Road Kill Tiger Tails

The speed of mule is the perfect pace to see what winds up on America the Beautiful’s highway shoulders. It’s ugly: thousands of Bud Light cans, Gatorade bottles, KFC boxes and MacDonald’s cups. Occasionally a love letter and a pink purse.

It’s loud, too. When you’re behind the wheel, you don’t hear what’s under the hood. You’re hushed travel capsule makes a hell of a racket as it’s barreling down the highway at 65 miles per hour.

There are bright spots, though, like the butterflies. Smashed mid-flight against bumpers, windshields and grills, their bodies drift down in front of the mules as we plod across the land. On a recent stretch of Kentucky Highway 25, I came across 10 fallen butterflies in less than half an hour.

After a long day of riding up the highway, I took all my dead butterfly photos and put them together. Laid museum-style on a black background, they made a bittersweet arrangement.

Corine Montoya
2019-05-09 00:10:40

Hello Bernie,
I’m happy to see the pics you share, but if it weren’t for your adventurous spirit I would not be able to enjoy parts of the USA I have never seen in person. I am sure glad God has created a person like you (whom has shared your travels with people like me and many others). Safe journey on your traveling West.

Bernie Harberts
2019-05-13 07:22:20

Share!

Share!