[Quark]

Ordinarily, the piano that's been hanging over my head the last few weeks wouldn't bother me, but with all the ticks, rattlesnakes and cotton out there, I'm getting a little worried. I'm barricading myself in this wkend.

[Markus]

Thanks for the ticks... ooops, I mean tips. No, I wouldn't lie to him about what conditions to expect (though we will be together all weekend, so I plan on lying to him about many other things)... t'was only a joke. I've stumbled across rattlesnakes before but he hasn't, I told him I would ask somebody. Thanks again as usual for the help.

[radninjaskills]

Hey, I grew up in the deserts of Eastern Washinton. As far as the ticks go, wear a ballcap to help(!) keep them out of your hair (their favorite spot), boxer breifs to help keep them out of their other favorite spots, deet, and avoid bushes and trees... The snakes are a bit easier; Bring a tent so you don't get a rattler bunk-mate. WATCH WHERE YOU ARE WALKING, and if you are really worried about it, carry a walking stick and hit the ground in front of you like a blind man would do with his cane. This makes it a lot more likely that a snake will strike the cane instead of you.

[ActionBetty]

I run a few times a week with my dog in the columbia basin (horse heaven hills)..the place is loaded with rattlesnakes.. but as most know, snakes do not go out of their way to look for you to snack on.. they would rather avoid you and carry about sunning themselves on a rock. If you are that afraid of snakes..wear snake gaiters, carry your snakebite kit with you , and watch where you are going.. nothing like the sound of a huge field full of rattlers at sunset...