... a happy fellow :}

... so im working my way up an arroyo, when i spy a beautiful serpent moving towards me, the general black & white lulling me into thinking what must be an exceptionally pretty kingsnake ... i start fumbling for my cellphone ...

... wow its been 8 years of fairly regular hiking since i last bummped into one of these beauties (i might see 1 or 2 DoR's/year), and this is only # 3 mebbe 4, while day hiking,in my entire life

The number of black bands is unusual, as was the low elevation and very xeric area it was found in. I manage to resist the temptation to capture it & watch it until it goes into a tangle of paloverde roots & disappears as it does into my memories :}