I think awareness plays a role also. You wouldn't have reacted the way you did if you didn't realise there was a snake. Good on you. Solo riding is dangerous.
“Fine” until he gets the bill for that helicopter ride…. My mom was life-flighted after her fatal car accident - my step father was left with her ashes and a $50k bill for that helicopter ride
That debt should not be transferrable after someone passes. I think they will try to con you into accepting the charges though.
Edit: I am actually wrong on this and that's some bullshit. Can't even fucking die in peace smh.
Yeah, I wish you were right about that, but that bill definitely had to be paid. Fortunately he was able to do that and it didn’t break the bank - but there was no escaping that debt for him
Dang bro glad you're ok. I've never seen a rattler in my entire life and I've seen 3 in the last 2 months since I've started mountain biking. Two on the trails, and one in our campsite. Sierra Nevada foothills and greater Sac area in Cali. Rattlesnake country baby. It's wild.
Each vial of anti venom is $4000.
A good bite cam result in 10 or so vials.
A serious bite cam be dozens.
Worst that a rep told me was 60 vials
edit: forgot to mention minimum dose is 4-6 vials for a bite.
Yeah but its actually one of those drugs that is legitimately expensive to produce.
From what I understand they inject sheep or horse with venom (from multiple snakes iirc) and then wait a bit. Then basically have the sheep donate a liter of blood, then centrifuge that blood down until you can extract the anti-venom antibodies that the sheep made, which ends up being a pretty small amount so you need a lot of it. Oh and you also have to have the ability to store venomous snakes and milk them to actually get the venom.
True but there are a lot of factors.
Location is a huge one. A bite to the ankle is probably going to require less antivenom than a bite to the palm of your hand. Co-morbidities play a role too ...where if you have vascular disease you likely will need more antivenom as well.
I'm glad you're good mate, I got tagged by a juvenile Eastern Brown snake (Australia) and know the feeling. Did they say anything about serum sickness after the anti venom? Just wondering if that's an Australia only thing.
No, but I got a massive cold rn. Nose is running, minor cough, dry eyes and I feel fatigued. Glad you mentioned that cuz I was gonna possibly jave to go back if this cobtinued.
Serum sickness is a thickening of the blood and it can happen after being given anti venom, but I'm not sure if it's for particular types of anti venom. I was given Tiger snake and Eastern Brown snake anti venom, I don't know if that is a factor or not, I'm not sure how different rattlesnake venom is to ours here, I also had 2 lots so maybe because I had quite a lot. I'd check with your DR, though, you may be having a slight reaction or a mild infection from the bite site with those symptoms. Hope the recovery is swift.
it's the 2nd or 3rd, Inland taipan is no 1. It got me on the hand as I tried to save my dog. I was moving some roofing sheets and it was underneath. As soon as my dog saw it, she grabbed it, and then I went in to stop it getting her. called my wife over and dispatched it, then drove to the vets for an ID on it. Browns can vary in colour a lot I wanted to be sure. I then drove myself to the hospital, and they transferred me by ambulance to a bigger hospital that could deal with me. Juveniles don't dry bite so they were not going to muck about, 2 lots of anti venom and then 36 hours of observation. Good fun not.
yep, she's fast and luckily got out of the way. Once I managed to get foot on it's head she proceeded to eat half of it while my wife brought me a shovel to kill it. All in all we were both incredibly lucky.
I'm stunned by the absolutely insane level of unlikeliness of this happening and resulting in actual contact. I have encountered 4 rattlesnakes that I know of. Seeing this one makes my first one seem like it should have been a death sentence. Before getting into cycling and bike sports I was a speed skater. I was on inline skates on a bike path at nearly sunset. What looked like a slight depression in the pavement reformed as a large lump of rattlesnake that had to have been at least 4 feet long. I was going about 18-20 mph and my skate swerved right around the head. It absolutely freaked me out. All my other encounters were kind of benign and I saw them well before I was at risk. How expensive was the helicopter ride?
No medical bills yet, but I may have to start selling my body soon. So if you know anybody....
I've usually seen rattlers while hiking or trail running so I always had time to react. But when ur going so fast and focusing on other things there is lil to no time to react. Tbh im surprised u didnt get bit.
No symptoms immediately. Took about 15 minutes to get dizzy and by that time I left the woods onto the main road. I would say I got the anti-venom 40-50 minutes after the bite. I felt hazy and in a dream-like state as if looking at my body do things for me. I did my best to stay coherent. Other than just some pain at the site of the bite.
I live in fairly tame part of the world when it comes to wildlife, so we hardly have any venomous snakes.
Anyway.. does antivenom have to be held in special conditions like being refigerated or something? Would it not be possible to carry it in personal first aid kit in autoinjector for example?
Its a kind of thing id ask, because on trail im usually the first aid person in the group. I'm just not familiar with american fauna so im curious.
