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They were in the nymph phase and per the dozens of biologists that that picture was passed to, they don't carry or transmit diseases. When they first hatch they are that small and cluster on a branch, awaiting the first warmblooded sucker to walk by. Based on the numbers on me, I was their first meal. It was still a horror show and upon arriving home I striped nude in the driveway, in front of my landlord, left my clothing outside, and took a scalding shower and scrubbed my self with a piece of burlap soaked in Dr Bronners. My landlord is an arborist who had chronic lymes, so he took my clothing and tossed it in a bucket of soapy water for me.
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Mar 31, 2016 23:07
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That is exactly how my erotic fanfic began. The Arborist and the Bong Wizard: Ticked Off.
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Mar 31, 2016 23:22
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Time Cowboy posted:That is exactly how my erotic fanfic began. The Arborist and the Bong Wizard: Ticked Off.  Yeah I never have noticed running into little ticks like that but I didn't do nearly as much hiking in the mid atlantic as I maybe should have. Usually went later in the season. I've never seen so many ticks as up in New England in the summer though, mother fucker. We were visiting and let our dog outside into the backyard and every time she came back in we'd have to pick off like 10 or more ticks. I think they eventually sprayed the yard but it's still bad.
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Mar 31, 2016 23:41
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The UP of Michigan is populated solely by ticks and mosquitoes, it's annoying. That being said growing up with prairie as a kid meant I would pull quarter sized female ticks off the dog and glue them upside down in a jar while letting the male ticks climb around in there to see if the female reproduced. I actually don't remember the result of said experiment sadly, just popping fat ticks with a knife and seeing the black blood gush out. Also ye old extinguished match works best for me to get them to unlatch.
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Apr 1, 2016 00:08
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Jumbo: I don't buy the argument that more people should have easier access to the lands for a very simple reason: 95% of the DNR gates within 120mi of here are locked.
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Apr 1, 2016 00:58
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Time Cowboy posted:That is exactly how my erotic fanfic began. The Arborist and the Bong Wizard: Ticked Off. Hah. He is a pretty ruggedly handsome dude, the perfect blend of hillbilly and hippy. I have a certain bearded Peter Pan charm to me, but it will take a really good writer for this thing to work.
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Apr 1, 2016 01:25
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For all of you who are worried about ticks I can personally vouch for that Permathin spray you can buy and treat your own clothes with. It does a good job if you apply it correctly. Make sure to give extra attention to the wrists and ankle areas of your clothing as well when you do it. I dont think it is as good as the commercially applied treatment but definitely helps. What I do when I go out into heavy tick areas is bath in my Dr. Bronners peppermint the morning of, wear my permathin clothing, and also apply some Deep Woods DEET. Also make sure you wear long sleeves and pants. All of that combined seems to do a good job, but you'll still want to check yourself after hiking anyway. If you have an adorable but stupid dog like mine that likes to roll around and run through brush check into the Lyme disease vaccine that is available for dogs, I got mine vaccinated for it last year. I believe it also protects against Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever or that may have been another vaccine. Either way it definitely gives me some piece of mind when I take her out with me.
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Apr 1, 2016 04:23
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It's so weird that there's a Lyme's vaccine for dogs but not for humans. I remember reading somewhere that there once was a trial for a human vaccine but big pharma killed it because chronic Lyme's sufferers are more profitable for the industry. Probably just a crazy conspiracy theory though.
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Apr 1, 2016 10:43
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I've had Lyme's twice as a teenager, once with the rash and once without. In both cases I didn't go to the doctor until some symptoms started, and I've had no lasting effects. I don't understand the paranoia some people have about it - go to the doctor when you feel bad and you will probably be fine. I'm always surprised by the outdoorsy people I meet who are scared of ticks because of Lyme's but don't know the difference between dog ticks and deer ticks. It has been my experience that ticks, and especially deer ticks, are more common in the mid Atlantic States than in New England.
