My First Summer Trip

[OneClick]

Well, a week shy of Summer. Here's one of those boring no-photo write-ups:

I do my fair share of complaining about the bugs and heat, but I decided to get out and do a “summer” trip just to make sure I wasn’t overreacting. This was a kayaking trip, so at least I wouldn’t be hiking miles with a pack soaking me in sweat. So here’s the deal…

Hot and dry
Now I know how the southern folk hit these 10lb base weights. I literally wore a swim suit and crocs 90% of the time. A t-shirt when the sun was starting to burn me on the beach. Then pants and a long sleeve shirt for a short time in camp due to the bugs.

The first night got down to 52° and the second was 66°. 66!!! Absolutely ridiculous! That’s about all I want as a HIGH temp. And I’m sure it only hit that for a brief time since it was 86° by noon the previous day and still 80° at 10pm when I went to bed. Back up to 74° by 6am. I didn’t use my top quilt the second night and only put the UQ on close to 3am.

The water temp was 51.2°, so it wasn’t quite enjoyable to kill some time by swimming. Let's call it painfully refreshing.

Bugs
They were obviously out by now, so I loaded up my gear with permethrin and picaridin on my skin. The permethrin was interesting since it clearly killed a bunch of small flies; there were about 10 of them inside my hammock on my WBBB shelf (I sprayed the netting). I left the netting open during the day. But how long does it take? Do they only die when they try to bite? On my clothes, I watched bugs land on me and stroll up and down my legs for minutes, only leaving when I swatted at them. It seems like a mosquito would have done its business in that time.

The gnats were the most irritating thing I’ve ever experienced. I couldn’t sit still for 10 seconds before they were all over my face, trying to go in my eyes and ears.

I felt like I kept the mosquitoes at bay, until I got home. 24 hours later the itchy bites appeared so I wonder if there was some delayed reaction? Usually you can feel them bite right away but I felt only a few this whole trip. After getting home I noticed at least a dozen, even in places where they shouldn’t have gotten me with clothing on (i.e. right in the center of my chest). Maybe one was inside my hammock while I slept?

By the 3rd morning, the mosquitoes were so bad they wouldn’t give me 30 seconds to heat up water for coffee. I had no choice but to skip breakfast. Absolutely miserable. I packed up, loaded the kayak and was on the water paddling by 6:20am.

The worst part was the fact that 35mph wind didn’t even keep the bugs away. You know how wind seems to swirl in the woods.

Green Woods
Other than one or two car camping trips, this was the first time I remember being in the woods when the trees has all their leaves. It was like a jungle! A nice change of scenery.

Dirty gear
The oak tree nearby was completely dousing me with some kind of yellow powder. The pines were leaking sap. This was literally the first time in 5+ years that I had to wash my tarp and hammock when I got home.

Would I do it again? No thanks! It’s just not worth it. I had a good time for the first half of the trip and I’m glad I went. But I’ll be sticking to my late Sept-early May calendar as usual. I honestly can't believe people get out backpacking in the summer...I just can't believe it. -20°F hanging is child's play compared to this misery. I know I'm probably the minority here, though

[michigandave]

I always enjoy reading your abbreviated, to the point trips reports . Hot weather outings always have their pros and cons. The flying, biting creatures are definitely a buzz kill (pun intended). I like getting out in the summer, but hiking in 85 degree humid weather with mosquitos isn't alot of fun. I always plan my trips around water, since I've gotta stop and cool down if it gets too warm.

At least you got out there to experience it and find out what works for you. Everyone hangs their own hang. I have to admit that I've already been fantasizing about doing a pulk overhaul and eyeing a new 0 degree underquilt....

[OneClick]

I have to admit that I've already been fantasizing about doing a pulk overhaul

At the rate people are going, I expect them to be livable structures soon with running water, heat, and solar power!

Almost forgot...pic or it didn't happen. Oh look! You can see the "trail" someone accused me of blocking in another thread! One of six 40' paths that cut down to the beach in my reserved campsite.

[TrailSlug]

Mark,
I right there with you plus add about 8-10° to the all around temps. I went last backpacking last August and it nearly killed me (seriously). I believe I was close to having a heat stroke. Climbing up and down hills in 90° temps with soup like humidity took my energy like I've never experienced. I'm used to the bugs as they've been out since early March and continue to grow in these parts. but like you I'll wait till our cooler weather to hike but unfortunately that's becoming more like late November to mid February.

[rick417]

I honestly can't believe people get out backpacking in the summer...I just can't believe it. -20°F hanging is child's play compared to this misery. I know I'm probably the minority here, though

Late Spring/Summer is totally opposite "extreme" camping here in the South. I'm still trying to get my 1x month hang in, but not looking forward to July/August. I did some research on natural repellents and got some spearmint essential oil. Added a few drops to some face/zinc oxide type sunscreen, and slathered on my face, arms, and legs. It actually worked to keep the gnat swarms down. Worked better than No-Gnats or other commercial stuff. On a whim I got some lavender incense type sticks to burn around camp (because I couldn't find the Off! ones) and it seemed to help. At the very least it was a nice smelling campsite. We were car camping on private land and not near water sources, so we did not have huge swarms of mosquitoes to deal with and the Picaridin seemed to work against the few that showed up at dusk and dawn, although I still had some itchy bites afterward too. I didn't enjoy myself much either...just a matter of embracing the suck.

[OneClick]

Late Spring/Summer is totally opposite "extreme" camping here in the South. I'm still trying to get my 1x month hang in, but not looking forward to July/August.

I'd probably need to bring one of those bee keeper suits!

[canoebie]

My wife and I hit the hammies early when we paddle the Manistee this time of year. Solely for the purpose of escaping the bugs. Noseeums, mosquitoes, deer flies all want to munch. If the refreshing waters of the river were not available, I would never do it. I like to plunge in the river regularly, particularly right before bedtime. We are going up there over the 4th. Not only the warm nights, but the constant sound of gunpowder in one form or another will be a midsummer's night experience. A bad day on the river still beats a good day at work. Thanks for sharing your experience.

[Gqgeek81]

I've had trips like this in the past. This is why I go to the mountains in the summer. Even then, some areas have buggy reputations and I avoid those as well.

I can go spend a few days in temperatures that are ~20F colder with far less humidity than I'll see around home. It's a nice reprieve.

[winterbeard]

Thanks for the report, Mark.
I've done summer camping, from VA on up to NY, for so many years, I'm kinda used to the heat and bugs.
Like MI dave, and gggeek, we either camp by the water, or up above 2000 foot elevation, to avoid the heat.
Bugs? Well, they always present their own problems. Sorry to hear about your swirling breeze... Usually the breeze is our solution.
We still appreciated you sharing.
Makes my little mind start thinking about GETTING OUT THERE !

[Big Flounder]

Maybe I missed something Mark, but where did you go? Nice report and I too will pass on the summer hanging unless I get some poles put in the backyard for hanging out there. We get a good breeze at our house and with very few trees, we don't have much of a bug problem. Still, the heat doesn't sound like much fun. Is it fall yet?