Sierrapaloosa 2003

“Do they have mosquito netting ?
If they don't...the MK buzzards, mmm...I mean skeeters are going to eat you alive!”

“Looky what I started! Let's see if that fixes it. But on the vitamin B ld, yeah I'd had heard that and wondered the same thang. I've not tried it myself yet.”

“I'm gonna hafta get me some of them "pricips" too!”

“Garlic doesn't work, nor does vitamin B. Deet does.

Get a sprayer bottle, fill with 1/3 deet, 2/3 water. Shake and spray. Works great. Very little deet actually gets on you, just enough to work.”

“Deet works for me - but you could get a bug suit.”

“My ma grew up in rural OK so she was all into these so called rememdies. I was her guinea pig growing up. I was subject mainly to brewers yeast pills for most ailments. They didn't work for me except raise my tolerance to alcohol which is a damn cruel joke. On the other hand, I feed my 15 year old lab a brewers yeast pills, not so daily anymore, and she hasn't had a flea since.

Additionally, as a teen, I was made to drink extract of urishol oil to prevent poison oak outbreaks. Don't do it! I would get the worse itchy butt and I'm more susceptible to full blowouts of poison oak now. I've been hospitalized twice from bad reactions.

...so in short, stick with the DEET and steroids.”

“I would not let this bug talk discourage anyone from the trip. It is not going to be as bad as it sounds.....”

“No, the mozzies are not bad if you're prepared for 'em.

I just wouldn't want to sleep out in the open with them little buggers... buzzing in your ears all night long and sucking the life out of ya while you sleep.

Been there, done that ;)”

“Where have you been hiking WW? Sierra mosquitoes go away at night.


BTW, is the road over Sherman Pass open yet?”

“Granted, dusk and dawn are the worst but when the temps are warm they just keep goin' and goin'.”

“I've also found it's best to hike with someone the mosquitoes REALLY like. That way they tend to leave YOU alone.


Hey, Wind, want to go for a hike?”

“Actually...they don't like me that much...but my fair skinned youngest son...human pin cushion ;)”

“WW, and your "fair skinned youngest son" is coming on this trip. Right?

Cool, I'll save weight by leaving the DEET at home.”

“I hate bugs. I think my Exponent Inyo 2 will work just fine. 4 lbs with everything and worth it.”

“My bivy works great.”

“I've got and extended cab Chevy pickemup for shuttling purposes. People or gear whatever is more comfy. Hikerchick if you want to plan to shuttle I think as of now I only have neighbor Kent and I in the truck. If your ride gets too crowded pepperdog we can arrange for a gear pickup and fit the stuff around the hot tub in the truck bed. I just got the ok for the vacation time so I'm exhaling now. I've been quiet because they were holding vacations again this year and it didn't look good.
Lets party!!! Sudwerks Davis Sun. May 18????? Norte Californios???Anybody?????”

“Isn't funny that the guy/girl next to you could be being eaten alive and not one bug is bothering you. I rarely wear bug spray and I have seen people who wash it on and they still get eaten up. I feel for them. I think it has to do with attitude. If you ignore the bugs, they ignore you.”

“jvz - is this to be an annual event? Last year's cinqo de mayo at Sudwerk was a lot of fun. More people=more fun!”

“I just bought a bivy to lighten my load on some of my trips. It hasn't arrived yet, but I hope I like it. I wanted something that is light and doesn't require lots of set up and take down time.

My New Bivy”

“It's the Salathe Bivy”

“good luck, Wingding! i hope you like this bivy much better.”

“I like "Anual Events" especially if its not family 8). Yea I was just kinda happy the vacations went through so I thought it called for a beer with Pan...er..Rockman,you and Phaedrus and many more again. Just a thought and a date to see if anybody wants to talk shuttle and gear and beer and stuff. Even if its only you and me pepper lets have a cold one that day and talk shuttle.”

“Nice one wingding, I think that's the one walkindude has as well. I'll have my Bibler Bivy Sack. On ECT's it was the big yeller bernaner.”

“jvz, izat 18 May? Count me in, if the date changes, hollar.”

“Bugs like me. I wear the bug suit, and a little bug juice. I don't like DEET, but I'll mix it with water if its really bad. If not, I used (can't remember name) a little bit of unscented bug spray on the outside of the bug suit.

I always forget to take the vitaminB to see if it works, but I've got it. I'll start taking it in June.

EVERY July 4 trip has been bad with mosquitos. One year they were out even when it was raining. WSdavies, do you remember that? you were on the High Sierra Trail? I hiked in rain gear, it was warm out and the bugs were out in full force. We cut our 5 day trip to 4 days. The rain was ok, but couldn't handle the bugs. I ignore bees and they don't bother me, but it doesn't work with mosquitos.”

“OK lets say noonish at Sudwerks in Davis and see how it goes. If nobody shows at least I'll have a beer to cry in.”

“Well, I'll be damned! You are alive! Hey! this means that I will finally meet the infamous pantscandy...uh, I a mean rockman! Wow! I thought that maybe one of those bears on your annual trip to Yolly Bolly got you. Glad that didn't happen!

And "captain underpants" is aero? Geez, you guys. I'm so confused! Stop it!

Hey jvz, glad to hear that you're coming for sure! And yes, that'd be great to hitch a ride with you since you're driving thru Stockton. If I don't go snowcamping the weekend of May 18th, I'd like to join you guys for a brewsky or two or three or four or....

Are you going on the 5 or 7 day trip?”

“Phil, I also have an Exponent Inyo II, I do love it. But if I can cut 2 pounds and the room it takes up...well I just gotta try it!”

“I fixed the photos on the 5 day trip page today. My ISP deleted my homepage and all the other files when I changed e-mail addresses.”

“Thanks WW those are some kick butt pics!”

“Yeah, Cal Hiker takes some nice photos :)”

“That Precipice lake photo is killer, I would love to see the full size version.”

“Precipice

Navi has quite a photo album too! He showed it to us at Mel's place the night before the Dingleberry Lake trip last October....I knew right then that I wanted to go on this one!”

“You will my boy, you will.
And you'll remember it for a LONG time.








No, Really, I mean it.”

“Wingding, I hope the bivy you ordered has a hoop to keep it off your face when it's closed up.

A must IMHO.”

“It has a wire stiffened hood brim - hope that does the trick. I'm trying to avoid hoops set up.”

“I mean hoops to set up.”

“Tango is a gal Navi :)”

“Navi, i'm so very much in agreement with you - Precipice Lake is unforgettable. i'll be going over Kahweah Gap to meet you guys, but only because that way i get to pass by Precipice Lake TWICE. by the way, the water from Precipice was THE best water i've ever tasted. oh, you're all in for such a treat.”

“See...
Tango”

“Quote "I have GAYDAR and I'm picking up someone in Bakersfield. Red Alert! Red Alert...

So that was you R-man tapping your foot in the next stall at the Texaco truckstop..eheh...I hope none of you plan on keeping up with Rockman..this guy is a hiking fuureeekkk..”

“Windwalker, I sit corrected. Sorry Tango, but you will remember it for a long time anyway.




The Campfire Ale is calling me for a test.”