Adult moths are emerging from the ground in mass quantities. Many don’t make it up a tree where time and temperature help their wings extend then flight muscles strengthen then she flies away looking to get laid to fertilize the full load of eggs she created while in a pupae.
Suspect they key in on P pines to climb up. Their coloration matches the bark and she will lay her eggs at the base of previously sprouted needles, never the new growth which survives the infestation. Today I watched what I determined to be females flying searching trees for egg laying.
Yesterday climbing Pine Drops the trail was littered with moths in various states of life. One was squashed in the trail with ants crawling all over tearing bits off then moving back to the hill maybe 8 feet away. I looked to the right to the base of a trail side P pine. Several moths were in various stages of disassembly by ants while several were able to climb the tree escaping doom.
In other news.
This issue of MBA has a blurb on mixed wheel sizes on bikes. Today it is 29 front 27.5 on rear. Stirring interest from great downhill race placing. Included was a picture of this:
Specialized produced the first mass produced mtn bike for like $900 back in maybe ’82. Outside magazine was starting to print mtn bike articles. Too expensive and I was on a Boeing holiday (laid Off). A local bike shop owner sold me the bike half off retail. I lived back in the woods above Wanna, WA where a private land owner had horse trails ridden. I poached the flat sandy trails after work. I parked the bike in the unlocked garage I lived over. One day I opened the door to get the bike: empty. Stolen. I stepped up big time to but a $1,100 Diamondback Arrival pictured on the cover of issue 2 of MBA ridden by Johnny T. The rest is another history.
Today while riding up Storm King a rider stopped. Looked at each other: Darrel from Sedona.
New fork has been tuned by Diaz, now is anticipation of delivery to Sunnyside to install. I hope first ride is Sunday.
Anyway, just riding the greater Phils system, drinking a social beer at 10 Barrel, spending lots of $ at Newport Market, sleeping out past TH right off Marvins Gardens. I do like being here. 9:39 PM, side door and windows down, 62 degrees, no mosquitoes.
11 years ago I drove away for the last time from my sold house. The 18th was the first day of the present odyssey.