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After lunch we lose three people. Bob, a German guy, and his oriental girlfriend decide to leave us now (the only chance to do so)---Bob and German Guy had some tight squeezes before lunch, and after lunch places were gonna be even *tighter*, so they decided to play it safe and cut out there (Bob's wife Cindy went on with us). So 10 of us very messily go to the restrooms (we are, as you can imagine, COVERED in earth and dirt), and continue on, now with Gobo bein' our lead guide while Red brings up the rear.
We see some limestone/water formations like Thorpe's Pit, and the larger Cathedral Domes, and then we get to do some climbin'. I'm a bit wary since I forgot muh gloves, but I'm okay. You just have to make sure and guide the fraggle---I mean, person---behind you, and tell 'em where handholds and footholds are 'n stuff like 'at.
We do a couple o' climbin' spots, all cool fun, see some old names written on the walls, a lantern from the '20s hung up...at one point Gobo pointed out the name "Irene Ryan 1937" to us, and said, "Does anyone recognize that name?", and all the other silly creatures were silent, but I piped up, "From 'The Beverly Hillbillies'...Grannie" and he said, "That's right, she played Grannie on 'The Beverly Hillbillies'. So it looks like she was down here in 1937, and did somethin' Grannie would do." Heh.
Then we stop a minute while Gobo charges up some fueled-flamin' explorer lampy thing, at which point I get a nosebleed. Yay. At this point I've been deep under the earth for about 4 hours, in damp 54 degree weather, so I'm not too surprised (I sometimes get these with bad allergies, too). Thankfully though, I manage to stop it before we get started again (phew).
Gerta's Grotto---get ready for some hard-core obstacles, folks. The first thing we get to in Gerta's Grotto is Becky's Alley. Seems fine at first, but then it breaks off into two sides over an 8 or 9 foot pit, so ya have to straddle your legs on both sides, and arms, and then shift and put both arms on one side, or both legs, or any combination of either, all the while tryin' to avoid fallin' into a pit and havin' a bad injury---which can happen, and if it does, at this point you're about 5 hours from bein' rescued.
Yikes.
So, "no pressure".
Oh yeah, and the sides are damp and kinda slick, too.
*gulp*
:-o
I actually did have a few fearful moments and wondered if I'd actually be able to do it, but those in front of me did, and my limbs are longer, so I knew I could, too. And I did, but not without a few panicked gulps and racin' heart. But ya know what? I'm really glad it scared me---it was good adrenaline, and just made it that much more fun and worth it! :-D What's explorin' without a li'l danger, right?
Then we get to go down the Otter Slide (big slick rock, weeeeeeeee!), we're comin' to "the Barrels". To get to 'em though, we have to crouch-straddle this li'l clear stream, and NOT put step in it---li'l eyeless crayfish and other cave critters live in there, and we're not to dirty up their cave water with the stuff from our boots.
So we're crouch-straddlin' and get to the barrels, Top Barrel and Bottom Barrel. Gobo asks the last guy which barrel he (last guy) wants him (Gobo) to go through---and Last Guy says "Top Barrel". So Gobo says that he'll go in the Top Barrel, and then we're to alernate after him...next person go Bottom, next Top, etc.
When we get to the barrels (li'l hole passages ya have to crawl through), I get Top Barrel. And since Bottom Barrel has water in the bottom, that's okay. lol However, even though Top Barrel is drier, it's harder to get out, cause there's no floor right there---ya have to maneuver good so's ya don't fall out of Top Barrel past Bottom Barrel and have Broken Bones.
We all get through the Barrels, and then it's on to Hooter Alley. "Why is called Hooter Alley?", you may ask. Well, all I'll say is that, to get into it ya have bo belly crawl through the entrance, and then, right when ya get your head through, if ya look to your left, you'll see two, um, certain rock formations stickin' up from the ground...quite naturally detailed... <:-o
Okay, um, then it' s on to The Lion's Head. Man, this was TOOO COOL. If you're a fan of C.S. Lewis's "The Chronicles of Narnia", you'd get a kick outta seein' The Lion's Head! :-D It really does look like one, and we had to climb/maneuver on it. Ya put your right foot on his bottom left teeth (he's lookin' to the side), your other foot on the opposite wall, and have to scoochie up his nose/head and maneuver yourself backward to the left---if ya go right, ya fall in a pit and die (yeah, they said this was the most dangerous part, but I thought Becky's Alley was the most dangerous! lol). So we get up The Lion's Head (some easier than others, lol...Mr. Dayton Guy in front o' me had a li'l trouble).