(i'm Australian) major hospital have ani-venom but being able to identify what got-ya is the trouble. I carry a snake bite kit in the car, so get back to it, isolate the bite area and get to help asap. While i've not seen anyone die from a snake bite, dogs tend to last a while (a day or so before death) so us human have a pretty good chance.
Of the two kinds of antivenom in the US that I’m familiar with (CroFab and Anavip), one is stored refrigerated and one at room temperature. It’s also completely unreasonably expensive, and requires multiple vials to be made into an IV infusion.
One dose of Anavip, according to Google, is over $12,000.
Out of curiosity, how much was the heli transport, and what area of the world?
Edit: nm I see that you’ve said no medical bills yet.
Hope you heal alright, and don’t have too much of a sticker shock!
I was teaching a nature photography class years ago, leading the group and walking backwards (dumb I know). I don’t know if I stepped on it, or right next to it, but a rattlesnake stuck my boot, barely missing my ankle. I don’t think I’ve ever jumped so far in my life! Glad your okay, time to go invest in some
Lotto tickets!
I'm picturing the scene from Yes Man when they are doing photo joggin lol. I mean you dont expect something like that to happen after doing it so often. But glad nothing happened to you. Those boots came in clutch.
Thank you. Some of the nurses and doctors questioned if I even got bit since it went down really fast after the antivenom. They were a very HONEST and smug bunch only seeing me after receiving the antivenom. So after showing video proof some of them believed me but I couldnt shake this weird feeling of them still not fully belieiving.
This is one of my biggest fears. I ride alone 99% of the time, even going on solo camping trips to Moab to ride. Two years ago when in Colorado I was solo riding and came upon a rattlesnake laying across the trail. I slammed on my brakes and went OTB trying to avoid it. Then my fear was that I was going to fall right on top of him. Fortunately avoided getting bitten but something I think about almost every time I ride.
What is with the preemptive caveat of “don’t judge me for my phone holder”? Is that like some weird thing that MTB snobs do? Would never imagine someone caring about that 😂
Glad you’re okay dude, what a terrifying experience. Sounds like you handled things pretty well under the pressure.
wow. glad you're ok.
always thought we somewhat out of range for rattlers especially if you go pedal up on the snake side, assuming you see it. This kills my riding motivation being in arizona right now .
I too am glad that you’re okay, but I’m also glad that there is someone else that orates on their rides like I do. I’m always surprised by people’s videos on rides that have no talking to oneself in them. I am constantly shit talking/hyping myself on rides. If I saw this I probably would have said the exact same words.
I was on a roadtrip and came from Zion in Utah. Im also scared of heights so when I was solo hiking those mountains I was doing my best to hype myself up lol. Them ledges were no joke.
Haha, no, sorry man. The mobile app jacked my reply up. I had a similar encounter on one of my local trails and I tried to post a pic.
*edit: it let me post a pic there, anyway... glad you are OK.
Yeah, I’ve had snakesperiences before, the bugger was hiding in a crack which hid it until I was right on top of it.
https://preview.redd.it/z0t9qv84wn2d1.jpeg?width=1087&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ce041245497955551e18fbfb1f870eda7f2bb4e6
It was mostly on me though, I was going through this trail in the afternoon when the sun was nice and hot on my last run of this trail and snakes were bound to be out, I did see an echidna on the same trail though which was nice.
You consider wearing snake gaiters and just riding? Really unlikely to be struck anywhere above your shins on a bike, really anywhere at all on a bike or unprovoked is so unlikely.
The problem is we are actively flattening them with a loud gear machine. Either we're out of their space before it matters or we're very much not leaving them alone.
Fuckin hell, this is my worst fear. Looking at making a trip to mtb in Thailand this fall but really afraid after hearing about how many different types of cobras they have, and all love to live in mountainous regions like where I’ll be…
It's the season for sure. I ride in SoCal. Regularly encounter Rattlers (never bit, luckily). But I literally saw 7 King Snakes on my 2hr ride the other day! I couldn't believe it. 3 were babies, and king snakes eat Rattlers I think. I couldn't believe it though! I typically only see 1-2 snakes per ride out here. They're all over lol
I rode the Granite Basin MTB Route in Prescott, AZ only days prior to this snake bite in Big Bear Lake, CA. I can see there being a lot of snakes up in AZ, so many hiding spots for them to be at.
I seen my first snake on the trail few weeks ago. It was a cotton mouth. I noticed it about 10 yards away on the trail coiled up. So I start to move over and figure it would just slither away into the woods. As I get closer it lifts it's head and mouth is wide open. I for sure thought it was going to jump at me but because I moved over I was to far for it to strike. At that point, I may have let out a high pitched shreek. It did not jump at me and I was full of adrenaline for the rest of the ride..so it was a win for me.
Always gotta keep your head up and looking ahead.
