Today turned out to be a really nice day. Initially I had resigned myself to hanging out at home. The boys were playing on their computers and Alicia was feeling under the weather. The weather outdoors was also a bit on the cold side at 36ยบ, with some sunshine but also the occasional outburst of snow. By mid-afternoon though I decided that I need to get outside and explore even if that meant doing it by myself.I decided to go to Tumalo Falls. Alicia and I had gone there last Thanksgiving but only as far as the lower overlook.
We were very impressed by beautiful view it presented, but the turkey was in the oven and needed to get back to save it from burning. I thought this time I might hike the short trail to the brink viewpoint. Unfortunately the two dollars in gas I had invested in getting there was wasted because the gate was closed. Had I gotten there too late? Beats me. In my experience, most day-use areas are open until 10:00 so I don't know what the deal was.
As an alternate destination I decided to locate an area of whitewater called Big Eddy (pun intended I suspect). Big Eddy is a Class III rapid on the Deschutes River that I had heard about but never seen. Alicia and I had previously driven out Cascade Lakes Highway just past the Inn of the Seventh Mountain to see Dillon Falls and Benham Falls. I remember seeing the sign for Big Eddy but we didn't take the time to drive in and see it.
Shortly after turning off the highway today though, the first road I encountered lead to the Lava Island Falls trail head. I hadn't seen this area before either so I took the turn. The short drive to reach the river was well worth it. 
I spent about an hour there taking pictures. It was near freezing but sunny and clear. The din of the falls was an inescapable but pleasant companion while I was there.
Finally I moved on down the road a bit to take a look at Eddy. 
From the river trail I found that there were really several rapids on this section of the Deschutes. I think I'll have to come back this summer, perhaps with Sun Country Tours, and take a raft trip on those rapids. At the very least it looked like it would be fun (and cheap) to just sit on the bank and watch other folks shoot by on their rafts.
All in all it was a great day of sightseeing on the river. On the way back I decided to pull off the road just after passing the Widgi 
Creek golf course, and take the road to the Meadow Picnic trail head. When I think of a picnic area I don't know that I expect much other than a pleasant setting and some picnic tables. I must say that even though I had just left some rather stunning sights just a few miles back, I was stunned yet again by the beautiful stretch of river that the picnic tables were set beside. Picnicking could be considered a form of meditation in a setting like this.
Well, seeing all that I saw certainly would have been enough to call the outing a success but I had 
one last stop to make as I got back into town. I thought that the localized sunshine we were receiving might make for some dramatic photos against the dark sky looming in the east, and I had a spot above Farewell Bend Park in mind that I had been trying to figure out how to reach. I finally found good walking access (along with three deer) from the driveway at the Pine Ridge Inn. When the conditions are right you can find some pretty dramatic scenery in your own back yard.