Now it is time for No-Name. "No-Name Pass" is so "no named" simply because no one has been able to come with a suitable unvulgar name. This is a looooooooooooong stretch that is only 9 inches high. so you can only imagine what that's like. First of all, hello belly crawl (no side-windin', dang!). Second of all, since the entire length is only 9 inches high, so ya can't even use your toes as well as previous belly crawls, since your feet are too "tall" to keep vertical in the passage. Cindy was behind me here, and she made sure to give me plenty of room so as to not get an accidental forceful Byron boot in the mouth, lol.
Man, I was pantin' and pushin' and pullin' like never before...I was even sweatin' in muh eyebrows, and had sweat drippin' off the end o' muh nose! I was also tryin' not to breathe in too much dirt. I had my head sidewise, which is the only option, and at one point when tryin' to turn my head to other side---well, I couldn't. The passage is so small that you can't even get your own head vertical---not even with your chin angled down. So ya have to just trust there's open space up ahead, and keep strugglin' with all your might to get on ahead.
I was all dirt and sweat and huffin' 'n puffin', but eventually No-Name ended and I got to stand erect again (hallelujah!). After No-Name we all deservedly rested for a bit, then went through the Star Trek Room (so named for some "nodules" or somethin' on the ceilin'---I dunno, I ain't no trekkie, lol).
Then we did somethin' which accounts for most of the injuries that occur on the Wild Cave Tour---we walked. LOL! Yep, this is true---they say that everyone's cautious on crawls and climbs and straddles and things, so that when it comes to walkin', everyone lets their guard down. Well, that's when lotsa trippin' injuries and things occur.
But, nicely, none of us had any injuries. We walked and walked through some cool stuff, had to do some fun steep climbin' over lotsa big ol' jagged rocks, and then we came to the last part of the Frozen Niagra tour. We got to see the "Frozen Niagra", some other cool colorful formation thingies, then I saw some civilized thing called a "re-vol-ving door", (the entrance to Outer Space? lol) which led out to a "bus". So we're all caked with dirt, messy, sweaty, worn out---and when we get back to the Visitor's Center everybody's lookin' at us, lol.
Once we turned our gear in most everyone left, but I stuck around to ask Red if she wouldn't mind sharin' a few of her "strange experiences" in the cave. She did so quite openly, and told me of a few accounts. Pretty cool, and I was glad she didn't care to share! I then made sure to thank 'em so much for the awesome time---and the escape from the hum-drum routine I get stuck in at w***---and staggered to Fauna (my *green* SUV).
So, needless to say, I'm tired now, and leave Mammoth Cave and head for the McDonald's by the interstate. I get a medium Orange and Sprite, down 'em both in about 2 minutes, and head home.
And I made sure to get a few piccies o' muh clothes before I washed 'em, lol.
Oh yeah, and our free gifty souvenir thingy is a 3x3 (about) yellow bandana that says "WILD CAVE TOUR" on it, and has all the places that we went to, along with many more we didn't do---that's a neat thing about this tour, it's hardly ever the same twice, they say!
Yesterday my hands, wrists, arms, back, and legs were pretty sore, but today I'm MUCH better---thanks in large part to sleepin' last night for about 13 hours! I'm tellin' ya, when ya cave---no, not spelunk, which they say is for amateurs, but really hard-core CAAAAAAAVE---ya need it! Lol!
Welp, I had a GRRRRRRRRREAT time down in Fraggle Rock (even though I didn't see any fraggles, though I called out for the main five in a quiet voice so's only I could hear), and I'd love to do it again someday. I'm so glad I went, it was a terrific experience!! If anyone here gets the chance to cave someday (with a guide, of course!), I'd say go for it!
Really!
I would!
