Savage River Trail
Maryland
July 1999
On our hike to camp the first night, we encounter swarming bees. Not too many, but not too many is too many.
We are a group of backpackers on the Savage River State Forest in Maryland. Climbing a hill, single file, our lead hiker must’ve stirred a nest of bees because by the time we get there, they are swarming. Two amazing things happen next.
First, my friend Sally is hiking in front of me. At the exact moment that I see a bee land on her calf and sting her, a bee lands in the same place on my calf and stings me! It is like I am watching her get stung and feeling the sting.
Second, I never knew anyone could run so fast carrying a fully loaded backpack. That’s what we do. Run with our backpacks.
We humans can outrun flying bees, especially if we run for a quarter of a mile or more. That’s a long way to run with a backpack.