We checked in and I found the campground owners cat snoozing on the porch as I checked in. So of course I had to stop and give this purring kitty some lov'in!
We set up our rolling ranch house and relaxed the rest of the day.
On Wed. July 22nd, We took a ride to Mammoth National Park where I signed up for a cave tour for tomorrow. You could have signed up on line, but for some reason I was having trouble signing on the NPS website.
There were several tours you could sign up for. There were tours that were easy for children and the elderly to strenuous tours that required climbing several hundred stairs and walking steep terrain.
The toughest tour was called the Wild Cave Tour. That tour was 6 hours, 5 miles and rated extremely strenuous. The age was for 16 and up and they limit this tour to 16 people. The tour also required everyone to wear lace up over the ankle hiking boots with good tread or you would not be allowed to go. Your hip and chest measurement couldn't be over 42" since you have to squeeze through crawlspaces. After losing 50 pounds, I am under that and feel I am in shape to do that tour.
But there were two reasons I could not do this tour, I did not have hiking boots and they required 2 participants and since I would be solo, I couldn't go. Ralph definitely could not do this tour, even if he was in shape. As most of you know his ankle had been surgically fused, physically it is just not possible for him to do this kind of activity much less just to walk any distance.
So I did the next toughest tour, The Grand Ave Tour. It consisted of 700 stairs, rated as very strenuous, duration of 4 hours and distance of 4 miles. The tour capacity was 78 people and they had one ticket left for the following day, so I signed up.
We drove to the Green River Ferry with in the park. It is a tiny ferry and I am guessing about 200 feet wide and the ferry is pulled by a cable. It can haul 2 cars. It has an operator and he electronically opens the gate and you drive on and stop at the railing.
We visited an Amish hardware and feed store in the town of Cub Run. It is run of course by Amish and I did get to see a young Amish boy driving his horse in a sulky. I wish I could have gotten a better picture of him but you are not really suppose to photograph the Amish. I did it discreetly from inside the truck.
And back across the Green River Ferry.
The Ferry Operator has a fun sense of humor.
Just a little history on Mammoth Cave National Park. It is the longest cave system known in the world. There are 400 miles of surveyed passageways and its twice as long as any other cave in the world. Geologists think there may be 600 miles of yet undiscovered passageways. There has also been several sets of Native American remains that had been recovered from Mammoth Cave.
I checked in at the visitor center and the Ranger showed me where Shelter B was, so I headed over with the rest of the folks that signed up for the Grand Ave Tour.
Shortly our tour guide Rangers arrived. They spent several minutes going over rules, regulations and what to expect as far as the temperature, terrain and steps. They explained how strenuous this tour was and if anyone had any 2nd thoughts, that it was okay and they could sign up for another tour, but everyone was ready and confident on their ability.
To be honest I was a little taken back when I first saw our Ranger. She was small about 5' 2", very slender and I am guessing well into her late 60's or maybe early 70's? I am sorry as I am writing this I can't remember her name.
We took the bus from the shelter to one of the many cave entrances and soon we were heading down a couple hundred steps.
We couldn't use flash, but with even the dim lighting in the cave, I was able to get some decent pictures.
I was amazed at our Ranger. I stayed just behind her for most of the tour, she looked liked she was just gliding along at an easy pace, when actually I had to keep up with her.
Some of the climbs were long and steep and you had to grab on to the railings with both hands and cross your hands over and pull yourself up. There were times I was huffing and puffing along the way and we took breaks a few times for every one to catch their breath.
I watch our Ranger and she was never breathing hard and she walked the steep terrain and climbed stairs, she just kept right on talking and telling us the history of the cave pointing out the names of the many formations.
This is "Historic Graffiti". The ranger explained that this was made from the slaves who were cave guides. As they led tours, they would take their lanterns and hold them up on the walls and ceilings and write their names with the candle soot.
Steven Bishop was a self educated enslaved person who became a legendary cave guide and explorer. He began guiding visitors at age 17 in 1838. He was the first person to explore many miles of the vast cave. He discovered, documented and mapped out miles and miles of passage ways also naming them. Maps were made from his work and he was given full credit for his hard work.
He along with many other cave guides are buried in "The Old Guides Cemetery" in the park.
I could have gone on the Heritage Trail Tour. It was an above ground Ranger led tour. It was only a 3/4 mile walk and it led you to the Old Guides Cemetery. This is where Stephen Bishop lies along with several other slave tour guides.
It was 1:00 and the tour was at 3:45 p.m. By this time I was pretty hungry and a bit tired too. Now looking back, I wish I would have packed a lunch and just waited for the tour.
Anyway, I had a good time and I was so impressed our rangers knowledge and especially by her physical ability!
On the way home I got a treat! I saw several flocks of wild turkeys, a few deer and butterflies.
This was an old cemetery. Many of the headstones I just could not make out. There were many headstones that were never even marked, just a stone. The oldest stone I could make out was from the early 1800's.
I had a wonderful day! The only thing that could have made it better if Ralph would have been able to go on the tour.
Until then.....Hugs and Happy Trails!
Loved your cave photos!!
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