Central and Eastern Oregon: 72 Hours - 850 Miles Pt. 1

There are way too many pictures to post at once so we are doing this in 2 or 3 parts over the week.
Friday and Saturday - John Day Fossil Beds National Monument
The John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is located in Eastern Oregon. It has three sites - Clarno, Sheep Rock and Painted Hills. The units are over 100 miles apart so you have to really be adventurous to get to all of them.

Once you get past the Cascade Mountain Range, Oregon starts to look like norther Arizona. On the way to our first stop, here is the Deschutes River outside of the small town of Maupin:
Here is the view of Mt. Hood from the high deserts of the eastern Oregon:
P checks out a map of the local mountains that was placed on the ground as a geological marker:
P managing fluid levels:Our first stop of the fossil beds, the Clarno Unit:
Clarno Unit - see the cool circular arch left of the center rock formation:
V and the rocks have the same profile:
V, probably talking about work:
A leaf fossil:
Animal sightings (not fossils):
The didn't have a dog so they used a junkyard cow:
V's favorite fossil (at the Thomas Condon visitors center at the Sheep Rock unit):
P's favorite fossil (not sure from which side of the family):
P practices posture at Sheep Rock:
The moon and the mountain align (no virginal sacrifice necessary):
Slimey:
Hopefully, the sand people don't attack:
Many photos of the Painted Hills unit:V, on the set of the Martian Chronicles: