Follow the Butterfly

Post date: Mar 15, 2016 8:56:49 PM

My first day on the trail came a day early because of weather too nice to pass up for hiking. Not a long one, but enough for a good start at 12 or so miles to Cooper Gap. Met some interesting people , saw some awfully heavy packs, saw some hikers failing out of the gate. Too bad. Almost offered to help carry some stuff for one guy, but then I remembered the rule of the trail- hike your own hike. Let others be. Don't offer advice and certainly not criticism.

One guy saw me listening to and trying to locate a yellow throated vireo, asked me about it, and then as I was leaving said, "see you later Birdman". Don't think that will stick as a trail name but maybe.

Later in the hike, I came to a place where the trail crossed a road, and it wasn't immediately obvious where it started on the other side. As I was looking, a butterfly flew close to me, crossed the road, and headed up the trail on the other side for 50 feet or so before disappearing into the woods. I caught enough of a glimpse to see it was likely an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail. How nice, I thought, being escorted by a butterfly!