Friday, April 1, 2011

The mountain trail where I run daily is known for having rattlesnakes, amongst other forms of more “exotic” wildlife. So, I keep my eyes alert, focused not only on where I’m going and what’s up ahead but especially where my feet are about to land. Doing so has helped me avoid actually getting bitten by rattlesnakes, although I’ve had more than I care to recall strike out at me as I was leaping over them while running.

This is prime rattlesnake season—the beginning of it—when snakes are just coming out of hibernation in search of something to eat. It’s my ultimate goal each season to avoid becoming one of the things the local rattlesnakes sink their fangs into. So far, my keen attention to the trails has allowed me to maintain that goal. Today was no exception.

Moving along the trial at a good clip, my eyes shifted from what might lie just beneath my feet to what was up a little ways ahead. There were shadows cast across the pathway in some areas. Those are the places I scrutinize the most, for that’s where it’s easy to miss a snake sighting.

Up a little ways ahead, just past a shaded area, I caught sight of movement on the ground. Getting closer, I was astounded when I spotted the largest rattlesnake I’ve ever seen! This guy had to have been over three feet in length and at least two and a half inches in diameter! Its rattle alone was about two inches in length and easily an inch and a half wide! It was moving at a fast clip, not the least bit threatened by my close proximity. But then, I’m sure it knew it had the upper hand should we need to engage. More surprising than it’s impressive size was its coloring. Most rattlesnakes are the color of dried dirt so they can perfectly camouflage. But this guy was mostly green…yes, I did say…green.

I took out my phone, and in the time it took for me to get into the camera setting, the snake had scurried most of the way across the path. Never before would I have believed that I’d be uttering the words, “Stop moving so fast,” to a snake, much less a rattler, but that’s exactly what I did. I hurried to snap my photo before the snake disappeared into the grass where it was headed.

Letting the snake slither into the cover of grass before I proceeded, I gave thanks for once again missing getting tangled up with the wrong end of a rattler and continued on without further sightings.