The Great Basin gopher snakes are out in British Columbia; Dave68’s got photos. Even though I have a captive pair of them, it’s nice to see photos of them in the wild. I’m reminded of a conversation I had with my grandparents about three years ago, when I was visiting them in Calgary: they move every few years or so, and they’ve had a couple of stints in the Okanagan, where they still have friends. My grandmother mentioned that one of her friends was commenting about the “bullsnakes” on the golf courses in Vernon. Immediately I piped up, “Great Basin gopher snakes. I breed those.” I suspect that my grandmother, who’s terrified of snakes, was nonplussed.

The Okanagan is home to a whole pile of interesting species, including rattlesnakes, rubber boas, racers and night snakes. To say nothing of the railway history, scenery and wineries. I’ve been there before; I must find a pretext to visit again.