Posted by Kath on January 20, 2008, at 21:00:32
In reply to Re: Booking for my June Kath's week away - pictures » Kath, posted by Jay_Bravest_Face on January 20, 2008, at 16:23:45
Hi Jay - I'm afraid of rattlesnakes also!! But this is a not-scarey story of a NOT-rattlesnake:
At the shore of the particular area where I camp, there ARE snakes. For some years there was a beautiful Fox Snake. There is an area along the shore where there are a lot of rocks about the size of large watermelons (obviously different sizes). I love to walk along the shore & in places like that just step carefully from rock to rock.
The first year that I saw "Goldie", as I personally called it, I was doing the walking; arms out balancing-thing. Suddenly I saw Goldie curled up among the rocks. Didn't know what kind it was, but then saw tail & knew it wasn't the SCAREY kind! Later that day I was way down the shore from there & saw a long Fox Snake making its way up from the water. I followed it; it curled up on a rock & yawned a few times, then made its way slowly meandering for about 30 yards down to the other rock area. I was following it parallel (between it & the water)...it didn't know. And it ended up in pretty-well the same place as I'd seen the Fox Snake earlier.
That year I'd check daily & saw it in different places around there numerous times. I also saw black snakes around that area & I called the area "Snake Hotel".Goldie had a certain mark (scar, I guess) on it, so I could tell it was him. He hung out at that area for about 3 years in a row & then no Goldie...I was really sad.
Since I went to Killbear as a teen, if I'm walking where I can't see much around me I "WALK LOUD" or I like to use a walking stick & I thump it as I put it down.
Fox Snakes will rustle around in leaves & can sound like a you-know-what. I had an experience like that once when approaching a line I'd put up between trees. I was going to take something off it & stepped forward & Rattle-rattle-rattle!
I literally JUMPED about 3 feet backwards!!! It was a Fox Snake, but I am telling you, I didn't know that right away & my heart was just about thumping out of my chest.I totally understand your fear though & I think a lot of people share it. Killbear is SO beautiful though that I can rise above it. I'm also VERY scared of bears & THAT scares me more, being there, than snakes, 'cuz I know that R-S's first choice is if they sense someone, they will head the other way QUICK.
:-) Kath
PS - One year my daughter came up to Killbear with me - we had separate sites, to honour my K's week away thing. We'd get together by arrangement only. One day I took her to show her Goldie. Goldie was curled up sleeping at the first place I'd ever seen him. My daughter has an amazing camera & took several close-ups. (We checked to make SURE it was Goldie - including checking for rattles on tail). We decided we wanted to touch it & we first did with a little stick & no movement at all, so we touched him with our finger. He was really soft & smooth. Now I think - Oh My Gawd! Did I really do that? I'm pretty sure she took a photo of my finger touching him! Yikes!
K
poster:Kath
thread:807268
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20080104/msgs/808032.html