This post will be several paintings and stories long, so be prepared if you're reading this one. I headed out towards Almo, Idaho where the fabled City of Rocks and Castle Rock is located. I had never been out there, and it was a trip I would not have taken if it were not for the PAPI crew. Most of them stayed in the cabins in town, but not me. When I looked at the campsites, I found one that was truly incredible, for about $15 I got to use a beautiful primitive campsite by the Twin Sisters; two rock formations south of the main park. My tent was nestled up underneath one of them and I had a great view after crawling through some of the nearby rocks.
I used my Strathmore 500 watercolor travel journal for this one, and as usual my Sakura Koi travel paints and aquabrushes. For my listening pleasure, I took a deep dive into You Must Remember This. I've been listening to this podcast off and on since they covered Frank Sinatra's wonderful yet strange final album: Past Present Future in 2014. This week, however, I took a deep dive into a season centered about Song of the South. The themes hit home especially hard because I was staying in a place that was used on the California Trail as a pit stop. History, time, and the present were rich with me for this trip.
The following day, I woke up to an incredible view and sunrise. I made my morning oats, crushed cashews, PB2, and coffee. From there, I got ready to meet the folks from PAPI and drove around the inner portion of the park until I found the meetup area. No one was around for several hours, but I explored a little and found a good spot to set up. Unfortunately it was right in the sun after a few hours. In the afternoon I went back to my tent area and cooled down in the shade of the rocks. I dare say I had a touch of the heat sickness. So, I took a nap and finally got feeling a little better. That night, the PAPI crew all got together for some fajitas and drinks at the cabins in Almo.
The following day, I settled in a little deeper into the park and found a shady spot and sat in the pine needles. I brought plenty of water this time around..
It was still early in the day, and it is unbelievable how much time is in a day when you have no/limited cell phone service and beautiful places to visit. I then we to the nearby Castle Rocks area. The rock formations were cool there, but I was worried again about staying in some shade. Then I found it. The Disney Princess-Perfect spot just off to the right of the path. A small creek and trees in a thicket with tall grasses that made for a perfect little napping spot. Birds came into the area, singing loudly and brightly. Little lizards and fish too. This is the moment I got to feel like a Disney Princess.
After that, I hiked further into the park and found a spot to do a quick painting. Later, I visited the local hot spring and for $9 I got to soak. It was even more magical. I decided I was feeling so good that I would go to the recently converted school house which now was something of a diner. I met the nice woman working there and she made me a nice burger and fries. We chatted for about an hour or so, she let me look through local photos. I had heard from the gentleman at the general store that the school had been built back in the pioneering days and later rebuilt by the townsfolk in the 1920s or 40s? I inquired about the history of the school and the town. She told me about how she had been doing genealogy research and learned about a woman who pioneered her way to the Almo area with her husband. She came from wealth and he did not. She insisted on bringing her many fine belongings like heavy books and dresses. While it did not seem practical at the time, she taught the locals how to read and loaned out her books. She had premature twin babies and kept them alive by tucking them in a bundle behind her wood stove since there was no doctors around. The woman said something I thought to be somewhat lovely but also sad. "She is on my list of people to meet in heaven." It was a wonderful conversation and great to have a meal made for me. It was so nice I forgot to pay for my meal!
The next day, I left the red barn with a $20 bill for the woman on the door of the old converted school. I had packed up all my tent and supplies and wanted to get one last painting in at Castle Rock. Few of my paintings really turned out very well, but the trip was one for the history books and Disney Princesses.
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