Today's post is a departure from our usual coverage of Lectric Boil's rechargeable, portable cooking stove and its cutting edge features allowing you to boil water in minutes and cook in any wind and weather. Instead, I'll share what I learned after going through a stressful experience so you can avoid it.
What Happened
After a hike here in Michigan, I found a black tick had latched onto my side — one smaller than a pen tip. I never felt the bite. I removed it immediately and went to urgent care, then saw multiple doctors. I'm still being treated for symptoms including cognitive issues, arthritis-like pain and stiffness, and blurred vision, among others. Months in, I'm finally seeing real improvement, and some symptoms have disappeared entirely.
I'm sharing this not to alarm you, but so you can protect yourself and those you care about from the risks that come along with ticks.
What Went Wrong
I wore long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, high socks, and boots — all dark-colored. Good coverage, wrong color: I never would have spotted anything that small against dark fabric. And I didn't check my skin or clothing after the hike. That's the mistake that mattered most.
Lessons Learned
Wear light-colored clothing, especially on dense trails where deer and other animals are common. Solid, light colors make it far easier to spot an unwanted hitchhiker.
Check yourself thoroughly after every hike — and have someone else check you too, if possible. If you can't undress and inspect right away, make it a priority as soon as you can. I didn't feel a thing.
Prevention Tips
- Repellents: Plenty of options exist online, whether store-bought or homemade — I won't endorse a specific product, but a quick search will turn up plenty.
- Lint rollers: Run one over your outer clothing during or after a hike (works on dogs too) to catch ticks before they latch on.
- Reverse tape: Wrap tape around your ankles or arms, sticky-side out, in dense areas to stop ticks from crawling further.
- Tick-detection apps: Some use camera filters to help spot ticks.
If a Tick Bites You
Don't panic. Remove it slowly with tweezers so nothing is left behind, then clean the area thoroughly. Save the tick in an airtight container (a mason jar or Tupperware works) — labs can test it to help identify what it might be carrying, since ticks can transmit more than just Lyme disease. Seek medical attention if possible.
(I'm not a doctor — this isn't medical advice, just what I've gathered from experience and research.)
I've talked to people who were bitten and never had issues, and others convinced that a bullseye rash means Lyme regardless of test results. Everyone's experience differs — but paying attention is the one thing that helps everyone.
Bottom Line
Ticks don't fly — they perch on brush near trail edges where animals pass, then climb on when something brushes by. Wear light clothing to spot them, use repellent, carry a lint roller, and consider reverse-taping your ankles and arms in dense areas. Check yourself (and get help checking) after every hike, and keep a good pair of tweezers on hand.
I'll still be out in the woods — just more carefully. Enjoy your time outdoors, and take the steps to protect yourself and the people you're with.
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