MAKICHUK: The rattlesnake who came to dinner
Like a chapter out of a majestic Carlos Castaneda tome, her desert dream came true
My daughter is an adventurous sort, to put it lightly.
She’s in New Mexico, camping on her own in the great southwest desert.
Land of Enchantment, as they say.
Even as a child, she loved climbing the boulders at the Banff Golf Course.
Competed with the Lindsay Park climbing team, under their excellent tutelage.
Growing up to be a capable climber on rock or ice, you name it.
Even suffered some frost bite, during a winter sunrise climb at Ha Ling Peak.
Had one of the best instructors ever, too, in a fellow named Greg, who taught her the right way, the safe way, the best way. Thank you Greg!
So, when she decided to go camping in New Mexico, on her own, I said sure, go for it!
But, keep me posted every day — I want to know where you are and if you are safe. That’s all that matters. A Dad, is a dad, right?
So off she went, with a plane ticket, a climbing pack, a climbing bag, and a copy of Judy Tullis’s book, Clouds on Both Sides.
Your basic minimalist trip. A bit of camping gear too. Bear spray, and a serious, US Navy, Korean era commando knife I gave her.
A knife that would scare the living shit out of anyone.
So, when she decided to spend two days hiking at City of Rocks State Park in New Mexico, I thought, hey, that’s cool.
A daughter who doesn’t want to be wined or dined, but likes rocks. Can you believe that? Where did I go right? LOL!
So where am I going with this?
On her last day, she hiked the park, climbed a mountain, and fell in love with silence.
The pure silence that has so much heavy meaning in our life.
Miles and miles away from her real estate job. From civilization. From the disaster that we call the new century.
The joy of silence.
And like a chapter out of a Carlos Castaneda tome, she felt so inspired, she spoke openly, out loud, thanking the land that had given her so much.
A desert land. An enchanted land. The great American southwest.
She had one more wish, though.
She openly asked the desert gods, if she could see a snake.
Please, let me see a snake she said, to no one in particular, alone on a desert mountaintop.
But not on the trail, she specified. Not on the trail, please.
It didn’t happen, of course. She went back to her amazing campsite (see night photo), and her rental SUV she got from Albuquerque.
Lit a fire, sat in the chair she bought at the Deming Wal-Mart, and then contemplated how great a day she had.
Suddenly, out of nowhere …
A big honking Diamondback, started slowly crawling toward her!
What the eff?
Yes, a big one, a five-footer she estimated.
A resident of her campground, no less. Who came out, to take a look around.
She had thrown some bread crumbs to the birds, which attracted the ground squirrels which attracted the Diamondback.
Apparently they have an acute sense of smell.
Well, Mr. Snake, as we can call him, looked around, allowing for some great camera and video on my daughter’s new iPhone, then, went back to the den.
Talk about bucket list! Talk about magic!
Most people, I think, would get the hell out of there, but not my daughter. The experience enthralled her. She was literally, over the moon.
And, hell, she has a way with animals, of all kinds. Snakes too, I guess.
My friends, we all need to take a break, and recharge our batteries.
Seek out simple adventures, whatever it may be.
I mean, it could be laying on a beach in Cuba, reading your favourite book and sipping a Mojito.
It could be a cafe in Barcelona or Paris.
Everything happens for a reason — and expect the unexpected.
Don’t let life beat you up. Fight back.
Shut off CNN, shut off Wolf Blitzer, the Trump rhetoric, the Israeli massacre in Gaza, Taylor Swift, and God knows what else … and get back to nature.
Get back to yourself. Whatever that may be.
To quote the great Albert Einstein.
“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.”
And enjoy the silence.
(Editor’s note: The snake is well known to the park rangers. It’s female and apparently its name is “Rai-Rai.”)