Ugh, I had the total opposite experience last October... the bugs were gone but the ticks were awful. Pulled three off my dog after that hike. And honestly, the fall cold just made my hands hurt the whole time... I'd take summer bugs over that ache any day.
Hold up, I gotta disagree here. Sure, ticks are a pain, but have you ever tried hiking in summer when the mosquitoes are so thick you can't breathe? At least in fall you can layer up and avoid the worst of the bugs. That cold air actually feels good once you get moving, and you don't have sweat dripping in your eyes the whole time. Plus, those fall colors make everything worth it, even if you have to check for ticks later. Gloves fix the hand ache thing, but bug spray never really works in peak summer.