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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Belle, Mo.
    Posts
    1,778

    Warning: Don't run over sticks...unless you are sure!

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    Not sure why I hesitated yesterday, I usually don't, and every time I thought the stick looked weird, I was correct. I almost collided with a King Snake. Huge. If anyone can identify the first snake, I'd like to know what it is. Doesn't look venomous, but maybe a water snake? He had obviously just eaten and was having a time moving across the trail. The second one is a beautiful Copperhead. He had attitude also. Wasn't going to move off of the trail until he was good and ready. I even rolled pebbles at him. He just looked at me like "Are you kidding?" He finally turned around and left.
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    Last edited by uforgot; 09-08-2009 at 04:49 PM.
    Claudia

    2009 Trek 7.6fx
    2013 Jamis Satellite
    2014 Terry Burlington

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Posts
    29
    Oh my, I should not have opened this thread! I just moved to MO, and snakes are definitely one of the reasons I haven't ventured out on the trails yet... eek! Do you see them often?

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Marin County CA
    Posts
    5,936
    I ran over a huge gopher snake last year - I was on a downhill and didn't see him in time to bunny hop him. I went back and assisted him off the road and he seemed ok. I felt awful about it, and I love snakes, but then a few miles later at the SAG stop someone had a bungee cord and I got this huge irrational adrenaline rush because I thought it was a snake.

    I can't identify your first friend there, but he is lovely.
    Sarah

    When it's easy, ride hard; when it's hard, ride easy.


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  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Belle, Mo.
    Posts
    1,778
    Quote Originally Posted by irrealised View Post
    Oh my, I should not have opened this thread! I just moved to MO, and snakes are definitely one of the reasons I haven't ventured out on the trails yet... eek! Do you see them often?
    No, no. I think it's because this part of the trail has had no maintenance. I was the trespasser here. We did see a few in May for the Pedlar's Jamboree, but they were the harmless King Snakes. I usually see babies and Garter snakes if any. I've ridden many many miles on the Katy, and last Sat. was pretty unusual for creatures. If it's any comfort, they are anxious to get out of my way. Well, except for that Copperhead, and that's the first time I've seen a Copperhead that wasn't in a zoo in 54 years. Mo all my life. Just don't assume it's a stick. I'm serious about that one.
    Claudia

    2009 Trek 7.6fx
    2013 Jamis Satellite
    2014 Terry Burlington

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Belle, Mo.
    Posts
    1,778
    Quote Originally Posted by maillotpois View Post
    I ran over a huge gopher snake last year - I was on a downhill and didn't see him in time to bunny hop him. I went back and assisted him off the road and he seemed ok. I felt awful about it, and I love snakes, but then a few miles later at the SAG stop someone had a bungee cord and I got this huge irrational adrenaline rush because I thought it was a snake.

    I can't identify your first friend there, but he is lovely.
    I think I felt a kinship with the first snake because of the whole "Too full to move" thing going on. I'm going to have to look up gopher snakes. Now I'm interested in others' encounters!
    Claudia

    2009 Trek 7.6fx
    2013 Jamis Satellite
    2014 Terry Burlington

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Posts
    3,867
    Copperheads can be quite aggressive, so I'm surprised he didn't want to move.

    You're right about that--never assume it's a stick. Fortunately, I often assume it's a snake, and THEN figure out it's a stick, and feel foolish.

    Karen
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    insidious ungovernable cardboard

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Bendemonium
    Posts
    9,673
    It's hard to see much detail in your picture. Here's a list of common snakes with some really nice photos.

    http://mdc.mo.gov/nathis/herpetol/snake/snake1.htm
    http://mdc.mo.gov/nathis/herpetol/snake/snake2.htm

    I agree with MP. Your specimens are beautiful.
    Frends know gud humors when dey is hear it. ~ Da Crockydiles of ZZE.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    where the wind comes sweeping down the plain
    Posts
    5,251
    eek- snakes!

    I'm impressed that you took the time to photograph them. I'd have high-tailed it out of there so fast it would have caused me to go back in time.
    Check out my running blog: www.turtlepacing.blogspot.com

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  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Belle, Mo.
    Posts
    1,778
    Quote Originally Posted by SadieKate View Post
    It's hard to see much detail in your picture. Here's a list of common snakes with some really nice photos.

    http://mdc.mo.gov/nathis/herpetol/snake/snake1.htm
    http://mdc.mo.gov/nathis/herpetol/snake/snake2.htm

    I agree with MP. Your specimens are beautiful.
    Thanks for the links. I cropped and added another photo of #1.
    Claudia

    2009 Trek 7.6fx
    2013 Jamis Satellite
    2014 Terry Burlington

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Looking at all the love there that's sleeping
    Posts
    4,171
    Cool.
    I'm gonna take a WAG-Stab-In-The-Dark and say "rat snake" for your first one.
    Very neat.
    I've never seen a copperhead (thankfully).
    Last edited by 7rider; 09-08-2009 at 05:25 PM.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Posts
    300
    I remember uforgot telling me "never assume it's a stick" when we rode on the katy trail. Not long after that, I was riding on al foster trail and before I even realized it, ran over a copperhead. I went real fast for a bit, then turned around and went back. He was coiled up on the trail, angry. Some walkers were coming with a dog, so I chased him off the trail.
    But it made me think of a story someone told on another bike forum about running over a snake, and it flipped up and got in the chain and everything, and made a mess. That alone would keep me from running over them if I saw them in time.
    vickie

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Newport, RI
    Posts
    3,821
    I ran over a garter snake once that I thought was a stick. I was afraid to look to see if I really hit the poor thing. I sent bf back to look for it, and was gone, so I guess it was okay.

    Another time, I ran over what I thought was a stick, and it was a rusty piece of metal. Yeah, I flatted.

    Oh, and someone else here ran over a stick (that WAS a stick), and it caught in her wheel, and she went over the handlebars. So, one more reason not to run over a stick.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Pacific Northwest
    Posts
    3,436
    I love snakes. That copperhead is beautiful!
    "My predominant feeling is one of gratitude. I have loved and been loved;I have been given much and I have given something in return...Above all, I have been a sentient being, a thinking animal, on this beautiful planet, and that in itself has been an enormous privilege and an adventure." O. Sacks

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    So Cal.
    Posts
    501
    A couple weeks ago, I came across this.


    It was in the middle of the trail and I only had a few moments as I sped up to it (going downhill) to identify the head end, and went around its tail side. I then decided to get a photo, but he was really moving and was almost gone in the grass by the time I got out the phone to take a photo. He was maybe about 2 1/2 to 3 feet long. Rattlers are about all I see out here in So Cal, mostly diamondbacks with a red every once in a while, but the reds are too shy to hang out on the trail.

    I've rolled over rattlers twice (not by choice ). One actually darted across the singletrack between the wheels; all I saw was a huge middle, it was so big, then thump.

    Your snakes are definitely cooler looking though; we sure don't get water snakes out here.
    Tzvia- rollin' slow...
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  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Posts
    199
    While I haven't run over or nearly run over any snakes, I did almost run over a baby alligator once. Poor little guy got separated from his momma and was out in the middle of a heavily used trail. I was too scared to help him off the trail though. those suckers have sharp teeth!

 

 

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