10/01/2023 Bikepacking Spain Day 54 : The Cost Benefit Analysis of Swimming with Leeches.

by Brian · Published October 1, 2023 · Updated March 3, 2024

Photos:

Cold start, yes. And good sleep.. but it would get hot, hot, hot again today. I think we got a reprieve by sleeping over 2k feet in elevation. —

Cool castles in many of the towns. I’ll post a video tomorrow if I can. We are working with 1bar of slow 3G from camp tonight. —

We are doing a hybrid of the GR48 bike route. We are trying to skip the hike-a-bike sections and ride only the good trails. —

You know how stuff never looks as steep in photos as it does in real life, right? This was one of the steepest pitches I’ve ever seen! I did go back to help Janet. —

Relaxing afternoon beer 🍺. —

Oops! In my attempts to reroute us, I took us to a dead end wall (not this one). Luckily, there was a little bit of cellular data - enough to see that the satellite image had the planned route petering out into shrubbery. Combine that with a wall hop, and it was a no go. Satellite also said that if we just went over this wall, we could rejoin our old MTB route 1.5 miles down the road. Definitely a little creepy trespassing, but no one saw us. —

We came to this lake and Janet said, “Let’s camp here!” It seemed like a good idea at first. I figured that today would cool off nicely like last night.. well except that last night we were 2,000’ higher. But at least we would have a lake for a swim. I jumped in and it was refreshing enough, but I soon began to notice that I had all sorts of junk stuck to my arms and hands. What was this? I inspected and my first thought was, “Are these aquatic ticks?” They were hard to get off. It occurred to me a moment later that they were leeches! I had several dozen attached to me, and Janet helped me get them off (they are surprisingly hard to remove). I checked the “sensitive areas” and hope there aren’t any left. Now it is still very hot and I’m eyeing that lake again for a cooling swim. How bad are leeches after all? —

Strava Comments:

Judy I.

Eeww leeches! They still use them medically to decrease swelling around sutures that might otherwise rupture (I think) so there must be a gentle way to get them off, or maybe they just fall off when they’re stuffed!

Rush T.

Dr. Phlox was fond of leeches for various reasons.

Nancy A.

DAY 54, wow! Very nice

Janet W.

Hola Judy Isvan, Brian and I were thinking about how you and Osman spent some time volunteering with Cyclists for Social Change. We’re you working as a nurse then? Probably not with leeches though.

Paula G.

Please tell me that you've seen the Movie 'Stand by me'. 4 boys venture out in the woods, and follow the railroad. They are in search of a dead body that they heard about. There is a scene where they get leaches on themselves. One of the boys finds one on his 'sensitive areas' and passes out.

Brian L.

Paula G - of course we have seen that movie. I did forget about the leech scene, though!

Judy I.

Janet Wagner Osman and I have volunteered for the fundraiser ride Strawberry Fields Forever which benefits the programs of Cyclists for Cultural Exchange, but not in any medical capacity. We usually worked on Sag and Signage. (The sags did carry first aid kits!⛑️🩹) I worked in hospitals as a PT until I retired in 2019. Never actually saw leeches in use but they did cover it in wound care education!

Sօʀƈɛʀɛʀ 🅅.

Leeches and just the thought of them is revolting to me. And then i suppose you've experienced the arboreal leeches as well on different trips. I wonder if leeches could be used to check blood sugar somehow.