link to report

Great report Nola! As a short legged fat man I understand the problem with stepping on a portage and take more time than most. Lots of short steps, much planning of foot placement, exacerbated by myopia.
Hope your partner heals up fast. Sounds like you had a great experience. Welcome back!

butthead

I don't travel with my dog so I've never thought much about her having to deal with insect bites. Might be a good topic for a new thread.

quote awbrown: "I don't travel with my dog so I've never thought much about her having to deal with insect bites. Might be a good topic for a new thread."

I brought it up in the dog forum. My dog's reaction seems extreme. Or perhaps I was just more worried about him. But, I know his behavior had become "different" and his scratching was extreme. He was very unhappy. This belly was entirely red and puffed up. I think his forelegs were also quite bitten up, but this was harder to see. But he has licked/bitten them so much he's worn off fur and is currently still spending much time wearing a cone to get him to leave the area alone (there is no visible injury though...just furless).

If I take him again, I will bring along a pop up shelter, or go when there is very little chance of black flies. (shouldn't have really been black flies in July, either, but I digress...) Black flies don't really give two rips about bug spray, I've found.

I am sorry your dog had a tough time with the flies. I understand how aggravating that can be.

Just to understand better, when you say black flies do you mean the little guys about 1/3rd the size of a house fly (aka buffalo gnats), or the larger deer flies or horse flies or other?