Alone in Nevada: Worrisome wildlife & historic homesteads in the backcountry

[@talkingbird7529]

I used to live in northern Nevada and did many adventures to the (outback) with my dual sport motorcycle. You got lucky with that snake.. also keep in mind when you stick your head in to abandoned building openings that there might be snake or tarantula near by. I remember one day as I was walking into a building and a gigantic snake resting on a shelf top of door it punched me so hard it felt like getting hit by a 100mph baseball.. needless to say I had my helmet on and was getting ready to take off once inside. I still count my blessings today! Stay safe my friend.

[@steves7896]

Uncanny, I can't begin to tell you how strong the parallels of my rattler story is to yours!!! Born and raised in Southern Nevada, I was no stranger to spending time out in the desert. And I had seen vipers in the wild. But what happened to me on a trip in New Mexico drastically changed my perceptions forever. Not far from Santa Rosa, I had ventured off the highway to do a little exploring. It wasn't long when I had come across a very old adobe bunkhouse in ruins. It was surrounded by old rusty cars, farm implements and other objects and all of it together appeared to be impossibly frozen in time. It was so photogenic that I was just mesmerized. I couldn't click off frames fast enough, it was so dreamy. I was all over the place and carried away with camera work. There happened to be an old truck hood, laying upside down on the ground in an odd-angled, forlorn way. Crouching down to frame it for detail just right in my view finder would make for a fantastic still. At that moment my phone went off. Except it was a ring tone I hadn't heard it make before. In fact, I wasn't exactly sure it was MY phone. "Who the hell else is out here, I'm in the middle of nowhere!" I kept crouching there (in the position one would do to take a dump. Haha, sorry), listening to this mysterious electronic sound, trying to ascertain what exactly it was, where it was coming from? And then I saw him, coiled up, RIGHT beside me in the tan grass, not more than six inches away from my boot!!! I exploded, leaping into the air so quickly that a few of those nano seconds of my memory are lost to eternity. I should've been dead. At the same moment the rattler, full size and huge, darted off under a nearby debris pile. I was white as a ghost and literally shaking. Gathering myself I shook it off and chalked it up as a rare snake encounter. Still enthralled with the time capsule place, I moved away from the hood and the debris pile and proceeded to take more photos. I hadn't gone more than thirty feet and spotted yet another one coiled in the tall grass, an area I had blindly walked through once before! They were all over the place! I quickly accepted that I had cheated death and had enough pictures, got back in my truck and high-tailed the hell out of there! That was about ten years ago and to this day I don't even cross a vacant urban lot without first donning my gaiters!

[@softroadingthewest]

Wow, that’s a great story!

[@tracykooken2606]

@@steves7896 YEP, DAZ WUT DEM GAITORS R FER !!!! AN CUZ I NOZE JUS HOW HI SUM OF DOZE O' LE BOYZ KIN JUMP UP FER UH BITE I LIKE MY GAITORS TUH B UP 2 MY KNEE'S !!!!!! NOPE, NONE OF DOZE SISSY ,KEEP THE DUST OUT GAITOERS FER ME !!!!!! NO SIR !!! ;)

[@alancole1394]

They aren't aggressive. Don't molest it and it won't bother you. The rattle says, hey, I'm right here, don't bother me. Thanks for not harming it.

[@mrwes100]

Perfectly said. 🙌

[@TheoBradley]

👍👍

[@nmelkhunter1]

@@ricksmith1673You’re right they can be aggressive. There’s too much naivety in this world.

[@lorina8699]

I find over 40+ rattlesnakes a year on my property for 13 yrs most are not aggressive but some sure are like the Mojave rattlesnake.. I relocate them too other property.

[@stephenwest798]

Amazing the amount of hard work that went into those buildings and now they just sit there slowly returning to nature.