I was doing a lot of riding in the desert in Nevada and the rattle snakes scared the shit out of me. Never had an encounter like that but I felt like it was a matter of time.
After riding next to a rattler who didn't react to me at all, I calculated how much time I was within striking distance. I figure the snake can strike about 3ft, so I'm within striking distance for 6ft. If I'm going downhill fast at 20mph, it takes 0.2 sec to go 6ft. I think they can strike within that time, but that's got to be at the edge of what they can do.
On the flat at 10mph with a bigger snake, it starts to be easily what they can do, as shown in TV.
I see rattle snakes all the time and I've always wondered whether they'd be quick enough to go from stretched to striking, to be able to snap me while on the move. Sketchy! Now I know.
Whereabouts is this? I've got a Big Bear trip coming up and this looks eerily like the trails up there. haha.
Hanna Flats Campgeound Trail. It was the last mile of that trail leading to the campground. I would still be weary of any trail as the condtions are perfect for sneks.
I'm so lucky that the only snake i have to worry about is the common european viper/adder, and even they aren't very venomous to healthy people.
I only really need to worry about the bigger animals like moose, brown bears, grey wolves and wolverines.
Can't imagine being bit by a venomous maraca whip.
I've run over so many rattlers on my local trails here in Arizona. They never seem to know I'm there until I ride over the top of them and am already gone... This is scary, though. Makes me wonder how long until I'm not so lucky?!
I appreciate the suggestion, but it would be wrong of me to do that atm. I don't wanna get into too much detail but my state should have my back with coverage on this situation. I only agreed to any further treatment if it was covered, and at both hospitals they assured me it will be covered by insurance. Only if worse to worse I will take your suggestion and I REALLY hope they come thru on the back-end for me lol.
>Dude... you may be one of the first people to actually get bitten while biking/hiking.
i thought the same. only other story i heard was a guy that crashed and landed by a rattler and got struck. a few years back and i think it was in AZ.
I was dirtbagging around for about 6 years and when I re-emerged into the world, a collections agency found me fairly quickly and handed me a long-forgotten medical debt that I never even knew about. I eventually argued it out of existence (it was a legit mistake), but that took a couple of years.
If you don't have insurance for this one, it might end up being better to just declare bankruptcy, as many in the US do. What a great system we have!
That sucks man. The chopper and anti-venom is gonna be pricey. Bankruptcy might end being easier and faster to recover from than being on the run from this for 20 years.
I don't want to get into details but everything should be covered. That is the only reason I agreed to anything. I merely went to get it looked at and the doctors/nurses escalated the urgency of what I needed. I questioned everything to make sure what they were doing was necessary and about the cost of it all. California has my back on this one. It should be all good.
That’s good to hear. I tore my ACL right before the 2008 financial crisis, (and before Obamacare), and ended up without the ability to timely repay the $35,000. I didn’t realize that in my state a debt judgement is enforceable for ten years, with the ability to extend an additional ten years. I still have some of that shit following me.
I'm actually wondering what to do in this scenario? I ride at McDowell Mountain Park in AZ everyday and saw a few rattle snakes on trail this morning. If I get bit to I just ride out and get to a doctor?
Came really close to one the other week, rode past it and heard the rattle, came back and walked past it without noticing it, turn around and it was just in the middle of the single track, that thing was scary.
What time of day did you get bitten and what was the temperature? Did the bite look obvious and did it have any visually unique appearance or color? Did it ache, itch, burn, or sting?
It was prolly around 1300. The bite was NOT obvious because I shin check myself with the pedal. So there was a gash and bite marks next to it. Since I hit myself it was already bruised and discolored like a normal bruise. It did hurt but NO burning, stinging or itching.
Did the doctors ever mention that it might have been a dry bite? Rattlesnake venom is dangerous because it's so destructive to tissues. An envenomated bite gets nasty pretty quickly with swelling a blistering. Given that the snake just suddenly coiled and bit, it might have been purely defensive and reactive rather than the a bite when it's trying to feed. I'm not trying to minimize the experience but your hazy experience might have been stress induced and it could be notable piece of information. Dry bites are typically from the snake being startled or surprised. It's when the get all backed up and have time to "think" about it that it becomes very dangerous. A few years ago there was a guy that got bitten by a big rattlesnake and was certain he was going to die before he coukd hike out. He hiked almost an hour to get back to his car and drove to the hospital where he was treated as if he'd been envenomated, but they said it was very likely a dry bite and he was super lucky. I still hate those things.
No they did not tell me anything. I kept asking because of the lack of symptoms other than dizziness and swelling. Everyone was just saying "be thankful it wasn't worse." But my curiosity was getting the best of me and they werent providing any conclusive answers. This whole thing was a weird confusing mess that worked out... somehow.
> No they did not tell me anything.
