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Its snake time down here in Az!

Until it really heats up, our rattler friends are out and about. I've seen a few already this year but in the areas where homes and civilization have encroached, they don't get spotted all that much.

Was out riding yesterday AM in a relatively remote area - navigated around a corner of a rutted trail and there was a prime example of an adult rattler hunkered down in the very rut I was tracking in.

** I was immediately aware of that metal taste one gets when they are extremely scared!!

I did not want to try jump the little critter so I opted to TRY and get out of the rut and take my chances in the rocks. Got out of that rut but it was clear I was going to go down. Even as I was landing and starting to tumble it occured to me that the rocks I was headed toward were not only going to hurt...it was very possible that another rattler in those rocks was a distinct possibility.

Landed (it hurt a lot and I knew there would be blood!), and in a move that any NFL running back would have admired, got out of the remaining attached pedal, grabbed the bike and was 10 yards
down the trail in not very many seconds.

Needless to say, I took my time and was ultra vigilant headed back to the car!!

(FYI-I can highly recommend the gel Descente uses in their cycling shorts. They absorbed bodily fluids enough to feel comfy for the miles back to the car)

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Wow. My biggest problem today was Mom's and their kids walking in the shoulder of the road and looking at me like I was on the wrong side of the street. Glad to hear you're ok, and the advantages of Descente's gel gloves. :D
Not so sure the rattler wasn't easier to avoid than the mom/kids set up!

Within the last week their's been two instances here in Arizona where bobcats attacked humans. A mom and her child were bitten while hiking. In Cottonwood, Arizona - a bobcat walked into a bar (no joke) and went after the patrons. In both instances, the bobcats were rabid.

Maybe I'll stick to the road until the heat drives the critters out of sight. We all can usually outrun most dogs on our bikes, but I'm not so sure about bobcats.
Are your bobcats bigger than our bobcats?

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