Eeeeeek! Snake!

[Jean]

On Saturday morning I was having a bash around Mt Stromlo. About 30 minutes into the ride I was headed down 'double dissolution' when I rounded a bend to see something across across the track. The thought process went something like:

1. Geez, what's that across the track?
2. Is it someone's left behind tube? No, too dark.
3. Man, that's really black, and rather shiny.
4. Bloody hell, its moving from right to left.
5. F&@k, it's snake, and a poisonous one at that !

All that took fractions of a second I suppose, but left me no time to avoid it and I ran over it about 20 cm from the tip of its tail I suppose (I think the snake was probably about 4ft long). My inner greenie wanted to stop and check how it was, but the idea of looking through the grass for an irritated snake didn't appeal. I kept going.

[moreegolfer]

I wouldn't worry, road trains run over snakes and they survive, unless it runs over their head.

[pagey]

I ran over a red belly black at Easter. I can pin point the location on my GPS - it's exactly where my heart rate went through the roof

[brokenbus]

Thought it would be frozen in the ACT at this time of year!

[trailgumby]

Almost ran over one on my second lap of Kiwarrak XC loop today. Just saw the flash of black and red as it took off to the right. Think I missed it. 'Twas a big 'un.

Last week at Cascades a mate and I saw one drinking from a puddle. Took a couple of gulps before casually slithering off into the trailside grass... didn't seem to be too worried about us.

[Jean]

Thought it would be frozen in the ACT at this time of year!

It was moving pretty slowly. I know I was cold enough, even at 11 o'clock.

[cp123]

I remember doing a club race out near Lookout hill at Tharwa about 10 years ago. I happened to be on the front of the group at one point (yeah roight... ) on the right hand side as we were fanging down a hill. So I see the black thing on the ground and signal to the riders behind me and yell STIIIICK. Suddenly stick starts to move and starts scurrying off the left hand side of the road. Not a stick.. errr SNAKE. Left and right lane of riders start to peel apart to go around the snake. Snake suddenly turns back on itself and heads towards the centre line. We're almost on it, and I see the oncoming car bearing down on his side of the road. Ok, no going over the centre line, don't really want to go over the snake, but... suddenly he rears his head up to strike so i rip both feet off my pedals and pull my legs right up and i missed hitting him, and he me, by a bee's whisker. Somehow we all seemed to make it and i think it lived to bite another day.

[toolonglegs]

I ran over my first snake today...tried to bunny hop it but didn't get much weight off the ground in time,felt a crunch and looked back and it was getting off the road pretty quickly.About 2-3 feet long Viper...thats about all I saw.Poor fella.
I see a few most rides...they are very plentiful in this region.

[WarrenH]

On a ride I did in the Northern Budawang Ranges last year, I saw a giant serpent on Quiltys Mountain.



... and riding in a vegetable tunnel there, called The Vines, if I was a black snake I would have felt at home ... hiding with all the other black snakes. It is a spooky place for snakes.



Warren.

[mitzikatzi]

How to Bunny Hop your MTB

[Oxford]

Coincidentally, my MD (managing director) sent this photo around to all staff earlier this week, taken out front of her fathers property in FNQ. Just a small python out for a stretch.

[Sweeper59]

That's funny.......I was emailed the same photo.......but it was supposedly disturbed by some contractors at Branxton, in the Hunter Valley.

[toolonglegs]

Just realised I posted this in mtb...I was on my road bike .I can bunny hop really well...just didn't see it in time.

[WarrenH]

Now was that really necessary?

Prove that it was and the text gets reinstated.

[toolonglegs]

My real trophy targets are a bit tougher!.
Snakes are everywhere...I came very close to a deer once...one jumped in front of me and the whole herd followed along behind.But the elusive wild pigs I have only seen twice on my journeys.
The rarest of all ...the Badger, I have only seen dead on the side of the road...someone beat me to it!.

[toolonglegs]

Funny you mentioned foxes...just got back from my ride on the vtt (mtb )...and I saw my first fox I think since I have been here.Ran in front of me about 10 feet ahead in broad daylight...nice Bazil Brush tail too .

[WarrenH]

Now was that really necessary?

Prove that it was and the text gets reinstated.

Is humor necessary? ... probably not. Not when it was read the way it was not intended.

I did find this unlucky little bloke in the bush last month. There's nothing funny going on here. When it was released it ran straight up a tree, apparently uninjured. Some might presume a snake would eventually get it, if it hadn't been released from this bated trap set for feral dogs. That scenario, I find hard to swallow ... so would a snake.




Warren.