[pct-l] fear - snakes

[jeffmoorehead1 at cox.net (Jeff Moorehead)]

Ok JoAnn, I am going to try another route here: alleviate your fears rather 
than try to avoid snakes. Then, you might finish the trail (and then maybe 
the Lewis and Clarke). I'm not a psychologist, but I am a biologist and I 
live near the So Cal deserts. I take many students into the desert each 
year-- not the well-worn paths but cross-country right into the heart of the 
brush and cacti-- why? looking for snakes!.
 I can say this about snakes, they are much, much more afraid of you than 
the reverse. I know everyone says that  about bears and lions but these are 
small reptiles. They really want to avoid any confrontation with a large 
mammal (which they know we are). Even the poisonous snakes! The rattle on a 
rattler is intended to drive away large animals so the snake avoids damage. 
Biting is a last resort-- even for the lowly pit vipers. Why are snakes 
always trying to slither away from you? And if you walk towards them, they 
pick up speed. So they are not interested in a confrontation. And neither 
are you. I can't think of a  set of mutual feelings between two individuals 
that would make it any more likely to avoid a confrontation.
 Incidentally, in 12 years of walking the Anza-Borrego desert with ~40 
students along each year, we saw only a 'handful' of rattlers among the 
loads of much cooler snakes. I have seen more rattlers in the South Sierra 
than anywhere else in Southern CA.
 Have no idea if this is going to help....
 sorry if it had the opposite effect... :)
 Jeff




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "JoAnn M. Michael" <jomike@cot.net>
To: <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
Sent: Thursday, February 10, 2005 9:29 AM
Subject: [pct-l] fear - snakes


Thank you everyone for your feedback and help (except Judson!!). You gave me 
a lot of information and it will prove helpful in my adventure of doing a 
few more miles (I'll be 150 before I ever finish the trail). The PCT has 
more of an influence on my life than my greatest fear.  Sometimes you just 
'go for it' and take what comes.

JoAnn
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