<:-D
We see some limestone/water formations like Thorpe's Pit, and the larger Cathedral Domes, and then we get to do some climbin'. I'm a bit wary since I forgot muh gloves, but I'm okay. You just have to make sure and guide the fraggle---I mean, person---behind you, and tell 'em where handholds and footholds are 'n stuff like 'at.
We do a couple o' climbin' spots, all cool fun, see some old names written on the walls, a lantern from the '20s hung up...at one point Gobo pointed out the name "Irene Ryan 1937" to us, and said, "Does anyone recognize that name?", and all the other silly creatures were silent, but I piped up, "From 'The Beverly Hillbillies'...Grannie" and he said, "That's right, she played Grannie on 'The Beverly Hillbillies'. So it looks like she was down here in 1937, and did somethin' Grannie would do." Heh.
Then we stop a minute while Gobo charges up some fueled-flamin' explorer lampy thing, at which point I get a nosebleed. Yay. At this point I've been deep under the earth for about 4 hours, in damp 54 degree weather, so I'm not too surprised (I sometimes get these with bad allergies, too). Thankfully though, I manage to stop it before we get started again (phew).
Gerta's Grotto---get ready for some hard-core obstacles, folks. The first thing we get to in Gerta's Grotto is Becky's Alley. Seems fine at first, but then it breaks off into two sides over an 8 or 9 foot pit, so ya have to straddle your legs on both sides, and arms, and then shift and put both arms on one side, or both legs, or any combination of either, all the while tryin' to avoid fallin' into a pit and havin' a bad injury---which can happen, and if it does, at this point you're about 5 hours from bein' rescued.
Yikes.
So, "no pressure".
Oh yeah, and the sides are damp and kinda slick, too.
*gulp*
:-o
I actually did have a few fearful moments and wondered if I'd actually be able to do it, but those in front of me did, and my limbs are longer, so I knew I could, too. And I did, but not without a few panicked gulps and racin' heart. But ya know what? I'm really glad it scared me---it was good adrenaline, and just made it that much more fun and worth it! :-D What's explorin' without a li'l danger, right?
Then we get to go down the Otter Slide (big slick rock, weeeeeeeee!), we're comin' to "the Barrels". To get to 'em though, we have to crouch-straddle this li'l clear stream, and NOT put step in it---li'l eyeless crayfish and other cave critters live in there, and we're not to dirty up their cave water with the stuff from our boots.
So we're crouch-straddlin' and get to the barrels, Top Barrel and Bottom Barrel. Gobo asks the last guy which barrel he (last guy) wants him (Gobo) to go through---and Last Guy says "Top Barrel". So Gobo says that he'll go in the Top Barrel, and then we're to alernate after him...next person go Bottom, next Top, etc.
When we get to the barrels (li'l hole passages ya have to crawl through), I get Top Barrel. And since Bottom Barrel has water in the bottom, that's okay. lol However, even though Top Barrel is drier, it's harder to get out, cause there's no floor right there---ya have to maneuver good so's ya don't fall out of Top Barrel past Bottom Barrel and have Broken Bones.
We all get through the Barrels, and then it's on to Hooter Alley. "Why is called Hooter Alley?", you may ask. Well, all I'll say is that, to get into it ya have bo belly crawl through the entrance, and then, right when ya get your head through, if ya look to your left, you'll see two, um, certain rock formations stickin' up from the ground...quite naturally detailed... <:-o
Okay, um, then it' s on to The Lion's Head. Man, this was TOOO COOL. If you're a fan of C.S. Lewis's "The Chronicles of Narnia", you'd get a kick outta seein' The Lion's Head! :-D It really does look like one, and we had to climb/maneuver on it. Ya put your right foot on his bottom left teeth (he's lookin' to the side), your other foot on the opposite wall, and have to scoochie up his nose/head and maneuver yourself backward to the left---if ya go right, ya fall in a pit and die (yeah, they said this was the most dangerous part, but I thought Becky's Alley was the most dangerous! lol). So we get up The Lion's Head (some easier than others, lol...Mr. Dayton Guy in front o' me had a li'l trouble).
