Civil War History - Gettysburg ForumGettysburg! It's not just a National Park. It's a Civil War Battlefield. For some it's historic and storied past are almost an obsession! All related discussions are welcome here!
Strange story Martin. My experience was the reverse of yours. At one time, I could roll around in poison ivy. Then, one day, I crawled out of a river after dumping a canoe. The bank was a carpet of the stuff. Six weeks of later the misery was over. From that day on, I can get the mysery back by simply looking at the stuff.
Does Gettysburg have clear paths? As much as I'd like to clamber on the rocks at Devil's Den, the price would be too high. Must be getting old.
Ole
Most of the park is set up with clear, handicapped accessible paths. The ivy is a problem only if you leave the paths and wander through the woods.
This brings up something that surprised me. In conversations with several visitors to the park I became aware that the majority of people that visit believe that you are not allowed to walk around on the fields, and must stay on the roadways and paths. That is not the case, and if you restrict yourself to the roads and paths you will miss most of the battlefield experience. The only places that you are not supposed to enter are the areas around the period houses, and these are generally marked with low white picket (somehow appropriate <grin>) fences. Some areas under maintenance will have signs clearly stating that you need to stay out of that area, but they are transient and removed as soon as the maintenance task is completed. If you visit the field, please walk through the fields and woods if you can. The experience is amazing and it will most certainly increase your appreciation of what those kids went through.
Hi everyone, long time no postings from me. I've just returned from Gettysburg: Sat/Sun and yes I have to confirm, the poison ivy is in disguise!! i was walking along the trail of pickett's charge and all along the fence, yes it was there. A lady warned me and my friend that she didn't recognize it and her soN was wearing shorts and no socks!! No need to go further with his fate. LOL.
I also wanted to add a big hearty HUZZAAAAAAAAAAH to the reenactors of the 124th NY "Orange Blossoms" and the 21st GA, who endured the crazy inferno that was the weather in Gettysburg.
I'm originally from New England, where the poison ivy is smooth leafed and shiny. Here the leaves have a bit of scalloping and are duller and lighter green. I found that out because there was a small amount growing under a large holly in my yard. There was also a rather substantial Deadly Nightshade vine growing into the holly. Last year, my wife and I cut down the vine and unwound it from the tree, and, in the process, dragged it through the ivy. We didn't wear gloves or long sleeves and cheerfully slammed the vine into bags for disposal. Two days later our forearms looked like a science project!
BTW: I didn;t get to the park this weekend and I'm sorry I missed the Orange Blossoms and the 21st GA.
hoosier,
The scare was last Saturday, around 3:00 PM. Thankfully, the only result was a traffic snarl and a visit by some State Police specialists.
Did some research on the subject of poison ivy. The culprit is an oil -- take that back, the culprit is your body's reaction to that oil. Kind of like peanuts. Peanuts are far from harmful, but the reaction of some people's bodies are severe. But poison ivy and oak, etc., affects far more people with less severe results.
This oil does not go away on it's own. Apparently some long dead shreds were dug up in a dig in China. After several thousand years, it afflicted its examiners. If you get mixed up in it, it gets on your clothes and bites you when you take your clothes off. It can be on your car seat or your pet and you can get it from there -- and you must never, never burn it: the smoke will certainly carry to some sensitive person and the reaction you see on your arms and legs will be on their lungs.
As an oil it is not water soluble. If you're in the woods or fields and you even suspect you walked through it, you have a bit of time. As soon as possible, use alcohol (external type) to wipe all exposed areas and your hands. Put your clothes in the washing machine. Get into a bath or shower and wash thoroughly with a non-oil-based soap. Then go wipe down everything you touched -- in the car, door knobs, kids, pets, etc. No guarantee that you won't get a reaction, but you won't be smearing it all over yourself or leaving it to continue stimulating your antibodies.
And yes, the evil vine has several different looks, but all varieties have the 3-leaf clusters.
Sorry, but the thought of the kid in shorts pained me. Had the mother suspected and followed the above procedures, the kid's probable misery could have been minimized. I just hope he wasn't yet sensitized.
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