Rattlesnake warning #2

From: Forger
Activity_Date: 4/29/01
Remote Name: 64.157.193.80

Comments

I was driving home from work @ LAX and saw a bunch of PGs at the grade so I convinced my wife to actually let me fly with other pilots.

I hadn't been on the hill for a few weeks (since my involuntary evaluation of my back protection on the upper launch) and there was considerably more vegetation growth at the bottom of the hill. I missed the turn up and went to backtrack. I joined what I thought was the trail (it may have been or might not have been, I'm still not sure) and was leading with my collapsible walking stick. I planted it ahead of me and heard a very short scrapping sound which I took to be a twig I had dislodged. I was smart enough to pause and look and there -- only a few feet away -- was a very large rattlesnake rattle sticking up from the grass. I couldn't count all of the rattles but it was obviously BIG. For whatever reason I wasn't that concerned because I knew from the angle of the rattle that the snake was angled away from me. I peered intently through the grass tracing my way down the rattles to the snake and was quite surprised to see the body actually tracked down towards me and the head of the large timber rattler was within a couple of feet of my feet.

I immediately yelped and did my best Nazi goosestep backwards. Thank God timber rattlers aren't aggressive unless forced to be.

I'm glad I had the walking stick and from now on will also ensure I'm wearing leather boots instead of high topped tennis shoes.

This is my second close encounter with a timber rattler (the other time was up in Wrightwood) and both times their warning rattles were negligible. As a matter of fact, they are so short that it doesn't really even sound like a rattle. On my first encounter I tried to scare the thing away and even though it was pissed, coiled, and striking at me it never rattled again.

Be alert for any short scraping sound you hear, it may be your only warning!

Forger

P.S. Sure was nice to actually fly with people!