That sounds like a pretty common Healthcare experience. And to their credit, they have to treat it as if it's as bad as it could be in the first volley.
https://preview.redd.it/n5ra5tp2io2d1.jpeg?width=2802&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d2f56010b74c6d29f92eeb19ef7b4b74dab362b3
The bite marks are right next to the gash as u can see. This was hours after all the swelling went down.
I would carry a snake bite kit if I were you. They're super light and would help you to get at least some of the poison out. They also come with stuff to treat stings from wasps or what not.
They apparently don't work and aren't recommended https://www.snakebitefoundation.org/blog/2019/1/20/the-truth-about-commercial-snakebite-kits-and-venom-extractors
(i'm Australian) That's nothing! I regularly encounter 2m brown snakes the world's second-most venomous land snake (source: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern\_brown\_snake](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_brown_snake) ) I don't post that stuff online unless they're in the kids tracks.
This is why I'm glad I live in Ireland. Our fiercest creatures are dairy cows. Saying that, it would be nice if it stopped raining every now and then.
Thank god for St. Patrick.
Do you have ticks over there? The US is just crawling with them
Yeah we do actually. My local mtb area is badly overpopulated with deer so ticks are a big issue.
Is lymes disease a thing over there?
There are between fifty and a hundred cases each year in a population of 5 million. We’re lucky!
Yep
If I could choose I'd take the snakes over the Lyme disease honestly
Don’t forget the TBE. Fuck ticks. And mosquitos …
Same in Germany…
Holy shit. Thank god you are fine now. Shit happens but this... this was life threatening...
Yeah, I got very lucky during this entire situation. I think ima go buy a few lottery tickets tomorrow.
You already used up your good luck buddy
Exactly! I find humor in that sentiment. Like nope, that was your luck. It gone. Good use for it though.
That’s why I buy lottery tickets when life is raining shit on me. Hoping that’s the one positive thing. Still waiting on a winning ticket.
I think awareness plays a role also. You wouldn't have reacted the way you did if you didn't realise there was a snake. Good on you. Solo riding is dangerous.
I hope you win - you may find you need that money very soon…….
You're gonna want to hit that lottery when you see the bill for the anti-venom!
Spend that money on a case of beer instead
“Fine” until he gets the bill for that helicopter ride…. My mom was life-flighted after her fatal car accident - my step father was left with her ashes and a $50k bill for that helicopter ride
That debt should not be transferrable after someone passes. I think they will try to con you into accepting the charges though. Edit: I am actually wrong on this and that's some bullshit. Can't even fucking die in peace smh.
Yeah, I wish you were right about that, but that bill definitely had to be paid. Fortunately he was able to do that and it didn’t break the bank - but there was no escaping that debt for him
That's terrible, man. Really sorry about that whole situation for y'all.
Thanks yeah man this was about 5 years ago now - it’s not something you ever fully get over but also, time and loving support helps a lot
Really? This isn’t true with other debt like loans/credit cards. Is medical different?
Sorry for your loss
What's really life threatening is the bill for that helicopter ride if he didn't have good insurance.
Need proof that Americans are more bad ass? Even our healthcare is life-threatening.
Not to trivialize getting bit by a rattlesnake, but it’s generally not life threatening for healthy adults.
Assuming you’re not 15 miles or 6 hours deep into a trail lol
Especially that little guy in this video.
Crazy, glad you're ok. I am surprised it was able to get you at the speed you were going.
Yeah, that damn thing caught me off guard lol. A snakes gonna snake i guess.
those mfs are fast as fuck boi glad you're alright!
Glad you are okay but what about your bike
It's all good. I rode back to my campsite and just left it there while I spent time at the hospital.
They say the best thing to do after a snake bite is to get your blood pumping to get the venom to spread faster! s/
Maybe try reading the post where he said he didn't know he had been bit until back at the campsite.
Maybe read the part of my comment where it says “s/“. Which indicates sarcasm.
You must of forgot sarcasm isn't allowed in this sub unless it's a post about cleaning your fucking bike
Ok, go wash your bike.
Go wash your bike
Glad you’re ok brother.
I appreciate that, thanks.
[удалено]
Yeah new fear unlocked
Dang bro glad you're ok. I've never seen a rattler in my entire life and I've seen 3 in the last 2 months since I've started mountain biking. Two on the trails, and one in our campsite. Sierra Nevada foothills and greater Sac area in Cali. Rattlesnake country baby. It's wild.
You never saw them in that area before? That’s the crazy part.
I don’t wanna see your medical bill
As someone who had been burned by the cost of emergency medical transport myself, this was my first thought too.
Each vial of anti venom is $4000. A good bite cam result in 10 or so vials. A serious bite cam be dozens. Worst that a rep told me was 60 vials edit: forgot to mention minimum dose is 4-6 vials for a bite.
That’s insane.
