When I lived in Alamogordo, New Mexico, I often went exploring in the Sacromento mountains. Most of the time I went with a friend named Richard (Barney) Barnett. Barney and I often climbed the rock faces just above the town. Barney usually climbed faster than I did. Rattlesnakes were numerous lying on the rocks sunning themselves in the early spring. When Barney would come up on a snake he would grab it by the tail, and sling it out into space. Since I was always below him I did think highly of this practice. I kept telling him someday he would grab one that was too long, and he would be in trouble.
One Sunday morning we were climbed up the rocks, looking for fossils. Barney had ran across two or three snakes and flipped them out into space. Suddenly Barney screamed an experlative, and jumped off the rocks falling about 25 to 30 feet. When he hit he bounced a few times and came to rest on top of a big boulder. I climbed down, I could tell he was hurt. Barney had broken his ankle. I asked what had happened.
Barney told me I was right, he had came across a snake that was too big. He had grabbed it's tail, jerked, and most of the snake was still lying on the ledge. Barney jumped as the snake struck. needless to say, Barney quite throwing snakes.