[@johnchedsey1306]

Many years ago I was hiking around the hills west of Pueblo, CO, and stepped right over a rattler. He suddenly realized I was there and started furiously rattling, but it was obvious we had equally startled each other. I apologized for interrupting his sleep and he told me to take a hike, so I did. But boy...nothing gets the heart pumping like that sound! Glad you experienced nothing more than that adrenaline rush!

[@markocapoferri2994]

Anyone who says x region is boring/must be driven through as quickly as possible hasn’t left the interstate (for whatever reason; it can be intimidating to be without services, or they’re on a time limit). One of my absolute favorite drives of many cross country trips was the half day I drove US-54 from Tucumcari, NM, across the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles to Meade, KS. The vastness of land, the breadth of sky, the unique little towns I had to slow down through every 50-60 miles, slow enough to get a feel and take in the atmosphere of places so far from interstate highways and international airports. It was such a unique and rewarding experience that I try to avoid the big highways whenever I can nowadays.

[@carnakthemagnificent336]

Nevada has more mountain ranges than any other State. Love the vistas. When you drive US50, and are in a "valley," you're still likely above 5000 feet. Moved here two years ago. Thanks for your videos. Liked and subscribed.

[@BrienWood7.3]

What a great video!!! Can't wait for the nextone!!

[@KarinHall-dr3pj]

Just watched your latest installment. Wonderful! I first experienced Nevada in March of 1981 on a trip from Spokane to Death Valley. The Basin and Range fascinated me and there were so many roads calling. I made it back at least a couple of times, later again that year and then when I was pregnant with my 28 year old daughter. Unfortunately, that was my last visit. At least now I can still go there, this trip being through your videos. You are an excellent and very poetic storyteller. I just found your videos this past winter and have really enjoyed them. I first started watching because you had a Subaru!. (I love to drive back roads with my Outback but nothing quite as rugged as the ones you take.)

[@ImStillLooking]

Your videos get me excited when I have my time off to explore new places.

[@villagelightsmith4375]

That's a lot of work, buck-sawing that lumber and then freighting it up there on wagons. Same for all the tools and the iron bits involved in a homestead , line shack, or ranch house.. Got to admire their dreams. 'Course, when all you have is Time, and you're getting pushed by drought and winter, it might be easier!

[@ThomasLeonard454]

Your slow pan videos are great. They give the illusion that they are stills. Great eye for photo composition.

[@JBlinky67]

Amazing that you capture the expanse of it all. Thank you, Don 😎

[@riveroverland]

Tons of rattlers here in Northern Nevada. Rattlers are probably some of the nicer snakes, they at least warn you before you get too close - they're not interested in anything other than carrying on their merry way. I agree that there's always the possibility of getting nipped especially in your case where you're distracted, but they're pretty relaxed in general.

[@scottymac5174]

There is so much good stuff to explore in Nevada..

[@l-y-n-n-c]

Sure is pretty! And to see those old buildings gives me serenity .

[@jeffmorris739]

Donald, I really wish you had more time to work on your craft because you have become one of the best videographers in this space. That was as good as anything I have seen and I have seen a lot. I appreciate the effort, it was stunning.

[@marcocisneros6290]

Ive come across sidewinders from 4000ft to 7000 ft in the Sierras. I spend a lot of time tin the Mojave with my dog but luckily we have never been bit.

[@jessstone7486]

So interesting seeing Nevada! Wide open country, for sure. I always have lots of questions when I see old abandoned places like this: who were they? why did they come here? What made them leave? did parents die and kids didn't want any part of the homestead? on and on, the questions keep coming. America is a fascinating place. I too am entranced by the southwest deserts - Arizona resident here - and am always amazed that long ago folks made homes here...without all our conveniences! Talk about hardy; that word doesn't come close to describing these souls!!!

