Wild fires have wreaked havoc on the west. Even without a fire burning in your area, the smoke from a regional blaze has likely drifted over your house.
A smoky haze obstructs views and along with acrid air, you’ll swelter in the summer heat. All this makes being outdoors difficult. We’re constantly checking the air quality alerts before going anywhere.
Regardless of the reduced outing schedule, we don’t miss the morning walk. Typically in Central Oregon, even a blazing hot day starts with temps in the low 40’s.
The neighborhood remains in a perpetual state of construction. There are dirt roads linked to paved paths, all of which run through forest and fields.
We’ve settled into a route that takes nearly an hour, stretches our old legs and gives the pup plenty of sniffing time.
While it is a developed neighborhood, we’re still treated to encounters with wildlife, mostly deer, rabbits, coyote, and a wide variety of birds. And while there is highway din, the forest is relatively quiet at dawn.
Staying distant as possible, we took a road trip to the Prineville Reservoir. Mostly we just wanted to see what was and what was not open.
Surprisingly, there are few people at the Sunriver Nature Center during the week, so it has become a great morning destination when the neighborhood walk starts to get a bit stale.
