We have racers in the California
foothills. They are really interesting snakes. Our first encounter with
them: husband and I were clearing our property to build our house when we saw
a snake. The snake took off FAST and, being interested in snakes, I followed
it. They don’t call these things Racers for nothin’. After
zooming away from us for about 30 feet, the snake turned around and came back
toward us at full speed! Yikes! It came straight toward us and a Douglas fir
with low hanging branches. While we watched with our mouths hanging open, the
snake leaped (I am not kidding!) onto the lowest branch, and then leaped from
branch to branch until it was about 8 feet up in that tree. I’ve never
seen anything like it. Honestly, it didn’t slither up the tree, it
jumped!