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Apr 1, 2016 13:40
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theroachman posted:It's so weird that there's a Lyme's vaccine for dogs but not for humans. I remember reading somewhere that there once was a trial for a human vaccine but big pharma killed it because chronic Lyme's sufferers are more profitable for the industry. Probably just a crazy conspiracy theory though. I had heard that it was because they just didnt see enough demand for it so they dropped development. turevidar posted:I've had Lyme's twice as a teenager, once with the rash and once without. In both cases I didn't go to the doctor until some symptoms started, and I've had no lasting effects. I don't understand the paranoia some people have about it - go to the doctor when you feel bad and you will probably be fine. I believe I've read that it has become more prevalent in recent years. You mentioned the exact major problem with Lymes. If you shrug it off as a fever or something and wait to long you are hosed.
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Apr 1, 2016 13:49
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I just sort of accept it as a cost of doing business. Business being getting to hang out in the woods all the time.
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Apr 1, 2016 17:10
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I don't understand why people are so afraid of just using a DEET formulated spray.
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Apr 1, 2016 17:12
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n8r posted:I don't understand why people are so afraid of just using a DEET formulated spray. DEET is not that effective at repelling ticks. Permethrin is much better.
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Apr 1, 2016 17:20
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I use the otherstuff, the euro DEET, and it seems to work ok. All of my incidents were carelessness or ignorance.
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Apr 1, 2016 17:22
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I need some help finding a decent set of trail runners. My criteria are that they must be available in 13 Wide to fit my big feet and have rugged construction since I will be in a very very thorny environment and I hate things poking the sides of my feet. Also preferably under $150 if possible, but I will pay for improved construction. Who is the current best manufacturer for us wide flipper feet people? I will be going to REI and other places to try some on, but the problem is they often only have one or two pairs in my size.
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Apr 3, 2016 05:12
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Atticus_1354 posted:I need some help finding a decent set of trail runners. My criteria are that they must be available in 13 Wide to fit my big feet and have rugged construction since I will be in a very very thorny environment and I hate things poking the sides of my feet. Also preferably under $150 if possible, but I will pay for improved construction. Who is the current best manufacturer for us wide flipper feet people? I will be going to REI and other places to try some on, but the problem is they often only have one or two pairs in my size. See if you can find a Nike Wildhorse 3 to try on - they don't come in wide sizes but their last is wider than most normal shoes anyway. I fit best into 12 Wides for most shoes and the 12.5 Wildhorse works great for me and the 12 still fit pretty okay. Their construction is robust, I've put more than 300 miles on a pair and aside from some dirt they still look and wear brand new. They also have great traction, even in mud and wet situations.
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Apr 3, 2016 05:36
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I wear 13 4E and have found New Balance to be the only brand to reliably fit and be available. My last two pairs were their Leadville model and they were very rugged, though I haven't tried the new model. The only problem I have with them is if they get submerged they'll stay wet longer than any other trail runner I've used so I learned to take them off fording streams pretty quickly.
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Apr 3, 2016 05:50
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I went to rei today to convert from my merrell moab goretex boots to some lighter trail runners. After everything I ended up leaving with the low top ventilator moabs. Derp. I tried some solomons, merrell grass bow, La sportiva ultra raptor etc (almost went with those) and just couldn't bite the bullet. I'm not sure that I trust the durability and comfort of the shoes I saw. I like the grip of vibram soles but most trail runners don't have vibram. Soft toe caps remind me of losing toe nails. Thin soles seem like you would feel everything beneath your foot. I think I'm going to head back when it's not so crazy. Today was bats batshit insane as everyone was trying to use their coupon.
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Apr 3, 2016 06:57
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Verman posted:I went to rei today to convert from my merrell moab goretex boots to some lighter trail runners. I've got those, and contrary to their name, they definitely don't ventilate very well at all. In fact, I frequently wear them when it's well below freezing outside and my feet are usually nice and toasty in there. Great idea, too much foam and insulation to honestly achieve what they were after, and they will never dry out if you even so much as look at mud or a puddle, though your feet will be instantly soaked. Good for hiking, never going to wear them backpacking again. Officer Sandvich posted:I wear 13 4E and have found New Balance to be the only brand to reliably fit and be available. My last two pairs were their Leadville model and they were very rugged, though I haven't tried the new model. The only problem I have with them is if they get submerged they'll stay wet longer than any other trail runner I've used so I learned to take them off fording streams pretty quickly. Thanks for this recommendation! I've been looking for new shoes as my current new balance are just about worn to the bone. They're just about the only manufacturer that accommodate my 14 2E sasquatch feet. Plus I've been wanting to try some trail runners for my weekly hiking group since it's faster paced (~7 miles in an hour and a half, jogging all the downhills)
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Apr 3, 2016 12:24
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Verman posted:I went to rei today to convert from my merrell moab goretex boots to some lighter trail runners. Merrell trail running shoes all use vibram soles.
