Checking in and Checking it Out

It didn't take me long to grow accustomed to the sounds my home away from home makes: wind on corrugated metal, squawking hawks, cats fighting, moths throwing themselves against the windows and the pops and snaps of temperatures cooling. Snug under a heavy wool blanket and a down duvet, I slept.

Today I checked-in for my Residency. I drove to Sheep Rock where the visitors center is and met Rangers Bethany and Michelle.

I signed paperwork, received not only a hat and shirt to wear while painting in the park... I have a few hats, a few shirts and best of all a fleece vest. 

I toured the center; it has Paleontologists working in a lab which is viewable through large glass windows, a very impressive history center with mammal fossils and diorama murals with minerals and bones on display. 

I'm a bit obsessed about not running out of gas and locating the closest stations so I drove to the small town of Dayville to fill up the tank and then drove 1.5 hours to a section of the park called Painted Hills - stunning even in today's grey flat light.

Did a few very short walks through various points of interest and took an embarrassing number of photos.

It's supposed to rain tonight and tomorrow so I plan on scouting nearby locations and sketching... Painting I'm sure will be on Thursday!