Mojave Desert trip
On 9/3/20 drove up to the desert. Went up the 2 (Angeles Crest Highway) to Angeles Forest Highway, to Mt Emma Road, Fort Tejon Road, Valyermo Road, and north and east into the Mojave.
Got to Mt Emma Road a bit after sundown. Saw nothing until well up in the desert- Palmdale Boulevard or thereabouts. Then in quick succession roadcruised 5 dead and 2 live Mojave Rattlesnakes.
Having pulled over for the second dead snake, walked back to look at it and found a gigantic Hairy Scorpion. Snapped photos of it until it decided to scurry into the street. Frantically tried directing it back to the side with the snake hook before it was run over, but it wouldn’t cooperate. In desperation I stupidly tried grabbing its “tail” just behind the stinger, but in a millionth of a second it twisted around and stung me on my left thumb. First time I’ve been stung by a scorpion- surprisingly! It was like a very mild bee sting- was numb and sort of prickly for a few hours, then faded with no further effects.
Eventually gave up on trying to save the scorpion and left it to its fate. I think it got away.
Continued on, eventually down a desolate road, flat and empty in the dark, that had a live Mojave rattler on the shoulder. Took pictures, taking care to keep a safe distance. Eventually it crawled off into the bushes.
Down another, even lonelier road, found another Mojave in the middle of it. It began crawling away, then curled up in a coil while I snapped photos.
Kept driving east and turned south, now in San Bernardino County; passed through Phelan and Wrightwood and took the 2 all the way back to La Cañada, arriving around midnight.
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