Meet Lewis

I typically don't have a fondness for creepy crawlers but Lewis is different. Lewis climbed onto my side mirror in Oregon and rode all the way across the country in his web. I noticed him on my mirror when I was flying down the highway at 60 mph and I figured he would blow off any minute but instead, he crawled up his web and hid behind the mirror until I stopped for gas or snacks. He'd crawl out and inspect his web, fix any holes and then run back to safety until we stopped for the night. He would be happily hanging upside down when I'd get back into my car in the morning.
I got attached somewhere in Utah and Mom and I would check for him every morning. I named him Lewis S. Clark since he's such a grand adventurer. The S is for spider.

Occasionally Lewis would refuse to leave his web for the safety of the mirror shelter and he would blow rapidly in the wind, sometimes rotating in a complete windy circle. I imagined he must be quite dizzy but even when we stopped he would stay put. I guess he liked the breeze.

Lewis now lives in our driveway and though I've probably introduced a new deadly species of spider that will wipe out the South's entire agricultural system, I'm extremely pleased by him. And he's gotten so big! He was half this size when we left Oregon.

I don't know if he's not used to the humidity but Lewis seemed more lethargic since arriving in the South and it would take him a long time to hideaway when I'd start driving. Once I got home I began driving super slowly and even pulling over to give him a chance to get to safety. The other morning he was riding in his web and part of it broke and slingshotted him waaaay up into the air and luckily he landed on top of the mirror. I slowed way down so he could climb behind his windbreak and I decided that Lewis and I couldn't live this way any longer. I hated that he had to spend so much time mending his web and I was more concerned watching him than watching the road. I decided to give him a permanent home and tried to move his web into the shady bushes by the front door. He crawled too quickly towards my hand and I yelped and dropped him and his web.

So I flicked him into the bushes and I pretend that he's happy in his new home.

Editors note***

I posted this late last night and then scampered off to bed. Just as I drifted off, my phone jingled and I saw I had an email from Aunt Georgia herself. She simply stated that "Lewis is a female." and my whole life changed. How sexist of me, assuming a female spider would be far too sensible to build her web on a moving vehicle. Sounds more like a guy move to me. Therefore change the he's to she's and the him's to her's.

Her name is now Louise S. Clark and I really hope she did not lay eggs in my car.