Brocephus

(sorry, no pics ) Anyone else seeing extra snakes lately? I saw a gorgeous, large copperhead a bit earlier, but in the past couple days, I've come cross 3 big rattlesnakes. One was alive, about a 3 footer, but headed across a road where he was sure to get plastered. Later that ride, i came across another one about the same size, that had been hit and killed.
Then this morning, pedalled right over one that had to be a good 4 feet long. He'd foolishly started out of the grass on the shoulder, and as soon as he laid his head on the white line, somebody popped it like a grape for him !
Just wondering what everyone else is seeing, and if this is maybe some sort of seasonal movement, or if I'm just getting "lucky" (I do like to stop and check out some of the critters, often moving turtles out of harm's way. I recently stopped to check out a bobcat that had just been hit).

Wileyrat

I haven't seen a rattler yet this year, but as nighttime temps start to drop they'll be out more sunning themselves.

I do usually see at least one roadrunner on my road rides. Funny thing though, I never see snakes or roadrunners on my mtn bike rides.

trailangel

Pics or it didn't happen!
I usually don't see any, but this year they are out were I live in LA county. Extra rain and milder temperatures brought them out, I don't know?
This one had 14 rattles.

nomadmax 

Man that ain't for me

As close as I can come to that is a herd of zebras today.

trailangel

Huh?

August West

I saw two dead western diamondbacks on the road during my pretty short Sunday morning ride. Fairly normal size for around here, 3.5'-4'. See them from time to time in the road, usually dead but alive occasionally. Since there is not much traffic on the roads I ride I'm sure most make it across without incident.

A couple of weeks ago I heard something about 1:00am (turned out to be just the wind) so I got out of bed and opened the front door to look outside where I was greeted by a 4' western diamondback on the front porch. Yikes, startled me a bit but as usual the snake ignored me since it didn't feel threatened. If you leave them along they leave you alone. Just need to be extra cautious where you step. I watched it from inside the security door as it made a methodical search of the front courtyard. When it didn't find anything to eat it went back out the front gate to hunt elsewhere.

Since I live in prime diamondback habitat it is not unusual to see them fairly often.

Wileyrat

I've had to evict a diamondback from the driveway, or my daughter would still be in the car. I've also had a few gila monsters in my back yard, including one that fell into the pool and managed to survive by climbing onto the pool vac hose and waiting for a rescue.

Gconan

Saw a great blue heron fishing in a pond. Great big bird standing motionless looking for fish. Saw a large copper head crossing the Greenway. Almost always see deer.

Flip Flop Rider

have not seen them here (SC). I don't think I've ever seen a rattlesnake here (maybe they are not here)

good time of year to see copperheads but have not seen any of them either

oldgeezerjeff

I shared the MUP with a coyote the other morning on my commute into the office. We were both crossing a bridge across a creek at the same time. It was still dark and I did not see him until I was almost on top of him. He was headed in the opposite direction. Neither of us could get off the MUP, for me it would have meant diving into head-on traffic...for him, there was a concrete wall and no going over it. So, we just passed each other...with me listening to make sure he did not turn around and chase me.

WaveyGravey

Where in GA are you?

indyfabz

How about this little bugger I saw in Montana back in June? Seek and ye shall find. Just wish the camera had more zoom. Seen a total of 4 during my last four extended tours (one to two weeks) over the last two years. One was WAY too close for comfort. The cub without a mother around was also unnerving.

trailangel

You probably got an adrenaline rush that made you ride really fast for a few miles.

indyfabz

Fun story behind it. I was camping just outside of Yaak, MT, which is in the far NW corner of the state. The area is surrounded by miles and miles of forest that is home to black bears, grizzlies and lions. On my day off I took a ride up Pete Creek Rd, which extends some 20 mile into the woods. I was hoping to see a bear. After maybe 5 or 6 miles I decided to give up and head back down to camp. After about a mile I decided to not give up so easily and stopped to hang out at a spot where Pete Creek was visible below the road but secluded. I thought to myself "If I were a bear and needed a drink I might go down there." Just stood there looking up and down the road while sipping on water. Turned my head to look up the road just as he ambled out of the brush, heading in the direction of the creek. I let out a loud "Yesssss!" That caused him to stop and look my way. That, in turn, gave me enough time to fire up the camera and zoom in as much as possible. After about 1 minute he finished crossing the road and disappeared.

