[at-l] "Ticked Off" Advice! :)

[icw@xxxxxxxxxxx (Clark Wright)]

Living where I do in the pine tree filled eastern parts of NC, I guess
I've become "used" to them; I find them on me all the time; I found a
number on me on the Trail; I think you can try to look for them daily,
etc., but in the end it is almost impossible not to have many ticks on
you at some point on a thru-hike, including a number that attach.  The
other thing that I believe, based solely on anectdotal evidence, is that
ticks [and mosquitoes] "prefer" certain people over others, based on
body smells, or who knows what.  While the suggestions re long sleeved
stuff and inspections are somewhat useful, it's awful hard for me to
wear long sleeved stuff in 95 degree weather, and to inspect my own back
and top of the head, etc.  I think swimming in every single available
chlorinated pool and hot tub within 50 miles of the Trail is a much
better defense! :)  Seriously!  Some other suggestions:

1)  Always wear a hat and spray the top of it [while not on yer head!]
with some nasty anti-tick stuff; also when you have passed thru serious
underbrush, take the hat off, shake it and look it over before putting
it back on.

2)  Spray the nasty anti-tick stuff around the top edge of your
shoes/boots and socks.

3)  Use the sunscreen lotion you can buy that has Avon skin-so-soft
added into it [you can buy it mailorder from the Outfitters at Harpers
Ferry, a very kewl store].

4)  Take showers in town when you have the chance.

5)  Swim in every chlorinated pool you can, not to mention every stream,
creek, lake, etc.

6)  Don't freak out if you find a tick on you, even if attached; try to
remove the head and tick body together and use alcohol on the bite mark.

7)  Be sensitive to any changes in body aches, fevers, etc. but don't
take antibiotics at the drop of a hat, for that adds to the cumulative
effect of resistance build-up, both in you and in the larger population
of diseases, etc.

8)  Try to avoid getting lost [<vbg>] - seriously - because bushwhacking
thru denser vegetation to get back to the Trail is a good way to get
more tick exposure.

9)  Avoid sleeping under pine trees or on pine needles [red bugs are
another GOOD reason to avoid this!]

10)  Check yourself a bit more closely after hiking in higher grasses
once the weather warms up.

Most of all, keep on hiking and enjoying the outdoors!

thru-thinker

Snodrog5@aol.com wrote:

> --
> [ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
> Phil's story is an excellent reminder - do a tick check after every day in
> the woods. I wear a long sleeved white shirt, and light tan long hiking pants
> most of the time nowadays. I am always astonished by the numbers of ticks I
> spot on my clothes! But the funny thing is 15 years ago I never gave ticks a
> single thought, and never noticed one that I can remember.
> TJ
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