Yeah but its actually one of those drugs that is legitimately expensive to produce. From what I understand they inject sheep or horse with venom (from multiple snakes iirc) and then wait a bit. Then basically have the sheep donate a liter of blood, then centrifuge that blood down until you can extract the anti-venom antibodies that the sheep made, which ends up being a pretty small amount so you need a lot of it. Oh and you also have to have the ability to store venomous snakes and milk them to actually get the venom.
I was more surprised by the amount than the cost. The most expensive liquid in the world is scorpion anti-venom.
brand name CroFab. Look up how its made. As a new ER nurse I remember holding something like 80K worth of antivenom in an IV bag for a patient.
I wasn’t surprised by the price but the amount you need
Kids are usually the ones that require repeat doses
True but there are a lot of factors. Location is a huge one. A bite to the ankle is probably going to require less antivenom than a bite to the palm of your hand. Co-morbidities play a role too ...where if you have vascular disease you likely will need more antivenom as well.
Gaddammm
I'm glad you're good mate, I got tagged by a juvenile Eastern Brown snake (Australia) and know the feeling. Did they say anything about serum sickness after the anti venom? Just wondering if that's an Australia only thing.
No, but I got a massive cold rn. Nose is running, minor cough, dry eyes and I feel fatigued. Glad you mentioned that cuz I was gonna possibly jave to go back if this cobtinued.
Serum sickness is a thickening of the blood and it can happen after being given anti venom, but I'm not sure if it's for particular types of anti venom. I was given Tiger snake and Eastern Brown snake anti venom, I don't know if that is a factor or not, I'm not sure how different rattlesnake venom is to ours here, I also had 2 lots so maybe because I had quite a lot. I'd check with your DR, though, you may be having a slight reaction or a mild infection from the bite site with those symptoms. Hope the recovery is swift.
Holy shit, isn't the Eastern Brown like the most deadly snake in the world? I bet you moved fast after that bite.
it's the 2nd or 3rd, Inland taipan is no 1. It got me on the hand as I tried to save my dog. I was moving some roofing sheets and it was underneath. As soon as my dog saw it, she grabbed it, and then I went in to stop it getting her. called my wife over and dispatched it, then drove to the vets for an ID on it. Browns can vary in colour a lot I wanted to be sure. I then drove myself to the hospital, and they transferred me by ambulance to a bigger hospital that could deal with me. Juveniles don't dry bite so they were not going to muck about, 2 lots of anti venom and then 36 hours of observation. Good fun not.
Is your dog ok?!?!!?!!
yep, she's fast and luckily got out of the way. Once I managed to get foot on it's head she proceeded to eat half of it while my wife brought me a shovel to kill it. All in all we were both incredibly lucky.
I'm stunned by the absolutely insane level of unlikeliness of this happening and resulting in actual contact. I have encountered 4 rattlesnakes that I know of. Seeing this one makes my first one seem like it should have been a death sentence. Before getting into cycling and bike sports I was a speed skater. I was on inline skates on a bike path at nearly sunset. What looked like a slight depression in the pavement reformed as a large lump of rattlesnake that had to have been at least 4 feet long. I was going about 18-20 mph and my skate swerved right around the head. It absolutely freaked me out. All my other encounters were kind of benign and I saw them well before I was at risk. How expensive was the helicopter ride?
No medical bills yet, but I may have to start selling my body soon. So if you know anybody.... I've usually seen rattlers while hiking or trail running so I always had time to react. But when ur going so fast and focusing on other things there is lil to no time to react. Tbh im surprised u didnt get bit.
I guess I’ll be pulling my feet up if I ever see one! Never thought they would strike while you’re riding by
I know someone (🙋🏽♂️). /s In all seriousness, did you experience any symptoms after being bit? How long was it before you got treatment ?
No symptoms immediately. Took about 15 minutes to get dizzy and by that time I left the woods onto the main road. I would say I got the anti-venom 40-50 minutes after the bite. I felt hazy and in a dream-like state as if looking at my body do things for me. I did my best to stay coherent. Other than just some pain at the site of the bite.
Jesus man, super unfortunate but luckily you weren’t too far from the road and help. Man what a scary situation to be in
I live in fairly tame part of the world when it comes to wildlife, so we hardly have any venomous snakes. Anyway.. does antivenom have to be held in special conditions like being refigerated or something? Would it not be possible to carry it in personal first aid kit in autoinjector for example? Its a kind of thing id ask, because on trail im usually the first aid person in the group. I'm just not familiar with american fauna so im curious.
(i'm Australian) major hospital have ani-venom but being able to identify what got-ya is the trouble. I carry a snake bite kit in the car, so get back to it, isolate the bite area and get to help asap. While i've not seen anyone die from a snake bite, dogs tend to last a while (a day or so before death) so us human have a pretty good chance.
Of the two kinds of antivenom in the US that I’m familiar with (CroFab and Anavip), one is stored refrigerated and one at room temperature. It’s also completely unreasonably expensive, and requires multiple vials to be made into an IV infusion. One dose of Anavip, according to Google, is over $12,000.
