I like titles and phrases with double or more meanings. AC in this case stands for Appalachian Caverns and air conditioning. Because of a draft through the cave it has a wind chill and temperature very similar to the surface. We were all like kids in a toy store. As my daughter said, "I am glad that they label all of the samples." That makes it into a museum as well as a gift shop.
The tour guide was obliging to take pictures of us and for us along the way. Behind us is one of the many side squeezes that he said the extended and wild tours negotiate. I would like to try it sometime.
This straight section of passage looked to be about 200 feet long. Along it the tour guide pounded his feet to sound out the hollow passage below us that they have not yet been able to access.
Water can drill quite round holes given the time and right conditions.
A black light revealed many varieties of minerals.
Here is G doing his thing. He had the big lights both for the purpose of pointing out things and because recent flooding had wiped out many of the lights lower in the cave. He even gave my daughter and me flashlights to make it easier to navigate. I used it for checking out things closer.
We were all cold, but managed to focus on the weird beauty of the underground.
Stalactites, stalagmites, columns, fins, teeth, straws, and buttons may all be seen in this one picture.
And here we have some limestone inclusions. Slow deposition doesn't explain how these got here. These are remnants of the worldwide biblical flood of Noah's day.
The lower creek exit is on another private owner's property. It would be neat to walk in that way on a hot summer day. Otherwise, it would be cool, or rather chilling.
Notice the straight line between tan and onyx color at mid-picture. The geologists say it is the local fault line.
A lone bat hanging out. One end of the cave has some 15,000 breeding bats.
The Show Room
My granddaughter has a reasonably steady hand for a picture of me.
The grayish ripples are mineral deposits left from water streaking across the surface.
Such distortion of rock and inclusions point away from millions of years toward quick deposition and warping before the mud dried and hardened.
The original picture showed far better the small, open geode with different central and inner wall crystal types and colors.
A fun and insightful time was had by all.
