by Bud Beamer (Author) Life is an adventure. Some things we can control, other experiences randomly happen. We can choose the environment, however, and the Deschutes River located in Central Oregon has had a significant impact on my life. Through poems, essays, and photographs with their captions, experiences will be shared in hopes that the reader can relate to shared feelings or vicariously enjoy a most refreshing immersion. Not all life's happenings are pleasant or have a happy ending. The roller coaster of life is something we all share. But we find buffers that sustain us and certainly the natural world, particularly a special river, can help keep our keel headed in the right direction.