Something happened to Daryl Sprout that day in the fifth grade when he found a speckled king snake in his grandmother's back yard. That something was icky and alternately sweet: a lifelong affection for snakes of all kinds. By the end of the fifth grade, Sprout already knew far more than his teachers, so they let him give the lecture on the scaly creatures. When it came time to graduate from high school, he had already perfected his presentation, which is why he's sought out across the nation as an allayer of fears. "A lot of animal shows are kind of dry. 'Here's where it's from, here's what it does, here's what it eats,'" Sprout says, as he explains that his shows, which last about an hour, use humor to engage children rather than "educate" them. The Dallas Museum of Natural History will feature Sprout and the approximately 20 snakes that co-star with him during Reptile Weekend on August 7 and August 8. Sprout will give shows at noon and 3 p.m. Saturday and at 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $4 for children and $7 for adults. The museum is at 3535 Grand Ave. in Fair Park. Call 214-421-3466 or visit www.dallasdino.org. --Claiborne Smith
Get Bent
8/5
Has the great American novel been simmering on the backburner of your brain for too long? Are you a freelance writer who's having trouble paying the bills? Are you sick of staring at a blank screen while the blinking cursor taunts you and your fingers cramp up in perfect typing posture? Are you looking for yet another cure for writer's block? If you're at the end of your writer's rope and desperate for help, then check out Writer's Flesh, Writer's Breath with author Jeff Davis, whose book The Journey From the Center to the Page: Yoga Philosophies and Practices as Muse for Authentic Writing is supposed to help writers hone their craft through yoga, of all things. Desperate measures for desperate people? Maybe. At the rate your book's going it couldn't hurt. The book signing and discussion take place Thursday at 8 p.m. at the Undermain Theatre, 3200 Main St. in Deep Ellum. Admission is $8. Call 214-821-9671 or visit www.wordspacetexas.org. --Jay Webb
Wheels in Motion
8/6
Bike gangs may never recover from the success of Lance Armstrong. Gone are the days when mangy hair and leather jackets ruled the streets, as the six-win man has made crew cuts and yellow spandex all the rage. So get with the times, tough guy, and trade your Hog for a Huffy at the Richardson Bike Mart Race Series on Friday at the Frisco Superdrome, 9700 Wade Blvd. Though a training course is required for eligibility, all skill levels are invited to give the track's elevated curves and speeds of up to 45 mph a shot. Sign-in begins at 5:30 p.m., and bikes are supplied by the Superdrome. Visit www.superdrome.com. --Sam Machkovech
