So the mad dash begins. Tear down camp, pack up, and get on the road. Need gas anyway- can plan the next leg over gas station coffee.
I make record time. I’m ready to get out of her territory in roughly 20 minutes. I open the driverside door to get in and WHACK. Something hits my left shin. Just as I look down, WHACK the rattler hits my boot again in almost the same spot and promptly gets tangled in the laces… yeah, was in a hurry, never laced them up tight.
My fault. In my hurry I never looked under Bert before I approached, something I always do in snake country.
In utter defeat, I hear myself say, “Welp. Gonna die here.” As of course I managed to find the one rattler with no rattle and she’s as tick as my wrist.
I light a smoke waiting for the damn thing to let loose. It just gets more tangled in the laces.
I reach down and carefully grab the POed critter behind the head and get her loose…and of course she promptly wraps up my arm to my arm pit. Big rattler. ( this is how I discovered all the tail segments were busted off)
Is he’s trying to flex her head and dang my hand, just wrapping tighter. I get a few meters from the Jeep and yell, “$&@^#}! Relax!!!”.
Instantly she relaxed, uncoiled, and I dropped her into the sagebrush. In shock I laughingly yell “I am the reptile GOD!”
This is when I noticed the young coupe and their kids standing open mouthed staring at me from the access road.
Must of been a helluva sight, me in nothing but a kilt and knee high boots yelling at a snake.
Next stop. Great Basin National Park and a solo hike to 11,300 ft above sea level… if the flash flooding doesn’t get me first.