If you never hear from me again after Thursday the 27th, ...

I visited Mammoth Cave years ago. We only managed a tour of the dry caves, though. There was so much to see.

If you haven't already been, I also suggest Lurey Caverns and the Lost Sea. Both trips are worthwhile ventures.

My freshman year in college, my orientation group decided to go spleunking in a local cave. We were told to wear old clothes and sneakers. Good thing, too. There were two spaces where we had to slide through a crevice on our backs, so close to the rock above you thought you would be squashed.

At the end of the cave was an open area and a mud slide pit. Muddy rock in the center, mud pool below. Great, dirty, messy fun was had by all. Then we turned off all the flashlights (PITCH BLACK!) and sang a few hymns just to hear our voices in that cave.

Great trip.

psy7ven said:

I am excited because I'm gonna buy me some rocks! I love rocks.

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I love rocks too, and I've explored a few caves. I've also gotten stuck a few times, once when I went by myself (not smart). Can't move forward, can't go back, can't even take a deep enough breath to scream because my chest was the part that was stuck. As a matter of fact...AAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!

You should enjoy Mammoth Cave. I still remember going as a kid.

Just don't try knocking off any of the stalactites as a souvenir. They frown on that. ;-)

One of my books was called Cave Island. It was all about doing a Journey to the Center of the Earth type story in modern days. I even connected up Mammoth with Crystal in my story and took the team down further than any known depth to discover an island in the middle of a cave lake that was filled with some pretty nasty manphibians. I even interviewed the original Mammoth exploration team and modeled three of my characters after them.

Oh, yeah, I love Mammoth cause it rules. The keyway and tight spot, and the beautiful popcorn formations.

Tri

Have you ever been caving?

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Not since I saw The Descent, so it's safe to say I will Never go caving again.

Have fun though!, we expect pics when you get back

That sounds awesome. 6 hours! I've bone caving before, but never in such big caves. We did a 3-hour one a few years back. When we got out, we were covered with "stuff." It was so cool. I love caves.

psy7ven said:

it is because I refused to come out of Mammoth Cave.

My husband and I are taking the children on the Violet City Lantern Tour. It is a 3 hour tour that covers about 3 miles of the cave.

....

Have you ever been caving? I enjoy it. I don't mind going down deep, and getting in tight spaces.

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Watch out for those 3 hour tours, they can turn into a shipwreck at any time.

As a kid I've been to Cave of the Winds and locally we have the Cave of the Mounds, which is kind of cool. We went there when my wife was preggers and there are a few tight squeezes which turned out to be highly entertaining for me, not so much for my wife.

I'm not sure I'd want to go spulunking though, I'm sort of claustrophic.

Have you ever been to Cave City?

alleycat said:

Have you ever been to Cave City?

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Is that near Chattanooga? Ruby Falls? Rock City? Inclined Railroad?

If so...yes. If not...then oops - sorry - no.

I've been to quite a few caves but none recently. I love them - especially in the summer. The air is so cool....ahhh....the wife's pregnant now so I don't think I could talk her into going this year...

Maybe next year.

Have a lot of fun on your vacation!!!

Take care all -

Cave City's in Arkansas, and has some very nice caverns -- it's all old and cold, and wet if I recall from my youth. I think a sign refers to Cave City as the watermelon capital of the world, too. Those are nice, as well as Meramack Caverns (the Jesse James hideout in Missouri). Basically, the whole mountainy/hilly area on the western side of the Mississippi is pocked with cool limestone formations.

My-Immortal said:

Is that near Chattanooga? Ruby Falls? Rock City? Inclined Railroad?

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Well, yes, those things are all near Chattanooga, but I was referring to Cave City, Kentucky.

I read an article about a month ago that claimed that the cave touring industry was unregulated, unsafe and way overdue for a major disaster.


Have fun!!

Aren't you just the barrel of pickles in a candy store, Mr. Thrilly!

alleycat said:

Well, yes, those things are all near Chattanooga, but I was referring to Cave City, Kentucky.

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Ahh....then, I don't think so...but it does sound oddly familiar.

When I was a kid (yesterday, I think) my family took this tour through a cave in Montana - I can't remember what it was called, but it's famous or something. Anyway, we were in a tour group, and there were points where you had to slide on your belly to get through, and other spots where you had to squeeze or do a nice butt- scooch.

Then at one point, we all gathered at this spot and the guide turned off the flashlights, and you not only couldn't see your own nose, but you got dizzy! We all lost reference to up, down and sideways. It was amazing. I'd love to do that again just to study the effect on perception.

Then on the exit, you had to open one door, walk down a tunnel and WAIT till the first door shut, then open the door to the outside world. They said if both doors were open at the same time, the resulting wind would be hurricane strength.

I'm great in caves, till I see one spider. Then make way, 'cause I'm runnin'. This toad's arachnophobic.

Have fun and post some pictures!

Terri

MidnightMuse said:

Then at one point, we all gathered at this spot and the guide turned off the flashlights, and you not only couldn't see your own nose, but you got dizzy! We all lost reference to up, down and sideways.

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Wouldn't down just be where your feet were?

I don't get how darkness can make you dizzy.

Are you sure you weren't weightless and in the dark?

Please elaborate.

Thank you.