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Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Bzzzzzzt!

I told you a few days ago that I got some good pictures of birds and a lot of other things, but I'm going to give you something a little different today. Something happened to me when I went on my usual hike yesterday. I think it was the worst time I ever had!

Many of you know that I've been shamelessly bragging about my new GPS lately. There is a treasure hunting game called geocaching that you can do with it. Well I found out in quick order from the geocaching website that there was a cache in one of my favorite parks, so I was off to do my first serious search for one of these little treasures.

When I got there it started out as a normal beautiful summer day. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, and I headed for the trail following the directions the GPS was giving me. I did notice that I wasn't hearing as many birds as I usually did, but it really didn't seem to be a big deal. Then, as soon as I entered the forest, it happened!

Along the sides of the trail there are several pools of standing water. It's there that I've been watching tadpoles. It wasn't tadpoles that I found though. It was millions of mosquitoes, and they were huge! I think every last one of them were after my blood!

Every time I stopped they would come in huge swarms, so I quickly made my way through the forest, only stopping very quickly to sometimes check for the direction of the treasure. It must have been ten or twenty degrees hotter in that forest than it was outside. I was quickly sweating as if I were in a sauna, and it probably attracted every mosquito in the place.

It got so bad that I forgot the treasure and ran down to the fishing platform just to get out of the forest. It was much cooler there on the platform looking out at the lake. There were still mosquitoes, but they weren't nearly as bad out here. It felt like heaven out here in the open air.

I wish I had a kayak or something so I could float down the lake to get to the back of the park, which was my destination. I really didn't want to go back into the forest, but I had no choice. I was at least able to collect my thoughts out there, so I renewed my quest for the hidden treasure. Back into the woods I went to seek my fortune.

I followed the directions of the GPS with mosquitoes tormenting me the whole way. When I reached my destination, there was no treasure in sight. I guess it wouldn't be hidden if it was in plain sight. I began searching the area but it was becoming impossible with the mosquitoes feasting on my blood. I eventually had to give up. No treasure for Ratty.

At one point I felt a stinging pain on the side of my right hand. I looked at it and there was a huge mosquito getting its fill of my lifeblood. I smashed it dead! That evil bug gave me the worst pain a mosquito ever had. I still feel it now as I'm writing this story.

I still wanted to reach the back of the park, so I went that way. That was a foolish mistake! I made it there, and so did those evil flying little vampires! I had to get out of here! Finally, I decided to give up and flee for my life!

Since this story is already becoming very long for a blog post, I'll just say that I ran all the way back to the front of the park. I hopped into my truck, turned the air conditioning on full blast, and went home as fast as I could. No treasure, and I had been torn apart by voracious mosquitoes.

This should be a lesson to you all. Don't be stupid enough to go into the forest in hot weather without covering yourself in bug repellent. I itch all over right now, so I am paying for it in pain. Always remember this. Always remember.

22 comments:

  1. If not for the mosquitoes, that would have been a perfect summer's day

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  2. LOL!! Ratty.. you reminded me of the recent movie I saw Will Ferrel's Land of The Lost. You must watch this movie! Especially the mosquito part! :D
    Hope you doing ok now :)

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  3. You have triggered a point. Why I didn't have the mosquitoes at Cerok Tokun? But I went to another place nearby my house, I had to retreat before really started my hike because of the giant vampires. What is the difference and reason behind?
    I am murmuring again).

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  4. I don't like mosquitoes! It's hard to enjoy the outdoor when those blood suckers are sucking at your flesh..

    Hope it's better for you tomorrow.

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  5. This blog is fun - a new post and a new adventure. You live in such a wonderful area that you have plenty of places to roam. I also live in an area where I have places to visit and have fun. I also have a few wild creatures, the most recent is a few owls that hang out at night. I tried to take ones picture the other night and he was too high up - nothing came out. I hope they stay around and will come a little lower in the tree so I can grab a photo.

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  6. Maybe there is a sadistic geocaching person out there and the mosquitoes were the prize.You did get some nice pictures..

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  7. Yikes! I hate those suckers!! I sure hope you don't get sick from the bites. That is one reason I don't like going out in the summer. Bad enough they are lingering around my windows when I open them. I'm afraid to sleep at night if I think one got into the house. I'll search for it. If I can't find it then I cover my head..Ha! Ha! Hope your bites clear up fast. Baking soda and vinegar might help.

