TRAIL RUNNING
My Rattlesnake Trail Friend
The western diamondback I saw four times within two months
Author’s note: Throughout the story, I refer to the rattlesnake as male because I named it Curly and I don’t know any women named Curly. Also, I don’t know the gender since I’m not a snake expert, and I think it would be unfair to my trail friend Curly to call him “it.”
Within two months while trail running, I saw the same rattlesnake four times in the same spot at roughly the same time. It was one highlight in a year of some of the best trail running I’ve ever experienced.
One joy of trail running is getting to observe wildlife in its environment. I’m a guest in their home and sometimes they grace me with their presence, which I’m always grateful for. It’s part of the adventure of being outside and exploring, and seeing these animals adds to the joy trail running brings. I feel happy in these moments and let the world go on without me, even if only briefly.
The area I run the most is part of the Arizona Trail, an 800-mile trail from Mexico to Utah. I can go south or north, hundreds of miles in either direction. It’s my second home. The section where I saw Curly (my name for him since he was always curled up) is near a trailhead where I begin and end my runs.
