2 years ago I was out at Pemberton (I know, read on) doing big bike xc ride... at any rate I'm not in the best of shape, so, having gone to Dixie Mine, then Coachwhip, then Scenic (useing Pemb clock wise) I was getting pretty spent, verging on bonk. The last bit of Scenic in that direction is a fun little single track downhill... I still have good bike handeling skills, just bad engine, so, I was letting it run pretty darn hard (7" coil/oil bike, 2.5" DH rubber). For those that know the bit of trail, about 3/4 of the way down there is a fairly hard right, with a medium size Palo Verde straight ahead, and, if you miss the corner its a "drop off" (so to speak) into the valley that separates the two "mountains" along the wash below. At any rate, a large solid shape caught my eye in the tree... focusing pretty hard on the trail, I took my eyes away to see what the shape was, just as it was time to get on the binders... Massive bird, so I got heavy on the binders and just as speed was getting to the point where I could focus my attention to the bird I did just that... everything went slow motion, everything... slowed and went silent, the sun was behind the tree/bird, and this mammoth thing spread its wings, so elegant and with purpose and lifted from the tree, gliding into the sun, big silhouette against the bright ball of fire, fully stopped now I'm focusing real hard... bird slowly arcs out of the sun and is clearly visible now... never seen one before, probably never will again, Golden Eagle, it's looking at me, and I it.
Most majestic thing I've ever seen... he was in no hurry to put distance between us, so I got a good long look. Sent chills up my spine, so beautiful and peaceful, dang near wept.
My Mum is an avid bird'r, and once home I called her before unloading the truck.
I'll never forget that moment.
Sorry, just though I'd share. Pretty rare sighting for that area I would think.