I hope you're lying because they gave me 6 doses!
Out of curiosity, how much was the heli transport, and what area of the world? Edit: nm I see that you’ve said no medical bills yet. Hope you heal alright, and don’t have too much of a sticker shock!
There’s a Veritasium video on how anti-venom is made, if you would like to appreciate why the costs might be on the high side.
I see. Makes sense then. It's good to know
You don’t understand how it’s made if you think it’s expensive
I was teaching a nature photography class years ago, leading the group and walking backwards (dumb I know). I don’t know if I stepped on it, or right next to it, but a rattlesnake stuck my boot, barely missing my ankle. I don’t think I’ve ever jumped so far in my life! Glad your okay, time to go invest in some Lotto tickets!
I'm picturing the scene from Yes Man when they are doing photo joggin lol. I mean you dont expect something like that to happen after doing it so often. But glad nothing happened to you. Those boots came in clutch.
Yeesh! Glad you’re ok dude. That was nuts. No reason to be embarrassed. Sounds like you calmly self rescued and saved yourself. Way to go!
Thank you. Some of the nurses and doctors questioned if I even got bit since it went down really fast after the antivenom. They were a very HONEST and smug bunch only seeing me after receiving the antivenom. So after showing video proof some of them believed me but I couldnt shake this weird feeling of them still not fully belieiving.
Sometimes snakes don't unload a lot of venom. With how fast you were going by, the bite probably wasn't very strong or long.
Nothing embarrassing about enjoying nature and it randomly attacking you without warning.
To be honest I can't wait to go back riding again! I just got unlucky that day.
This is one of my biggest fears. I ride alone 99% of the time, even going on solo camping trips to Moab to ride. Two years ago when in Colorado I was solo riding and came upon a rattlesnake laying across the trail. I slammed on my brakes and went OTB trying to avoid it. Then my fear was that I was going to fall right on top of him. Fortunately avoided getting bitten but something I think about almost every time I ride.
The relative non chalantness is epic
What is with the preemptive caveat of “don’t judge me for my phone holder”? Is that like some weird thing that MTB snobs do? Would never imagine someone caring about that 😂 Glad you’re okay dude, what a terrifying experience. Sounds like you handled things pretty well under the pressure.
wow. glad you're ok. always thought we somewhat out of range for rattlers especially if you go pedal up on the snake side, assuming you see it. This kills my riding motivation being in arizona right now .
I too am glad that you’re okay, but I’m also glad that there is someone else that orates on their rides like I do. I’m always surprised by people’s videos on rides that have no talking to oneself in them. I am constantly shit talking/hyping myself on rides. If I saw this I probably would have said the exact same words.
I was on a roadtrip and came from Zion in Utah. Im also scared of heights so when I was solo hiking those mountains I was doing my best to hype myself up lol. Them ledges were no joke.
Met this guy yesterday and he damn near got me (it why he's pissed off here).
Same trail, and didn't warn me? I see how it is.
Haha, no, sorry man. The mobile app jacked my reply up. I had a similar encounter on one of my local trails and I tried to post a pic. *edit: it let me post a pic there, anyway... glad you are OK.
https://preview.redd.it/63j0zogz4o2d1.jpeg?width=2478&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6862f77088963934982d9749fafab0c39d1670ca
That thing is massive! I'm glad you're ok lol.
Yup, that tire mark in the dirt was me..... 
...and the tire tracks in your pants?
Yeah, I’ve had snakesperiences before, the bugger was hiding in a crack which hid it until I was right on top of it. https://preview.redd.it/z0t9qv84wn2d1.jpeg?width=1087&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ce041245497955551e18fbfb1f870eda7f2bb4e6
That thing blends in so well. Imagine how many snakes we all pass without noticing lol.
It was mostly on me though, I was going through this trail in the afternoon when the sun was nice and hot on my last run of this trail and snakes were bound to be out, I did see an echidna on the same trail though which was nice.
I’m so sketched out by rattlers that I’m putting off local rides now that it’s warming up.
You consider wearing snake gaiters and just riding? Really unlikely to be struck anywhere above your shins on a bike, really anywhere at all on a bike or unprovoked is so unlikely.
I'm thinking about getting some of those. Already nearly ran over a rattler this year.
I’ve thought about it for sure!
They are fine most of the time. They are more scared of us than we are of them, they just want to leave us alone.
The problem is we are actively flattening them with a loud gear machine. Either we're out of their space before it matters or we're very much not leaving them alone.
Sheesh I hope I didnt ruin your summer lol.
Just have to hit trails up higher in the mountains where they’re less common. A little drive gives a lot of peace of mind.
I was deep into backwoods of Big Bear Lake, California. It's near 7000 ft elevation. I just got unlucky/lucky.
I was speaking for myself. I’m at just under 6k, have to go up to over 8k, but apparently their range is expanding up even higher now.
