Okay, not the baseball Diamondback, a real rattler..... hiking the Goat Camp trail in the White Tanks. Less than five minutes into my hike around 6:30 a.m. today the "stick" stretched across the path was not a stick, it was a diamondback rattlesnake about 2-3 ft. long. It was just laying there (not even soaking up the sun as it was overcast at that time). I got close enough to take a couple of pics with my camera phone, I don't normally take my digital in my Camelpack, so the images are rather small, but there really is a snake slithering back behind that rock. No, I didn't kiss it nor did I try to make it "rattle" by poking it with a stick!! Duh!!! We had seen a smaller diamondback one other time in the White Tanks, but it was a small one curled up by the side of the trail. This one was REALLY COOL! I know the pic sucks, but I'm leaving it here because it's my blog and I want to.......
Later on, further into the canyon I met a centipede. It was probably 3-4 inches long. Boy, their legs are really funky! I put a little stick under it just to see the "flow" of those legs. Usually I only see rabbits, lizards, and squirrels...... today was unusual...
As for the hike, I think I went almost 3 miles in and 3 miles back out. I never made it to the switchback, but I know I was close. All this in only 2 hours from start to finish including paparazzi time with the "locals."
Next time I will attempt to make it to the switchback so I can see the towers.
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