Author Topic: Big and Handsome  (Read 10375 times)

Brad

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Big and Handsome
« on: February 15, 2006, 01:14:38 PM »
Took the morning off to go climbing at the Far Side. Did laps on several routes (didn't use my knees). Turned to leave, took two steps and jumped out of my skin when I heard the rattle! Massive snake. Big in diameter and I've never seen a set of rattles as big as my little finger. I don't think he was close to striking, but he wasn't too happy to have me so close either. Beautiful creature. I volunteered thereafter to run all the way to the car to use up the adrenaline. Reminds me of climbing on the Wheeler Crest with Mr Mud. Walking up this gully he suddenly does a 180 and jumps on me. I'm thinking WTF, and then I heard the rattle. True story, but he'll deny it.

Brad

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Big and Handsome
« Reply #1 on: February 15, 2006, 01:18:35 PM »
Oh. I should point out that the title of this post refers to the snake, not to Mr Mud.

The Big

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Big and Handsome
« Reply #2 on: February 15, 2006, 02:54:27 PM »
Yeah right, we know you true setiments.
I'm who i am.

mungeclimber

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Big and Handsome
« Reply #3 on: February 15, 2006, 06:34:01 PM »
that's cool



any pics?
On Aid at Pinns... It's all A1 til it crumbles. - Munge

Brad Young

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Big and Handsome
« Reply #4 on: February 15, 2006, 06:46:35 PM »
Pics? Pics! I jumped five friggin' feet in the air. And then kept a respectful distance. Besides, I didn't have the camera.

mungeclimber

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Big and Handsome
« Reply #5 on: February 15, 2006, 10:36:46 PM »
:)
On Aid at Pinns... It's all A1 til it crumbles. - Munge

salad

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Big and Handsome
« Reply #6 on: February 16, 2006, 09:27:33 AM »
damn, i know that feeling.  we were coming out of Sinks Canyon in WY, dropping fast on a loose, steep trail when I heard the rattle.  Almost couldnt stop it was so loose and steep.  Got within about 2 feet of that testy sucker.  He was small and fierce.



When younger, walking my dog in Pine Valley (east SD county) the dog (who was old) was out ahead and walked right over a 5+ footer stretched out on the trail.  Dog comes back and walks over it again... never saw the damn thing until I did.
eow!

The Big

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Big and Handsome
« Reply #7 on: February 16, 2006, 09:52:00 AM »
When I was up at the cabin I could hear something outside.  I walked out to the edge of the trees and did not hear anything.  On the way back I took three steps then caught some noise that just made me stop.  I stood there and listened.  Finally I turned on my head lamp and looked around.  There two feet in front of me was a small coiled pacific rattler.  I took a good look around then backed up and let him continue his way.
I'm who i am.

MtnStephen

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Big and Handsome
« Reply #8 on: February 16, 2006, 11:20:02 AM »
Reminds me of hiking up to try (and bail...) the regular route on Half Dome with Mr Mud. Saw a little rattler in the trail, and stopped. DES kept walking, I yelled "HEY!" he kept walking, I grabbed the pack on his back to stop him from stepping on the poor thing.

salad

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Big and Handsome
« Reply #9 on: February 16, 2006, 11:54:54 AM »
that reminds, came across a very young one the approach to the column.  almost stepped on that sucker too.
eow!

mungeclimber

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Big and Handsome
« Reply #10 on: February 16, 2006, 03:12:51 PM »






On the road into 2 Mile Bar





Same trip, saw this...



On Aid at Pinns... It's all A1 til it crumbles. - Munge

The Big

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Big and Handsome
« Reply #11 on: February 16, 2006, 05:17:23 PM »
Two cool pics.  took me a little while to see the Bobcat.  I managed to pet a two and half footer at the pins just past chunky munkey.  He was trying to warm up in the sun.  Some lady asked me if I didn't think that was abuse.  I said nope, beating it with a shovel is abuse.
I'm who i am.