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Apr 3, 2016 12:49
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Verman posted:I went to rei today to convert from my merrell moab goretex boots to some lighter trail runners. Trail runners aren't going to last forever but getting maybe 500 miles out of them can be doable though the type of environment you hike in could make a difference. I don't think bad trails kill them but lots of thorny brush might tear them up a bit. Feeling stuff underfoot depends a lot on how much weight you're carrying and the shoes you have. Pretty much all of them should have a rock plate of sorts and some will give you more padding between the ground and your foot than others. I used some pretty thin inov8's on the JMT and while I could feel some of the more pointy rocks it never hurt my feet. I was running a 30 Lb max pack. The saucony's I got to replace them seem like they have more padding so I think they'll be comfy but I've just gone regular hiking without a heavy pack in them so far Never had a problem with the toe caps but that may depend on the person.
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Apr 3, 2016 15:13
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Yeah I'm no ultra light backpacker so depending on the trip my pack could weigh as little as 25 lbs and up to 40 max. Longer trips require more food, colder trips more clothes etc. Usually for 4-5 days I am for around 35 fully loaded with food and water. I'm in Washington state so there's a lot of rock out here which is why I'm looking for something with a nice shank/footed and great grip. With the moabs, the gore tex versions made my feet bake in the heat. The nice thing is that they were very comfortable, lasted a very long time and the soles grip rock like glue. And while stepping in puddles was fine, walking through dew or rain would soak my legs, draining down to my feet and the goretex liner wouldn't drain. Not to mention my feet would cook during the day. They really taught me a good lesson about "waterproof" only being a theory. I definitely buy into the idea of just giving up staying bone dry and getting shoes that dry and drain quickly. I guess I'll return the ventilators and try again.
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Apr 3, 2016 17:38
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I've done a few rainy day test hikes using waterproof socks over nylon sock liners. The waterproof socks I have have sort of a fleecy lining and very strong elastic around the ankle. I was afraid they would not be padded enough but between my boots, insoles the socks themselves, and the liner, going 8 to 10 miles was no issue. Both my feet stayed very dry, even when my left foot slipped crossing a stream and overtoped for a second or two, maybe a teaspoon of water got in. I'm pretty sure they will be way too hot for anything other then Winter or Fall use, but I'm going to buy a few more pairs of watetproof socks in preparation for next fall.
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Apr 3, 2016 18:20
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Crazy weather. I went hiking in Central PA today and we had several inches of fresh snow in the 'mountains' (2400 feet). Did not feel like April at all.
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Apr 3, 2016 21:42
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Verman posted:After everything I ended up leaving with the low top ventilator moabs. Derp. I went the opposite direction sort of. I've been using low top hiking shoes forever (like the North Face GTXs), but after twisting my ankle too many times and stepping into over the ankle deep creeks, I went with the Merrell Moab Rover mid waterproof boots. So far they have required no real breaking in, and they are super comfortable. My only worry is if they get too hot in the summer, but if they do I can fall back on my GTXs.
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Apr 3, 2016 23:19
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mastershakeman posted:The UP of Michigan is populated solely by ticks and mosquitoes, it's annoying. Hey! Don't forget the sand flies that live near Lake Superior. Attracted to DEET too, so if the mosquitos aren't biting the horrible flies are. They were so bad on one trip that it looked like I was wearing shaggy black pants. The ticks mostly die off after the first heat wave, same usually for the mosquitos.
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Apr 3, 2016 23:56
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And the blackflies. Oh god the blackflies. If a bugspray doesn't melt plastic its pretty much not worth using up here.
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Apr 4, 2016 00:00
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Spime Wrangler posted:And the blackflies. Oh god the blackflies. Another yooper?