[@PrimalOutdoors]

Excellent video my friend. Jason

[@swidahooverlanding2867]

I have had some interesting Rattler encounters out in the desert. Usually more than one at the same time. Makes you a bit nervous when they lite up all around you. Having dogs with me now I usually try and stay out of the desert when it gets warm, or at the very lest try and keep exploring to mornings and evenings when the temp is cooler. Snakes like the same temperature we do so if you have to wear a jacket you are probably OK unless in rocks, wood, buildings that are being warmed by the sun or maintaining the heat from the day. Glad it turned out OK in your case. Oh, and I carry snake shot just in case. Looking forward to the rest of the series.

[@tfcooks]

Carrying a stick when exploring old ruins like that is a good idea so you can can poke around ahead and get snakes to rattle before you're too close. Knowing the kind of environment snakes like is the best way to avoid them and they love old abandoned buildings with lots boards to hide under and lots of pack rats to eat.

[@josephinebustos8074]

Nevada is so beautiful if only one takes the time to explore its byways and have offroads capabilities.

[@reidcrosby6241]

I LOVE the stark surroundings. Drove Rt50 from Sacramento to Salt Lake a few years ago when first snows where on mtns. Missed getting into Great Basin Park due to snow. I have driven ALL over N. America, but Nevada is EPIC!

[@iamgeoffandthisismystory]

Another winner episode! Makes the weekend more of a treat 😁

[@sheerkhanful]

Australians have a special snake bite bandage that's meant to restrict the lymph system in an affected limb. I've often wondered if that wouldn't be useful here in the US.

[@gerryhartung736]

Amazing that when you cross a mtn range that the next valley can be 80 or so miles across in a straight line. Bought snake gaiters for exploring and forest clean ups. Others grin, thinking whats he worried about? Well, you found out! I also have a medic backpack, a cb radio, gmrs radio and an emergency GPS. And other accoutrements for safety.

[@scottminshall6420]

Great video Donald! Bring back lots of memories of living the Silver State for so long.

[@jeffcarnegie6967]

you do a good job with the music and editing

[@jagman3377]

My response to people that say NV is boring or a chore to drive thru on a road trip………Keep moving, there’s nothing to see here!😎

[@bigsamdog1]

Good, very good.

[@sierrachoco5271]

What a great video! Reminds me of some of the crazy roads in NM. By the way, that snake is just as afraid of you as you are of him/ her.

[@rrrrrrtt1]

I have a 2022 Pro 4x and I really like your truck setup. Thanks for sharing this adventure!

[@thehoofersclub]

I never use electronic navigation just a map. It's good to get lost because that's how to learn by memory of an area.

[@wfwillis]

You're so correct. I used maps and map books when I explored the NV backroads. And, even using those I have on more than one occasion come to what I expected to see a fork in the road only to see three or four roads!

[@dtadventure4x4]

No people. I love it! Thank you for sharing (as always). I have come across a few rattlers over the years. I never get used to it. I feel fascinated and scared/horrified at the same time about 'em (for obvious reasons).

[@NvFlyAngler]

I’ve fly fished on that reservoir and have visited the first ranch house. Will have to look for the second one (after I get gaiters). Amazing video, Don. Thank you, sir!

[@brucebarnes9638]

Fantastic video, how the structures have held up over time is a testament to those people who built them. Indeed silent sentinels of the past.

[@jessstone7486]

Just what I was thinking! Remarkable builders....what they made has gone thru winds, snows, summer infernos....& they - still - stand.

[@ctcv-to8kq]

If you haven't already done so, take the dirt road from Deeth, Nevada to Jarbidge, Nevada. Not a lot of side trails to explore but it sure is a pretty drive and there's dry campsites just outside of Jarbidge.

[@greywolfoutdoors]

Sweet find! Love old abandoned houses and buildings. Glad you came out unscathed with the rattler!

