Just bite me!

Looks can be deceiving. A few weekends ago, Gary and I did our usual roaming around the mountains. Part of our journey was a highway that ran along the Colorado River. So, naturally, water being my weakness, when we saw a pullover, we pulled over. Turns out, it was a fishing spot with a well worn trail.

Now, also naturally, since we are vegetarians and I am gradually going vegan, we said a quick prayer to the universe (since we're also non-believers) ha ha, that there would be no fishermen around. You know, it's like bad vibes for veg-heads to be around death “sport” like that. Zaps the “ohm zone” and all....

Anyway.... off we headed, down the path, happily encountering nothing but nature in the raw. Yay!

Don't worry, we were not in the raw. Although, that would probably be funnier, considering the story line.

Well, pretty soon, we came across a swampy area. No problem. We made it through the swamp to the river like troopers to enjoy the scenery, virtually unscathed, aside from the splash-back, which by the way, was with us the whole rest of the day until one of us happened to notice it all over our legs. Ha ha

Anyway, we got to the edge of the river quite triumphantly tooting our horns at our survival skills. Yay again!

And that, my friends is when they pummeled us. Mosquitoes. Starving, swarming, mosquitoes. And we were the only food they'd seen in days. I am positive of that. There must have been millions of them. No exaggeration.

Ha ha ha. Now, I'm thinking how much funnier of a site we would have been if we were in the raw. OMG Not pretty! But definitely hilarious. So glad no one had to endure that!

Anyway, there I was, camera poised to take beautiful, carefully framed pictures of the river, slapping like mad at the enemy, but determined as all get out. Oh, I got the pictures. You betcha! I wasn't going through that for nothing! But I took them very, very quickly.

I was like:

OK Picture Downriver

OK Picture Upriver

OK Close up upriver

OK Picture of river straight on

Then, that quick shot of Gary "enjoying" the river and we turned and booked it back to the car in record time, stopping only to take a picture of this gorgeous wild iris. 

Seriously, you guys, I made it up that hill in 20 seconds flat. I swear I did. And all the while, Lupus and Arthritis were torturing me along with the mosquitoes. And then, back on level ground, we ran like hell for the shelter of our transportation, fumbling for keys and laughing hysterically at ourselves.

Whew! Car doors shut and ….. Hitchhikers! The freaking mean little biters had followed us into the car. So, Gary looks at me and says, “windows down” and down they went. We blew those bloodthirsty critters right out of there. And whatever didn't blow out got smacked, big time. We were covered in little splotches of blood (our blood) and itching like mad for miles.

Yes, I know, squashing mosquitoes is decidedly un-vegan in some people's view. But in my case, on long term immune system lowering drugs, those bites can get infected and kill me. Ya. So, me or them being the choice, well, no choice then.

Oh and you'll be happy to know that so far, the bites I did get seem to be healing OK.

PS- Anyway....Doesn't Gary look peaceful there, by the river? I have to admire him for managing not to look like a thousand mosquitoes were feasting on his soul, attracted, no doubt to the delightful swamp juice running down his legs and the vast quantity of blood, the likes of which they hadn't encountered for weeks.