Endlessly Engaging in the Shenandoah Valley

I took Tuesday off as a vacation day, planning on going to the Endless Caverns, a  six mile run of caves at the foot of the Massanutten Mountains, that I hadn't yet explored. Thinking there wouldn't be too many crowds immediately after the holiday weekend, I was looking forward to a day out and hopefully not running into hordes of people. The day was made extra special as I was joined by a new friend, Elliott, and throughout our journey we chatted incessantly. Arriving at the caves we were delighted to find that we were going to be the only people on the tour, how cool to have the whole caves to ourselves! We stood outside in the sun that was steadily heating up, with mosquitoes constantly bombarding me, and I was grateful to hear the announcement that we could proceed with our tour.

As we descended into darkness, the air was dank and cool, the metal handrail cold and clammy. We'd been warned to wear an extra layer, since down in the depths it was a constant 55 degrees, but throughout the tour I felt I could have gone without, especially since it was so humid. It was also very slippery. There were areas of thin matting that provided some grip but quite a few of the slopes were fairly steep and I was glad of the handrails. Throughout the tour I skidded three times on my heels but never fell so have to put it down to not being careful enough. I know I didn't spend enough time looking where I was putting my feet.

It took me a little while to get into the mood for taking photos. I was so happy to be out of the house, enjoying the company of other people and gazing at this natural wonder, that I simply wanted to just look, listen and savor the moment. but I knew dear Myra would be looking for a blog this week, and admittedly, after listening to Elliott's shutter snapping left, right and center, I felt like I was missing out and soon tugged off my lens cap and followed suit, picking up my pace.

Crappy photo, but it's a heart! Illuminated and glowing from within!

Our guide explained the airflow of the caverns, just in case we wandered off and got lost and needed to find our way out...useful. The cave air is usually a constant temperature of the region's average, in our case here in VA it's 55 degrees. So in winter when it's colder outside the air will flow into the caves. In summer when it's hotter outside the air will flow out. He flicked a lighter on to demonstrate and sure enough the flame bent towards the way we'd come in. Very enlightening, except I didn't have a lighter. Some of the passageways were very narrow and twisting around curves which was kind of thrilling. I would have loved it if he had let us roam on our own with just our phones as a light. He did get us to stop and stand completely silent, and we listened to... nothing. He then turned off all lights so we then saw... nothing. With just the three of us there it was magical. No other members of a group jangling coins in pockets or sniffing. This was complete and utter nothingness, a black empty damp void, which I found to be a really interesting place to be, and have to admit wishing we could have just stood there for a little longer. but then he had to go and spoil the mood and told us that you could go blind after six days in total blackness, although vision would eventually restore itself once subjected to light, and you could go mad. The brain doesn't know when to release melatonin so you will also be sleep deprived. One poor guy suffered big time after getting lost in some caves, click here.

These orange pustules are mounds of slowly dripped calcite, drops of acidic groundwater through the limestone rock, that will, an inch every hundred years, eventually become stalagmites. Throughout our tour I was aware of the constant dripping through the grey limestone ceilings, that had been rounded to such a smooth finish it was hard to believe they weren't covered by man with cement. As water seeps through the soil it mixes with carbon dioxide from decaying plant or animal matter, forming carbonic acid. This acid dissolves the rock minerals and gravity pulls it downwards, pushing its way through the rock joints over the years deliberately and unhurriedly dropping deposits of minerals to form lines of orange knobbly formations that crisscrossed above us, and would one day become stalactites, bacon, ribbons, columns, or many other splendid forms of speleothems.

 

In the Cathedral Room, with the guide flipping on lights for us and Elliott setting up his camera. He's so disciplined, sigh, taking every shot using manual settings, while I plumped for automatic mode. And I know the end results will reflect this, I can't wait to see his final images. This was the first part of the caves to be discovered in 1879 by two local boys who were rabbit hunting, and who were the first to return and see the caverns lit up by electricity for the first time in 1920 when the caves opened for public tours. After the boys found the caves their father would charge 50 cents for a tour, his sons lighting the way with candles. Nearby Luray Caverns stole much of the tourist trade when the Norfolk and Western Railroad opened a line in Luray in 1881 and offered cave tickets, resulting in over 9000 admissions in one day in 1921, drawing in more than three times as many customers as Endless Caverns.

The Cathedral Room was spectacular. Our guide had explained all the shield, curtains, and ribbon formations, the stalactites and stalagmites, and here in one cavern, they all were. I was particularly fascinated with the ceiling and the multitude of stalactites that were gradually reaching down. Quite a few were broken off, taken as souvenirs by the very early cave visitors. There were even signatures from early tourists, yesteryear graffiti. Some of the broken stalactites looked like a bed of sea anemones while others looked like huge cocoons hanging down, even appearing translucent so that I desperately wanted to touch them and feel if they were papery. Which of course they wouldn't, but I still had an internal battle going on there for a while, trying to keep my paws to myself.

After some more slipsliding along slippery tunnels and ascending a flight of very narrow and wet limestone steps we emerged back into the sunlight. I noticed a feeling of relief as the warm sun bathed my arms and face, and wondered again about being stuck underground for days. We'd only been down there for less than 45 minutes and our tour guide told us the boys who'd been trapped in the Thailand caves had endured 17 days with only their cell phones for light...food for thought.

Back on Rte 11 we looked back at the huge sign perched on the mountainside. There is a trail to walk up to it, but it's a steep climb and it was way too humid, so we decided against that. I found an interesting article about how the end of the caves came close to being found, click here. As our guide informed us, we really don't want to know where the tunnels end, or it could never be called the Endless Caverns again. So, for now, there's no end in sight, and that's a good thing.

Food and beer were found in Harrisonburg and then we were back on the road, heading north. I wanted to show Elliott one of my favorite places at the Shenandoah Caverns, American Celebration on Parade, but it was closed as they are preparing for their Halloween Fright Night attraction. So I took him upstairs to the shop window display exhibit, which I love almost as much, with the old motors wheezing and clunking as they shove plaster and fabric puppets around circuits grooved in the floor. There are no good videos on YouTube that demonstrate just how creepy these sounds can be. As you approach each window, a clunk reverberates, jolting the puppets into action, some of them with expressions and actions that really belong in a Stephen King movie. I was ecstatic that Elliott viewed this exhibit in the exact same way I did. I can't wait for him to see the parade exhibits.We left and headed further north, stopping at the covered bridge, stepping out of the bright sun and squinting into the dark musty smelling tunnel to admire the woodwork before getting back onto Rte 11.

The last stop before we finished up at the Beer Museum was the Woodstock Tower, where we were treated to panoramic views of lush green forests, the Shenandoah river, and wonderfully cool breezes that cooled us down. We'd been deep underground and now we were on top of the world.  Like Wallace and Gromit, we'd had a Grand Day Out!