Hitch Dates: 7/1/2013 – 7/11/2013
Crew Leader: Dana Brennan
Crew Members: Ambereen Alvi, Lisa Simmons, Dain Ziegler
The Mosquito Diaries
by Dana Brennan
Week 1
Day 1: Camp was set up in a beautiful meadow full of flowers overlooking the Lemhi Mountain Range. Camp morale was high, especially after completing 76 Uroutes in an afternoon. The team returned to camp for a delicious dinner of fried rice and chicken, but oh the horrors that awaited them that evening. As the sun receded behind the trees, the terrors of the hitch began. The mosquito presence was nothing short of overwhelming, and the soft buzzing soon became deafening. It wasn’t long before the crew left their outdoor gathering for the safety of the car, whose metal frame rendered impenetrable to these deathly creatures. But poor Zowski and Amber were left to the demons’ clutches as Zowski attempted to tame Amber’s wild hair with a pair of scissors. The screams from outside were barely audible from within the Expedition, but the true story was told in their faces, where pure desperation and pain were all too apparent. Soon all the Urouters became aware of the stifling heat within the car as beads of sweat built up on their skin. They then sought refuge in the tents for the evening, playing Bananagrams and reflecting on bug-free times.
Day 2: The mosquitoes know our breakfast times now as we armor ourselves in rain gear, not because it was raining, but because the synthetic layers are so mighty, the proboscis cannot penetrate. Going to the bathroom has become another hardship as our exposed rear-sides make the perfect place for this unwelcome guest… to feast. We left to work for the day where we did everything in our power to never stop moving, for when we stopped, the mosquitoes found us again. Meanwhile, our undesired friends waited at camp for our evening arrival from walking routes. It was another evening spent hiding in cars and tents, hoping that something would destroy all the mosquitoes around the scenic Lewis and Clark Backcountry Adventure Byway.
Day 3: They know our meal patterns, where we are defenseless to their attack, there is nothing left to do now but leave. After a full day of u-routes, we evacuated the hellish campsite of ours for Moyer.
Week 2
Day 1: Having completed the majority of Uroutes in the area near our camp last week, we decided a change of scene was in order and set up camp for the week at beautiful Lemhi Pass. The area’s beauty was only increased by the lack of a certain insect we will not speak of again. Evenings and mornings at camp became a thing of joy, where we have no fear of being outside.
Day 2: No mosquitoes to speak of.
Day 3: What are mosquitoes?
Day 4: The Uroutes crew completed the area to which they were assigned for the week, surveying a total of 342 routes. Lisa and Amber saw a rattlesnake while Dain and Dana picked gooseberries. The crew returned to Moyer in high spirits chanting, “Uroutes!” as is usual for the crew.
