Tuesday April 30 2024

 Tuesday April 30^th

Last day of the month! Today we visited and did a tour at Mammoth Cave National Park. The network of caves comprise the longest known network of caves in the world, over 400 miles of interconnected caves. The caves have been used by humans going back 5000 years – the early native explores ventured up to 20 miles into the caves using only grass torches for light. Quite impressive. Settlers rediscovered the caves back in the late 1700s and used them for various purposes over the years – but ultimately the caves became a tourist draw and a national park in 1926.

There were many tour options and Lydia and I decided on the historic tour which lasted 2 hours and covered 2 miles of caves. The caves are very dry and 54 degrees Fahrenheit year-round. Caves that are still being formed are wet but most of the caves we ventured through were dry. The caves chambers and the whole cave system are enormous –  on our two hour tour we only saw a fraction of what is down there.

After the tour we headed back to camp (45 minute drive) and went for a run, then took the rest of the day off!

Close to the entrance to the cave - some bats flapping around

very civilized spelunking

No stalactites or stalagmites - too dry

The coffin - very scary kids

Not sure how accurate this date is - early graffiti

Goin' down

Not to building codes

Bottomless pit

tighter quarters - it got a lot narrower further along

very tall shaft carved out over the millennia

Wetter area

Underground selfie