bitpusher and the Timber Rattler

“They really do taste like chicken...”

“dood, next time.....just like, go around....”

“That's really weird, I've been all over that mountain and I haven't seen the first evil serpent. (mayhap when they senseth mine approach, they fleeth post-haste).”

“funny stuff Bitpusher! Do you really need to kill it though? Why not a quick FLIP with your hiking staff?”

“Yeah man, Don't hurt the snake. Hanging out on the ground is what snakes do for a living. Can't blame a snake for wanting to earn a days wage.

By the way, I liked it when the snake said;
Timber Rattler: " "


That was cool!”

“I would have gone around if I could have, but the brush was too thick on the side of the trail opposite him, and I sure as hell wasn't going to go around him on the other side. I didn't really get a good look to see how long he was, but the fat part of him was about 2.5in across, so I figure he was about three feet long. I've flipped little black racers off the trail with my hiking sticks before, but big venomous rattlers? No way, I'm no Steve "crikey! he bit me!" Irwin.”

“And I don't really have any interest in killing them either. Dunno what I'd have done it with anyway, I couldn't shoot them even if I had a gun because it's in the Huntsville city limits.

BTW, FG, this was on the Alms House Trail, about 100 yards after the intersection with the Alms Wagon Trail.”

“Yeah, I hike tht area all the time. I do carry a snub .38 w/snake shot. Like I said, they taste like chicken, and they make great hatbands, too.”

“I was trying to do your loop, FG. Alms House to Waterline to High Trail to Tollgate. Might have been just as well, I was carrying a full pack, and that Waterline Trail looks like a doozy. But I gotta get in shape sometime...”

“I've thought about carrying a full pack to help in conditioning but I don't think I would try to do the loop as fast, LOL. Yeah, Waterline is a real #&%!$ the last 1/4 mile up to High Trail.”

“"Baby Needs a New Pair of Snakeskin Boots."

- Todd Rundgren”

“Hand-over-hand climbing? The map I've got does say it's very strenuous.

I only had 22 pounds on my back yesterday and it was an eye-opener. The good news is that I was only lacking food and my sleeping pad from it being a real backpacking load, so that's good. The pack felt like nothing on my back, but my legs and hips were complaining, lol!”

“Yes, it is hand over hand and somewhat treacherous. It's almost as bad going the other way. If you want to do it together some time, let me know.”

“Well, that was a small exaggeration. There are a couple of areas where you'll be 'four-wheelin'', however.”

“Next weekend? Saturday is probably better than Sunday for me. I gotta check with my wife still though, to see if she's got something scheduled already.”

“don't walk in front of him bit, he'll throw rocks up yer ass. make him go first and be on rattler patroll.....”

“the hips will get used to it pretty quick. if you go to the gym use those machines where you spread your legs against the weights. excellent, excellent excellent for a bp load.”

“Saturday morning is good for me...”

“That wasn't me, strat, it was Tilt.”

“ROTFLMAO @ bitpusher!!”

“Saturday morning looks good right now FG. My wife is unloading the kids Friday night, but she has an art class and at least one of them will be coming back Saturday in the afternoon. When do you usually get started?”

“i know father g, it was a joke......dang man


yer momma plays a katydid”

“standard equipment should include lengthy walkin stik w/small fork on 1 end?

have you seen what rattler bites do to flesh/nerve?”

“Bit, the earlier, the better. I will be celebrating the 48th anniversary of my emergence from the womb Friday night but I should be fit to hit the trail by 8am Sat. morn.
Yeah strat, I know. I can hardly wait ta share a trail/beer witcha, bro (slaps on back).
BTW, yo' mama plays a Timorese Eyu Didgeridoo, LOL.”

“smarter then they let on?

(1991, Nicosia, Cyprus) Under similar circumstances, an Iranian hunter was shot to death near Tehran by a snake that coiled around his shotgun as he pinned the reptile to the ground. Another hunter reported that that the victim, named Ali, tried to catch the snake alive by pressing the butt of his shotgun behind its head. The snake coiled around the butt and pulled the trigger, shooting Ali in the head.”

“FG, that sounds good. See you then. If plans change, I'll email you.”

“I just got back from a trip around the mountain loaded w/35lb. pack, including 2 liters of water. It took me 2 hrs., 15 min. at a leisurely pace. I didn't see Evil Serpent or even ol' Skeery Woof Bare. I did see a couple of frogs and a bunch of birds and squirrels, though. I also cleared the trail of all spider webs (yuck!).
Water on the trail seems to be scarce, but I imagine the Fagan Springs area was probably pretty wet.
One other thought; if we decide to do an overnighter in the future, I imagine the penaly for trespassing on the Land Trust is substantially less than in the State Park, should we get caught.”

“Which trails did you take?”

“The usual route; Alms House to Waterline to High Trail to Tollgate.”

“Okay, I feel better. I thought you were saying you took the route I mapped out the other day on the Monte Sano Circumnavigation" thread.”

“That was what, a 10 mile route? Jeeezus, I'm just tryin' to get in shape, not put myself 6' under, LOL. I wish I could backpack 10 miles in 2 hours at a 'leisurely pace'.”

“Oh come on, you can't jog with a 35lb pack on? lol......

Actually I was glad I was going sort of slow the other day when I came upon Mr. Timber Rattler. It took me a couple of steps before I realized what the sound was.”

“You definitely had me spooked. I was watching the trail VERY carefully. Guess that's why I took so many spider webs in the mush.”