Day 179

Day 179 (pct 69): 31 miles

Planned to get up at 6, got up at 9. If I follow the rules put forth by Drake “flip the 6 upside down it’s a 9 now” I was right on time. I saw the mosquitoes setting up their battle lines last night on my tent door before I even went to sleep. I assume they’re either all saying “he’s gotta come out sometime” or their general is repeatedly yelling “HOLD!” like in Braveheart until I come out.

When I stepped out of my tent this morning, I didn’t notice them for the first 5 seconds and felt serene. Then they came, and they were rolling heavy. I put on my headnet and some deet and it helped a little bit. They were pretty bad all day and I reapplied twice later in the day and I think I overdosed a little on the poison cause I got a headache. In a sick kind of way, it was nice to have a different kind of pain than normal.

There were a number of pretty lakes today. I don’t understand what makes some of them at least bearable to be around with mosquitoes and others complete pits of hell.

Late in the day we finally got out of the forest and were walking in a large meadow with nice winds to keep the skeeters away and beautiful views as the sun was going down. What wasn’t beautiful was filling up on water at a stream near the end of the meadow and the mosquitoes having no regard at all for the deet on my body.

Song of the day: don’t stop believing-journey
I used to hate this song cause it was so overplayed and I heard it so much growing up but now every time I hear it, it brings me back to my first time watching the sopranos finale.