Now it is time for No-Name. "No-Name Pass" is so "no named" simply because no one has been able to come with a suitable unvulgar name. This is a looooooooooooong stretch that is only 9 inches high. so you can only imagine what that's like. First of all, hello belly crawl (no side-windin', dang!). Second of all, since the entire length is only 9 inches high, so ya can't even use your toes as well as previous belly crawls, since your feet are too "tall" to keep vertical in the passage. Cindy was behind me here, and she made sure to give me plenty of room so as to not get an accidental forceful Byron boot in the mouth, lol.
Man, I was pantin' and pushin' and pullin' like never before...I was even sweatin' in muh eyebrows, and had sweat drippin' off the end o' muh nose! I was also tryin' not to breathe in too much dirt. I had my head sidewise, which is the only option, and at one point when tryin' to turn my head to other side---well, I couldn't. The passage is so small that you can't even get your own head vertical---not even with your chin angled down. So ya have to just trust there's open space up ahead, and keep strugglin' with all your might to get on ahead.
I was all dirt and sweat and huffin' 'n puffin', but eventually No-Name ended and I got to stand erect again (hallelujah!). After No-Name we all deservedly rested for a bit, then went through the Star Trek Room (so named for some "nodules" or somethin' on the ceilin'---I dunno, I ain't no trekkie, lol).
Then we did somethin' which accounts for most of the injuries that occur on the Wild Cave Tour---we walked. LOL! Yep, this is true---they say that everyone's cautious on crawls and climbs and straddles and things, so that when it comes to walkin', everyone lets their guard down. Well, that's when lotsa trippin' injuries and things occur.
But, nicely, none of us had any injuries. We walked and walked through some cool stuff, had to do some fun steep climbin' over lotsa big ol' jagged rocks, and then we came to the last part of the Frozen Niagra tour. We got to see the "Frozen Niagra", some other cool colorful formation thingies, then I saw some civilized thing called a "re-vol-ving door", (the entrance to Outer Space? lol) which led out to a "bus". So we're all caked with dirt, messy, sweaty, worn out---and when we get back to the Visitor's Center everybody's lookin' at us, lol.
Once we turned our gear in most everyone left, but I stuck around to ask Red if she wouldn't mind sharin' a few of her "strange experiences" in the cave. She did so quite openly, and told me of a few accounts. Pretty cool, and I was glad she didn't care to share!
I then made sure to thank 'em so much for the awesome time---and the escape from the hum-drum routine I get stuck in at w***---and staggered to Fauna (my *green* SUV).So, needless to say, I'm tired now, and leave Mammoth Cave and head for the McDonald's by the interstate. I get a medium Orange and Sprite, down 'em both in about 2 minutes, and head home.
And I made sure to get a few piccies o' muh clothes before I washed 'em, lol.
Oh yeah, and our free gifty souvenir thingy is a 3x3 (about) yellow bandana that says "WILD CAVE TOUR" on it, and has all the places that we went to, along with many more we didn't do---that's a neat thing about this tour, it's hardly ever the same twice, they say!
Yesterday my hands, wrists, arms, back, and legs were pretty sore, but today I'm MUCH better---thanks in large part to sleepin' last night for about 13 hours! I'm tellin' ya, when ya cave---no, not spelunk, which they say is for amateurs, but really hard-core CAAAAAAAVE---ya need it! Lol!
Welp, I had a GRRRRRRRRREAT time down in Fraggle Rock (even though I didn't see any fraggles, though I called out for the main five in a quiet voice so's only I could hear), and I'd love to do it again someday. I'm so glad I went, it was a terrific experience!! If anyone here gets the chance to cave someday (with a guide, of course!), I'd say go for it!
Really!
I would!
<:-D
! The Lion's Head sounds really neat, and I'm intrigued by the Star Trek room, as I *am* a Trekkie 
. You must've been exhausted afterwards! And it sounds like when you get those pictures developed, maybe the developers will mistake you for Bigfoot, or at least some sort of mud monster!! 
Oh, and that's cool that you named your car Fauna! 
So you headed off to those other ghostie spots now? Hear some neat stories from "Red"? Sounds like it was an awesome day!!! I'm glad that it was such a success.
s giraffes
