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<\/a><\/p>\nMan there was some fun single track out by Whistle Lake but there are\u00a0no freebies.\u00a0 You have got to earn them.\u00a0\u00a0 The good news is what goes up must come down.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The number of trails in this area is simply bewildering and it is hard to go more than a third of mile without having a trail junctions to think about.<\/p>\n
While on one of the trails near the top of \u201cSugar Cube\u201d\u00a0 I had an incredible critter encounter.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 As I rounded a corner a bald eagle flew up from the trail where it had recently whacked some small furry critter and had it for lunch.\u00a0\u00a0 It flew up into a nearby tree and started checking me out.\u00a0<\/p>\n While it looked concerned with me a first, it soon seemed to figure out that I meant it no harm and seemed rather comfortable with my presence.\u00a0\u00a0 Over the next five minutes I would go through a series of snapping pictures and moving a little closer until it decided it had better things to do.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n This eagle is bigger than it looks.\u00a0 I’m guessing that those talons if out stretched would be about the size of an average man’s hand.\u00a0 Simply impressive.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n An hour or so later in the ride I would once again have another cool critter encounter.\u00a0 This time it was with a spotted owl and the sequence of events was similar to that the eagle.\u00a0<\/p>\n I love checking out the \u201cBack 40\u201d wherever I go.\u00a0 On this day that looked to be the south side of the lake.\u00a0 The trails over here were much steeper and trickier with more roots and rocky sections.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n