Rattlesnake post.

This post is about the venerable Pit Viper the Rattlesnake. There are several species found in San Diego County and the one that was encountered today on my mountain bike ride was the Western Red Diamod. I think it is just a Western Diamondback with another name but I am not a verified Herpetologist.

The ride was going to be a 30 mile round trip out to Sycamore Canyon and Marthas Grove from La Mesa yet we cut it short when a snake similar to the one pictured was almost run over by me. He struck at me because my buddy rode by him while he was sunning himself on the road and startled it. by the time I went past about 3 seconds later he was scared and ready to strike. I crapped my pants when I caught it out of the corner of my eye lunging at my leg and bike as I whizzed by. I was sure that I got hit but luckily did not. I can imagine the nightmare that would of insued if I had! I jumped of my bike and checked my tremoring leg several times over as I watched the snake flip out into a bush. It was literally flipping into the bush. He was pissed!

I had so much adrenaline that I couldn't be sure that I didn't get bit because I had caught the end of my handlebar with the back of my thigh when I jumped off my bike and was "freaked" that is where he bit me. We decided to head back, well I made that decision. Two Rattlesnake sighting in two hours and having one strike at me was enough. (plus there was alot of mud)

Back to the first snake we saw. It was HUGE (pic). I had not seen a rattler in the wild in a long time and he was the biggest I have ever come across. About 4 feet and as big as my arm. The photo doesn't give it much perspective.

I encountered him on the main fire road on Cowells mountain where there were alot of hikers. We coaxed it back off the trail and put a rock Hoodoo by it and told the people we saw to watch out and spread the word. I think the memory of the first while I was encountering the second is what was so unnerving.

Also included is the recent photo and article of the recent World Record find for a Western Diamondback. Wow! And a pic of the potential damage that a rattlesnake bite can do to a human besides killing you. After doing some research there are alot of factors that go into the severity of a bite (if you get hit) . Did the snake have time to "load" his fangs with venom? Did he penetrate skin? How deep? How long? Time of year may influence the toxicity of the venom. Spring, like now, is the worst. Then there is the personal reaction to the venom. Either way I am sure glad I didn't have to realistically assess ANY of those questions.

Watch out!