He has made it to the 500 mile mark as of today and is near some really hole-in-the-wall place called Hikertown. He sounds good and after two weeks apart I’m going to see him this weekend in Tehachapi. We’ve gotten a few phone calls in between stops these days and he’s had some struggles. Cold, wet and a few adventures…

A few days ago he was walking along and then, bam, another bastard rattlesnake was curled up, pissed off and ready to strike – and very close to him. In alarm Kyle just instinctively leapt into the air backpedaling as fast as he could, when he fell, tore his shirt and scraped his leg as he landed on his side.

And then here’s what happened next…

As he lay there on his side, he and the snake stared each other down. Kyle reached slyly down into his right boot where he keeps his 46 function Swiss Army Knife, pulled out the blade and with a single deadly precise throw beheaded the bastard snake right where he sat. Then Kyle filleted and cooked him right then and there and enjoyed that meal. Next he adorned his boots and pack with some of that snake’s defeated skin. And no doubt when he’s home next and actually carries a key chain, we’ll hear that snakes’ rattle as a prize to remember him by!

To quote a movie Kyle and I know well, “If you’ve got a choice between printing the truth or the legend, print the legend.“*

Suffice it to say, what matters is that he is well despite the fall, remains safe and still unbitten by the bastard rattlesnakes.

Kyle has been basically walking around the western edge of Edwards Air Force Base for most of the past 10 days or so. He’s been super lucky with the weather in that instead of it already being satanically hot, it’s been comparatively cool. He said he was flat out freezing last Sunday on Mother’s Day.

Apparently he has also had his first bear. Last night, again an exception to his general rule, he pitched his tent near other hikers. Late, but before sunset then people near him started making a racket and banging things, to scare off – you guessed it – a black bear. That night apparently one of the female campers then said she hear the bear sniffing around her tent. (And no Peter, Kyle says he did not have his food exposed!) 

I’ll get to post more details on all of his adventures after I see him for two days this weekend.

*Thanks C.H. for the idea!