leaving a trail

today i was looking for a geocache and i was about to reach for it when i felt a sting at my right elbow.

"damn", i thought. "that's an awful hard sting for a horsefly."

and then i was stung again.

i took off running and screaming. the little devils followed.

they kept stinging. i lost track exactly how many times.

they were IN MY CLOTHES. i did what you'd do: i kept running and screaming, tearing off my clothes as i went. some three hundred feet later i was rid of the hornets (we think they were hornets), but also rid of my pack, my helmet, my shirt, and my pants were around my ankles.

i had to drop my pants because they were IN MY PANTS. i have a sting in there to prove it. i had left a little trail of clothing and gear. so carefully, carefully, i started putting clothing back on and moving in an orderly fashion back toward my pack, which is where i keep my inhaler and epipen.

i kept waiting for the reaction, but there was none. i mean, i have some swelling and  great deal of pain, but no anaphylaxis.

so that was a nice surprise.you know, especially since i was four miles from my car.

so no emergency room.

but i sort of feel like crap.