June 4, 2010
Gnarly Poison Ivy
Date: September 3, 2004
Location: Oakland, NJ
Description: In honor of the debilitating and rather nasty looking poison oak I currently have courtesy of Delaveaga Disc Golf Course, I figured I’d bring back the most painful encounter I’ve ever had. While I’ve had freaker encounters in my life (when I was little my arm once swelled up to the size of a baseball), I’ve never had such complete coverage in my life. When I woke up to seeing both my legs like that, I seriously debated not driving 5 hours and playing in a two-day A tier tournament in 90 degree weather. But of course I went. The ever tactful Alex, when we went to pick him up, said two things to me: “That sucks” and “Can I take a picture?” And that’s what this is. I also had coverage on both arms, my neck, my torso, and my hands. But the legs were what earned me the unofficial “Trooper” award that year. It was so memorable that 12 months later, in Worlds in Arizona, a guy stopped me and said “Were you the guy with the poison ivy at Paw Paw last year?” If I never play in the woods again (below 4000’ elevation at any rate), it will still be too soon.