Rattlesnakes = discouraged:((

["guest@endurance.net" <guest@endurance.net>]

Denise sheraces@earthlink.net
Hi All,

I have had quite a weekend!  The weather is beautiful here in
the East Bay area of California.  There is just one(one more that
is)little problem.  Rattlesnakes live here.  I had never seen one
in my life until last Friday evening when my husband and I went
out for a ride.  He and Dancer came upon one as we were riding
through Pine Canyon(in Diablo State park).  Dancer side stepped
when he became aware of the snake and David and he managed to move
on down the trail safely.  Well, you guessed it!  Now it was
mine and Topgun's turn to "go by"!!  Like I know you can do that,
geesh!  I know nothing about what to do about a rattler.  Only
what I picked up in old movies.  So I sat there saying "I'm scared"
and what do I do???  David finally made me realize it was ok to
go on by because he said snakes won't chase you, they just want
to get away.  Fine, ok, so we went by and I am happy to say I
am still here able to write you.  That was Friday and today was
Sunday and David was working on the motorhome preparing it for
race weekends and didn't want to ride.  So, brave old me(haha)
decided that was probably VERY unusual to see a rattler since they
are so afraid of people.  So I went for a 15 miler up the mountain
today.  Beside a rather "full of himself" horse everything went
great until, yep, you guessed it, another rattler when I was almost
back to the barn!!  This time I was alone and only thought to just
get by the thing.  I couldn't see it but it was in the brush to
the right of the trail(probably about 5 feet from me and Gunner.
Gunner didn't spook but I did.  I crouched down and hugged him
with my legs and said "come on Gun" "let's just move on down the
trail".  He went into a trot and I kept hearing the rattler and
then everything is blurry.  I fell off somehow(don't remember).
Remember hitting the ground flat on my back and head(was wearing
my helmet thank God)and don't remember how I fell off though.
Gunner stopped I guess because when I looked up he was standing
over me shaking! I pulled myself up and told him all was going to
be fine and led him down the trail a bit further from where the
rattler was. I got back on, ouch, that was hard but I knew nothing
was broke and I just wanted Gun to get me outa there. I think
he felt the same way!  That's my story and I'm stickin to it!!
What I wanta know is, how does everybody else brave the wild?? I
suppose you are either tough enough or your not.  I sure don't
feel tough today.  I'm hobbling back to work tomorrow where it's
safe(I know, is there anyplace that's safe anymore)

Signed, Discouraged and beat up in Martinez CA, Denise


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