[@seb2549]

Glad this encounter left you safe and sound. I had a similar scenario in City of Rocks State Park in NM. Lots of boulders, could not see past one on the hiking trail, right behind it was a ratler, with my momentum I was literally one step away. The rattler gave me a short quick warning and I saw it bending back to strike and jumped back as far as I could, all good but good reminder to not rush as much even on a well known frequently used hiking trail :)

[@Wandering_Kerrs]

Very nice Donald! I had an encounter while working on a site, stepped around the building to relieve myself and the right foot was about to step on a snake. It rattled, my left leg flexed and I jumped backwards at least 10 feet a couple of feet high. My leg hurt for a month. That rattle is a startling sound! Outstanding photography and story telling. Thanks!

[@campoutwestus]

Beautiful video. This was one of our favorite trips that we've done. The old cabins and homesteads are so fascinating. I'm glad you avoided a rattlesnake bite, safe travels!

[@softroadingthewest]

It's such a treat to find things so intact! And what an incredible backdrop. Enjoyed this trip so much.

[@wfwillis]

I have traveled many of the back dirt roads all over NV, photographing and exploring old mines and ghost towns. I traveled alone (with concealed carry) and explored some 180+ old ghost towns and numerous old mines. I have several video slideshows on my channel. Ironically, in all of my back-country travels, and overnight camping, I have never seen a rattlesnake. Nor, have I ever run into any nefarious individuals. Just lucky, I guess?

[@Coppersaguaro]

Wow, I see no big trees around you so all that wood had to be hauled in as well as collecting all the stone. You had to be really tough back in the day.

[@krismiller5474]

It is such a trip to be watching this while sitting in my rooftop tent in the Virgin Valley of Northern Nevada. I can relate as I’ve been all through California and up through Nevada on this three week adventure I’m on. The best off Roading though had to be heading into Bodie and up out of Bodie and back into Nevada on my way here, all kinds of off-road conditions, challenges and beauty!

[@henrikm4657]

NV is amazing! It takes some time to get used to the desert, but it absolutely has a lot of beauty. Glad you didn’t step on the rattler! I’ve come across quite a few over the years, especially while mountain biking. Someone mentioned snake gaiters. Seems like a good idea. The rattlers that you really should avoid are the Mojave Greenbacks. They’re 10X deadlier than the diamondbacks due to a combination of two types of venoms. At least that’s what I’ve read. But I think they’re mostly in the southern part of NV.

[@davidmills1639]

We have enjoyed our times with exploring what Nevada has to offer. The clouds make it look as though you shot this video in black& white

[@beebalonia]

Was on a side-by-side trip down by Laughlin In last weekend, and while exploring an abandoned building, found a snake 2 feet above our heads. You need to see more of Nevada, namely, Valley of fire, Mount Charleston, Lake Mead, etc. etc. come back in the spring if you want to see the desert come alive. Hit me up if you have more questions. Love the peace by the way.

[@NatsariymDefender]

Wife and I have a snake bite kit first aide kit and snakebite proof leg covers over long pants. Careful out there my friend. Great video!

[@DanitaReynolds]

Scary rattler. Glad you didn’t step on it or get bit. That would have ruined your trip. Beautiful scenery!

[@darrengray2309]

My favorite KZbin channel I'm enjoying watching it on a Sunday afternoon in Australia 👍👌

[@scottymac5174]

The Truckee river, the Humboldt river, the Walker river. They run out into Nevada.

[@kevinnorwood7355]

As a hiker I tend to wear shorts even all year long. You do have to be very careful when it comes to snakes I've seen some big rattlers in Western North Carolina and saw or heard them in time to avoid them. A good pair of boots would help as well. Might want to invest in a good snake bite kit if you haven't already.

[@wendylaca1783]

I grew up in North Nevada my Basque grandfather was a sheep rancher along the Oregon Nevada boarder😊😊😊😊

[@marshalhedin7538]

whereabouts ?

[@BFHuntress]

Great video! Nevada is on my bucket list!! Appreciate the ride!

[@Mark-c4t9j]

Wow...really impressive content and videography. Your storytelling skills are just getting better and better.