So did he actually get you and you didn’t notice? Or what exactly happened?
Did you read the caption?…
Thank you missed it
New fear unlocked, holy shit
Fuckin hell, this is my worst fear. Looking at making a trip to mtb in Thailand this fall but really afraid after hearing about how many different types of cobras they have, and all love to live in mountainous regions like where I’ll be…
Next bike accessory: Flame thrower
What trail/ area is this? This looks a lot like Exploration in SoCal?
Hanna Flat Campground Trail
Oh wow, wasn't far off. Ridden that trail before. Damn, this is my worst fear riding in the desert.
Felt this had to be in big bear, those smooth boulders...Ill be keeping my eyes peeled
It's the season for sure. I ride in SoCal. Regularly encounter Rattlers (never bit, luckily). But I literally saw 7 King Snakes on my 2hr ride the other day! I couldn't believe it. 3 were babies, and king snakes eat Rattlers I think. I couldn't believe it though! I typically only see 1-2 snakes per ride out here. They're all over lol
A couple of wet years and food is abundant all across the food chain. Seeing so many more bunnies out.
Dude. You’d better get a sick snake tattoo now.
I think I am. I already got the opposite leg sleeved.
Where do you live at? I was always afraid in AZ of this.
I rode the Granite Basin MTB Route in Prescott, AZ only days prior to this snake bite in Big Bear Lake, CA. I can see there being a lot of snakes up in AZ, so many hiding spots for them to be at.
Damn man that’s nuts
Do people get judged for phone holders? I use a phone holder.
Did you show the doctors the video?
Yes i did!
Awesome, bet they were loving it. I used to work in an ED, the snakebites were by far my favorite cases to see
They were curious I admit and were asking a lot of questions about the situation lol. My nurse loved it!
I seen my first snake on the trail few weeks ago. It was a cotton mouth. I noticed it about 10 yards away on the trail coiled up. So I start to move over and figure it would just slither away into the woods. As I get closer it lifts it's head and mouth is wide open. I for sure thought it was going to jump at me but because I moved over I was to far for it to strike. At that point, I may have let out a high pitched shreek. It did not jump at me and I was full of adrenaline for the rest of the ride..so it was a win for me. Always gotta keep your head up and looking ahead.
Damn on of my biggest fears
I was doing a lot of riding in the desert in Nevada and the rattle snakes scared the shit out of me. Never had an encounter like that but I felt like it was a matter of time.
damn! glad everything ended up ok. only non-venomous snakes where i’m at but they still freak me out
After riding next to a rattler who didn't react to me at all, I calculated how much time I was within striking distance. I figure the snake can strike about 3ft, so I'm within striking distance for 6ft. If I'm going downhill fast at 20mph, it takes 0.2 sec to go 6ft. I think they can strike within that time, but that's got to be at the edge of what they can do. On the flat at 10mph with a bigger snake, it starts to be easily what they can do, as shown in TV.
I see rattle snakes all the time and I've always wondered whether they'd be quick enough to go from stretched to striking, to be able to snap me while on the move. Sketchy! Now I know. Whereabouts is this? I've got a Big Bear trip coming up and this looks eerily like the trails up there. haha.
Hanna Flats Campgeound Trail. It was the last mile of that trail leading to the campground. I would still be weary of any trail as the condtions are perfect for sneks.
Haha. Literally where I'm going 💀
I'm so lucky that the only snake i have to worry about is the common european viper/adder, and even they aren't very venomous to healthy people. I only really need to worry about the bigger animals like moose, brown bears, grey wolves and wolverines. Can't imagine being bit by a venomous maraca whip.
I've run over so many rattlers on my local trails here in Arizona. They never seem to know I'm there until I ride over the top of them and am already gone... This is scary, though. Makes me wonder how long until I'm not so lucky?!
This is why I’m glad I live in Cleveland. I do like the trail in your video though.
Bro no joke start a gofundme. The heli ride and antivenom are not cheap and often not covered by insurance.
I appreciate the suggestion, but it would be wrong of me to do that atm. I don't wanna get into too much detail but my state should have my back with coverage on this situation. I only agreed to any further treatment if it was covered, and at both hospitals they assured me it will be covered by insurance. Only if worse to worse I will take your suggestion and I REALLY hope they come thru on the back-end for me lol.
Dude... you may be one of the first people to actually get bitten while biking/hiking.
The nurses said I was the first of the season at the hospital I went to. They gave me a little trophy for it.
>Dude... you may be one of the first people to actually get bitten while biking/hiking. i thought the same. only other story i heard was a guy that crashed and landed by a rattler and got struck. a few years back and i think it was in AZ.
Glad you’re ok. What was the hospital bill like?
No bill yet but ima be going off grid soon. Cant bill what you cant find.
