Going Underground

How do you feel about going under? 90 feet or more underground?

We did this when we visited the Lost World Caverns in Lewisburg, WV.

The back story is that in 1942 some caving guys approached a farmer about whether he knew of any caves on his property.  The area around Lewisburg and north is full of caves. The farmer told the guys that there was a hole in one of his pastures that he threw dead cows down.  When he did that, he said it took a long time for them to hit bottom.

The cavers climbed down the hole with a rope ladder and discovered the caves we visited. In 1960 an opening was made at another part of the property to enable visitors to walk down into the cave.

One thing that sets this cave apart from others is that it is self guided.  Once you pay your admission they give you a flashlight just in case the lights go out!  We did use the flashlights though the lights were on to look beyond what was illuminated.

The cave is not ADA compliant.  And if you're claustrophobic I wouldn't recommend it.  If you have an exploring nature check it out.



The temperature below ground was in 50º F.  We were glad to have jackets on but did warm up as we walked up and down staircases in the various chambers and then of course on the climb out which was like climbing 10 flights of stairs.

It takes 100 years for a stalactite or stalagmite to grow 1 cm!

These hexagonal shaped rocks fell from the ceiling who knows when.

None of pursued the wild cave option.

Here's the hole in the ceiling of this chamber where the cows were dropped.

Hard to take photos that have no fuzziness in the light we had.  Also difficult to show the size of these formations.  Take my word for it they've been forming for a long time and continue to do so.  We had drips fall on us.

Steeple in Harper's Ferry

From the hill looking south downriver the steeple of St. Peter's Catholic Church pokes up through the trees in Harper's Ferry, WV.

These ruins are of another church.

Our top down tour with the park ranger took us right passed the church and into the lower town.

Joining Inspired Sunday

Harper's Ferry Fences

Monday, Dan and I took a short trip to Harper's Ferry, WV known for that famous raid on the US Arsenal by John Brown in an attempt to start a slave revolt and end slavery.  It didn't go well.  We learned that Harper's Ferry is also historic because of associations with George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, the Lewis & Clark Expedition, and the Niagara Movement & WEB DuBois.

Joining Fences Around the World

to share these fences in Harper's Ferry.

Two rivers meet in Harper's Ferry.  Here's the bridge over the Potomac.

Here's the Shenandoah that empties into the Potomac.

We took a tour with a National Park Service ranger and visited the Harper's Ferry cemetery.

Here's the grave of a Revolutionary War veteran.

Many of the historical buildings are filled with exhibits.

The C & O Canal along the Potomac and the B & O Railroad had a race west.  Though the canal got to Harper's Ferry first the railroad won the race west.  

Here's the bridge over the Potomac, muddy from heavy rains over the weekend. The Appalachian Trail crosses here and Harper's Ferry is about the midpoint of that Maine to Georgia trek.

No bridge seems to be without locks of love these days.