Pacific gopher snake
Pituophis catenifer catenifer

I grabbed its tail with hopes to get it to move off the trail. There are so many mountain bikers at Fort Ord that I didn't want it to get run over. Much to my surprise, instead of slithering off, I could feel it vibrate like a couple beats of a cell phone's silent mode. Then it crouched as shown above. I'm guessing it was a young rattlesnake! I need to learn a little more about recognizing snakes. It still looks like a gopher snake to me.

ps 05/10/10 - I originally posted this under rattlesnake? Thanks to Cindy's comment below, this is confirmed to be a gopher snake (I corrected the ID above). I'll have to inform my mother-in-law. She was hiking with us that day and my pulling the tail of a baby rattlesnake has been one of her after-dinner stories. See Cindy's Dipper Ranch post for excellent rattlesnake information.

wild hollyhock / dwarf checkerbloom
Sidalcea malviflora
Malvaceae

I'm fairly sure about this ID. Basing it solely on what looks similar.

Cooper's iceplant
Delosperma cooperi
Aizoaceae

This particularly bright ice plant was in someone's yard. These flowers are slightly bigger and more purple than what's found along the rec trail past Lover's Point. While it adds a splash of color to PG during the spring, I can't say that I'm in love with this plant.

ps 11/21/10 - For more information, also known as vygies, check out the maX files.

Bermuda buttercup
Oxalis pes-caprae
Oxalidaceae

This is the first time I've witnessed Oxalis overtaking the neon pink/purple ice plant.