Rattlesnake Roundup

"Welcome to Sweetwater, where we have the ugliest rattlesnakes and the prettiest women in Texas!"

This is the slogan for the annual Rattlesnake Roundup in Texas. Now that I've attended I feel like I'm much more of an authentic transported West Texan.
Here's a few closeups of the rattlers.
Apparently, Sweetwater has a beauty pageant for "Miss Snake Charmer". This is Miss Snake Charmer 2009, who I suppose inspired me...

This is the "Milk Pit" where they were milking the rattlesnakes to use their venom for medicinal and research purposes. These guys are gutsy. I guess they also inspired me...
This is the outcome of my inspiration - probably one of the gutsiest/stupidest things I've ever done. Seriously, what possessed me? I suppose I just thought Miss Snake Charmer looked so cute and cool holding that snake. Me, well I look terribly uncomfortable, as you can see - not cute and cool. I tried.

This is a snake's head that has just been chopped off. What a bizarre thing to watch. The crazy thing is, when a rattlesnake gets chopped in two, each segment of it's segregated body still moves. See the tongue?
A bucket of snake heads. Need I explain?
Here is the skinning station. Notice how cute these girls are that are skinning snakes. Only in West Texas.
This is where the inspiration stopped. Isn't this wild? I just can't get over it...
You know you are in West Texas when you see this in someone's yard.
I'm not real sure what this was all about. Any ideas? Andy and our new friend, Chris "Sandman" Sand, the Rappin' Cowboy (more to come on him) took a forlorn picture with the poor little fellow/lady. Chris did a better job looking forlorn.
I guess Chris was overtaken with the fellow/lady and proceeded to make the moves on him/her/it. To each his own.

These guys were my company to my first authentic Rattlesnake Roundup experience. I feel fulfilled in a weird sort of way.