[@jeffreysmith4304]

Thick walls offer good insulation Maybe a "Cooler Building" for food storage?

[@BlackJacket705]

The desolateness of Nevada is what I enjoy about it the most

[@SeanStewart88]

Going to love this Nevada series. I’ve driven through it once on route to Tucson wished I had more time to explore, along with New Mexico it strikes me as one of the more interesting states in the country. Being startled by a snake is no joke. Once camped down in Maupin by the dechutes and came across a large Gopher snake, looks very similar to a rattle snake.

[@snoozelow8535]

Remember as you travel out in the wide open spaces exploring. There has been occasions of people running into killer bees hives out there. Those things have chased people down the road several miles 😮

[@endlesscamp22]

this is better than any amazon prime tv thing i could find, thanks for the inspiration, please keep going, cheers!

[@Orangeshebert]

So glad I discovered your channel. I enjoy discovering old places as well. This was quite a trophy. Very intact for its age. Makes me curious about the history. The reservoir was impressive!

[@diannejames9213]

Great video! Be careful out there!

[@reidcrosby6241]

Those Kestrel will swoop you ..had it happen numerous times. One of my fav birds.

[@tirinratieta9256]

Hello from a new subscriber and so happy to be here! Looking forward to catch up, watching all of your videos, one at a time! Thank you for all that you do!

[@elflordsjourneys]

Ive lived in nevada for 43 years now, life is harsh, cant imagine back in the 1800s. No trees for miles, that was a chore getting all that wood there to build all those buildings . Never have seen a rattler but plenty of gopher snakes and lizards.😊

[@onasledoverland]

Particularly good job on this video Donald. Very much enjoyed. ❤❤

[@2Oldcoots]

Nevada is Wonderful! It's the last of the "Live and Let Live States" so please bring that attitude with you.....please. We don't want to lose our uniqueness and sense of open wonder to statists.

[@jagman3377]

Absolutely, that is such a big part of what Nevada is about and yes, it is a wonderful place live.

[@cbh76]

Been waiting for this since your announcement. I think we were there at roughly the same time. I just got back from a 6 day Eastern Nevada trip, starting east of Vegas and ending in Jarbidge. Such an amazing place and I can’t wait to go back.

[@wfwillis]

Jarbidge was one of my favorite little towns. The people are really friendly.

[@jeffreypreiss8191]

Great video, Donald. Is your heart rate back to normal yet? Glad you just got startled and nothing worse. That homestead you explored is really impressive. So many different buildings and different ages of the compound. I wonder how long that homestead was active or inhabited. Thanks for sharing this with us. Looking forward to the next video.

[@tegucigalpa2]

Nevada is beautiful! Loved the video!

[@stevel3o7]

I spend a lot of time in the Sierras walking through grass and brush I’m ordering a pair of gators to wear over my jeans. I’ve come across snakes and thorny bushes.

[@joefoltz4297]

An amazing video! I'm leaving for 4 days of exploring in Nevada next week.

[@insaynbcr]

As a fellow avid PNW desert explorer, I have taken to wearing snake gaiters to further minimize my chances of getting a nibble from the "rattling nope rope". The Gonex Snake Gaiters that I picked up from Amazon ($35ish) are incredibly comfortable to wear, and cover my entire lower leg area, as well as the top of my foot.

[@softroadingthewest]

Literally the day I got home from Nevada, I started looking into gaiters. :-) Not being an avid hiker or hunter - having done years of desert exploring without ever actually seeing a rattler - I balked at the $200+ for some of the big name brands I saw, but wasn't sure where to start with the array of affordable models. I'll take a closer look at the Gonex - thanks!

[@insaynbcr]

@@softroadingthewest I freaked out with the high price of some as well. After reading through the many descriptions and reviews, I landed on these. They are easy to put on, and really comfortable.

