Bike Lane?

So, here in Q-Town, we apparently have made great pedal-strokes towards integrating bicycles onto our streets......

A guy on a bike recently got hit by a car. He said he was riding in the 'bike lane', between the lines. This is where he was riding......
Quincy, Mass,  City of Geniuses.

Tool Kit

No Lyme

Just to confirm, the doxycylene did the job, the Lyme is gone, and I'm back to 'normal'.

What Lyme?

So it's been one week since I was diagnosed. I guess the Doxycycline is working! One day I felt feverish and achey. Now I feel as 'normal' as I can get. Someday I may elaborate on that, But for now, business as usual. This is the timeline, so far.
Sunday, July 15  Allegedly bitten by a deer tick while riding and trimming trails at Wompatuck SP
Tuesday, July 17 Noticed the huge rash just after a 20-mile road ride  No tick, but reddish central area. Made appointment.
Wed, July 18  20-mile road again, saw the NP and got the 'scrip Went to Sandwich and hung out on the beach later in the day
Thurs July 19 20-mile road .Feeling kinda achey through friday
Friday, July 20 20-mile road, feeling slow.
Sun  July 22  12 mile mountainbike ride
Mon July 23   another 12 miles on the quincy streets shuttling the car to and from the mechanic.
Wed July 25  planning on riding Duxbury tonight. Will scrub my skin off after.....

Mon, July 23

That's it. I consider myself VERY LUCKY not to have had any of the symptoms my friends have had, and to have caught it early!

Just the Lyme,no Corona this time

OK ironically my last post was about 'easy tick removal'. I guess it's easy if you find them! Apparently I picked one up last Sunday at the riding trail care day at Wompy. I went right home after and showered, checked myself a few times, then went to work. When I got home, showered again, checked myself a few more times, then went to bed. Tuesday I went for my customary road ride up into and around the 'Hills and back. About 20 miles,and one of those hell-hot days we've been having for weeks. As soon as I got home, I felt a tightness of the skin just below my kneecap. Looked down and saw the huge rash, at least 4x4 inches, top of my shin, with a central reddisher area right over where the patellar tendon meets the shin bone, maybe just below that. No tick or real 'bullseye' but an obvious center. I called for an appointment right away. I'm not messing around. Wednesday I got a NP to diagnose without even a test, since she said I'm at 'high risk' anyways, since I spend at least 3 days a week in the woods, and it looked like 'some kind of cellulitis' but most likely a tick bite. She prescribed me Doxycycline, 2x100mg, for three weeks. Stay out of the sun or use lots of sunblock. I went right to Sandwich and spent the afternoon on the beach. Had to escape the effin heat and discovered a new place to do that. Well worth the trip, and I think it was late enough in the day that I didn't get burned. I had ridden the 20 miles again that morning, and the same for the next two days. Not that I really wanted to stay outta the woods, just getting out early and blasting out the workout seems to work with the teenagers outta school for summer, and I get home as they're rolling out of bed..... So, about 80 miles of road last week. Today, one week after being bitten, I finally got out the Redline to do the BrownShirt ride (more on that later) with J, we did a nice local town ride, mostly dirt and most importantly, in the shade. About 12 miles, in about an hour's pedalling time. Nice average. So, I'm feeling normal, as normal as I get. I have to take the medication away from meals, but havent had any problem keeping it down. The rash does look nasty but I've been taking care of it so should heal up eventually. I never saw the tick. I thought I was careful in inspecting myself, but I guess I have to pay even more attention. This is an exceptional year, due to the mild winter, and I have lots of friends with Lyme right now. Many have had complications ranging from fevers to facial palsies to blown-up joints, long hospital stays and take-home IV setups. I'm glad I found it early!

Easy Tick Removal

Tick Removal........... A nurse discovered a safe, easy way to remove ticks where they automatically withdraw themselves when you follow her simple instructions. Read this one as it could save you from some major problems. Tick Removal: Spring is here and the ticks will soon be showing their heads. Here is a good way to get them off you, your children or your pets. Give it a try. Please forward to anyone with children, hunters or dogs or anyone who even steps outside in summer! A School Nurse has written the info below--good enough to share--and it really works! "I had a pediatrician tell me what she believes is the best way to remove a tick. This is great because it works in those places where it's sometimes difficult to get to with tweezers: between toes, in the middle of a head full of dark hair, etc. "Apply a glob of liquid soap to a cotton ball. Cover the tick with the soap-soaked cotton ball and swab it for a few seconds (15-20); the tick will come out on its own and be stuck to the cotton ball when you lift it away. This technique has worked every time I've used it (and that was frequently), and it's much less traumatic for the patient and easier for me. "Unless someone is allergic to soap, I can't see that this would be damaging in any way. I even had my doctor's wife call me for advice because she had one stuck to her back and she couldn't reach it with tweezers. She used this method and immediately called me back to say, "It worked!" Please pass on. Everyone needs this helpful hint.

Not a mtb but good shot...