Day 38, Post 36: Detritus and road kill. I started thinking about both after I stopped at a creek to relieve myself and noticed a bunch of crayfish lounging in the sun on some rocks. Only after I rode off did I realize I had missed a great picture. Then I began to think about the many things I noticed that I took for granted everyday. And I thought about four great coffee table books I could create as I cycle around the astonishing North American continent. One could be on billboards (best example - a billboard in Arizona advocating that the US leave the United Nations with a website for information), or effigies (the roadsides are loaded with some of the most creative and colorful effigies I've ever seen), or roadkill (you can learn a lot about an area's wildlife by paying attention to the dead animals on the roads), or detritus (it's astonishing what one can see on a roadside). So I resolved to get a picture of a live tortoise because I had seen so many earlier in the day, and crayfish if I had another chance. I didn't, so you will have to wait for another day. Historically, I have avoided taking pictures of roadkill - even though some are startlingly vivid - mainly because I have assumed others would not want to see them. But today my interest peaked, and I gave in. You'll see one example at the end of this post. Around here the roadkill consists largely of crayfish, frogs, turtles, possum and armadillos. In West Texas deer was common, as were armadillos. I have also seen some large birds - usually vultures, but also some hawks and one eagle. As to detritus, destroyed tires are common, wood of all sizes, bolts, tools, pieces of plastic that seemed to be part of microwaves, refrigerators and other appliances, and more fast food wrappings and drink cups than you could ever imagine.

I made up a little time today as insurance for my arrival in New Orleans by Tuesday. Im in Livonia, Louisiana... all goes well. Really enjoying this place...

Check out my road cycling activity on Garmin Connect.
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1652822560