Friday, November 25, 2011

SPELUNKING BLOG

WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER I WENT INTO SEVERAL CAVES, AND DID VISIT OTHERS AS AN ADULT. A CAVE I EXPLORED WITH COWORKERS IN OHIO WHEN I WORKED AT THE DAYTON MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY WAS A WET CAVE. WE CAME PREPARED WITH LAYERED CLOTHING, HARDHAT, GLOVES AND HEADLAMPS IN THE SUMMER. I REMEMBER SCALING DOWN A KNOTTED ROPE ABOUT 40 FEET. ONE MAN KNEW THE LAYOUT OF THE CAVE WE WERE EXPLORING. WE WORE OLD CLOTHES, HEADLAMPS AND HEAVY GLOVES. THE CAVES IN OHIO HAD UNDERGROUND RIVERS. THE STALAGTITES AND STALAGMITES WERE BEAUTIFUL. WE HAD TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE WAS SAFER. AT THE SAME PLACES THERE WERE DEEP CREVICES WHERE OUR TRAIL WAS AND I LOST A GLOVE ON ONE TRIP. I THINK WE BROUGHT OUR LUNCHES AND WATER AND EXTRA BATTERIES.

WHEN I WAS A COUPLE OF YEARS OLDER I WORKED AS AN ARCHAEOLOGIST IN NEW MEXICO AND AFTER EXCAVATING A PUEBLO WE WENT ONE WEEKEND INTO A DRY CAVE THAT HAD A LARGE ENTRANCE AND A GENTLE DOWNWARD SLOPE. THE CAVE WAS A LITTLE BIT LIKE A TUNNEL WITH FEWER STALAGTITES THAN IN OHIO CAVES, AND THERE WERE NO STREAMS. IT WAS QUITE AN ADVENTURESAS THE TRAIL WOUND AROUND MANY BENDS AND TIGHT SMALL OPENINGS. WE FOUND SOME GUANO FROM BATS. IT WAS VERY DRY AND I THINK SOME OTHER ANIMAL BONES WERE THERE. I BELIEVE WE SPENT ABOUT 5 HOURS IN THE CAVE WITH HELMETS AND GLOVES.

ANOTHER CAVE I EXPLORED WAS IN SOUTH DAKOTA CALLED WIND CAVE NATIONAL PARK. MY HUSBANDE AND I BOTH WENT TO THIS CAVE WHERE THE NATURALIST DRESSES. IN HISTORIC GEAR AND HE DESCRIBES HOW THE CAVE WAS DISCOVED AND HE HAS ALL THE VISITORS CARRY CANDLES AS THEY DID IN HISTORIC TIMES. THE TRIP LASTS ONLY A FEW HOURS AND KIDS ARE AMAZED AT THE BEAUTY AT THE BEAUTY OF BEING UNDERGROUND AND SEEING STALAGTITES AND STALAGMITES. AT ONE POINT5 THE NATURALIST TELL ALL TO BLOW OUT THEIR CANDLES. IT IS SO QUIET AND PEACXEFUL AND BLACK! WE TOOK OUR SON HERE ON ONE TRIP AS WELL.

ANOTHER PARK WE EXPLORED AS A FAMILY WAS OREGON STATE CAVES ? IN SOUTHERN OREGON. THERE WE STAYED AT THE INN ACROSS FROM THE CAVE'S ENTRANCE. WE HAVE VISITED THERE A COUPLE OF TIMES. THE CAVE HAS BEEN DEVELOPED WITH LIGHTS AND WOODEN OR STEEL STAIRS AND HAND HOLDS. IT IS AN INTERESTING CAVE WITH SOME TRICKING CREEK AND SOME INTERESTING FISH, A SKELETON OF A MAMMOTH AND SOME FUN STALAGMITES AND STALAGTITES. THE NAATURALISTS SAYS SOME OF THESE LOOK LIKE DIFFERENT ANIMALS. THEY DO NOT WANT ANYONE TO TOUCH THESE AS THEY ARE FRAGILE AND ANCIENT.THIS TRIP LASTS ABOUT 3 HOURS AND WE ALL HAVE NO HEADLAMPS AS THE CAVE IS WELL LIGHTED THE ENTIRE WAY, BUT IT IS A COOL 50 DEGREES. IT IS FUN BECAUSE THE WAY THE FORMATIONS LOOK ARE DIFFERENT FROM OTHER CAVES IN THE AREA. EACH NATURALIST HAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT STORY ABOUT THE FORMATIONS AND WHO HELPED TO MAP THE CAVE.

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