One day we did a river hike. The river was a small stream, babbling over rocks and sandbars, with the full array of flora and fauna, fish and creatures. It was the only place I have ever encountered leeches. Our legs came out of a pool with little worm like creatures attached to them. Most of us panicked. The counselors calmly removed them, as I recall touching a burning cigaret to the back of the leech made it release its grip and and fall away, also affording the counselors an excuse to smoke in front of their charges. The bleeding stopped within a couple of minutes.
The river hike was one of my fondest memories of that week, at times I think about finding a creek and taking a hike.
Would you join me on that hike?
I remember such hikes...we called them something else. I can't remember. Yes, complete with leeches, fixed by a pinch of salt. I would join you.
ReplyDeleteOverall it was fun.
DeleteLeeches. Blech. No.
ReplyDeleteThe hike was pretty
Deleteew ew ew! NO!
ReplyDeleteAnd there were bugs
DeleteThe one thing I miss while camping is hiking. My health prevents a lot of it but I enjoyed it immensely. I now take my walker on the paved trails, not the same but I like it. I'd join you. I've never seen a leech of the bug variety. It would be interesting. I wonder if they can suck belly fat. Nah, too bad.
ReplyDeleteDo what you can do and enjoy it. I wonder if leaches are an east coast thing?
DeleteWhen I was a kid, we swam in the town pool diverted from the river. One part of it had weeds and leeches. So in my time I've picked a few leeches off my legs. Not pleasant but not as bad as one might think. The cigarette on the bum trick we used for wood ticks, not leeches.
ReplyDeleteAnd no one smokes anymore. In the 70's half the younger population did.
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