Things that Slither

Ophidiophobia, or the abnormal fear of snakes, runs in my family.

My grandmother trampled me escaping a snake someone thought they saw near our picnic.  My father jumped out the second story window of the stable because he saw a snake skin.  My cousin, Sherri, couldn't watch the Crocodile Hunter because of the frequent appearance of snakes on that program.

It's a good thing none of these people have been on our Park Quests.

At Merkle, the Visitor's Center included this Discovery Room whose occupants included a Red Corn Snake, a ghostly Albino King Snake and a just-shy-of-the record, seven foot Gray Rat Snake.

At Calvert Cliffs, we watched this enormous black snake pass under the walkway.

At Cunningham Falls, a ranger waited in the parking lot with this Rat Snake (the family phobia has obviously skipped my boys).

Also at Cunningham Falls was a warning regarding Timber Rattlesnakes sighted on the more mountainous trails.

Happily, there were no such snake encounters on the South Mountain quest.

There was, however, a snake at the Bowie Baysox game!

Ambassadors from Busch Gardens plugging their park.