The Rattlesnake Ride: Fear on the Road in Carlsbad, NM
But today I want to tell the full story.
🐍 Life in Snake Country
I lived in Carlsbad, New Mexico from 1989 to 2006 — about 17 years. We were out in the country, roughly 5 miles outside of town. And if you’ve never lived in the desert, let me tell you: it belongs to the snakes.
We had snakes come right up to the house. Some were harmless, the kind you leave alone because they eat the mice and keep the real pests in check. But others — like the Western Diamondback Rattlesnake — were not welcome.
Those snakes were venomous, aggressive, and dangerous. They killed two of our outdoor cats. One of them even killed our Jack Russell Terrier, Zack — who was only trying to protect our backyard, where our 3-year-old son Nicholas liked to play. Zack died the next day from the bite. That moment has stuck with me ever since.
I don’t take rattlesnakes lightly. I don’t mess with them. And I definitely don’t want to ride over one at 30 miles an hour.
🚴 The Ride I’ll Never Forget
It was around the year 2000. I was on one of my regular long rides — a route that took me about 3 miles out to a bypass road, then another 11 miles before I’d turn around and head home.
I was flying down a hill, doing close to 30 mph, when I saw a dead snake on the road up ahead. I started shifting left to avoid it.
But just as I did, another live snake slithered out onto the road.
I had no time to brake or swerve. I was going to hit it.
As I got closer, I realized something that made my stomach drop — the snake saw me too. And it coiled.
If you’ve never been that close to a coiled rattlesnake at 30 mph, let me just say: it’ll spike your heart rate faster than any sprint interval.
My biggest fear in that split second was that the snake would strike, get caught in my spokes, and I’d have no idea what to do next.
What do you do with a rattlesnake in your spokes?
😅 The Narrow Miss
Thankfully, the snake coiled away from me. I barely grazed it and flew past, heart pounding, legs pumping.
I don’t know if I scared the snake more than it scared me, but I do know this: I don’t want a rematch.
I was incredibly lucky that day. And while I didn’t get bit, that ride changed how I think about riding in the desert — especially alone.
🧰 What I Carry Now — Just In Case
After that experience, I decided to carry a snake bite kit on long solo rides. I found one small enough to tuck under my seat, just in case I ever got caught out far from help.
This one comes with a video on how to use it:
I hope I never have to use it. But it gives me peace of mind every time I head out.
🚴 Final Thoughts
I’ve ridden thousands of miles since that day, and thankfully I haven’t seen another rattlesnake on the road. I have, however, seen plenty of sticks that gave me a good jolt until I got close enough to see they weren’t moving.
Fear is part of cycling sometimes — especially when you ride alone in remote places. But it also teaches you how to respect the environment you’re riding through.
That snake lived to see another day.
And so did I.
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