Well you made me Google Yucca Mountain. At first I thought you were making a backhand reference to Yucca, AZ - the location of Chrysler's hot weather test facility. Spent several horrible summers there when it was owned by Ford.

[vertical_doug]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ear-court.html


'Ringleaders' of Oxford Street chaos are arrested following day of clashes between youths and police over fears of TikTok-inspired looting - while prankster Mizzy is handed a dispersal order for being there a week after failing to appear in court


My wife and I just missed this as we had an errand on Bond St earlier in the day. It was odd as there were a lot of police horses outside Bond St. Station . I can just say the MET Police do a pretty decent job monitoring social media as one of my friends who runs a store on Regent Street said they were told earlier in the day about a possible Social Media organized looting spree scheduled to take place.

This probably gets worse before it gets better. Courts will need to view the organizers of the 'mischief' as more than just pranksters.

[bigbill]

Lahaina, Maui. One of my favorite places ever. We visited when I was seven years old, and when I was stationed on Oahu, we would take a cheap Island Air hop to the West Maui Airport, an asphalt strip in a pineapple field, and stay at the Kaanapali Beach Hotel. Now so much of it is gone; at least 36 people have lost their lives, and thousands more have lost their livelihoods.

[Tom]

Last time I rode outside was July 10. Last time I rode inside was maybe a week ago. Original infection cleared up but not seeing change in outcomes, so to speak. Down about 6% in weight in a month which'd be wonderful for the power-to-weight ration except I'm down about 20% on power. Blood test results trickling in but nothing indicative yet except we know it isn't hepatitis or anaplasmosis so far. Sure wish I'd get some damn energy back.

[robin3mj]

I will not even mention my job which is a whole ‘nother thing, but the last two months have seen: losing my dog, sewage backup in our basement (battling insurance company here), and our new au pair quit with no warning or reason after two weeks leading to a summer of cobbling/coping/scrambling for child care.
And our water heater gave up the ghost this week.

First world problems admittedly, but we are getting to friday nights on fumes and duct tape.

[echappist]

Not a Thursday, and über first world problems, but it's cycling related.

Bikeshop 1 is one of the few local shops that has in stock a Shimano derailleur adapter (for 31.8 and 28.6 diameter seat tubes). I call and was told they actually have the part in stock. Everything was great until I came home and opened the box, only to realize the actual adapter isn't there, and all it has is the plastic shim for 28.6 seat tubes. Just comically bad. I took a picture and call, and the associate didn't even apologize for wasting my time (1-hr round trip).

Bikeshop 2 is a store based in Indiana, known for its Geocities like webpage design. I inquire asking about pricing for a Ritchey Travel Bag (listed by Ritchey for $389 and ships for free), and the store owner responds with canned line of "list price $389.90 special $289.90", but with shipping of $100. Alas, no discount. I mention about actual shipping rate ($50 from IN to MKE), which he ignores. But he touts $25 off and "no sales taxes". Something about the "no sales taxes" part is a bit irksome.

[BBB]

Walkers who walk side by side in the middle of the bike path and then get annoyed you don't have a bell. FFS.

[72gmc]

My Crane bell (actually two, one each for commuter and road bike) has been a revelation. It’s like a freeze button, no wild movements from pedestrians I pass.

[vertical_doug]

What's chapping my ass- I'm an old tree guy. I often ride to see old trees.

This is another level of stupid vandalism. The 16 year boy probably did it for tiktok.
Was probably one of the coolest sections of Hadrian's Wall.





[IMG][/IMG]

Police: 'We have reason to believe it was deliberately felled.'



No shit sherlock


https://www.instagram.com/p/Cxuyt_-I5VY/?img_index=1

[NCC1701]

How incredibly sad

[j44ke]

It is better when they do something stupid - like go swimming in a thermal pool at Yellowstone - that immediately takes them out of circulation.

[72gmc]

16 years old. Lots of time left to do better things. If this is some sort of cry for help from that kid, I hope help is provided along with whatever penalty is appropriate.

[bigbill]

It is better when they do something stupid - like go swimming in a thermal pool at Yellowstone - that immediately takes them out of circulation.

I am a fan of any National Park that offers the opportunity for stupid people to die. I wouldn't want a child to be injured or die, but when I see a twenty-something trying to take a selfie by climbing over rails or walking past warning signs, they're being selfish. If they fall, others will have to risk their lives to either rescue them or recover the body. For the most part, Grand Canyon makes it hard to get hurt, unless someone climbs over rails. Canyonlands NP has sheer cliffs without guardrails. Badlands has some good opportunities as well.

[j44ke]

It is better when they do something stupid - like go swimming in a thermal pool at Yellowstone - that immediately takes them out of circulation.

Yeah, didn't realize it actually was a 16 year old kid. Thought that was a tongue-in-cheek prediction. Expected someone more like the typical 45 year old angry white guy acting out impulsively.

edit: Oh, actually the 16 year old has been released uncharged. And the police have arrested a 60 year old man for cutting down the tree. I guess my expected 45 year old guy got older on me.