Big Snake

I took today off to go a doctor appointment and then rode partway up Mt Diablo. About a mile into the ride I started catching another rider. As I caught up to her, she moved over to the right and that's when we both saw the snake! He must have been 3 - 4 feet long. But what really struck me was how thick his body was. She said it was a rattler; I didn't go back to check. :p

A couple of miles later I surprised a turkey - the feathered variety. I have seen a lot of turkeys, but I can't remember seeing one take flight before. I was happy to see a good number of California poppies in bloom as well.

Veronica

I almost didn't open this thread for fear there might be a pic of said snake! Did you scream? I would have lol.

But i would like to see a pic of the poppies! :)

The other woman was between me and the snake, so I didn't scream. She didn't either, come to think of it.

I didn't stop to take any pictures today. But here's a poppy picture from a few years ago. They're not quite as good this year I think. Better than I thought they would be since we didn't have a very wet winter.

http://tandemhearts.smugmug.com/Othe...M/fav-16-M.jpg

Veronica

Thank you! That is beautiful! We just got more snow today. Ho hum. Please go away winter.

Lovely pic! Love the color.

Snakes not so much. Beautiful flowers on ANOTHER freezing day when we have a threat of snow, priceless.

Thanks, V!

SheFly

oh man, snakes don't bother me but one of my riding buddies get totally freaked out, even when they are smashed on the road snakes. Last year on our Owyhee uplands scenic byway ride a group of us rode over a cattle guard with a rattler coiled in the ditch below the guard. We did stop and go back and take pictures. I wrote Snake in the dirt of the road in huge letters. The DH was behind us and he thought it said Snack as the sag wagon was at the top of the hill after the snake - so much for trying to alert others :)

We have cottonmouths this time of year on our River Trail. You have to give them plenty of room. I HATE riding past them, but as long as I see them first I am ok with it. When they strike at me from the grassy edge HEART ATTACK!!

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Originally Posted by lgibster

We have cottonmouths this time of year on our River Trail. You have to give them plenty of room. I HATE riding past them, but as long as I see them first I am ok with it. When they strike at me from the grassy edge HEART ATTACK!!

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:eek: Seriously they strike at you?? OMG, i would die. I'm a scaredy cat.

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Originally Posted by Penny4

:eek: Seriously they strike at you?? OMG, i would die. I'm a scaredy cat.

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YES!! Spring mating season they like to lay out on the paved path and sun. If a walker/jogger comes by they coil up. If a bike comes by sometimes it is enough to make them strike at you. I have found if you ride faster towards them they don't have time to actually hit you. Of course one of these days I may get a fast one with good aim you never know.

Practice your sprints. Lots of them.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by lgibster

YES!! Spring mating season they like to lay out on the paved path and sun. If a walker/jogger comes by they coil up. If a bike comes by sometimes it is enough to make them strike at you. I have found if you ride faster towards them they don't have time to actually hit you. Of course one of these days I may get a fast one with good aim you never know.

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YIKES!!!! :eek: I have always had a tendency to think of myself as a bit fearless but you are seriously making me reconsider that. YOU ARE the woman!

I just returned from Costa Rica tonight and reading through here while waiting for photos to upload...we actually went out a few times specifically to look for snakes. I saw three Fer de lance's at night and a boa and a green vine snake during the day.

I'm not sure I'd tangle with a cottonmouth. You're probably not going to die from a bite but it would hurt like a *****.

I have spent way too much time over the past four months talking about snake venom. My thesis is on snake venom. (There are a few species referred to as fer-de-lance; one of them is really commonly studied.) Snakes are pretty cool, but I'm not sure I want to think about them ever again.

Don't know if I could study snakes! My thesis was in cotton diseases, much safer!