NOTHING SEEMS TO BE NEARBY IN SE WASHINGTON. We had to drive 150 miles from our camp in Richland to the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument near Kimberly OR — this was as near as we would be, Connie needed its stamp in her book and it was a nice day for a drive. Like most other fossil beds (Dinosaur National Monument being one exception) there is little to see in situ. But the museums are usually pretty good. John Day’s claim to fame is the hundreds of ancient horse fossils were discovered in the area.
Evolution of the Horse
Another long drive took us to Walla Walla and the Whitman Mission National Historic Site. The Whitman’s were missionaries of a sort who came west on the Oregon Trail. At first they were successful at converting the local Cayuse to Christianity but when the Indians began to die from a white-man’s disease while the whites survived, the natives massacred the Whitmans. Another win for the Indians!
The Oregon Trail Conversion of the Cayuse
Even the park rangers have been impressed with Connie’s bulging NP Passport book.
