Soon they will appear

Rattlesnakes generally do not bother Kadizzle, but the reality is we are in an area where there are plenty.  At the Tonto Basin Cave Dwellings the other day there was a huge rattlesnake on display. Kadizzle never realized how big they can get.  The Indians say that two weeks after you see the lizards the snakes will be out.  Well there have been lots of lizards moving about.

Kadizzle has had a couple encounters with the rattlers.  One of the most memorable was in a bay in North Dakota on the lake.  Kadizzle knew he was in a snake area so he was watching closely and using his hiking stick to warn the snakes ahead of him.  Shortly after starting a hike the person behind Kadizzle said " You just stepped over a rattlesnake".  Kadizzle thought he was joking, but he pointed to a fairly big snake making its way to the big rocks nearby. 

The closest call happened in California.  Hiking down a stream with big boulders Kadizzle made his way down between two boulders.  Ruth said she heard a snake rattle.  Kadizzle looked to his right and with in striking distance there was a rattler on a little ledge.  Once with daughter Erin, Kadizzle started hiking up a steep hill on the lake.  All of a sudden a buzzing of many rattlers startled Kadizzle and he jumped back and just about fell off the hill.  In the same area many years ago Kadizzle stood beside a friend.  The friend was looking through his camera and Kadizzle noticed the tail of a rattlesnake sticking our by his foot.  Kadizzle casually said " There is a rattlesnake's tail sticking out of a hole by your foot".  Friend did not believe Kadizzle and said " Sure and it's head is coming out of a hole over there".  Next he quit looking through his camera and looked down.  See the tail of the snake he jumped in freight.

Last summer in North Dakota with all the boats in a bay tied together.  The whole sailing group was able to see two large rattlesnakes in some sort of fight or mating ritual.  The snakes seemed to wrestle and then fall into the water. 

Strangley when Kadizzle give the matter some thought he realizes he has seen many more rattlesnakes in North Dakota than Arizona.  In North Dakota you know where the rattlesnakes are, here they are everywhere.