hiking

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If You Hear a Rattlesnake – STAND STILL!

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Rattlesnakes are not as dangerous or as frightening as most people think. These shy and secretive animals would rather avoid confrontation with people. That does NOT mean however, that you should throw caution to the wind in the great outdoors.

If you hear a rattlesnake, STAND STILL! Avoid jumping or running blindly. Look carefully until you locate the snake and then make your move. Remember that harmless snakes, moving in dry leaves and grass, can sound like rattlesnakes rattling.

If you see one, leave it alone because if it feels cornered, it will defend itself.

If someone gets a rattler bite, remain calm and get to a doctor or hospital ASAP. Don’t waste time with the old remedies:

  • cutting the bite
  • sucking out the venom using a snakebite kit
  • using a car battery to run a current through the affected area.

Your best bet is a doctor and anti-venom.

Even “DEAD” rattlesnakes can bite, so…caution is advised. Treat any rattlesnake, dead or alive, with respect.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/mendocino/learning/safety-ethics/?cid=FSBDEV3_004522&width=full

Photo Source:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/31/us/rattlesnake-wranglers-armed-with-gasoline.html

 

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Walking Japan’s Ancient Highway – The Nakasendo Way

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Walk the route taken by feudal lords, samurai, traveling merchants and pilgrims in seventeenth-century Japan. The Nakasendo Way literally means ‘the road through the mountains’. These days, this well-preserved path is a quiet respite from the busier roads of life.

It is an easy journey, meant to be taken at a comfortable pace. The walking tour begins in the ancient capital of Kyoto, passes through picturesque old towns near Nagoya and finalizes in Tokyo.  Accommodation in traditional Japanese inns, transport and assistance with baggage are all part of the experience. 

http://www.walkjapan.com/tour/nakasendo-way/

 

See also:

http://travel.cnn.com/tokyo/play/road-trip-nakasendo-highway-%E2%80%93-japans-version-route-66-623992

Photo source: 

https://www.google.ca/search?q=nakasendo+highway&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=9MsPU-SzA5LuqwGj0YDABg&ved=0CCgQsAQ&biw=1366&bih=566

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“Walking with Storks” on Portugal’s Rota Vicentina

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The southwest coast of Portugal’s Alentejo region is a new destination for walking vacations. Complete with meadows, valleys, stunning views of bays and sand dunes, it is sure to please. There are turtles, eagles and storks for company.

The 350 km Rota Vicentina Trail features two main footpaths:

  • The Historical Way, the inland trail
  • The Fishermen’s Trail, the coastal section for on-foot travelers only

 http://www.rotavicentina.com/the-route/como-percorrer-a-rota-vicentina/?lang=en

 

For a travel writer’s description of day-long walks along the well-marked trails, check out:  “On foot in unsung Portugal – walking with storks”  by Roger Bray (www.thematuretraveller.co.uk)

 http://www.silvertraveladvisor.com/index.cfm?v=Roger_Bray_StarWriter&fkArticleID=97&fuseaction=pubDsp.dspStarWriter

 

Photo source:  http://www.rotavicentina.com/?lang=en