Before returning to our familiar coastal terrain we drove through the high desert of the Panamints, arid eastern Sierra slopes, the stunningly rocky and flower-filled canyon of the Kern River, fruit and nut groves of the Central Valley, and the rolling green Lost Hills of South Central California. It was a spectacular drive!

Between the raindrops we saw as many flowers along the roadside as we had seen in Death Valley. A few hours from home, Steve joked, “All we need now is an eagle”, remembering last year’s Seattle vacation when he said the same thing and moments later no less than a half a dozen Bald Eagles showed up. It’s hard to believe but 15 minutes later I spotted a Golden Eagle taking off from a farmyard as we drove by! We turned around and went back in search of it. Not only were we successful but while we watched, a Turkey Vulture and a Red-Tailed Hawk joined in against a dramatic cloud-filled backdrop. I wasn’t able to photograph the eagle, but the moment, and the incredible sky, are documented in one of the photos below.