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If you’re planning to go hiking in California or any area where venomous snakes are present, take note. I recently came across a statement that the Calaveras Consolidated Fire Station (near Sacramento) posted on Facebook. It reads: “An adult male reported that he received a bite to the leg from a baby rattlesnake. The victim was transported by ambulance to the hospital. Calaveras Consolidated Fire wants to remind everyone that it is that time of year for snakes/rattlers, so be sure to watch your step.”
They’re not kidding. Just last week, I went for a coastal hike in Rancho Palos Verdes (near LAX) and encountered a rattlesnake. See the video I took, embedded below, after realizing it was a snake. I was waiting for my niece and sister-in-law with my kids while admiring the scenery. Then I thought, “That’s weird, that hose looks different than the others,” and suddenly, it started moving.
I’ve lived in Los Angeles for over 30 years, including a few years in Palos Verdes, and this was the first time I’ve ever encountered a snake while walking. The other two times I’ve seen snakes were while driving, on the same day my college professor warned me not to retrieve my home run balls from the bushes because of rattlesnakes. I had no idea at the time, but I’m thankful for his advice…