Jody Langford

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Big and Handsome
« Reply #12 on: February 16, 2006, 08:06:07 PM »
Quote
Beautiful creature



Yes. And after admiring how beautiful it was, I would drop a big friggin' rock on its head.  :twisted:

Brad Young

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Big and Handsome
« Reply #13 on: February 16, 2006, 09:02:30 PM »
Bad karma man, real bad. The snake asked me nicely to get the hell out of his space. He could have been rough about it. By the time I took off he and I understood each other well. Why blow it?

Jody Langford

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Big and Handsome
« Reply #14 on: February 16, 2006, 09:48:58 PM »
Anything that scares the crap out of me that bad deserves to die. If I am tooling along a trail and you jump out of the bushes and scare the tar out of me, I'd probably kill you too. :lol:

Jody Langford

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Big and Handsome
« Reply #15 on: February 16, 2006, 09:54:43 PM »
When we lived in that little rock house near the upper parking lot on the east side we practically had the evil serpents in bed with us. Left to go to school one morning and was about 6" from setting my foot down on a 3 footer coiled up on the doormat. My sister, when she was about 2 or so, was playing with a frog. Hop, hop, hop, and she would follow it trying to catch it. My dad looked over after a couple of minutes and saw her reaching for the frog....which was sitting on the ground surrounded by a coiled rattler. He basically knocked her away from the snake with a linebacker move as the snake struck but didn't connect. It probably was about a three footer also as it only struck out about 18".



After cooking them and eating them I realized they taste about like tender chicken...nothing spectacular.

Brad Young

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Big and Handsome
« Reply #16 on: February 16, 2006, 10:09:26 PM »
Exactly when is it that you're allowed to carry a gun?

Jody Langford

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Big and Handsome
« Reply #17 on: February 16, 2006, 10:48:20 PM »
Quote from: "Brad Young"
Exactly when is it that you're allowed to carry a gun?



24/7

mungeclimber

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Big and Handsome
« Reply #18 on: February 16, 2006, 11:24:42 PM »
hahahah



I'm sorry, but I gotta go with JL on this one.



If it's in my space, it gets clocked.



Now, how I define that space changes in each situation.





But I do remember a story of how my buddy's dad, Bob and his old man, in Bob's youth would pick up miners out in the desert where they were heading back out to their claim. On Bob's way out to josh or the mojave, invariably he  would pick up this one hitchhiker/miner that originally had a six shooter in his belt.   He told the young troublemakers, if you boys ever follow me, I'll shoot you where you stand.  The rest of the story has nothing to do with this, but it's interesting nonetheless that even in the early 50s guys were wearing six shooters in their belts out in the desert.



On one such trip, Bob and his dad were roaring drunk by the fire. Bob's dad gets up to take a leak and meanders into the bush.  Not a minute later, his Dad is yelling "BOB!!!  BOB!!! GET THE GUN, GET THE GUN!!!!!"



Bob stands up not seeing the issue at first, and asks, "What's wrong?"



"GET THE GUN, GIVE ME THE GOD DAMN GUN!!!"



Pops is standing there pissin when he realizes there's a rattler right under his tallywacker, backs away QUICKLY, and at that point is when he starts yelling.



Bob hands over the gun and Pops unloads all six rounds into the snake.  Only hitting it once.



Picture a gruff old desert rat of a guy yowling out for the gun, panic strickin, with his tallywacker hanging out, he shoots at the ground hitting basically nothing.



hahahahah
On Aid at Pinns... It's all A1 til it crumbles. - Munge

salad

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Big and Handsome
« Reply #19 on: February 17, 2006, 10:11:17 AM »
Quote from: "Jody Langford"
Anything that scares the crap out of me that bad deserves to die. If I am tooling along a trail and you jump out of the bushes and scare the tar out of me, I'd probably kill you too. :lol:



i have to agree with this.  looking at Mr Mud in the morning scare the crap outta me.



do the math.
eow!