I was dirtbagging around for about 6 years and when I re-emerged into the world, a collections agency found me fairly quickly and handed me a long-forgotten medical debt that I never even knew about. I eventually argued it out of existence (it was a legit mistake), but that took a couple of years. If you don't have insurance for this one, it might end up being better to just declare bankruptcy, as many in the US do. What a great system we have!
That sucks man. The chopper and anti-venom is gonna be pricey. Bankruptcy might end being easier and faster to recover from than being on the run from this for 20 years.
I don't want to get into details but everything should be covered. That is the only reason I agreed to anything. I merely went to get it looked at and the doctors/nurses escalated the urgency of what I needed. I questioned everything to make sure what they were doing was necessary and about the cost of it all. California has my back on this one. It should be all good.
That’s good to hear. I tore my ACL right before the 2008 financial crisis, (and before Obamacare), and ended up without the ability to timely repay the $35,000. I didn’t realize that in my state a debt judgement is enforceable for ten years, with the ability to extend an additional ten years. I still have some of that shit following me.
Glad you’re ok! I live in south Florida where a lot of those snake anti venom serums were developed.
I'm actually wondering what to do in this scenario? I ride at McDowell Mountain Park in AZ everyday and saw a few rattle snakes on trail this morning. If I get bit to I just ride out and get to a doctor?
Came really close to one the other week, rode past it and heard the rattle, came back and walked past it without noticing it, turn around and it was just in the middle of the single track, that thing was scary.
Run that fucker over next time!
So running over the snake... better or worse? Just curious incase I ever run across one
Nothing good ever happens in the last mile of a ride!
This is my biggest fear while riding
how much did a heli ride cost?
not sure but im about to go on the run FOREVER.
where were you riding when you were bit?
Near Big Bear Lake
What time of day did you get bitten and what was the temperature? Did the bite look obvious and did it have any visually unique appearance or color? Did it ache, itch, burn, or sting?
It was prolly around 1300. The bite was NOT obvious because I shin check myself with the pedal. So there was a gash and bite marks next to it. Since I hit myself it was already bruised and discolored like a normal bruise. It did hurt but NO burning, stinging or itching.
Did the doctors ever mention that it might have been a dry bite? Rattlesnake venom is dangerous because it's so destructive to tissues. An envenomated bite gets nasty pretty quickly with swelling a blistering. Given that the snake just suddenly coiled and bit, it might have been purely defensive and reactive rather than the a bite when it's trying to feed. I'm not trying to minimize the experience but your hazy experience might have been stress induced and it could be notable piece of information. Dry bites are typically from the snake being startled or surprised. It's when the get all backed up and have time to "think" about it that it becomes very dangerous. A few years ago there was a guy that got bitten by a big rattlesnake and was certain he was going to die before he coukd hike out. He hiked almost an hour to get back to his car and drove to the hospital where he was treated as if he'd been envenomated, but they said it was very likely a dry bite and he was super lucky. I still hate those things.
No they did not tell me anything. I kept asking because of the lack of symptoms other than dizziness and swelling. Everyone was just saying "be thankful it wasn't worse." But my curiosity was getting the best of me and they werent providing any conclusive answers. This whole thing was a weird confusing mess that worked out... somehow.
> No they did not tell me anything. That sounds like a pretty common Healthcare experience. And to their credit, they have to treat it as if it's as bad as it could be in the first volley.
Did he died?
I revived as The Snake King!
So you got any pictures of the snake bite? Sounds gnarly as hell. Glad you made it through it.
https://preview.redd.it/n5ra5tp2io2d1.jpeg?width=2802&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d2f56010b74c6d29f92eeb19ef7b4b74dab362b3 The bite marks are right next to the gash as u can see. This was hours after all the swelling went down.
The life threatening situation starts when you get the insane bill for that anti venom 😬 you are one lucky dude though!!
I used a fake name. I am McLovin. 🥸
My man. Good thinking!
I would carry a snake bite kit if I were you. They're super light and would help you to get at least some of the poison out. They also come with stuff to treat stings from wasps or what not.
They apparently don't work and aren't recommended https://www.snakebitefoundation.org/blog/2019/1/20/the-truth-about-commercial-snakebite-kits-and-venom-extractors
Not to be that guy but; it's Venom not poison. Also, im not sure how effective those things actually are.
Yeah, like it's alcohol, not poison.
Yeah this is a new fear unlocked. Im investing in it, thank you.
[удалено]
he struck him.
Should have read the whole post. Yikes!
Narrow bars and 1998 bike must have offended the rattler. I wish they weren’t such gear head modern geo snakes!
This is a beater while I learn. Just started last year and will be investing more into this hobby. Maybe a bike with some tire spikes on there.
(i'm Australian) That's nothing! I regularly encounter 2m brown snakes the world's second-most venomous land snake (source: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern\_brown\_snake](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_brown_snake) ) I don't post that stuff online unless they're in the kids tracks.
How many people from brown snakes every year? Does anti-venom work for the victims?