Middle Earth Ranger Forum

It's been a wonderful week: after a couple years of full-tilt work and only using vacation time for family emergencies, I finally managed to take a few days off to just rest and recuperate. I've got a fair amount of rangery crafting in, and just took a short hike with my starting-to-be-almost-complete-enough-to-use outfit. Woo!

Things I learned:
The mosquitoes were TERRIBLE - if I stopped walking for a single moment, in most places I drew a swarm of the things. (What do they eat when they can't get people?!) I did find that the woolen hood of my cloak actually helped quite a bit. In the worst places I'd pull it all the way up, but even just arranging the hood partway up around my neck and the back of my head helped immeasurably. The one part that got eaten alive though was my hands and lower forearms - but the cut off leather garden glove I had on my bowhand spared that skin. I think those light "Urthgard" armguards I've been planning to copy need to get made soon!

Speaking of bloodsuckers, for the first time I had on proper (but too short) "boots of supple leather" and my narrow legged "irony trousers" tucked in. Despite ranging over deep grass and high brush, when I finally stopped for the day I only found a couple ticks, and one of those was crawling on the outside of my trousers. Yesterday's walk straight up a bare gravel logging road in regular jeans and shoes bought me a good half dozen trying to make it up inside my trouser legs, so - win! Sometimes the old ways were around for a reason I suppose.

Finally, archery: my quiver body is finished, but I've not had a sunny day yet to finish the strap. Rigging it to a standin strap of leather I used it anyway - new arrows and all! (pictures when it's 100% done). Anyhow, I lost one iron point deep in a 3D deer target the last owner left here, but the arrows themselves are holding up pretty well.

So far so good!

So next time... armguards if I can manage them, bugspray if I can't, and bring along a camera.

Sounds like a great day! Good points, and good observations. Thanks for sharing!

Sometimes, the only weapon we have against the bugs is a good smoky fire. Drop an ember on a lump of punk wood and carry it around...see if that helps.

Sounds like great progress!

You might also try using a cattail seedhead as a smoky punk source, although you may have to wait a month or two for them to properly mature and dry.

Thank you gentlemen!

So.. are you talking about carrying a smoking brand with you while you walk? Or just something you do when you set camp / stop for a breather?

I also found out what happened to all the ticks I was missing: turns out my cloak acted like a great big scoop! When I went to hang it up, I found almost a dozen of the little monsters hanging out inside just under the neckline waiting for a new ride. Ick ick ick ick! Part of the game though I guess. I envy those in Middle Earth who only need to worry about midges. Well... and trolls I guess. Orcs. Giant spiders.

... guess we are better off.

As an aside, I was pleasantly surprised that even a knee length cloak was no bother at all in the spring underbrush. I was honestly expecting to get constantly snagged, but I didn't notice a single problem. Perhaps there weren't so many thorny brambles on this route, but I know I've gotten held up before along this way and wasn't this time. Hunh.

At camp, for sure, but if you can find a flat piece of punk wood, or perhaps a little "boat" to drop an ember on, you can carry it with you and it'll make a difference.

Cattail, eh? That's a new one! Cool.

If you want to keep in character, look into Cedar Oil or Catnip Oil as a repellant. Both should "help" with ticks, too. Thyme Oil is also effective but doesn't seem to last as long and needs to be reapplied more often.

While I understand your desire to remain in character, you should really reconsider pemerethin. It is invisible once applied and isn't permenant. I know too many people who have (and continue) to suffer from Lymes.

We have Bay Laurel here, and I typically make a wreath when traversing a insect-ridden swamp.
It was used by the Ancient Ones (American Indians) in my area; maybe the Ancient Ones in your land had something similar that they used?

Ugh... just had a Lyme scare. Turned out to be just a 24 hour flu, but still. Harper, I think I'm going to take your advice on the pemerethin. You just spray it on your clothes?

And maybe - much as I don't want to - spend less time out in the woods until the tick count goes down a bit. Stupid ticks.

Elleth wrote:Ugh... just had a Lyme scare. Turned out to be just a 24 hour flu, but still. Harper, I think I'm going to take your advice on the pemerethin. You just spray it on your clothes?

And maybe - much as I don't want to - spend less time out in the woods until the tick count goes down a bit. Stupid ticks.

You spray it on your clothes (not underpants) and let them air dry according to the instructions. Keep cats away until it drys. Pemerethin typically lasts quite a while (weeks/months) depending on the type, number of washes, time since application, etc.

Also, use something like Sawyer's Picaridin for the skin and other gear. It is supposed to be safer than DEET for both people and gear. I used it last year and it seemed to work.

Things like Cedar Oil and Lemon Eucalyptus are also supposed to be very good and may be more friendly to your skin.

Tick checks and keeping your immune system up are also an important part of defense.

They have definitely kept me in more than I'd like.

Mordor-spawn!