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We took our son, visiting here from New York City, for an early morning hike at the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Park the other day. We brought cameras and binoculars and cell phones; lots of water; hats, sunglasses, and sunblock to protect us from the sun, and hiking sticks.
When Ben wondered if he really needed to carry a stick, we just smiled and said, "Snakes." We said snakes in the way that people will who are real desert amateurs and have never seen a rattlesnake outside of a zoo and who wonder to themselves about the efficacy of hiking sticks in snake country.
He believed us and brought the stick along. Good thing, too.
Now he really believes in walking loudly and carrying a big stick. The stick preceded him by a step and startled a rattlesnake, who politely rattled to let Ben know he should stop and look around. Note that the sound was the first indication of the snake--this guy was so well camouflaged that I found it hard to see him, even when I knew he was right in front of me.
Ben came back down the trail to get us and we approached cautiously to take photos. The sun was glaring on the camera screen and I wasn't sure what I was getting, but I snapped away blindly and hoped for the best.
He was such a polite and patient snake.
Tomorrow: What happened next...
8 comments:
rattlers are so common in my area, and they stick mainly to the rock bluffs along the Mississippi. they are anywhere that we find rock outcroppings though. this one would have scared the bejesus out of me. the only one I've ever seen was dead, along railroad tracks. they're beautiful, but oh so scary. I look forward to the continuing story!
Looks like he was enjoying a little patch of shade.
That encounter will surely get your blood pumping. :)
~Lisa
I'd wondered where that saying about walking loudly and carrying a big stick came from! lol
I had never seen a rattlesnake in the wild until last year in eastern Oregon when we surprised one while hiking. He looked TICKED - and he was right in the middle of our path, so we decided it was best for all parties if the humans turned around and went back the way they came.
Looking forward to the rest of your story...
That snake really is well camoflaged and yet he is a big one! How nice that your son was able to see it. I love your new header too. The winding path looks inviting.
eeeee yikes! i really don't care much for rattlers... though have seen plenty in my day & once was one step away from stepping on one when my boyfriend at the time said "stop NOW" very firmly & i froze in mid step! hmmm.... i wonder what is coming next?
You are a brave woman to stick around long enough for a photo...a real blogger at heart! I was on a horse that was old and tired (or so we thought), and he began rearing like Trigger and Roy Rogers! I had no idea what was going on until I saw a curled rattler with his tail in the air rattling away at us. I DID NOT get a photo!!! Here's to you, Oh Brave One!
Oh that better be a happy ending Clair!!! Very nice picture. ONe time we were hiking in Texas and met a rattler sort of like you just described. I was taking pictures from a nice distance when a young couple walked up behind and when she saw it, the young lady started screaming as if she'd been murdered (but she was behind me and I didn't know what happened at first). She scared me to death. I was fine with the snake.
I always stomp around LOUDLY while hiking out alone in the desert or our nearby mountains! Believe me, I make so much noise and create so much vibration that I scare everything away!!! The only rattlesnakes I've seen are either dead or nearly so (both were run over by cars).
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