When I got back to camp I showed the photo to the campground host. He told me that he and his GF took a drive up a different road in the area. A lion jumped down off some rocks and ran in front of their pickup for a while. Said it was the third one he'd seen that year.

When I left camp at dawn the next day I saw a young, bull elk. Riding north then east towards Rexford I came within about 5 miles of Canada. There is no cell service in Yaak, but the phone was on in case I wanted to take a photo with it. As I am descending Porcupine Pass the phone starts blowing up with alerts. WTH? Finally took a hand brake and checked my phone. There was a notice that I was connected to the Verizon of Canada network. The alerts were for all the text message that I had not known I had received over the prior two days. Had a good laugh.

Clyde1820

In my area, there have been many sightings, this past few months, of copperheads on the hiking trails. Don't recall many on the cycling routes. I haven't seen any, myself ... and I'm very thankful for that.

Used to do lots of running, back in the day, most of it on forest roads and hiking/game paths. Saw a few snakes, here and there, but for the most part the weather (and where I tended to run) wasn't all that conducive to snakes out sunning themselves. Luckily, over many tens of thousands of miles of running and hiking, over the years, I never did step near one.

Korina

I don't usually see snakes around here on the foggy NorCal coast, but this summer I've run across two little garter snakes, both squashed in the middle, poor things.

MikeyMK

I saw a snake recently, it was pretty surreal. Second one i've ever seen in the wild and the first one i was up close to (i had to stop for it, it was by my front wheel). Beautiful thing.

unterhausen

we have a fairly large population of rattlesnakes around here. It gets cool at night out in the forest, I think that's why seeing them at night on the roads isn't too rare. Have never seen a squished one though.

joelcool

Saw this guy this morning on my way to work.

indyfabz

Riding across the country we stayed at Lewis & Clark State Park outside of Williston, ND. We passed a long snake that had been squished near its tail. It was really sad because the thing was still alive and trying to slither away into the grass, but it could not.

Wildwood 

No snakes in western Washington, 'cept maybe a few little garter snakes.

But 'hit' a banana slug and the goo still on your tire at the end of the ride is almost unremovable.

MNebiker

The wildlife on our trails is more benign - squirrels, rabbits, a groundhog or two. But it is not unusual to encounter deer on the trails. Several times I have come upon a doe and one or two fawns ambling down the trail. Last week a doe jumped the trail just in front of me and last year I had a buck almost take me out when he jumped out of the brush about 6 feet in front.

But the most interesting encounter came when I was riding in a dark wooded area. A large grey owl swooped down and flew along side me for about 20 yards and then flew off.

The trails are all within the metro area so the deer know they are relatively safe. The trails run through wooded areas, wetlands, park and forest preserves - you would never know there are houses 100 yards away until the leaves come off in the fall. Makes for a very pleasant ride without leaving the city.

trailangel

Beautiful!

Milton Keynes

I don't often see snakes on the road when I ride, but I can't count the number of snakes I've seen on the rail trail. Makes sense, less traveled path in a more wooded area, so more likely to see snakes than out on the road.

unterhausen

I forgot the time I rode the Pine Creek rail trail from end to end and back. That's the one that goes through the "grand canyon of Pennsylvania (sic)." It follows a large stream, so there are plenty of rattlesnakes nearby. You could tell there was a rattlesnake on the trail because there was a big crowd around it. I know I'm a snakeophobe, but that seems like a bad idea. One of those snakes was huge.