Looks like an eastern garter snake. Here, this mentions how they may fool you:
http://webpages.charter.net/snethert...headshape.html
Also, says this "When cornered, this snake often flattens its head and body and tries to strike." which is what it looks like, snake flattening head, from here:
http://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/fi...rn-gartersnake
Your pictures 16/17 are where my son when he was about 12 would call "green slime pond." We'd bike up from downstream.
Oh, and on Reno monument, there actually is a monument to Garland, you must have missed it. Here's a pic:
http://www.southmountain.stonesentinels.com/Garland.php There's also a few back up the road to the radio tower, on the left, which are kind of stuck in the middle of nowhere but are very nice monuments.
Hazards of living close to know this stuff
Glad you had a good walk.
Bookmarks