Close Encounter with a Rattlesnake

SoCal_Rider

SoCal_Rider

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Today I was zipping along downhill on a twisty singletrack trail when I came around a bush to find a rattlesnake sunning itself across the trail. I was moving too fast to stop and the only thing I could do was bunnyhop it. It all happened so fast that the snake didn't even have time to coil or even attempt to move.

As I continued down the trail, I was thinking about what happened. I recalled seeing the snake, recognizing the size & shape of the head as a rattlesnake, realizing I wasn't going to be able to stop, and just hopping over it. I don't even think my heart rate spiked (it was already high from riding hard.)

More post-processing revealed it was a western red diamondback. Probably 3 ft or so long judging by the head and body I could see. Half of it was still in the brush. Funny what you can remember from a split second event.

This was my third close encounter with a rattlesnake in my 7 years of riding. I actually rode right over an 18" little guy one night. Similar situation. It happened too fast to do anything else.

I did a quick search for generic snake threads before starting this new one. I saw where one guy on here was actually bit by a snake while riding. That's the first time I've heard of a biker being bit. That's one of my worst nightmares. Glad it's still just my nightmare.
 
Glad to hear you reacted fast in a situation where you need to act fast, as for me I need to practice bunny hoping like right now, since the ssssnake season is here... [emoji106]
 
And here's Herz's foolproof way to clear a rattler off a trail if you happen to see one that's not coiled and you have time to stop rather than hop:

From a safe distance (10'?) start stomping your feet. You can also bounce your bike. Mr. Rattler will sense the vibration and skedaddle off into the bushes. This has worked for me about a dozen times, and has never not worked. You have to be patient as it might take up to two minutes to work. This tip was brought to you by Lisa Simpson, BTW.

The first time I tried to clear one, I tried throwing dirt and rocks. It didn't budge. I was not interested in trying to move it with a stick, so I remembered the Simpsons episode about snakes sensing vibrations (Whacking Day). I tried it, and it worked. I have also come up on an occasional rattler sunbathing while I did not have time to slow, so a bunny hop was the solution. If there are other riders with you, rider #2 might be in for a surprise.

Now if Mr. Rattler is coiled and rattling, I am guessing it might be best to flee, or to use Barry White to calm him down. I've only been near one coiled rattler, and I just backed away and went around another way (it was a wide flat spot at El Moro, so I had options).
 
There has been a lot of hype about snakes on trails. No doubt we do want to be aware of our surroundings.

Your scenario has happened to me several times over the years. Mostly up at Devils Punch Bowl back in the 90's.
As the first on the scene you are most likely to catch the bugger unaware, it's the riders behind you that are now at risk, especially if you alarmed, bumped, or ran over him/her. At that point, your job is to yell "SNAKE!" to the point your comrades are fully aware of what is coming. Rattlers immediately go in to coil and strike mode from my experience, but once things calm down and they sense no immediate danger, they high tail it into the brush.

The scenario's that freak me out are those situations were you are trudging through thick brush on an overgrown trail and they could be sleeping and alerted to your presence and have time to coil and you don't see them like what happen to hill^billy. Lucky for him it was a dry bite! :? :shock:
 
I usually employ the "dirt and rock" method, but I will try the stomping from now on. At my current weight, this should be pretty effective. :lol:

My closest call was in the Death March last year... It was near the end of the race, on some rocky fire road. I had been listening to gunshots for the last several miles. Apparently, this was the place to go shoot. Several different demographic groups, all sharing the wide open spaces, with guns. I went down a pretty steep section, glad not to be pedaling. I never saw the coiled snake at the bottom, concealed by shadow. Like Mikie says, the rider before me must have already pissed in his Cheerios. I heard the rattle, and he hit the back tire, just below my butt. After I processed what happened, a quick look told me he wasn't one of the little guys I usually see. He was quite girthy... Like baseball bat size. :shock:

And, unless my wife finds this forum, she will never know... :lol:
 
Lately no ride seems complete without seeing at least one snake. Mostly gopher snakes but have come across 2 rattlers on the trail this year. First one I ran over without even realizing it until he rattled for the guy behind me. Second one I stopped in the nick of time, backed away and kissed my brake reservoir. Then proceeded to toss rocks and sticks to convince him to move but he never budged. May have to try the Herz technique next time.

I have a fireroad climb that goes up towards Templin highway that I like to call bitch hill (cause one of these days I’ll make that hill my bitch by being able to pedal all the way up with no HAB). I can pretty well guarantee multiple snake sightings (& coyotes). One trip up last summer was 4 snakes in less than 2 miles before I wussed out, turned around and hightailed it at mach10 speeds to get out of there. This has become a winter time only ride.

