Cecropia Moth

​I remember spending a lot of time taking pictures of this Cecropia Moth. I must have been transfixed... or bored. It is a giant silk moth and the largest native moth in North America. In its adult moth form it only lives for a couple weeks because it lacks the ability to eat and digest food. The adults emerge from their cocoons after a bit of warm weather and this only happens once a year. So it is a pretty narrow window when you can actually see these beauties. They also tend to live in the eastern half of the continent... not so much in western Washington. 

Originally Posted ​March 21, 2007

Independence - 30.86 miles

Feeling sticky with humidity and lack of shower, I rose to take pictures. The most interesting feature I've discovered on my camera is the light balance feature. today it featured a moth. Someone who knows moths should tell me more about it. Waiting for the RTC(Round Top Cafe)to open, I stopped at the new coffee shop. I chatted with someone who'd lost his home on the coast to Katrina. I learned that Katrina hadn't hit New Orleans, but a failure of the levies did. Course I'm sure all of you knew that. I think I'd decided to remain aloof to the news surrounding it. It was just another story of how the government had failed its people. I also learned that a father son team on bikes had passed through yesterday. And four days ago a very Australian man with a blue bike loaded down came through. One could only guess it was Jon. This is the first I've heard of him on the route. Then I went to wait the last half hour on the RTC porch with classics like "come on people now smile on your brother" coming from the dirty white speaker above my head. Steve commented that he's not allowed to change the radio station. Imagine listening to the same hundred tunes for years on end. The Royer team bustled about making the final preparations for opening. The chocolate pies arrived. Tara, the owner, offered me lunch. It was quite generous and I ordered the cafe burger and began flipping through the RTC book. Poor Tara has baby pictures in the book. She said the book needed updating. I quickly became full on fries, onions, and local color. I took the pie to go. I couldn't leave with out it. They ship it everywhere. Passing Memory Lane, I noticed it was a dead end. Let that be a lesson. But I suppose someone lives there. Shortly after Gay Hill I stopped to delight in the apple pie. It was as good as pie can ever be. I'm glad I waited. The birthplace of Texas came quickly and I stopped at the Independence Store. Apparently all the bikers stop here. They keep a log and Jon was here on the 18th. I feel like I'm following a ghost. For the cyclists that come through, they offer a spare-still working on moving out of- apartment. I took a cold shower and played solitaire while listening to the daily philosophical discussion of the watering hole.
9.2 ave - 30.2 max - 1745.1 odo - 3:20:26 time