[@jamesellis5549]

snake gaiters ( or chaps) always a good idea in snake country.I wear them here in FL picking berries but not otherwise.We mainly have cottonmouths,rattlers and coral snakes.Never had one try to bite but one never knows.

[@ElitaSue]

Looks like up around Jackpot. I love Nevada!!

[@chrisdenning9816]

I never realized how high I could jump until my first encounter with a sidewinder rattlesnake while working in the desert. Always carried a shovel or stick after the first and ran into many more over the years. Thanks.

[@BirdPhish]

Nice work on the video Donald.....the snake bit reminded me of a sad day in my life tho...I killed a rattlesnake I came across on a mountain bike ride once back when I was young and less thoughtful.....I still feel like that un-kind act will bite me someday.

[@dtreeguy]

In Nevada a rattlesnake is called a buzzworm.

[@freerider604]

That was an awesome video Don!

[@JCreole]

15:18 Beautiful campsite….Nothing like camping on a open plain with a rolling thunderstorm coming through.

[@softroadingthewest]

The wind did not let up that evening...the truck was rocking through the night. I was sure I was gonna get rained on but not a drop, just lots of wind. 😄

[@garywaterman814]

Hello. Stumbled onto you via suggested videos an hr ago. Ive watched this and another vid about Nevada mountains. Seemed interesting because as an Arizonian, im used to knowing many people think of Arizona as just a desert with coyotes and rattle snakes when i know Az has a whole other side that is green forests and higher wind swept areas. It made me realize i think the same of Nevada. A desert with gambling. lol Your mountain vids show an entire part of Nevada rarely seen or discussed. About the rattlesnake. Being from Az and spent many years being outdoorsy, I know a few things about them as i have had many encounters Your encounter is more typical. No noise until you are very very near them. Why? Because if you are still several feet away they are hoping you divert away from them and they dont have to give up their location at all. The would rather remain annonymous in the presence of humans. A confrontation usually ends up bad for the snake. ie Humans win more of those than we lose. Typically we create the confrontstion, blame the snake for scaring us and then killing it. The way you handled your encounter was perfect. You probably made a sound you never made before while jumping back a few feet, a little nervous dance then recompose yourself. The way nature intended it. lol And then you let the snake go about its life. Many behave like the snake "attacked" them in that situation and kill it out of some fake need to self defend themselves or the next passersbye. The reality is that the snake proved it wanted nothing to do with you by rattling only when it felt a confrontation couldnt be avoided and then it ran away to safety as soon as you backed off and gave it the chance. Im not going to say snakes never bite without adequate warning or that a rattlesnake cant become very aggressive. It happens. But your experience is the more typical experience. Up close.. with only a couple seconds to de-escalate the situation or it could get worse. lol Distance is usually all that is needed and as much calm as a person can muster. The snake is already a hair trigger at that point and a tense human jumping around 3ft from it makes the snake pretty jumpy. lol But, if we jump just 6 or 8ft further away the snake is a little less tense. 30ft away and just observe it and you can see them slowly relax their muscles, calm down and begin to stretch out to leave. A stretched out rattler is a relaxed rattler as perceived danger makes them coil up.

[@davidviner5783]

An excellent video from all aspects.

[@johnnygreene5447]

Glad you are ok. 🎉

[@gringo3009]

Glad the little guy didn't get ya! I'm a fan of a wooden walking stick but I imagine filming would be difficult.

