Michael: The Rattler

The rattler rattled
Then slowly slithered away
To hide in the brush.

Wednesday, April 25, 2018

On Sunday, the day our guests arrive at the wellness resort to begin their seven day retreat, I spotted a long yellow racer snake just outside one of the guest’s rooms. This was the first time I had spotted a snake since being back in the states this year and I was excited about it. I shared my enthusiasm with the guest at orientation and told them that the advice that our naturalist gives them to stomp and they’ll go away, was effective.

As effective as it may be though, my inclusion of this eye witness account wasn’t taken well by my supervisor, who chastised me for bringing it up. She advised me, understandably, that these were city folks and their knowing that creepy crawlies were lurking about would be better left in a more theoretical framework, and that if I were to reference personal experience to use examples that had occurred at a distance from our current location.

Funny then that just two days later I again had an encounter with a snake, though this time with the only dangerous snake around here - the rattlesnake. As I was near the end of marking the trail on a bluff near Nicholas Canyon State Park, I sighted a two and a half foot long rattler stretched out on the trail. I was a bit surprised because at the time it was kind of foggy and cold. And the rattler, by his actions, was just as surprised, and probably a bit more displeased, with encountering me.

 I watched the snake from a safe distance before deciding to reach for my phone and take a picture, but the rattler took the opportunity while I was fumbling through my pack to crawl off and coil up under a nearby bush. He wasn’t far off the trail but was still extraordinarily well camouflaged.

I decided not to share this event with our guests given my recent hand slapping, but it’s a very good reminder to myself and those out there, to be careful where you step when looking for a place to potty off trail. It’s not likely you’ll encounter a rattler, but they’re out there and the damned bastards are pretty damned good at hiding right under our feet.