Biking over long distances often requires one to ride on the berm of the road. In many ways, the berm is nature’s modern day morgue. Some animals that get hit by a car die in the middle of the road. Others hobble off to to die in the grass just off of the berm. But, most animals die on or near the berm of the road. And even those that don’t, are likely to get moved there at some point by a kind soul.
Over the course of my journey, I’ve navigated my bike around countless dead animals including, cats, dogs, rats, armadillo (so many of these!), deer, skunks, ground hogs, squirrels, hogs, chipmunks, opossum, small birds, large birds, snakes, frogs, several squashed turtles, and I swear I saw one small alligator too. I found it interesting that I was encountering so much death on a journey with the purpose of reconciling dead humans.
My trip from Jackson to Farmington, MO was one that brought me even closer to the cycle of life. In the course of about 30 miles, I encountered at least a dozen butterflies and dragonflies that were still alive and severely injured by a passing car. I helped many of these to the side of road. For the more devastatingly injured, I put an end to their suffering. I was struck by the fact that I had never seen these type of insects get hit by a car, nor had I ever witnessed so many of them dying on me. Some of them were Monarchs. So sad.
Both dragon and butter flies are such magical creatures, both symbolic of transformation and change. I wondered what their deaths meant. Was spirit upset that I hadn’t stopped to see Nancy Bushyhead’s grave? Was my transformation ending? Were the transformations of the spirits that I was working with, were they dying?
I never did receive answers to these questions. But I did receive a gorgeous drive through paved back roads with no cars and majestic farms.
And I did begin to notice life a bit differently than I had before. I began interacting with the goats, cows, and horses that I passed along the way. I began observing them and wondering how they were doing, what they were thinking, how they were feeling. I began feeling connected to them. Shortly after that, I noticed the cows were looking at me differently. At one point, an entire pasture stared at me lovingly. Some even talked to me kindly. I’m confident that they had never seen a biker or a human dressed in such a bright color yellow. Maybe that was reason that they noticed me? Maybe it was just that my perception had shifted? No matter.
It shouldn’t have surprised me that my server for supper that night was 8 months pregnant, of Cherokee descent, and that I was her last table before maternity leave. Bless you Kaitland. You’re gonna be a wonderful mom. Vanessa is so lucky to have you.
Atone The Removal 