Face off with serpent

Ok, today I almost stepped on a huge snake while out in the Oakland Hills. And by huge, I am not proposing it was king cobra or something. But for a mere inexperienced urbanite like myself, it certainly qualified as huge. Even possibly gargantuous.

About 30" long, and at least an inch in diameter!

Using the blessed internet, I have concluded it certainly wasn't the typical Thamnophis sirtalis, or garter snake. It had the coloring and markings of a sandy brown rattle snake, but it's head wasn't enlarged like a rattler. And I suppose it also lacked the tell-tale rattle. But anyway....

Damn thing wasn't so tough. It went away when I threw a rock at it. The opossums and coons that live in my backyard actually are much scarier than this snake was.