DAY 224: US 80 NEAR DELHI, LOUISIANA - BITES

Good Morning:

It is 4:00 am Sunday, August 28, 2011, and I am in misery. Within the past 2 hours, I have been bitten a total of 4 times. There is no flying critter, unless the continuous cloud of no-see-ums count.

Something - or something(s) have invaded SPIA and have found their way into the blankets of my over-the-cab bunk. I have not yet seen anything, but the bites are coming fast and furious, resulting in painful itching and immediate large welts.

I must be pretty tasty to something...

I surmise that something(s) may be spiders.

This concerns me as a few days ago I was discussing such a scenario with a new found friend who was bitten and paid no-never-mind. Turns out she was bitten by a Brown Recluse - common in this part of the world.

By not getting it treated, it rapidly advanced into a massive open tissue-eating sore - on her hip / tush, requiring surgery.

I am fortunate to have two small bottles of a wonder - prescription - THERMAZENE, 1% Silver Sulfadiazine Cream. I have this medication because it is miraculous on Burns. A nurse in a recent ER visit put me on to its value as a "bite" medication.

For burns, it takes away the pain; and prevents / reduces scaring upon healing.

For bites, it also immediately takes away the itch and pain...except for one huge bite on my right side under the arm pit, which refuses to stop itching/hurting and appears to be growing in size - this one appeared two days ago.

So, I am using this "SILVADINE" cream sparingly, which I understand in large doses, can be poisonous.


The reason I'm writing this is that I am fearful of climbing back into the feathers...something is waiting in there for my return.

I would normally strip out the entire bed area and hang everything out to air. Problem is that we are parked in a deserted section of US 80, it is pitch BLACK outside, and all sorts of nasty critters prowl this region at night.

So, I have retreated to the back of SPIA - far away from the bunk - and sit in dimmed light - to conserve my dwindling battery which I wanted to recharge at the State Park, but for limited $$ cannot do so - awaiting daylight which arrives in three hours.

I will have to clean everything out of SPIA and run it through a Laundromat...then look for the offending critters in cracks and crevices...and I thought itsy bitsy ants were bad.

If I don't find them, I may have to have SPIA treated by a critter-chaser i.e., fumigated, which means emptying all drawers, cabinets, and storage areas.

It is quite impossible to "seal" SPIA from the outside. Numerous access points are available for any small critter to climb aboard...simply not possible to keep them out.

Only real solution is to leave the area for non-infested places, such as, perhaps, ANTARCTICA.

and, to boot, I am hungry, having settled last evening on a bowl of rice soup...not enough for my body after walking for hours in 105 F.

I truly hope my Blog is being enjoyed...it is created at a price... 4 - 5 hours each evening...time I apparently should be spending on house-keeping / cleaning. Not to misunderstand me...I truly enjoy recording - photographing -, interviewing, collating, and creating a reasonable Show and Tell of each day's adventures...would be nice however, to take refuge now and again in a comfy air conditioned room with a Jucuzzi tub to soak in...instead of "spit-baths" of cold water allowed aboard the perpetual Oven inside SPIA.

Even so, I am thankful that it is not just SAM & ME...imagine being daily exposed for months-on-end to unfriendly biting critters, with no escaping the heat and humidity, wearing dirty clothes, setting up / tearing down camp and having limited water and food...not to mention limited electricity for the HP Mini...

Alas, there have been NO motels in this back-country of Louisiana...at least not any that I would savor climbing into. Perhaps I should drive over to I-20, only a couple miles away, and try to find a refuge reasonable enough for at least one night rest.

But for that, I must wait for daylight. My left eye will not allow me to drive in the dark.

Of course I am rambling. What else is one to do with voracious critters hunting you down in the middle of the night. Must stay awake.

SPIA's battery is getting low. In a bit, must turn the lights off and wait out the rest of the night in the dark.

and yes, it is still hot and humid even at 5:00 am...which time it now is.

Please hold my hand...if just for a moment.

OK, thank you.

Is now full daylight. Sacked out a couple hours on the side bench and have shaken out all the bed clothes...no critters to be seen. Also enjoyed my morning porridge...yum.

Will today visit a laundromat & wash all bed clothes

Will now drive to DELHI, LOUISIANA and resume walking. The drive will charge SPIA's battery a bit.

Walked to DEHLI yesterday.

Apologize for disturbing your sleep last night.

Tonight is another night ! SAM & ME.