It's hard to believe it's been almost two months since we last posted. The day after Christmas we drove to Junction, Texas where we are now official work campers. We work here at the RV park for a free place to stay. In this case we get our campsite, water, electricity, sewer, wifi, laundry and propane for working a combined 24 hours a week.We've enjoyed our stay here, especially the relatively warm weather. We have had a few days when it's been cold but 60's, 70's and occasionally 80's are the norm.
There hasn't been much exciting to report. That's my excuse for not posting. This past Thursday excitement was ratcheted up a bit when I (Brian) went rattlesnake hunting. It's been over 20 years since I was last rattlesnake hunting with Doris Grote. Thursday it was with her son, grandson and his wife, and an old Grote family friend. We hunted at three different sites, two of which were productive. We started out in an old underground root cellar. I can't tell you how scary it is to look up between the railroad tie rafters and see the bellies of snakes up there. Yikes! After three trips to the cellar throughout the day we ended up with five snakes from there. We know there are at least three still in there.
The most interesting place was Teacup Mountain about half way between Junction and Mason. Teacup Mountain rates a Texas roadside historical marker.
To be honest, it doesn't look all that much like a teacup to me. Maybe from a different angle.
The five of us hiked up very close to the top where there is a rattlesnake den. Two years ago they caught thirteen rattlesnakes there. On this trip, over a couple of hours, we caught nineteen. I won't go into the details of the process for catching them as it would probably bore you or give you a severe case of the willies. We know there is at least one more in that den as Koy Grote, who was the proverbial point man, could hear him but he wouldn't come out.
Here is the view from our perch near the top of teacup.
After we had caught all we could catch, Koy and I climbed up to the top of teacup for a look around. Here's the view from the top, only another 20 feet or so from where we had been.
And here's a picture of me at the top just to prove I got my height-fearing self to the top. You can't see it in this picture but my toes are curled inside my boots.
Once we were back at the truck Koy moved the snakes from the trash can we were using to hold them to the box they'll be in for a while.
Our day resulted in a total of twenty four rattlesnakes captured. What happens to them now?
1) They aren't around to bite adults, children or livestock. The lady that owns the land teacup sits on, came face to face with one at her outside water spigot one evening.
2) Their venom will be milked from them, it's used in the making of anti-venom.
3) Ever had fried rattlesnake? It tastes like chicken. :-)
That's it for now. Details on our next adventure coming soon.
Brian
