[pct-l] umbrellas and Gnats!

[Donna Saufley]

The umbrella trick would scare my horses out of their wits beyond any doubt
. . . so be careful when opening yours near any pack animals.  

 

About gnats . . . I heard that they are attracted to the shine on the lenses
of sunglasses.  I tried removing mine, and it really seemed to work – fewer
bothered me without the sunglasses on.

 

L-Rod

 

   _____  

From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
On Behalf Of Bob
Sent: Thursday, January 24, 2008 8:49 AM
To: Pct-L
Subject: [pct-l] umbrellas and Gnats!

 

I hate GNATS!    In the eyes… inhaled…  Grrr!

 

This morning, stumbling upon an equipment review by Leonard and Laurie
Adkins after their recent AT thru-hike, I was intrigued to see a reference
to umbrellas and gnats.  Hadn’t thought of that connection.  FWIW, here it
is:

 

“Bug off: The umbrellas kept gnats from flying into our eyes during rest
breaks. They also provided relief from the sun.”    From:  

HYPERLINK
"http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:TYL5ILfnDvsJ:habitualhiker.com/newslet
ter503253.htm+Bill+Gurwell&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=11&gl=us"http://64.233.169.104/s
earch?q=cache:TYL5ILfnDvsJ:habitualhiker.com/newsletter503253.htm+Bill+Gurwe
ll&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=11&gl=us

 

Folk legend has it that Indians, with a tall feather sticking up, kept gnats
circling higher than their face. I have tried sticking a small evergreen
branch up from my hat and it seemed to help a bit.  Might an umbrella, in
bad gnat situations, do an even better job?    Anyone have any experience
along these lines?

 

Let’s see… 1) sun shade, 2) rain, 3) propped as additional windbreak for
stove, now possibly 4) gnats.  What else?   Ah, yes.  5) Bear deterrent!  I
read a story in a (questionable) survival book years ago about a man in the
Michigan woods who had a black bear charge him.  He had nothing but a closed
umbrella with him, but at the last second he snapped his umbrella open in
the bear’s face and it took off, startled.  I don’t want to try it, but you
can.  Please let me know how it works.

 

Dr Bob

 


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