[OrRando] Other uses for Lantiseptic

[Susan France]

I hadn't expected deer flies on the brevet. I'm very allergic to the buggers
and have dealt with them in my past. My first experience was climbing Mt St
Helens and bitten on the face while I napped. My entire face swelled up and
we just left as I couldn't see with my eyes swollen shut. I tried a
different tactic in NM. I tried Deet. Didn't phase them. They loved to catch
a ride on my backend or thighs and take out hunks of me right through the
lycra. They love the sun and I cannot outride them on an uphill. Taking
hunks out of my backend isn't so bad as the face and hand bites. A hinny
bite just results in large red welts, and itchy for a few days. But bites on
my face, hands or feet where miserable...swelling for 24hrs then achy sore
for days, spreading well beyond the bite.

My best tactic in NM was to start early in the day up the Canyon and when
they showed up, I departed, turning around and losing them on the downhill.
So what to do with the deer flies attaching me on uphill of FR23?? One did
get me on the hand. It started to swell, get red and hot, tingle, and hurt.
But I had my right hand left for most of the shifting I'd be doing. So I
stopped and improvised. I wrapped my extra jersey around my backend... more
fabric they'd have to bite through. I slathered Lantisepic on the back of my
hands. It's so thick I figured at the least it would trap them like fly
paper. So I pedaled on enjoying the sight of the buggers checking out my
hands...not liking them at all and leaving me alone. BTW, I did take an
antihistamine and ibuprophen, though it seems they really don't help much.

Did anyone smell the wildflowers on Cripple (I mean) Curley Creek Rd? I've
not smelled wildflowers that wonderful since Death Valley last spring... yes
Death Valley, I was there for the once in a century bloom last spring.

Susan.