By
Minuet in G
(an Argosy made by Airstream feeling a little "batty")
Vannie and Dave and granddaughter, Maddie, decided to visit
one of Texas' infamous "bat" caves. There seems to be a bunch
of these dwellings in Texas.
To name just a few...
Natural Bridge Caverns in New Braunfels, TX,
Longhorn Caverns in Burnet,
Caverns of Sonora in Sonora,
Cascade Caverns in Boerne,
Kickapoo Caverns in Bracketville,
Gorman Cave in Bend,
and
Inner Space Caverns in Georgetown.
V and D said that you might want to check out the
websites of these sites, and pay some a visit.
Inner Space Caverns was their choice of the day.
It was close by, and it had a tour that would be perfect for a 4 year old.
They also have longer and rougher tours, too, for the
more adventuresome.
FYI..."Karst topography is a landscape formed from
the dissolution of soluble rocks such as
limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is
characterized by underground drainage
systems with sinkholes and caves."
The cave was discovered by the Texas Highway Department
in 1963 during the construction of Interstate 35.
After studying about caves and bats, Vannie visited this cave with her gifted classes
from Lafayette, LA. This was lots and lots of years ago, but
it was fun all over again seeing it through the eyes of
her granddaughter, Maddie.
The 3 stooges waiting for the tour to start.
I hope they look just as perky after the tour
as they look at the beginning.
Thar she blows!!!
V said this was the one and only bat they saw on the entire tour...
and it was a tiny little thing...trying to get some sleep,
before it headed out at sunset to do it's exterminating job...
to rid the world of mosquitoes.
As I said, Vannie taught lessons about caves a long time ago,
so when I started writing this blog, she couldn't help herself.
She wanted everyone to know the specifics...so bear with me.
Soda Straws
"A soda straw is a speleothem in the form of a hollow mineral cylindrical tube.
They are also known as tubular stalactites. Soda straws
grow in places where water leaches slowly through cracks in rocks,
such as on the roofs of caves."
Cave Bacon
"A rock formation officially known as layered flowerstone.
The effect is created by the deposition of water-borne minerals
traveling over and over on the same route."
Cave Draperies
"A type of cave formation consisting of sheets of calcite deposited as water
flows down the cave walls. Can also be called flowstone."
Stalagmites
"Formed of calcium salts deposited by dripping water on the floor of a cave"
Stalactites
"Formed of calcium salts formed by dripping water from the ceiling of a cave"
Column
"When a stalagmite and a stalactite meet"
Maddie holding on to T-Pop (Dave)...
"Why is that baby crying, T-Pop?"
"I don't know, Maddie, maybe she is scared."
"I'm glad I'm a big girl...I'm not scared."
More interesting formations created by water
over thousands of years...
Maddie said, "Look, Vannie, a castle."
These are modern-day art work of mammals
in which bones have been discovered.
One last formation...
The Butterfly
There is a very famous one of these formations
in the Caverns of Sonora. Dave said he thought
this was a pretty nice one in Inner Space Caverns.
End of Tour...
Maddie made it the whole way
without one whine or cry to be held or carried.
What a trooper.!!!
...now, Vannie, on the other hand,
looks a teeny weeny bit "batty".
OK...that's your cave lesson for the day.
Now, go visit one nearest you, and
impress everyone with your incredible knowledge.
Pass by that one on the way to Austin, but have never stopped. Older grands have been on school trips to it. Perhaps it's Lulu's turn!
ReplyDeleteSo glad I got to go with you on that S. A. tour that included some bat caves. I am not sure that these were the same ones, though. I guess it was years and years ago. I am guessing about 1993.
ReplyDelete