Spelunking

Fern Gully

Yesterday we hiked another 10 miles. We actually had a 1300 foot climb up to a heavily wooded ridge. It's pretty fascinating how the landscape can change with just a few hundred feet in elevation. One minute we were walking through dense deciduous forests with hard dirt underneath us, the next we were walking by moss covered boulders surrounded by ferns. We had another short day, because we had to pack up to move again. On our way out of Northern Virginia, though, we stopped at Luray Caverns to do a little touristy spelunking. The Luray Caverns are a registered US National Landmark, and I have to say seeing them was worth every penny we paid in admissions. Each visitor gets a headset to take them on a 1.4 mile self-guided walk through the caverns, and the voice on the tape explains the science and history behind all of the major sights in the caves. And there were many sights. From the surreal...

Think that's a ceiling full of stalactites and a floor full of stalagmites you're seeing? You're only half right. That's a ceiling full of stalactites perfectly reflected in about 3 inches of water, otherwise known as "Dream Lake." Very eerie and beautiful.

...to the massive...

"The Bride and Groom," two intertwined columns that are about 40 feet tall.

Huge "drapes" made of rock.

...to the charitable...

The Luray Caverns "wishing well." They clean it out every year and donate all the money to charities. I was asked why the water was green in this pool and nowhere else in the cave. Before the disembodied voice on the tape tour could respond, I said "copper pennies." I was right. The copper in the pennies turns the water greenish blue over time. Thank you, chemistry degree.

We enjoyed the caverns for a couple of hours, had some homemade chocolate nut fudge, and wandered through the classic car museum before we left Luray. Daddy really liked the car museum. They had some gorgeous old cars in there, and some very very rare ones, too. Overall, a nice break from hiking to enjoy some underground natural wonders. It was a truly amazing detour.

Even in 1906, Ford was making the good cars. Have to love a good Ford.

PS - Don't be surprised if there are very few, if any, posts in the next week. I have my first two medical school interviews over the next 8 days, so I'll be up and down the East Coast trying to sell myself to institutions of higher learning. Updates on the interview process coming soon.