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  8. Aww haha that sucks!! I think the two things you should know when venturing out into the wild is how to cover yourself from mosquitoes and how to change a tire. I went on a camping trip last month and my tire went flat when I was driving and had no idea how to change a tire. I recently saw this video and just wish I had seen it earlier http://www.howcast.com/videos/114840-How-To-Change-a-Flat-Tire

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  9. Oh yuck..
    Tell me what purpose to mosquitos and ticks serve?

    Lets ban them forever!

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  10. too bad about the mosquito bites but great pictures.

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  11. Ratty, you are a brave one. Those little vampire buggers are the worst. I feel for you. I also think that you should write a book with all of your experiences.

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  12. Don't you just hate when you're almost finished with a long comment and you end up losing it? I'll try again!

    Kruel - You're right, it would have been a great day, but those little monsters had to ruin it.
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    Vanilla - Actually, I saw that movie soon after it came out. I forgot all about the giant mosquitoes. I think I acted just as foolishly as he did. :)
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    Rainfield - The forest where I was is very humid and swampy. Mosquitoes just love that. Maybe the area of Cerok Tokun that you go isn't quite like that. I hope you never see this many mosquitoes.
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    Icy BC - Things like mosquitoes can ruin it every time. I'll be prepared next time I go there.
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    Mike - Keep trying and you'll get those owl pictures. It took me a long time before I was ever able to get any animal pictures. Now, I'm disappointed if I don't get at least a few a day.
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    Joe Todd - I was thinking the same thing when I was near the location of the cache and found only a mosquito ambush.
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    Ginnymo - Normally I'm well prepared for things like this, but I was in too much of a hurry. I forgot about putting on bug repellent. I'll try your remedy. I seem to remember hearing of something similar before, so I'm sure it'll help.
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    Ghislaine - I'm an old hand at fixing tires so I'm okay there. The only thing the bugs in these woods understand is poison, so I'm going to douse myself with repellent next time. A mosquito in these woods once got me right through my pants pocket. They're big!
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    dAwN - I wish I knew, but that gives me the thought to look it up and see if I can find out.
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    Ann - In the end I think it was worth it for some of the things I got to see.
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    Poetic Shutterbug - I'm still itching today, but I'm sure it won't last long. I've been thinking about something like a book. Your publishing tips have helped immensely. I'm not sure if I'm quite ready yet though.

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  13. I can empathize. We get those bloodsuckers here in droves too. It's good that you have cat-like reflexes like Obama ;-)

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  14. Oh Ratty! I'm sorry for you but that is so funny. My newspaper column that I turned in today began with the line "I was in the car. That’s not a sentence I would usually write to begin an article about a hike on the North Country Trail, but I was very happy." We are in parallel universes.

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  15. Yikes!! We had a gnat experience like that in the fall and I thought I'd die!! It was horrible!! We still itch and scratch just talking about it. Glad you survived.

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  16. Cube - I don't think I'm quite as quick as him. I didn't come out unscathed. He did it like an expert.
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    Sharkbytes - I recognized the humor of it all while I was being attacked. That was the first time I was glad to leave that place. I wanted nothing more than to go home.
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    Lin - There were gnats and other bugs there too. The mosquitoes weren't the only evil aggressors. I'm still trying not to scratch while I type this.

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  17. Been there, my friend!
    We now carry bug spray in our truck.
    If you go there in the spring or late fall, it won't be nearly as bad...so put the same place on your schedule for going back then!
    And buy anti-itch cream, it really does help.
    ha

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  18. The Retired One - The problem is that this is one of the closest parks to me, and probably my favorite. If I dowse myself in bug repellent I should be okay there. I'll definitely buy the anti-itch cream though.

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  19. Aww how I would love to relax by a quiet lake now. I am near a beach but it is crowded all throughout the year.

    Btw, Just passing by to thank you for the comments on my blog. Apologies for the delay as I just got home. Thank you for sharing this beautiful post as well!

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  20. Daisy - Crowds are one of the things I try to avoid. Being in a forest or at a quiet lake is like heaven to me.

    You're not the only one who has been delayed. I usually try to acknowledge each and every comment here very quickly, but I have had a lot to do these past several days. So I'm very behind.

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  21. Psst... I am on my mission today to find some treasure too. ;)

    Mosquitoes LOVE me for some reason. I can be the only person in a pack of a dozen at 5 am in the forest with a mosquito buzzing in my face. I must smell tasty to them.

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  22. Never tried Geocaching. Saw it for several parks. I always worried about the GPS working in the dense forest. Maybe the winter Months will be the best time for this sport, No Mosquitoes,:-)

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