[@marcericdavis]

Looks like a great trip

[@DonaldBlack-y8n]

Great video Donald. Are you a geologist? I grew up in Battle Mountain in rural Nevada and now live in Reno. I am guessing this video was in the Austin, Eureka, or Tonopah area? Please let me know. Jeep riding and four wheeling were how we passed our time. Much of it was done in 2 wheel drive pickups. Thank you

[@jeffhildreth9244]

I'm from Winnemucca lived there in the 50s. Been to Battle Mountain many times. Now in So Oregon. Nevada is my favorite state and high and drive is my favorite geography. We went every where in an old International 2 wheel drive pick-up. There was lots t see and find back in those days. Try rafting down the Humboldt in Spring on home made rafts. Jumping the train in Winnemucca, jumping off in Battle Mountain jumping back on to get home. Arrow head hunting (projectile points for the new age) legal until 68. And no one cared before that. Crawdad fishing. Turquoise hunting. Pine nut gathering. Choke cherry harvesting. All day Saturday at the Sage Theater. Winnemucca Rodeo and auto race track. Exploration on foot and bicycles. Paradise Valley and the old Mill Pond and what was left of a Civil War era military outpost. Scrounging for toss off goods by the Covered Wagon trains. Finding clay babies and railroad spikes from the 1800's. Exploring abandoned mines (dangerous) and visiting completely intact ghost towns such as Unionville. Digging up the trash piles of old stores and bars.

[@elflordsjourneys]

​@jeffhildreth9244 sounds like you had a great life in nevada, I grew up in Medford, got tired of the rain, moved to Reno in 81, havnt done any of that kind of stuff.😊

[@jeffhildreth9244]

@@elflordsjourneys I am in Jacksonville 5 miles west of Medford. I had 11 1/2 acres in Williams 30 miles west of Medford. We were there 22 years, Dope growers forced us out. Sad to sell but no option. My father owned the Knights of Pitheous (SP ) Hall in Virginia City until his demise in 89. Medford has very little rain compared to the Oregon coast at 70 inches per year My opinion..Reno has been ruined as has Carson City, Gardnerville Minden thanks to the retired California county, state, and federal employees who have retired there. Real Nevada is still out there. A shame that the Black Rock got sucked up by Burning Man which is a plagiarism and a cartoon of the English Wicker Man.

[@elflordsjourneys]

@jeffhildreth9244 very familiar with Jacksonville, grew up on sunset drive, family just sold the property yesterday after our folks all past. Yes Reno Carson has gotten to big and crowded for sure. We go to Brookings and bandon every couple of years .

[@jakehelfrich3756]

Nevada has the most public land and the most mountain ranges than any other state. Welcome to Nevada!

[@softroadingthewest]

An absolute gem of the west!

[@bjnslc]

Tons of public land, but I've found access can be sparse. Some areas have few public access roads and fenced ranch land often lies between you and interesting mountains.

[@reidcrosby6241]

We've seen a TON of rattlers in badlands (Theodore Roosevelt & Badlands) ...we live back east, and after my widow neighbor called me to catch a black snake in her home. I am resolved to carrying a snake pole (w/ spring-loaded cable) to safely remove/move nakes'.

[@andy_an_outdoors_guy]

ive seen them three times in eastern Oregon... they seem quite shy and will scoot away silently if they can. only one rattled at me and backing off just a little it moved on. i actively look for them in the early evening around golden hour walking slow and quietly helps 👍

[@rogerlong2314]

The metal clad building looks like it maybe had electrical wires to it? How is that possible?

[@softroadingthewest]

If I remember right, that was an operational ranch up into the 1940s. That was just a newer residence on the property, it was obviously newer construction inside. It was likely a family-run ranch, even today it's pretty common to have multiple residences on a ranch. I'm sure they got power out there as soon as it became possible.

[@katnip198]

Very interesting video. Thank you.

