…just spare a thought for this poor sod. When they talk about the hazards on a golf course, this isn't what is usually meant.
http://bitsandpieces.us/2010/02/28/cactus-accident/

I fell off the first move of a climb last summer into a man-sized patch of nettles, covered my arms and legs totally in stings and even through my t-shirt. I bet I was in more pain, right to the next day when they all still tingled.

Wonder if the paramedics suggested that he keep drinking…

Anyway, many years ago I managed to slip down a spoil slope in a quarry, just had jeans and a T' on, and the bank was covered in nettles. Not pretty and the agony lasted a few days – stings & grazes..

I wobbled off my bike into a patch of nettles a few years back wearing shorts and a sleeveless tshirt. I would have beaten Chris Hoy back to my house as the pain was off the charts and i was desperate for some sort of cream to sooth my skin. Was alright 24hrs later though.

We got these where I come from. Don't see them too often, but steer well clear of them when you do.

At least nettles relly only cause problems where they brush up on you!

Try looking up Poison Ivy or it's cousin Poison Oak, they have a nasty, clear coloured oil on their leaves (urushiol) that if you are allergic to creates quite the rash. Bonus to that is that you may have it on your hands and transfer it to other parts of the body unless you wash it off with something that will remove the oil (hardly likely while you are out riding). Mate was not happy to find out later it was on his hands when peeing on a ride! Finding out you had it on you and are getting a rash can be 2-3 days later. Sometimes I wish I'd not moved to the US!

STL

At least nettles relly only cause problems where they brush up on you!

Try looking up Poison Ivy or it's cousin Poison Oak, they have a nasty, clear coloured oil on their leaves (urushiol) that if you are allergic to creates quite the rash. Bonus to that is that you may have it on your hands and transfer it to other parts of the body unless you wash it off with something that will remove the oil (hardly likely while you are out riding). Mate was not happy to find out later it was on his hands when peeing on a ride! Finding out you had it on you and are getting a rash can be 2-3 days later. Sometimes I wish I'd not moved to the US!

STL

Nice almost as much fun as the following:
[list=1]
[*]Make Chilli
[*]Eat Chilli
[*]Decide to go out
[*]Put Contact Lenses in
[*]Cry…
[/list]

We got these where I come from. Don't see them too often, but steer well clear of them when you do.

haha. Followed the link, it's found in Australia. Everything here is designed to kill or maim. I wonder what happened to piss mother nature off so much over here?

Reminds me of when I stayed with some friends in Medicine Hat on the plains of Alberta. I borrowed their son's pogo stick, sorry, full susser & went for a spin round the local trails. I was a bit surprised when both tyres went down together & on having absolutely no gear whatsoever, pushed the bike back home & proceeded to fix the flats, only to find out that I'd ridden over loads of some type of ground cactus which I hadn't even noticed. Both tyre & tubes were absolutey full of cactus thorns. I replaced both tyres & tubes & left the bike alone after that.

STL I dont think you have to be allergic to it, I think it's a normal reaction from all individuals.

Giant Hogweed tops the lot. Looks like a giant version of Cow Parsley (pea shooter plant), but the if the sap makes contact with your skin, it starts burning. Get it in your eyes, and you can go blind.

but the if the sap makes contact with your skin, it starts burning. Get it in your eyes, and you can go blind.

yes. we brushed past some by the river in Kendal in 2008, and anyone with bare arms had little blisters – but it can be very nasty indeed. If you report it to the council they're obliged to clear it.

good friend of mine fell in a gorse bush recently. painful enough… turns out she was allergic to it too, and developed quite a rash for a few days after…
never seen anything like it from gorse, and i've fallen in a few myself…

Nice almost as much fun as the following:

1. Make Chilli
2. Eat Chilli
3. Decide to go out
4. Put Contact Lenses in
5. Cry…

Or

1. Make Chilli
2. Eat Chilli
3. Get a little bit amourous with the ladyfriend.
4. Tell said ladyfriend she's gonna have to rub butter or cream on various parts of her anatomy to remove the heat :-o>

"coffeeking – Member
STL I dont think you have to be allergic to it, I think it's a normal reaction from all individuals."

I think the majority of people are allergic to it on some level, however my hubby could roll in it naked and not have an allergic reaction – something he takes great delight in reminding me of when I am sitting in pain again!

STL

Everything here is designed to kill or maim. I wonder what happened to piss mother nature off so much over here?

It's the proving ground for Nature's fight back against the human plague. Certainly, nettles can be damned painful, I've had my fair share of stings, but thank God we don't have the likes of poison Oak and Ivy, or those cacti. It's the paramedics standing around looking at him; you can just imagine the sort of conversation going on. One of them appears to have some gardening gloves in his hand, I'll bet he got the job of trying to get those things off. After the victim consumed another bottle of Jack…

A mate came off his bike stumbling sideways down a banking through a big patch of nettles. Unfortunately for him when the nettles stopped the banks of the River Aire began. Stung and soaked in one go.

Years ago another lad I used to ride with was coming down Altar Lane and overshot a bend over the wall and into a big patch of nettles. I still remember him emerging saying "At least i've still got my Oakleys on".

On the M54 near Telford there's a massive patch of Giant Hogweed its been there years and is in a pretty difficult place to reach so I guess thats why its been left alone, but I do always wonder if someones going to get seriously hurt by the stuff one day.

Those look like Cholla cactus—they are all over the place here in the desert SW part of the states. I have gotten a single piece stuck to my leg a couple of times and learned to carry a multi-tool in my camelback as the pliers are about the only way to get them off if you don't have a stick handy. Really very unpleasant. Saw a guy who did an "over the bars" and land in one–fortunately missed his face, but he was covered about like that guy from neck to knees. We had some anti-bike a$$ burying the small cactus "arms" like in the picture, just under the loose sand/soil on places in the trail. Slime or Stan's not enough to stop the leak from about 20+ holes simultaneously.