Utah - Moab - 12 May 2011

Photo 1: Back off...get your own mouse

Photo 2: Getting it down

Photo 3: Tummy will soon be full.

Most people hate snakes. You see one or nearly step on one when you least expect it. In my world, seeing a snake is like sitting through all the Chainsaw Massacre movies in one stretch. They were in the water, the outhouse, and the fields at the cottage when I was a kid and watching one slither through my legs while sitting in my Gramma’s outhouse traumatized me. However, today's experience has set the ‘trauma’ bar at a whole new level.

We left Monument Valley and headed up Hwy 191 towards Moab, Utah. There’s not much civilization along that 200 mile stretch but once again, the scenery was stunning. On of the only large towns was called ‘Mexican Hat’ and it wasn’t until we were through town that we saw the reason why. At the far edge of town is a balanced rock, which is quite impressive and gives the town its name.

I had to have a photo of course, and there was a turn-off which looped around the rock. Wayne pulled the car over to the side of the road and waited while I got out….quick picture…in and out.

As I walked around the front bumper, I heard the first ‘rattle’. It took about 2 seconds..literally..before my brain registered the sound and then I heard the second rattle. The reaction was immediate!! I did some impressive ‘air running’ and somehow found myself on the other side of the car trying to get enough air out to tell Wayne I’d had a close encounter of the rattlesnake kind. I hadn’t looked down so didn’t know exactly where it was but knew by the sound that the snake and I had gotten really close to one another.

I peeked around the front of the car and saw that the snake had been coming down the small embankment on the side of the road. I always look for snakes in Arizona when I’m walking off the highway but it blended in so well with the dirt that I would never have seen it. It had killed a mouse (which I must have almost stepped on) and was no doubt warning me to ‘back off and get my own mouse’. Once it realized I wasn't going to have the mouse for lunch, it proceeded to ingest the rodent and then slithered off to find some shade. The photographers instinct kicked in and I dove into the back seat to get my other lens and the rest is photographic (& Lynne’s) history. The previous encounter with the killer black bear at the lake has dropped in significance.

I know now that my heart is as sound as an anvil…and that’s a good thing. Wayne and I are having a on-going debate about the size of that bugger. I say at least 36 inches...he estimates it to be somewhat smaller. He's never right.

Our next stop was as Newspaper Rock near the Canyonlands National Park. It’s a big slab of rock that has petroglyphs dating back BC to 1024 which are still very clear…amazing stuff. We continued up the road towards the park and saw incredible rock formations that we’ll revisit as we had to turn around...low gas gauge levels ‘rule’ in this environment.

Tomorrow we head to the Arches National Park and into Bryce Canyon country. I hear they have cougars there. Wonder if the ‘bear bell’ will work? Until next time, hopefully, love and hugs to all. xx