Awesome Ride Conclusion

[Joel]

Who would ever thought one of the coolest things I've ever seen on a bicycle would be 100 meters from my own driveway?

We live in a suburban part of Orlando. Like any other suburb. With some medium size oak trees lining the street.

Finishing a great ride on Sunday, two houses from the driveway, out of the trees, with no sound at all, a fully grown bald eagle floats down about four feet above my head! Ever so slowly in front of me. Head up, wings out, white tail feathers down, takes a look and flaps once or twice and accelerates up.

Completely and absolutely freaked me out! Never seen one that up close in the wild. They are absolutely huge!

We know they winter down here on the coast, but to have one hanging out inland by the house "pacing me in"...wow!

[jr59]

I ride on the Missippi river levee all the time.

I have seen these birds up close many times.
It's very humbling and beautiful at the same time.
It always brings a smile to my face.

Last Sunday all I saw was a 5 foot gator and a couple of coyotes.
Nice but not near as nice as the eagles I see very now and again.

[mo3039]

I remember almost riding off the edge of a bridge one time just from a big hawk rising a few feet in front of me...pretty awesome to have a baldy so close to your home and to have it join the ride!

[FL_MarkD]

They are breathtaking up close. Our Saturday club ride often takes a road right on the gulf coast in Tarpon Springs. There is a pair of nesting eagles within 200 feet of the road. The photographers are lined up there each morning this time of year. This past Saturday I took a quick glance while in the paceline going by, hard not to take a long look.

Mark

[rustychisel]

Far out. They are huge, aren't they.

Many many years ago my partner and I hiked up to and around the rim of the crater of Mount Schenk, an extinct volcano here is S Aust.

Wedge Tailed eagles nest inside the lip of the rim, and about half way around mama eagle dropped by to take a look at us, sailing past about ten or fifteen feet away, turning, coming back for another look. We were in her territory and she made sure we knew it.

[maxdog]

Very cool. My local blue heron is an awesome sight.

[gone]

I see lots of them here in the frozen north. There's a nesting pair that I pass daily on one of my routes. It was really fun to watch the young'un grow up and take one of its first flights.

[R2D2]

We have a red tail hawk and a Bard owl that make our suburan Charlotte neighborhood home. Our street sits on a bit of higher ground than surrounding area and we have some very tall trees.
We see the hawk perched up in a pine tree in the front yard quite a bit and hear the owl often at night.
Birds of prey are beautiful creatures!

[cdn_bacon]

You may want to pack on some winter weight...

perhaps it thought you were dinner?

Awesome sight I'd probably never get to see in Canada.

[choricoff]

I live near downtown detroit, and frequently ride on a walking/bike path that used to be a railroad. A few weeks ago I was riding much earlier than I normally would and as I was pedaling along, half asleep, I was surprised to notice I caught up to a fox running next to the path with a small rodent in its mouth! As soon as I saw it, it saw me as well, dropped its prey and disappeared into some shrubs. I have seen foxes once in a while in the suburbs, but I never thought I'd come across one just a half mile from downtown.

Definitely not as cool as a soaring eagle though.

[67-59]

We have a bunch of eagles and hawks near where I live...but my favorite is a huge owl that I often see in a tree hunting for critters in the field below.

[cnighbor1]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0-gvT-w2Fc
eagle fishing WAY COOL

[choke]

Very cool. Many years ago I had the opportunity to hold one....not only are they big, they're a lot heavier than I had anticipated as well.

[soulspinner]

Very cool. My local blue heron is an awesome sight.

They can make a lotta noise leaving the water, one scared the crap out of me once:eek:

[tiretrax]

Very cool. What color is your helmet? I bet it thought it was prey unless you are of small stature.

I once walked under the nest of a mockingbird. I have always been more cognizant of birds chirping before walking under a tree. She almost tore off my scalp!

[67-59]

I once walked under the nest of a mockingbird. I have always been more cognizant of birds chirping before walking under a tree. She almost tore off my scalp!

Yeah, I'm much more wary of small birds than large ones. The eagles, hawks, etc are hunting for stuff smaller than themselves, and their nests are usually far enough up that they don't view us as a threat. But I regularly get dive-bombed by red-winged blackbirds that nest by the side of the road. Several have made contact with my helmet...and a friend once had one grab onto his helmet for a few seconds with its claws. Not really worried about injuries since I wear a helmet, but they sure can startle you when they come from behind and hit your helmet.