Sometimes I can be a hothead (who me?) and what I mean by that is I run a bit on the warm side. When the temps hit that 80 degree mark you will find me in shorts and if it hits 89 I might dispense with the shorts and run in my skivvies (My Indian name being Watana-ki-bwana being loosely interpreted "he who walks in underwear").

Here's the rub, while I am not unfamiliar with poison Ivy I generally ignore it...... what made an impression with me is just how often KF was pointing the noxious plant out. The dang stuff seems quite prevalent in the Quetico.

Add in the two recent bits of info I have read about lymes disease and I am reevaluating some things. In Boundary waters journal a guy went through hell and got the bite in The Quetico if I remember correctly (the observation being made by his partner and subsequent bullseye rash). Then in this past issue of Backpackers Mag there was an article about stuff that bites.......some 25 people have died as a result of lymes. Could that be true? Anyway some pretty nasty consequences from infected deer tick bites. Its almost enough to make me consider dousing myself in chemicals.

In any event my first inclination will now be towards long pants. If you need tripping pants I can't say enough about railriders weatherpants. Definitely tops.

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