How can I ride for four hours on a baking hot sultry summers evening.. literally riding through vast clouds of ravenous insects.. through swampy lowlands... dank woodland.. cattle stained moorland.. inhaling lungfulls of toothy angry blood sucking rage fuelled agressive hateful flying monsters and not get a single bite....?
Yet I spend a similar amount of time in the beer gardens of a few town center pubs last night and get absolutely savaged by the little critters!!!!
DEET! its the only thing that works for me!
sweat...and suncream
Up in Fort Bill the little critters just drowned in sweat, sun cream and Skin So Soft before they could dig their teeth in, and I DO get bitten usually
Maybe the bugs round these parts have a liking for cider and dislike the taste of gnar...?
you're safer when you're moving, they can't keep up.
[img] 
[/img]
you're safer when you're moving, they can't keep up.
I would usually agree that this was the cause of the bugs incongruous behaviour...
but the bloke I was with had to stop to adjust his pads or stem or chain tensioner or determine the cause of a particular whirring noise or check for play in the cranks or to true his wheels every 37 yards so I was stationary very much more than might be expected.. giving the bugs ample time and presenting a very easy target..
the mystery continues..
Check out the Scottish midge forecast. It's ok being smug about your unfetterd countryside access but the downside to Scotland is that midges are equally unrestrained.
http://2010.midgeforecast.co.uk/
Skin So Soft moisturiser has the hidden bonus of being a rather effective picovampire repellant.
cougar - where do you buy it from?
[url= http://avonshop.co.uk/product/bath-and-bodycare/skin-so-soft/skin-so-soft-original-dry-oil-body-spray.html?newdept=&s=buy_now&c=Avon_uk_com&otc=&bnd=& ]Skin So Soft Clicky![/url]
And it really does work! My missus convinced me to put it on (despite my protests because of the scent!) and it kept away all biting pests!
Autan and/or neem oil is, in my experience, more effective at actually repelling them - rather than just drowning them.
stay above 2000feet!, apart from that down to the individual...dont really bite me,just the feel of them on me i dont like,HH`s stuff worked for him at ft william this year,skin so soft for me,
i also got a midge jacket which i have worn cycling when real bad...
[img] 
[/img]
could have resold it a dozon times on the saturday evening at the nevis range campsite!
but our mate steve..he got ate alive!
[img] 
[/img]