Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Timber Rattlers


Look who we nearly stepped upon while hiking in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park on Saturday! My husband,Randy, was in front and passed them. Duncan (10) was in the middle and yelled, "Whoa!" We all stopped with our mouths hanging open. His trekking poles would have come right down in the middle of them had he taken another step.

Although we've hiked dozens of miles (or in Randy's case, 350 miles) in the Smokies, this is our first rattlesnake encounter. I'm not a big fan of snakes, but this was actually pretty awesome. They were rather entranced with one another and didn't pay us much attention; in fact, we didn't even get a good shake out of them. I'm okay with that. Duncan and I skirted around the trail to pass them.

For more pictures and details from our Saturday hike, visit Randy's blog, 900 Miles.

8 comments:

  1. And this is when I would have passed out and died.

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  2. Very cool, but I'm glad I'm just seeing a photo, not the real thing.

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  3. Yeah the first time I seen them at my mom and dads home I about died myself. I didn't think it was cool simply for the fact that I knew how my kids played in the woods and around there home!!!!!! So needless to say the playing encountered some rules from them on!! My mom has killed several at there home and I hate that thought!!!!!!!! Never came across some hiking however... Neat time to do a lesson on snakes though! XOXO

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  4. Yes this is when I would have passed out too!

    But great shot!

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  5. Great shot! Glad your son saw them in time.

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  6. very nice site))) like it very much!!!!!!

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  7. Nothing like that experience! I almost stepped on a large one on the AT about 12 years ago. I was 1/4 mile from the truck on a section that connects to another trail and makes a loop. I was ready to turn around and hike the loop back to get to the other truck.

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