Snake Brake

jinman · Jul 21, 2001

<font color=red>FLASH!</font color=red> Sunset, TX - Man attacked by deadly snake which had been hiding in brake drum./w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif!!!YIKES!!!/w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

Yes, it's true...well...okay...it wasn't actually "deadly." I had a flat on my three-wheel dumpcart and when I removed the lugnuts, the wheel and brake drum both came off. Imagine my surprised when I looked down and this little fellow stuck his tongue out at me. Ain't country livin' fun? /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

JimI

Anonymous Poster · Jul 28, 2001

news flash; w-s NC snake killed by man with deadly crap.

jinman · Jul 29, 2001

Nah man...you got me all wrong...not me...I wouldn't do it...I'm innocent...I did not have *** with that woman....

JimI

jimmoore · Jul 29, 2001

It was just inspecting the brakes! It is trying to tell you that the brake pads are worn down to the rivets!!

jim

jinman · Jul 30, 2001

I was wondering what that noise was when I stepped on the brakes.../w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

JimI

StoneHeartFarm · Jul 30, 2001

JimI

What kinda snake is it? Never seen one with those markings. Better take a stick and whack it! That way I'll recognize what kinda snake it is /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

SHF

jinman · Jul 30, 2001

Hey, don't be whackin' on my helpless little snake (young rat snake I suppose). He's gotta grow up and eat a lot of mice and other pests. I'll save the stick for fending off the rattlers and copperheads.

JimI

StoneHeartFarm · Jul 31, 2001

JimI

You got rats in your brakes? All I want to know is how the snake got in there in the first place. It looks like it must have been a pretty tight fit!

I had a little blow snake living in my rock pile last year. We came to a quick understanding about possession of the rocks while I was working on the retaining wall. After that he resided quietly on the opposite side of the pile from me until the pile got too small for him to hide in. There's also a big blue racer that has possession of part of my rear field. No dispute on my part, he's a little big for arguing with. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

SHF

jinman · Aug 1, 2001

There is an adjustment access hole on the back side of the brake assy. Normally, it has a rubber grommet in it, but it is missing and that has to be what he crawled thru. Otherwise, your guess is as good as mine. I was both surprised and very amused at the same time. He only let me flash the camera once before he decided to crawl away somewhere else where he (she?) was less exposed.

JimI

ERNIEB · Aug 1, 2001

Might have been a Hoop snake./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Ernie

StoneHeartFarm · Aug 1, 2001

JimI

Makes me think of the time I was checking out a mobile home that had a fuse box on the pole outside. Opened the door of that box and there sat a great big flying squirrel. Don't know how the heck he got in there, but I closed the door and let him have his privacy. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

SHF

Jag · Aug 1, 2001

JimI, a blue racer.... I have not heard that since I was a kid... I remember well my grandfather laughting so hard while we were riding horses at his old dog chasing a snake in the field and saying "did see h'm chasing that blue racer.....

jinman · Aug 2, 2001

Is that "Hoop" snake one that goes round and round, or one that you can't tell if it's comin' of goin'? I figure it must have been a hot snake. Just think how hot it gets inside a brake drum when you step on the brakes. I have a 1/4 mile sloping drive to my lake, and most of the way, I keep my foot on the brake. I guess "some like it hot" could be applied here.

JimI

jinman · Aug 2, 2001

Wow! I've seen where a rat has chewed into a pvc conduit and then made a nest inside beside the wires, but never anything as big as a squirrel. Did you ever find out how he got in there? Hey, maybe we should start a thread call "Animals in Unusual Places" about the funniest places/situations we have seen animals. It might be fun./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

JimI

StoneHeartFarm · Aug 2, 2001

JimI

Never figured out how he got there. Couldn't see any obvious holes. But he was darned lucky there wasn't any power to that box, because he had his feet firmly placed on the lugs. There used to be quite a few flying squirrels around here about 10-12 years ago. Now, we hardly ever see them. But I suspect it runs in cycles, I can remember them being real common when I was a kid. Or, maybe my brain runs in cycles and I only notice them once in awhile.

SHF

ERNIEB · Aug 2, 2001

The hoop snake was a rural legend, an old wives tale.
My Dad told me this yarn when I was a kid. The hoop snake when disturbed would take it's tail in it's mouth, form a hoop, and chase you by rolling after you. My Dad grew up in the depression, and dust bowl of Oklahoma. He had a sackfull of stories like this.

Ernie

jinman · Aug 2, 2001

Hey! That's right, Ernie. I had forgotten that story. It went along with the horse that stepped on a nest of coachwhips and they wrapped around his legs and beat him to death with their tails. Good stuff!!!!

JimI

jinman · Aug 2, 2001

Now let me see....flying squirrels in power boxes...feet on hot lugs...seeing less and less of them...hmmm. Hey! Do you think they are commiting suicide?/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

JimI

StoneHeartFarm · Aug 2, 2001

JimI

When I moved into this house, I re-wired the whole thing just on GP. Good thing I did, too, because there was a nice bare spot in the wires in the attic, right next to a little squirrel skeleton. /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

Next time I find one in an electrical box I'll have to listen to see if its singing "You light up my life." /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

SHF