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Stepping Outdoors is Very Exciting

Written by Chuck Fitzgerald

Sunday, 10 July 2005

What could possible happen in six simple steps? That's how far it is from my cabin's front door to the propane grill. Six steps that I have taken countless times without any fanfare or concern. But things were different today and I'll never look at this short trek without recalling how stepping outdoors can be very exciting.

After a relaxing day of hiking in the Prescott National Forest with a good friend and my two Labrador retrievers, it was time for a refreshing beverage and some dinner. With steaks in hand, I headed for the trusty grill to burn some red meat just as darkness began to take hold. This was the first time in two days that my dogs weren't on my heels - and a good thing too. As I reached the grill in just six short steps, I heard a noise where I had just passed. Turning towards the commotion I immediately recognized both the sight and sound of the Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox), arguably the most dangerous snake in North America.

I called to my friend to come take a look but cautioned him to be careful and to under no circumstances allow the dogs to leave the cabin. After several minutes of distant viewing we decided that moving the snake was the responsible thing to do. So with a very long hiking stick, I was able to maneuver the snake away from the cabin and into the brush some five yards away. We watched it for some time as it headed away from us and back into the wild.

While this turned out to be nothing more than an exciting time, it could have turned out much different. I nearly stepped on it originally which would have been bad. We could have tried to kill the snake which could have been even worse or the dogs might have been first to the snake which could have been disastrous.

We finished our meal about half an hour later and decided to sit outside and watch the stars come out. As we stepped outdoors one last time, we saw a second Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (this one was somewhat smaller than the first one) slither into the darkness. Needless to say, we were done star gazing for the night.

Two final thoughts come to mind as I tell this story. The first one is the irony of the situation because as I have failed to mention, we were also listening to the Arizona Diamondbacks baseball game on the radio. Secondly, whenever we step outdoors to enjoy our time in the fresh air, we are stepping into a marvelous place the belongs to a vast number of creatures. The moral of the story? When you go outside, be careful where you step. Use this information and you'll Get It Right The First Time. Get Outdoors!

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About The Author:

Chuck Fitzgerald is the owner of Arizona based BackCountry Toys, an online specialty store with the "Best Gear Out There" that is dedicated to helping you enjoy your time outdoors. Please visit http://www.BackCountryToys.com to find great gear and to receive the Facts & Tips e-newsletter, "FreshAir." (800) 316-9055.

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