Several years back my brother in law was bitten twice in the foot by a small Mojave green . He was in flip flops putting food in a bird feeder and never even saw the snake until he felt a tingle in his foot only to look down and see it biting him . Hospital only had one vile of antivenom so he got to go on two helicopter rides that day. After seeing the size and different colors his foot turned that day I can tell you they are no joke. He still has some nerve damage in that foot and now wears boots just about everywhere he goes.

There was also the time as kids that my best friend’s dog was standing there barking at his doghouse like a loon. Decided to try and figure out what he was barking at by sticking my head in there to have a look. First look in was too dark so I got a flashlight and looked again to see a baby rattler curled up in the corner. I can’t count the number of times I hit my head trying to get out of that dog house. My current dogs house has a hinged lid because I’ll never forget that day.
 
Is jumping the snake code for this forum going down in a ball of flames. :P
I enjoy seeing creatures out on the trail. In fact I look forward to it.
 
I have had about six close encounters with rattlesnakes this year. I don't mind the ones on downhills as I just hop over or go around them, but on slow uphills they suck.

I saw one in the bushes right next to me while climbing Coachwhip at Oaks a couple of weeks ago. I did not see it until I was right next to it. Earlier this year on a Coachwhip climb there was one stretched across the trail in front of me. I stopped and was waiting for it to move. Another rider coming down saw him at the last second, locked up, low sided and landed right on top of him. Dude jumped up screaming "is it on me, is it on me?" I laughed, but did not feel bad about it because I yelled snake, he was wearing headphones and going the wrong way. The snake took off rather than biting him. It was a good visual of what not to do though.

I hopped one on Yucca and went by the tail of another, both on the same run.

Just last week at Limestone a rider about 20 yards ahead of me ran over the head of a big one, and when I went by he was in full rattle mode and pissed. I was lucky that one did not strike at me.

I jump nearly every stick or root I see across the trail as practice for the snakes. Besides rattlers, I have come across about 20 snakes so far this year.
 
herzalot said:
I have also come up on an occasional rattler sunbathing while I did not have time to slow, so a bunny hop was the solution. If there are other riders with you, rider #2 might be in for a surprise.
Click to expand...

Or a stranger... I heard a story from a buddy that he did the same to a snake, since there wasn't any room to go around and it was a bit too late to stop with his speed, and took a break at the next convenient stop, to calm down, only to find a local rider pull up and ask if he ran into any snakes. Apparently the snake got pissed and the local tried to stopped and ran into the brush/cactus, and needed a hand to remove the thorns/spines.
 
I bunny hopped this guy in Sullivan a few weeks back. I came up on him suddenly. Stopped and told my GF to ride around...and so that she wouldn't freak out. :mrgreen:

I don't think this one was dangerous though...

snaaaake.jpg
 
Every stick that is in the trail to me is a ratter. I seen dozens of them thru the years, I have never had any close encounters. I was in the Oaks before the fire when the brush encroached the trail. I had stopped due to a rattler in the trail when down comes a girl on a bike with earphones on. I waved my arms and yelled at het but she proceed to run the rattler over. It did not rattle or move after that and she felt really bad. I tell that story not so much about rattlers but to people that listen to music while they ride. I think she would have rather been bit than to kill something she did not take it very well.

Dean
 
Dean's story reminds me...

There is some construction on the Arroyo Trail right by the little monument behind the golf course. A couple months ago, I ran across three decapitated rattle snakes... All within 100 yards of each other. I'd guess the construction workers were thinning the herd.
 
Obsidian said:
I have had about six close encounters with rattlesnakes this year. I don't mind the ones on downhills as I just hop over or go around them, but on slow uphills they suck.

I saw one in the bushes right next to me while climbing Coachwhip at Oaks a couple of weeks ago. I did not see it until I was right next to it. Earlier this year on a Coachwhip climb there was one stretched across the trail in front of me. I stopped and was waiting for it to move. Another rider coming down saw him at the last second, locked up, low sided and landed right on top of him. Dude jumped up screaming "is it on me, is it on me?" I laughed, but did not feel bad about it because I yelled snake, he was wearing headphones and going the wrong way. The snake took off rather than biting him. It was a good visual of what not to do though.

I hopped one on Yucca and went by the tail of another, both on the same run.

Just last week at Limestone a rider about 20 yards ahead of me ran over the head of a big one, and when I went by he was in full rattle mode and pissed. I was lucky that one did not strike at me.

I jump nearly every stick or root I see across the trail as practice for the snakes. Besides rattlers, I have come across about 20 snakes so far this year.
Click to expand...

I'm not riding with you. Sounds like you're a snake magnet. Haha
 
I've never had to bunny hop one, I always seem to spot them in time or have enough room to go around. I did run over one last summer, though - never saw it until I was right on top of it. Wasn't sure I believed my eyes, and stopped to look. It was off the trail, but the noise it was making off int he grass left no confusion about what kind of snake it was.
 
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