The Rattlesnake Ride: Fear on the Road in Carlsbad, NM
Back in May 2024 , I briefly mentioned one of the scariest moments I’ve had while riding. You can read that post here: 👉 Even Cyclists Have Bad Days 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’...