[@jefflunt9615]

Enjoyed your video. I'll watch a couple more to see if I want to subscribe. So far, so good. Had to chuckle at your snake encounter. I can't remember the first time I encountered a rattle snake. The last encounter was just a couple years ago in Dolan Springs, AZ. I had a little double wide on an acre with Joshua Trees. One morning I walked out the back door with my dog Lefty. I heard a high pitched whiny sound. I thought it was my neighbor across the street working on his car. When I realized it wasn't him I looked down and saw a young Mojave Rattle snake. They are considered the worst and are mainly on the far west side of Arizona. They have two types of venom to mess you up real good. Lefty didn't even see the snake. He was right next to the door so we were lucky we didn't get bitten. It was a hot morning and when I tried to move him with a broom he just turned around and came back to original spot. I realized he was trying to stay off the hot sand so I let him rest for the rest of the day. I check back several times and by 6pm he was gone. I've got several videos of snake encounters but I'm too old to mess with posting, other than FB. We had lots of rodents all over the place so I never bothered trying harm the snakes. Have had around 40 to 50 encounters over the years and maybe a 100 sightings. Also had encounters with Tarantulas and scorpions, but not that frequent. I've lived in NM for 50 years and explored all the southwestern states and even into Canada. Up north it was the bears. Now that is something to worry about.

[@bevestush]

Excellent video!

[@alberttu8120]

"Stark and stoic"...great description

[@nrao8977]

1) Would you happen to have a list of must-items to putter around solo? Risks? 2) Any web site? Thanks. GREAT content. At 75 you are inspiring me to get out again. Need to calculate the risks.

[@softroadingthewest]

I don't have any sort of comprehensive list. It can really depend on the types of places you're going, what season you're going, and other variables. Obviously a capable-enough vehicle. Upgraded tires. A shovel and other self-recovery gear. Possibly skid plates on the vehicle. Navigation aids of some sort. Satellite communicator if you'll be out of cell range. Ample food & water. Possibly extra fuel. That's just off the top of my head, could be other must-haves. It does sound like a good video topic I could think about covering. Thanks for watching!

[@amelias.2509]

Fascinating!!! Im so curious about the road. It looks fairly new and wonder who made it. Also, who owns all that land? And what were those homesteaders doing? Cattle?

[@softroadingthewest]

We all own this land. It's public land under the jurisdiction of the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM). I plan all of my exploring/camping to be on public lands such as BLM or National Forest lands, or occasionally on state-owned lands, most of which is freely accessible to us all, because it belongs to us all. Some of the roads seen in this series are actively maintained by the BLM - they probably come through every few years with a grader to smooth out erosion and throw down fresh gravel. Most roads through wilderness like this - even modern paved highways - follow routes that were established long long ago as the best way to get over/through mountains or whatever with wagons, and some even follow routes originally established by native Americans. Generally, there would have been an economic reason for roads to be built, whether it was homesteading the land, resource extraction such as mining or logging, moving goods from point A to point B, or migrating for a new life (think Oregon Trail). In the more fertile valleys, land that was certainly originally homesteaded in the 1800s is still used for farming food/grain to this day. These "desert" sagebrush steppe areas were, yes, commonly used for cattle (and still are actually) but some of the homesteads seen here may have been Basque settlers raising sheep, which was common in this pocket of southeastern Oregon, southwestern Idaho, and northwestern Nevada. Thanks for watching!

[@amelias.2509]

Thank you so much for the quick response and all the info! It's amazing to learn about my own country and I look forward to catching up with your videos. Happy and safe travels!

[@robwainwright5387]

Nevada looks very much like the Karoo in South Africa. Also has it's own beauty. It's occupied by sheep and goat farmers. It's well covered with gravel roads and very large distances between towns.

[@777Patriot]

Not all pit viper bites involve venom. If the bite doesn't hurt or swell in the first 30 to 60 minutes, you probably didn't get any venom.

[@kelkilkat]

Nevada is a large state. It would be nice to know exactly where you are in Nevada. I am going to guess the northern part of the state

[@kingofbaja5b]

live life to the fullest. i think

[@paulspeakman551]

I did that rattlesnake jump 15 or 16 years ago while walking a trail in the Florida woods only a few miles from my home. It was well hidden below a dead, brown saw palmetto leaf right on the edge of the path, just a few inches from my leg. That sudden rattle will get the adrenalin flowing.

[@softroadingthewest]

That's for sure! 😆