toadstools of another kind

This is of a fantastic place out in the prairie, not far from where Wyoming, South Dakota and Nebraska meet, in the Ogallala National Grassland of northwest Nebraska, 1 hour south of the Black Hills. The Toadstool Park shows the shapes that eroded sandstone can be. I highly recommend everyone who wants peace and quiet to retreat to Ft. Robinson State Park in Nebraska--- little traffic, relaxing, 4000 feet elevation in the Pine Ridge escarpment, lodging and good food in the historic 1908 Army barracks (http://www.ngpc.state.ne.us/parks/guides/parksearch/showpark.asp?Area_No=77).

here rattlesnake, rattlesnake, come here !

Well, I got back safely from the Thunder Basin National Grassland and the Devil's Tower National Monument, northeast Wyoming, and Ft. Robinson State Park, northwest corner of Nebraska. My friend, Mike, and I drove up to Toadstool Park Monday evening and as we came out of the park, on the road we saw something like a stick. It was this prairie rattler! She was about 2 feet long and though I've seen several rattlesnakes in my life, this was the most coiled up one I've seen, though at the time of the photo she was less coiled. Two days later, I stupidly took a 5 or 6 mile hike by myself in the grasslands and never saw any snake. But the ranger for Nebraska parks dept. told me he had seen 2 rattlesnakes that same morning, about 3 miles away!