Las Vegas...Sorta...

Gonna take a couple posts...

I hate Las Vegas. It’s a horrible display of gaudy self-indulgence that is too loud, too fast, and WAY to bright for my taste. I avoid it at all possible costs…


This little guy seemed as interested in me as I was in him...

But Steph invited me out to cruise some out-lying roads to hopefully find some snakes I had never seen before. Unfortunately, it was incredibly warm, and the snakes simply did not want to come out and play.



But all was not entirely lost. We walked around in the desert in the afternoon, spotting various lizards scooting about and hiding before we could any pictures, and we did see some pretty flowers…







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Continued...



We did go out cruising for snakes. We did NOT fiond anything that was a lifer for me. We didn’t find very much at all. The first snake we fuond was this absolutely STUNNING California Kingsnake:


The sad part is that this gorgeous fella was runned over moments before we got to him. There wasn’t a whole lot of visible damage, but he was absolutely DOR. I couldn’t resist getting his picture, though, so I picked him up and posed him. A snake this gorgeous deserves a memorium.

Further down the road, we did find a very young Nightsnake. I took a few pictures…but they weren’t very good, so I won’t share them. It was just a wee little thing.

Then we found this cute little toad:


Amphibs are not my forte. I have no idea what this guy could be. Possibly a Great Basin Spadefoot, but I really don’t know. If you know…please tell me.

It was getting late…around 2:00am, but we decided to keep cruising. We went through Valley of Fire State Park, and found this big guy chillin’ in the road:


Giant Desert Hairy Scorpion

We saw a BUNCH of little Desert Banded Geckos, but none of my photos are worth charing. We also found this interesting character:


Locust...or another evil Alien Overlord bent on controlling the Universe...not sure which...

continued...

Continues...

We kept driving, and came across an absolutely brilliant example of Western Longnose, at around 4am:

This is the most intensely colored Longnose I have ever seen...

We cruised straight through until sunrise, without finding anything else very interesting. We did see a small Leaf Nose snake, DOR, as we were getting on the Great Basin Highway, and heading back towards camp, but…it was fairly mangled, and posing it for a picture would have been a waste of effort. I took a picture, just as a voucher of finding him, but…well…you don’t want to see photos of a smooshed snake, do you?

Anyhow…back at camp, I decided it was safest for me to down some coffee and hit the road. It was now 9:00am Sunday, and I had been driving since 10:00am Saturday, so I was a bit bushed. I couldn’t sleep, as I had wanted to, so I figured…better to down the coffeee and stay awake, than to take my time, and fall asleep halfway home. So I hit the road.

One last cool little photo:


If you look closely at the ladybug’s back, you can actually see a reflection of me with my camera and the trees behind me. Pretty cool, if you ask me.

That’s it. I made it home safely, with little issue, and crashed on the couch. I had a good time, even though we didn’t find anything exciting. The places we were cruising are definitely prime habitat, and I will be going back in the fall, hopefully to find some of the elusive rattlesnakes that I know are there, and maybe even a couple new colubrids for my field log.

Thanks for taking the time to read!

And thanks a MILLION, Steph, for showing me around!!

You got some great shots, Chris! Too bad about that poor li'l king, though...

any pics of you and steph

Cool Chris, Its kinda cool that I was there for all those shots Hey none of the landscape shots you took came out ok? I was looking forward to them. The ladybug reflection is cool. I will post my photos on here when I get home tonight, if that is ok with you.?
Hey, I am thinking that the scorpion is a gravid female.. Shes pretty fat looking at some of the pics I took..
I like the shot you got of the Penstemon just opening up too, I didn't even notice that one..

Looks like a really fun time, Chris and Steph! I wish I had ONE friend that would go drive around and look for snakes with me...

Nanci said:

Looks like a really fun time, Chris and Steph! I wish I had ONE friend that would go drive around and look for snakes with me...

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If I was in florida I would! That would be so fun.

Great Pics!

Nice trip guys sounds like a blast. I only have one friend willing to herp with me you guys need to move closer

RavenSpirit360 said:

Cool Chris, Its kinda cool that I was there for all those shots Hey none of the landscape shots you took came out ok? I was looking forward to them. The ladybug reflection is cool. I will post my photos on here when I get home tonight, if that is ok with you.?
Hey, I am thinking that the scorpion is a gravid female.. Shes pretty fat looking at some of the pics I took..
I like the shot you got of the Penstemon just opening up too, I didn't even notice that one..

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Yea, post em. Wouldn't make much sense to take them and not share them...

And yea...the landscapes sucked. I knew it. The color was all washed out once you got past the trees where we were...

I will post them when I get home.. I am heading straight outta work right now to Cold Creek... I have to use my new snake hook.. I hope anyway..
Sucks, I really wanted to see those pics because I didnt even attempt with my camera. Oh and guess what, 5:30 this morning there was a beautiful Sunrise, figures huh..

Here are the pics I took

Some prickly flower


Echinocereus triglochidiatus, Claret Cup Cactus


Purshia stansburiana, Cliffrose


Not the best pic.... Escobaria vivipara v. deserti


Penstemon


Chris

Oenothera caespitosa


Oenothera ceaspitosa and a Morrisonii


Another ladybug, this bush was covered in them.


Now to the road cruise, that was soo uneventful.. *sigh*

Coleonyx variegatus


The poor little Cali king I am happy that he didnt get ran over by the second car.


Night snake..

Yeah I tried to look up what toad this was.. Still don't know, too many look the same.


Giant Desert Hairy scorpion


I was gonna pick her up BUT she wasnt so happy with the idea so I left her alone.


And she went right under Chris's foot.


Another banded gecko.


Longnose


And the evil creature

Awesoem photos guys. That is a beautiful Cali King. What is Chris's scientific name Steph? Lol.

The toad has been ID'd as a Woodhouse...

His scientific name is Morrisonii lol... Um thats the genus name.. LOL

Thanks Chris, I was thinking a western, but didnt have time this morning to really look it up.. HAha!! I have pics of you but you have none of me

RavenSpirit360 said:

Chris

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This picture....he's like the James Bond of herping.

LOL thats funny!!

Lol.. Thats good.