Snakes and Lizards, Oh My!

One of my favorite scenic drives near Phoenix is Apache Trail, Brando and I have made it a point to go up there multiple times before it gets too hot to hike around and explore during the day. The desert is starting to wake up, there are blooms everywhere as well as little critters running around the desert. There are also little gnats that appeared in a desert wash and decided to go to town on my arms and legs but that's a story for a different day.

What all of this excitement means is that the snakes are out and about too. I have run into snakes before, one time almost stepping right on one above Adam's Canyon. But, for some reason I have in my mind that the snakes in Arizona are more ferocious. It could be the many different types of rattlers down here, (it suddenly makes sense why they're the Diamondbacks.)

The other day Brando and I are exploring when I hear some rustling in the underbrush. Brandon freezes and asks if I heard that. Well yeah, I DID hear that, and I was freaking out since there were many small agave plants and other bushy things between myself and Brandon and the rustling was right in between us. So, after about having a heart attack I spy something slithering along the ground. I was sure it was a snake, I thought it was all over...and then...this little guy appeared....



You may not be able to see him, the little critter is very well built for his surroundings. The little monster was half-slithering like a stinking snake. I was very relieved to find that my days weren't over yet, but I will be a little more careful the next time I'm walking along deserted washes in the desert.