I received a scary phone call this weekend. A friend of mine was out riding alone in the evening through a swampy area of the woods near his home when he was overcome by mosquitoes. He was bitten so many times that his body actually went into shock and he passed out resulting in even more bites. When the paramedics brought him into Emergency his whole body was swollen and they had to insert a breathing tube.

He’s fine now, breathing on his own and recovering at home, but the only reason he’s alive today is because he screamed when first surrounded by the bugs and a worker at a nearby horse farm heard him, came looking, and called 911 when he found him unconscious in the woods.

I pass on this story, not to scare anyone away from riding in the woods or swampy areas, but just to remind us all that we need to think about what time of year it is and what time of day we’re riding and be prepared. If you’re going into a swampy area in the early evening on a hot summer day, wear lots of bug repellent with DEET – or maybe opt for a different route when all of those factors are at play.

Just think before you head and out and make sure you’re riding as safely as possible.