Black Yellow Red

I had the rare pleasure if being able to leave the apartment later than usual yesterday. I think it was just after 9:00 in the morning when I raised the garage door and mounted the trusty touring/commuter steed. I seem never to diminish in appreciation for this awesome bike. Anyway I head towards work, but have to make a stop first, which is the reason I got to go to work in the first place. The way I go towards the north, the way to downtown Austin, I have to get on an interstate access road. The shoulder could be a little wider, but after doing this particular route for over 3 years now, it is perfectly safe to me. The rush hour traffic seems to be in its peak at 9 in the morning, the interstate was at a crawl and the access crowded with drivers who think they've found a way to bypass the clog, only to learn there is a traffic signal up ahead that has about a 4 light change wait.
The first part of my ride out of the property is a short but steep climb which is rewarded with a long descent of about a half mile. With a prevailing breeze at my back most days, like yesterday, that is a great way to start the day. Eventually there is an incline again which leads to that intersection with the long line of cars I was talking about. Whether there is a lot of traffic in broad daylight or little traffic at pre-dawn, there comes a moment where I have to start turning my head, looking, assessing, and deciding how I am going to negotiate this intersection with all the other traffic because I turn left at this intersection. That means I have to change lanes and blend with other vehicles for a spell, until I get through the turn where I can then move right.
The shoulder of the road is very wide at this designated negotiation zone, which is a good thing. I was going around 22 mph, and in my negotiation mind set when I noticed through the corner of my left eye something move right below me. This beautifully colored reptile had drawn up into a coil to protect itself as I whizzed by it ever so close. I proceeded another 100 feet or so and suddenly decided to turn around and go check this guy out. I wasn't sure if my eyes were deceiving me or not.
Sure enough this Coral Banded Snake (I think this is the name of it) was out there doing I don't know what, perhaps looking to get run over.
So I rode up next to it and it kind of slithered in my direction until it realized that I was too big to eat. It changed direction, deciding to go hide it's head in the weeds. He looked to be just under 3 feet long. I actually think I changed his path and kept him from wandering out into the blazing traffic.
Urban growth mandates that this colorful fellow has a slim chance for a long existence. That matters to me when I think about it on the one hand, but on the other it doesn't matter at all because non of us make it out of here alive and what we leave behind is.......... well, nothing we change. For now though, I live and Coral lives.