Hitchhikers

After the summer solstice, the weather warmed enough to allow thick swarms of mosquitoes and black flies to enshroud our campsites. Armed with bug jackets, one of the top ten greatest human inventions, we survived their battalions with few bitten wounds. Often times, they were so persistent that we would resort to eating our meals inside these impenetrable jackets, although several would always sneak their way through a 2-inch tear at the side of my jacket. Duct tape solved that problem quickly. As we paddled away from the shore, swarms of them would follow us out onto the lake and travel with us for kilometers. We aptly named these pernicious creatures “the hitchhikers.” Luckily for me, they were quite fond of my husband leaving me to canoe in peace. Just a reminder to others, when choosing a paddling partner, make sure they attract the bugs more than you.