Ahh, this is the life

I was originally planning on camping tonight, but it was starting to rain, I got finished early, and I didn't want to be outside any longer (see below). Thus I found myself checking into this awesome hotel. For a little over 50 bux, I get wifi, a pool, a hot tub, a hot breakfast, laundry, and an awesome view of the mountain I'm going over tomorrow. To top it off, this is the first place that actually has separate conditioner in addition to shampoo :). I just got out of the hot tub after swimming a bit in the pool. Sooooo relaxing.

What's not so awesome are the gnats. For the past several days, I've been getting swarmed by gnats whenever my speed drops below around 10 mph. It's especially bad when stopped. There's got to be at least 50 of them at a time and today was the worst (I think because I was tracking a small river and there was lots of vegitation).

I checked it out and apparently mid May to mid July is gnat season in southern Utah. Wherever there are Juniper trees (their home), there will be gnats. They hone in on your CO2 exhalation and go after you (apparently females need blood to mate). I've had gnats in my ears, up my nose, in my mouth, and in my eyes. I even spit one out in the shower a full 30 minutes after stopping for the day.

I tried some of those Bounce sheets that apparantly can act as bug repellants... didn't work. Tomorrow I'll try carrying bug spray and maybe I can find some netting for my head, because I'd really like my breaks back. I think the trees go away by Nevada.

Other than that, did another short day: 48 miles and I'm in Torrey. It was all uphill for a 2,500 foot elevation gain with the occasional steep part. I didn't do more because that would be almost 3,000 more feet up and I can afford short days for a bit.