Snake Epidemic

If you've read my Blog for awhile you know I am no fan of snakes.  I used to say I "hated" snakes, but after some thought I've decided to pull back back from that opinion.  "Hate" is too strong of a word, and there is very little in this life that I truly hate - I try not to be like that.  A better word for my feelings towards snakes isn't one that I normally default to when describing my emotions.  It's a pride thing I suppose, and also probably has to do with when I was a kid and how pleased I was with myself when I got to the point that I no longer needed a night light.  That word is "afraid".

So there you go, I'm afraid of snakes.

As such, it should be easy for you to empathize with me on this post.  Much to my obvious chagrin, I have encountered a bunch of snakes while trail running this month.  Here's a breakdown:

Monday, April 4th, Bolsa Chica Wetlands

6.02 Miles, 1 Snake

Sunday, April 10th, Crystal Cove State Park

8.56 Miles - 1 snake

Wednesday, April 13th, Bolsa Chica Wetlands

7.02 Miles - 2 snakes


Friday, April 22nd, Bonner Canyon Ridge Road/El Moro Ridge Road

7.53 Miles - 0 snakes

Tuesday, April 26th, Bolsa Chica Wetlands

5.42 Miles - 2 snakes

Add all this up, and I've encountered 6 snakes in just over 28.5 miles.  This works out to seeing one snake every 4.75 miles.  This also means that based on past metrics, there is about a 20% chance that I will see a snake every time I run a mile.

These are unacceptable odds.

So, what are acceptable odds?  Naturally, I'd prefer nil.  But how about at least one "0" directly to the right of the decimal?  .02% would be fine.  .002% would be better.

I have some options.  I can avoid trails all together until the snakes go underground again in the fall.  But I'd rather not do this because Kovas's enthusiasm for trail running has proven itself contagious (the bastard).  Specific to Bolsa Chica Wetlands,  I can stay off the single track and only run on the flood control levees.  I would assume that snakes will not bother slithering up the 10 foot embankment just to sun themselves.  I could also find a running buddy who is not afraid of snakes.  My new friend would lead all our trail runs.  I think I'd feel better if someone was ahead of me making the initial contact with the snakes and then satisfactorily resolving the situation so that safe onward running is possible.

Or I could just get over my fear of snakes......

Nah, I'm good.

Mail Bag

This comment was left on today's post Snakes On A Trail by Bryan Hughes from fieldherper.com:

Getting over your fear of snakes is all about just learning about them. If you're like the majority of Americans, the "facts" you know about what rattlesnakes are, are completely false. In reality, they are amazing, perfectly tuned predators who really, really don't want to see you either.

Do you have a friend that has one as a pet? Go hold it. Seriously. You won't be hurt. Your battle is with your mind, not the animals.

I think it's great advice and my rational mind knows it to be totally true. So thanks for commenting. And Bryan, I'm not trying to be funny, but do you have any suggestions on how should I deal with the jellyfish?

Everyone else, check out his website there are some beautiful pictures.

Snakes On A Trail

Besides being a Jedi Knight, Samuel L Jackson has something else on me. There is no way that if I was on a plane full of snakes I would have the courage (under extreme duress) to yell "Enough is enough! I have had it with these motherf**king snakes on this motherf**king plane!" Me? I'd be hiding in the galley, curled up in the fetal position and drooling.

I'm deathly afraid of snakes. So having the displeasure of running into 3 of them in the last month while running in Bolsa Chica has been quite the bum out.


Snake sighting 1 was about a month ago. I was running along the trail, came around a little bend, and there it was. The snake was slithering off the trail, no doubt due to my foot falls. But it wasn't moving fast enough. If I didn't know any better I would swear it was defying me and daring me to take a step closer. I couldn't of course, because I was standing ramrod straight frozen in fear. I'm pretty sure this one was a gopher snake. But a snake is a snake. I was not stoked.

Gopher Snake

Snake sighting 2 happened about 2 weeks ago while crossing a drainage culvert. It was coiled up about 15 feet to my right warming itself on the concrete. I have no doubt this was a rattle snake. Again I was freaked out but kept running - much faster. And every stick I encountered for the rest of my run was a potential threat.

Western Rattlesnake

Snake sighting 3, which was last Sunday, was perhaps the worst. I was just about to turn off the trail and back onto a street. So my guard was down. I didn't see it until it was shooting off into the brush. I only saw it for a second, so I don't have any idea what kind it was. But just a glimpse of the snake was all it took for me to do the "stupid dance" for at least a minute. If you saw my heart rate data from that day, you'd see exactly where I saw it - at 4.6 miles.

You'll note that I've deemed certain places as "forbidden zones" and "areas of a high level of acceptable wildlife". The forbidden zones I will not even enter - because I've heard stories. The areas of a high level of acceptable wildlife are fine. But in the end, so what? Does a high population of rabbits and other rodents keep the snakes away? I doubt it. It's probably worse.

There is plenty of trail currently rated "safe" left, at least for now. But unfortunately they are covered in gravel. I've been trying to use the trail runs to work into my Vibram 5 Fingers. But running on the gravel hurts - a lot.

So either I have to get over the fear or hang up the trails until winter. Neither option is appealing - how would one go about "getting over" a fear of snakes, anyway? I have no idea. But I doubt you just hit a switch. And staying away until winter? Nah, I'd rather not. Dilemma.

Tonight was the weekly swim down at Corona Del Mar. Everything was going great until somebody saw a huge jelly fish. There is only one thing worse than jelly fish - snakes.

Someone take my Iphone away, these self portraits are getting annoying. Just after the swim. I didn't see a jelly fish - this time.