we just got back from a trip to Montana. Apparently, I can't get enough of Montana and must return there on an annual basis. This time we were at a lake not too far from Missoula, attending a friend's wedding. After the wedding we took two days to go hiking in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, fondly referred to as "the Bob."

We were going to backpack for three days and two nights, but there was a small problem. See, the mosquitos really seem to like me. They seemed to like me about 85 times in the first day. That isn't including all the times I smacked the damn things just as they were getting comfortable. The morning of the second day sweets and I were trying to come up with a game plan for that night's campground. I mentioned to him that I had a lot of bug bites, to which he said something along the lines of "so what, you wuss." Then I took off my shirt and showed him my back and he immediately said "okay. so we're going to stay in a hotel tonight." or something like that. See, I'm smart. I put on insect repellant, I wore long sleeves. I was wearing three shirts, which the damn bug bit right through. I don't know what they are starving those montana mosquitos for, but they got a decent mouthful out of me. They bit me so much I was getting woozy from lack of blood. Or perhaps that woozy feeling was from hiking at record speed in an effort to out-run the bugs.

So the second morning we went for a hike and came upon an old cabin that seems to be in use still. It all smacked of blair witch, so i decided that I would turn back there and not wander in to look in the basement. that movie scared me, you know? Not good to think about it while backpacking. After seeing said creepy cabin we turned back and packed up camp to head out.

Because our plans had changed, we ended up hiking 23 miles in two days. The first day was almost entirely climb too. big hike. heavy packs. So when I called my dad to brag about it and check in, he totally blew me off. 23 miles? ha. Think of those apache ladies who did 80 miles in a day, with kids. great, thanks dad. now I feel totally accomplished.

whatever.

anyway, I'm back in connecticut and it's humid and rainy and the cat is shedding mountains of hair. everything is back to normal.