Up the Santiam... Down the Mckenzie...

Up the Santiam.....

Down the Mckenzie....

Wally and I took a ride on the Saturday before Easter. I had to work all day on Easter so we played when we could. 

We took a ride along a couple of rivers.. The Santiam and the Mckenzie. It was a beautiful day.. still cool, but not raining!!!

There are alot of old logging roads along the highways,, we stopped here to see if we could see the river. There were way too many blackberry to make it to the river.. not even close. But on the other side of the road was this little building. Not sure if it was someones home..

What ever it was, home, mail stop, little store.... it wasn't anymore.

This building was on the highway next to the bridge over looking the river. It was a home at some point long ago..  

Sometimes I feel the energy from the buildings I am around.. I wonder what kinds of people lived there and how long ago.
I have friends who look at this photo and see the ferries that live there now. I like to think someone weather a ferry or spirit takes care of these places..

 They are too beautiful not to be taken care of in some way....

So just past the ferry house (we will just call it that) is the river and bridge. No falls but a good size rapid that flows through here. 

Really quite beautiful!

And sooooo very green!!!

The bridge over looking this part of the river (still on the Santiam) is an old concrete bridge.

I love all the arches..

Wally calls these bridges the "Old Catholic" bridges.

With all the arches and columns I can see why.. 

These have always been some of my favorite bridges. There is so much character  to them. 

While driving along the road we went over hills.. when we came around a curve and over a hill this is what we saw!!!

I must have had a look on my face because Wally asked me if I wanted to stop and take a picture. 

Meet Three Finger Jack...
So beautiful just showing up in the tree line...

This one below is probably my favorite!!!

 Driving along the Mckenzie we pulled into a camp ground called Clear Lake. What a beautiful place.

And yes, looking at this lake you can see why it is called Clear Lake.

The reflections in this place were beautiful! I just wish I could have gotten better pictures of the whole lake. As it was I took these while Wally was putting chains on the truck. This lake is down quite a ways from the road and the way out was all up hill. See the snow?? There was ice on that skinny road going up to the highway..   And yes, we did finally make it out!

 This last photo is just the hills/mountains along the way home. There were a couple of hawks flying. It was just a pretty place...