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Apr 4, 2016 00:35
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Oh god the deer and horse flies. Michigan has some intense bugs. Your neck and head on hot days ... prepare for bites that look and feel like volcanoes.
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Apr 4, 2016 01:44
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bonds0097 posted:Crazy weather. I went hiking in Central PA today and we had several inches of fresh snow in the 'mountains' (2400 feet). Did not feel like April at all. We went on an overnighter this weekend at the same exact elevation. It definately felt like spring in the SF Bay hills.   
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Apr 4, 2016 02:36
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Tigren posted:We went on an overnighter this weekend at the same exact elevation. It definately felt like spring in the SF Bay hills.  
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Apr 4, 2016 02:54
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I'll split the difference: Bit of crunchy ice/snow mix on the ground at 2,400 feet in the Shenandoahs this morning.
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Apr 4, 2016 03:20
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I've lived and hiked/camped in some of the thickest boggiest parts of Alaska, with mosquitoes so bad that caribou literally choke to death on them. And I can still say for the sheer variety of annoying flying creatures UP Michigan still wins hands down.
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Apr 4, 2016 13:37
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Yooper posted:Another yooper? Keweenaw represent!
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Apr 4, 2016 15:38
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Also did Sunol Regional Wilderness (in the California bay area) last weekend, had a pretty nice time, wonderful weather. Hiked in via McCorkle, which was really pretty but also kind of a pain since we were fighting the sun going down and had some new-ish people with us that weren't so adept at moving quickly Also if you plan to camp there, the Oak View site is very private and beautiful but also like a mile and change round-trip from water, and you have to walk uphill both ways and if you're tired or stupidly volunteered to fill up everyone's Camelbaks it sucks a lot. Have some pictures:     
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Apr 4, 2016 21:34
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Those are great! My wife and I used to hike Sunol when we lived in the East Bay.
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Apr 4, 2016 22:56
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I 'hiked' Lands End, Glen Canyon, and Mt Davidson last week (le Mon, G+MtD Wed). 9.3mi total, 875m ascent (but that includes sidewalk time between Glen Canyon and Mt Davidson, and back again). Yeah, I was out of town in San Francisco for a few days. :]
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Apr 4, 2016 23:18
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BaseballPCHiker posted:I've lived and hiked/camped in some of the thickest boggiest parts of Alaska, with mosquitoes so bad that caribou literally choke to death on them. And I can still say for the sheer variety of annoying flying creatures UP Michigan still wins hands down. This is true. May/June is reserved for specifically for flying insects. Which is why I'm just gonna start whitewater kayaking during those months.
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Apr 5, 2016 00:07
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I would literally rather be stung by a bee than a horse/deer fly. Back to shoe chat, I returned the Merrell moabs and went with Merrell All Out Peaks. My moab boots are roughly 2.5 lbs combined, the low tops were around 2.25. these are 1 lb 5oz combined so I'm pretty excited about cutting my shoe weight in half. They're really breathable being mostly mesh, but they have some great reinforced areas including the toe cap, side walls, and around the laces. The soles are vibram so they grip insanely well and have nice aggressive lugs. I'm pretty sure the lady food something wrong on the transaction as well because I ended up paying less for these than the moabs despite being $30 more (and buying a set of cycling leg warmers). Last thing I want to upgrade is my cooking kit. Currently I have a heavy steel msr pot and plate. I like the gsi stuff so maybe when another rei coupon comes around I'll pick up a set. A non stick pot with two bowls weighs less than just my pot and would take up less space. I want to go hiking tomorrow.
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Apr 5, 2016 02:11
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Stanley Goodspeed posted:Have some pictures: Hit the "page down" button on my keyboard and accidentally passed these pictures in a blur of colors, but in that millisecond I knew these could only be from one state. Also because I had a nice weekend driving up Highway 1 along the Sonoma Coast this weekend. I saw bald eagles and gray whales in one day... each from a good distance but nonetheless two animals I never even had a chance to see in the wild until that point. I highly recommend Salt Point State Park in Jenner, CA, to any Bay Area goons.
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Apr 5, 2016 03:39
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