Day 74: Revenge of the Midges

The days on the mountain are still oppressively hot. Getting to class consists of wandering from one shadow to the next until I’ve made it to my destination. As a result, I was not looking forward to my daily walk in the least.

To try and save myself from the heat I chose a well shaded cross country trail. Armed with a bottle of sun screen and ice water, I set off for a 5.62 mile (9 km) walk. Of course it was just my luck that this trail should lead through an area infested with midges. With no bug spray, bare legs, and a short sleeve shirt, I now knew the pain of the hobbits when they had traveled through the Midgewater Marshes. Midges are particularly nasty little creatures with an affinity for biting. By the time I had emerged from the woods at the end of my walk, I was covered in little red welts from the dratted bugs.

I was hot, miserable, stinging from bites, up to my knees in dirt, and thoroughly disconcerted by the noise of bullfrogs from somewhere off in the forest. Finally I emerged from the trail and made my way back on campus to go soak in Epson salt. I will never complain about gnats again after Day 74, they are rather tame in comparison to midges. The hobbits must have been thoroughly miserable walking through the Midgewater Marshes with little more to protect them than a cloak. At the beginning of their journey, and before any serious attacks, the midges must have been quite the unpleasant experience for the hobbits. I wonder if they ever thought back on them later on when faced with much graver situations.

The Road Goes Ever On and On,
~ Daisy Buttons