For better or worse, I ride mostly by myself (in rattlesnake country). I realize the risk of snakes is always apparent anytime you're off-road. But as fall / winter approaches, I suspect many of of my local trails will become a little more overgrown with greener brush. I know it's inevitable that I'll encounter something venomous at some point, but are there any ways to mitigate the risks whilst riding?

It may be a rattler sprawled out across the trail I can see (if I am lucky) or worse – one I startle unintetionally. Check out this video:


*This second rider was pretty lucky.
As was this guy:

[video]https://youtu.be/R00AkdaNgP0?t=97[/ame]

Because I'm typically solo I try and be mindful of avoiding the risks, relatively speaking. Especially deep in a canyon by myself. But there's always those blind crests or turns I worry about, particularly on sunny days.

Can anyone intelligently speak to tips to avoiding rattlers on rides, their behavior in general, and/or how best to deal with taller brush that could be hiding some unwelcome surprises. How does rain and cooler climate add or take away from the problem?

Ironically the only snake I've ever encountered so far was on a road bike (dead in the road)