Sitton

I have never complained so much on a hike before and this one took it, hands down.

The drive here was okay a bit of traffic 10 miles to the parking lot but nothing crazy. Once there I had to pee, ???? bathrooms where cleaned. I went into the parking lot and many told me to park at the candy store but there was a sign that said no parking so i went back to the huge parking lot. I got dog ready i got my stuff put on my dogs googles and off we went.

It began good i signed my name on the permit box and continued. .3 miles in and i was trampled with spider webs, i said okay its early this will be most of the way but my lord i wasnt expecting web after web. ( breathe) anyways trail its beautiful well marked i put the webs aside and continued used my trekking pole as a shield for oncoming webs. Now what happen next its nothing of amazing. The flies…. Let me tell you something theres nothing more i hate than flies especially if they are dancing on my head. Mile 1 and the flies were unbearable. It was 7 am too dont you guys sleep jeez. So i had in my mind that i had 4 miles left of flies all over my head. Anyhow we contined and it got humid and i was already having a bad day with the bugs and flies all over me. No amount of yeet that i used was enough ????. Mile four, roxy started to overheat i could see the drool on her mouth so i stopped and thats when the bug problem got worse. I understand that the wetness its what they get attracted to but my god ???? anyways. I watered roxy rested 3 minutes i couldnt stand there with all those bugs. Roxy got up and we continued. Once on the last scramble roxy overheated again. We had to stop i pour some cold water on her body and gave her more water and waited 5 minutes because bugs man. We continued literally 3 minutes in roxy couldnt and i was like okay edgar suck it up its for her. So we rested 10 minutes. I pour some more cold water on her so she will get her temperature down. I was not having it bugs man im telling you bugs. We were almost to the summit so i carried her i couldnt stand any longer with the bugs carried her for 2 minutes and i was drained. Let me tell you in a temperature of 76 with a pack carrying 8 liters of water plus a 35 lbs dog will show you what you are made of on a steel incline. Lmao so i put her down and told her boo you got this we are here so being the strong dog she is she pushed thru to the summit. Once there ugh the bugs dude the bugs…. I couldnt enjoy the views nor focus on my dog because of the m……… Bugs ???? i change dog vests and put the cooling vest on roxy pour more ice water on her had a small snack took some pictures and i just paced back and forth trying to shoo away the bugs, flies, butterflies and criters ive never seen. Anyways the high maintenance in me came out and i was acting like a princess ????‍♂️ i just dont enjoy bugs having a picnic on my hair and head. I had to unleash roxy on the way back because it was easier and im sorry but to my defence we were the only two on the trail all the way to the parking lot. We decended and it was the same story bugs, overheat bugs more overheat. Anyways like i said i would give it a 5 but in my mind is a 3. Will comeback in the winter hopefully theres no bug problem. ????