Dad and I used to go hiking in Lytle Creek three or four times a year. Lytle Creek is, during the summer, a small, shallow creek in the foothills of the San Bernardino mountains. During the winter, it turns into a raging torrent, frequently destroying houses and damaging the roads in the area.
Dad and I would jump into the car and make the half hour long drive to the creek, and continue up the narrow, dusty road to our favorite hiking area. Once there, we’d get out and wander around.
I enjoyed these hikes, because it was a chance to see firsthand many of the fascinating things that I was learning from my reading. I saw lizards, snakes and other interesting animals. The stream had many small fish swimming around, and dragonflies skimmed the surface of the water. It was a magical, wonderful place!
One day my dad and I were hiking near the creek, when I heard a strange sound. I had never heard anything like it before, but I instinctively knew it was dangerous. I froze for a second, my eyes searching the bushes.
Then I saw it - a huge (at least to a young boy) snake, getting ready to strike at my dad! In the blink of an eye, I acted. I jumped toward my dad, and pushed him away.
My dad fell down, then turned around, his hand raised as if to smack me. I’m sure he thought I was playing some kind of childish prank. Then he saw it.
He grabbed me, and ran a few feet away. Then he hugged me, the emotion showing on his face.
On the way back from that trip, he explained this kind of snake is called a rattlesnake, and it’s bite is poisonous. He told me I had probably saved his life. Had the snake lunged and bit him, he might very well have died.
Unless otherwise noted, all photos and text is Copyright © Richard G Lowe, Jr.