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Are bugs a problem in UP of Michigan right now? (Read 812 times)

    We're going there next week for a trail marathon on Grand Island near Munising.  WHat do you think the mosquitos and gants will be like?  Will bug spray work or will I sweat it off?  Although we have some bugs here in CA, they usually aren't bad enough to use bug repellant.
    Next up: A 50k in ? Done: California-Oregon-Arizona-Nevada (x2)-Wisconsin-Wyoming-Utah-Michigan-Colorado
      the real worry would be deerflies.  i don't know how bad they are now but those suckers were murder in late June the last time I was near that part of the country.

       

       

       

       

      zoom-zoom


      rectumdamnnearkilledem

        the real worry would be deerflies.  i don't know how bad they are now but those suckers were murder in late June the last time I was near that part of the country.

         Yeah, that would be my guess, too.  One of the gals on RA (backroadrunner) has been using deer fly patches during her long runs.  You stick them on a hat and they are a sticky surface that the flies get trapped on.  She says they work very well.


        It's been a fairly wet year, so I'm betting mosquitos will be pretty bad, too.  When I ran the North Country Trail relay a month ago we all wore a sweat-resistant DEET bugspray and it worked very well.  You'd maybe have to reapply at some point, but it would be worth it.

        Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

        remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

             ~ Sarah Kay

        Trent


        Good Bad & The Monkey

          GREAT trails to run in Pictured Rocks, just a hair to the east.

           

          And yeah.  Deer flies.  Like Dementors, only worse.


          an amazing likeness

            You could always try the blue cup trick to divert the deer flies:  Deer fly experiment, part one

             

             

            (courtesy run-2-win...)

            Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.


            Dave

              Not so much.


              Bugs is in Minnesota.

              I ran a mile and I liked it, liked it, liked it.

              dgb2n@yahoo.com

              AmoresPerros


              Options,Account, Forums

                Not so much.


                Bugs is in Minnesota.

                 

                Smile

                It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.

                   Yeah, that would be my guess, too.  One of the gals on RA (backroadrunner) has been using deer fly patches during her long runs.  You stick them on a hat and they are a sticky surface that the flies get trapped on.  She says they work very well.

                   


                  It's been a fairly wet year, so I'm betting mosquitos will be pretty bad, too.  When I ran the North Country Trail relay a month ago we all wore a sweat-resistant DEET bugspray and it worked very well.  You'd maybe have to reapply at some point, but it would be worth it.

                   I'll have to get some of the patches and some of the Deet sweat-proof stuff. We have the Deet-free lemon-eucalyptus bug spray, and my husband said it worked okay, but I'm paranoid; I waste so much energy swatting at the flies, etc., on my shorter runs, that I know I definately don't want to be doing that for 6 hours on my marathon (Yeah, I'm very slow!)! 

                   

                  Trent - Thanks for tips about the trails near Pictured Rocks.  We'll be wanting to get a short 2-3 miles in the day before, so hopefully we'll look out there.  Then we're off to Mackinac Island/City for 2 days before heading back into Wisconsin.  My father lives right on a "green circle" trail/route around his town of Stevens Point, so I'll get some post-marathon running in there, too.

                  Next up: A 50k in ? Done: California-Oregon-Arizona-Nevada (x2)-Wisconsin-Wyoming-Utah-Michigan-Colorado


                  Bugs

                    I ate a bug running the other day. What does that make me when you eat your own kind?

                     

                    Bugs

                    kcam


                      I finished running a trail relay race up there this past weekend.  We were in the lower part of the UP (Oscoda to Mio to Grayling to Empire, roughly) so it might be different, but I never had to use insect repellant at all.  Mosquitos were not a problem for me and my wife who seems to attract mosquitos was only bitten once.  Gnats were a little more of a problem but even that wasn't too bad.  I was pleasantly surprised.  Good luck.
                      Trent


                      Good Bad & The Monkey

                         IMackinac Island/City

                         

                        Pretty town, although a bit overpriced.  Where will you stay?  BTW, the fudge is fine, but a bit overrated if you ask me.  The best fudge is at Tremblay's, which can be found in Hayward, WI (other locations include Stillwater and Eagle River).

                         

                        Where in WI are you going?

                          the bugs and the humidity are ridiculous!

                          camped at pictured rocks lakeshore about a month ago, and they were relenless!!

                          Mackinac area is nice though, still alot of bugs though. be sure to use alot of bug spray

                             

                            Pretty town, although a bit overpriced.  Where will you stay?  BTW, the fudge is fine, but a bit overrated if you ask me.  The best fudge is at Tremblay's, which can be found in Hayward, WI (other locations include Stillwater and Eagle River).

                             

                            Where in WI are you going?

                            We didn't want to pay the overpriced rates on the Island so we got 2 nights at motel in Mackinaw City.  Thanks for the tips on the fudge.  My husband and I were there 16 years ago, and I still remember the fudge from the Island.  I was pregnant at the time, and I horded a piece taking 1-2 bites eveery day  .  I'll see if the other towns you mentioned, Trent, are near our route back to my Dad's in Stevens Point (WI).

                            Next up: A 50k in ? Done: California-Oregon-Arizona-Nevada (x2)-Wisconsin-Wyoming-Utah-Michigan-Colorado
                            Trent


                            Good Bad & The Monkey

                              near our route back to my Dad's in Stevens Point (WI).

                               

                              Tremblay's in Eagle River: Map

                               

                              Wink

                                the bugs and the humidity are ridiculous!

                                camped at pictured rocks lakeshore about a month ago, and they were relenless!!

                                Mackinac area is nice though, still alot of bugs though. be sure to use alot of bug spray

                                 We're here now, and went on a hike/run in the National Park.  When we were in the trees the bugs( light colored biggish flies? Deer flies?)  and mosquitos were pretty bad, and the humidty was tough to get used to.  But once we got to the edge of the lake, the breeze kept most of the bugs at bay, and the air wasn't heavy at all.  I'm hoping that the island will have a good breeze, since we'll be going around it fairly close to the shoreline in most places. 

                                 

                                We couldn't find patch reppellants(sp?) in the stores (I did find them online, too late to order), so we ended up getting a Deet spray at the dock.  We'll see how it works. The run is tomorrow, with clouds, showers and T-Storms. 

                                 

                                Thanks for all your input, everyone.  Really appreciated.  i'm looking forward to thre run - I'll be getting up in 6 hours to be at the dock by 5:15 for an early start.

                                 

                                Next up: A 50k in ? Done: California-Oregon-Arizona-Nevada (x2)-Wisconsin-Wyoming-Utah-Michigan-Colorado
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