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jrbaja
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The Dreaded Jumping Cholla
I just learned that there is a revenge possible for these little devils. Turns out that they retain more moisture inside than most other cacti.
So, after chasing that sucker around your ankle or pulling it out of your dogs leg or nose, whack all those spines off with a big knife , and cut it
in half.
Then cut out the center part and eat it. Think kiwi !
And, you sure will have taught that one a lesson before he goes and jumps on someone else.
Also, very very good for you !
Think health !
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synch
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Can you make tequila out of it like the agave?
[Edited on 10-5-2004 by synch]
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jrbaja
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Grover
you're admitting that ????
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mcgyver
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jrbaja, I have to tell you this embarasing story about Cholla! I had never been exposed to it and when we were invited to come to my brothers, in laws
ranch in the Arizona SW of Tuson it was all new to me, I had driven the interstates but that is not far sw Az. When we arrived at the ranch entrance
off the state road and crossed the cattle guard we still had 8 miles to go before the ranch headquarters where we were to checkin with the ranch
manager and be escorted to the main ranch house, as soon as we entered I saw these cattle in a big thick patch of Cholla which I really didn't know
what it was but obivously the cows had this stuff stuck to their lips and over their eyes and in their legs and were in trouble! Racing the 8 miles to
the ranch office I pulled up and jumped out and told the first guy I saw that he had to do something quick , his cows were trapped in thic cactus
patch!! Hurry!!
Well he got red in the face and choked up some but finnaly was able to tell me he would take care of it and directed one of the men to lead me to
the main house. I have never lived this down with my brothers in laws to this day!! To the very polite ranch manager they told me , had lay on the
ground and rolled around in the dirt for 10 minutes before he was able to to talk!! Every time I see one of them they say "Oh those poor cows"
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jrbaja
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Surfing at Punta San Jose
my cousin got waylaid by one. I managed to chase it all the way around his ankle and gave him a sangre anklet before managing to get it out. Too
funny! From my point of view.
Another time, hiking up from Blacks Beach with some friends at night somewhat inebriated, headlights approaching scared us so we jumped in the
bushes on the side of the road.
I landed on one sitting down. Good thing for the inebriated part !! Took both our wallets and some major tweezing to remove all those spines. Some
fun !
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David K
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3 Ply Sidewalls... working!
Photo by Amo Pescar during our Matomi Canyon excurssion of 2001.
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David K
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Cholla Attack... Part 1
OUCH!
[Edited on 12-19-2008 by David K]
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David K
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Cholla Attack Part 2
Why it's non other than David Eidell, one of the Amigo de Baja passengers in the 2001 Lost Mission Hunt.
Here Neal Johns (Aridologist), who is always prepared to save a cactus from humans, renders assistance! That's El Camote on the right edge video
taping the attack and rescue for his film "The Lost Mission Hunt, Preview".
[Edited on 10-2-2004 by David K]
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David K
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Cholla Attack Part 3 Finale
The cholla is liberated from Dah-veed's leg... after I took this photo I applied tea tree oil to the wounds... I am compassionate about such
things!
The Lost Mission Hunt-1 photos begin at http://vivabaja.com/van1/page6.html
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mcgyver
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I possibily left out the point of my story??Desert cattle eat Cholla with relish!! So do jack rabbits and probably other animals. I don't know how a
cow can do it but they will stand contentedly in the middle of a patch and chew away with it sticking all over them! I have seen cows stand and wait
to eat Prickly Pear catus up near Mikes Sky Ranch while my rancher friend burned off the needles!
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JZ
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Thanks for the extra details
Not so obvious for us less educated folks!
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elizabeth
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The best way to remove a chunk of cholla from your anatomy is with a comb!...Just run the teeth of the comb between your leg (or whatever) and the
cholla and flip it off.
Question for McGyver...where did the cows get the relish?
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jrbaja
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I'm sorry Max,
a good many of my neighbors down south are vacas. I am used to seeing them snooting around for cholla relish, in fact, when they are not eyeing my
bamboo, they're getting all stickered up.
Probably nothing compared to what's really in store for them, No?
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jrbaja
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And David
Thanks for the lovely "anklet" photos hahahahahahahaha.
Elizabeth, you must have one big comb because when they are done with the original victim, they will zip right up that comb onto your fingers. (the
evil mind of a jumping cholla!)
I use two sticks. I try to make them about 7 feet long !!
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David K
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No comb, no sticks... just bring along NEAL JOHNS! He's the CHOLLA-NATOR,
yaaahhhh!
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mcgyver
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elizabeth had it right about the comb, only use the kind with long metal teeth and sort of a long handle, i think rhey are used for dogs? i got mine
at a yard sale after seeing one used in Sonara. I thought everyone knew that! And i thought everyone knew thay cows would eat Cholla except me years
ago!
jrbaja, the little tender new teddy Bear cholla are eaten by the Pima indians over bt Tucson.The first thing a newbie does in the desert is sit down
in the sand that is full of the Cholla spines.
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Oso
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tunas
Grover, I think you mean tuna- the "prickly pear" of the nopal or prickly pear cactus. An aceituna is an olive. I have yet to see a spiny olive.
Most of the time when tunas are sold in the market they have already been "shaved", but you can't be too careful. They also taste a bit like kiwi,
except for the seeds. You'll go crazy trying to pick the seeds out. Best to just swallow them and let nature take it's course.
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jrbaja
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Nopales
You might save the tunas for desert and slice up those nopal "paddles" and put em in a frying pan with some onions and eggs. Yummy!
I'm sure there are those on here that know a lot about cactus, (I don't yet) but one thing I am learning is that ,ost all of them are rich in some
vitamin or other.
Not all of them have the best of flavor, (Cardon) but, they can be mighty refreshing on a desert hike !
Also, a discovery made while on a cave hike was that one bite of an unripe orange will cure thirst in a heartbeat. Noy likely to run into too many
wild orange trees out in the desert but, not a bad thing to carry along with you as it works so well.
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Neal Johns
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When you are driving, the main thing to know about cholla is: the detached cholla joints in the road will jump out of the way if you just honk the
horn.
Trust me. 
Neal
My motto:
Never let a Dragon pass by without pulling its tail!
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jrbaja
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Of course we trust you Neal
I was just wondering if you are holding out on how to get them to self-despine
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