With temperatures in the single digits, there was no chance of trying out my new camera on pretty landscapes of ice and the dusting of snow we'd got overnight. It's been so frustrating having all new camera equipment and not being able to get out and use it, so I thought a day underground and inside buildings would work well. Melony came over and we decided to go back to a favorite place of mine, a little known Americana gem in Quicksburg called Shenandoah Caverns.
We stopped briefly to shoot some ice on water but it was just way too cold and we both headed quickly back to the car. We arrived at the caverns and found there were few other people there. Our group was only going to be about 10 and I was personally looking forward to being in a nice comfortable temperature of 55°, a constant in the caves all year round.
I liked this carved chap standing outside the entrance.
We rode down in the elevator and I eagerly pulled the lens cap off my camera and started snapping. I really couldn't decide whether I preferred shooting while using the viewfinder or by looking at the monitor so I ended up using both. I let the camera choose its own ISO setting for the images and focused on getting the light and speed correct. And then fretted as I had no time in which to check anything as our group was moving quite fast. Melony and I were the only two with cameras and obviously we couldn't hold up the group, but our guide, Hannah, turned out to be really accommodating and readily held back a few seconds longer occasionally so we could get our shots. but I still had no time to check so I just carried on shooting and kept my fingers crossed.
It wasn't until I got home that evening and downloaded my photos when I saw how well the camera had performed. I had really jumped in at the deep end by starting out photographing dark caverns but I was elated when I saw the results. I whizzed through processing, hardly editing at all, and was amazed as I looked a image after image and saw the clarity of my subjects. The Sony has a new revolutionary stabilizing software inside and it really performed well. Even the close up in the Cascade Hall, above, came out better than hoped.
There were a few thin pieces of rock that hung down that resembled rashers of bacon when the light shone through.
Melony homing in on some stalactites.
The Rainbow Lake.
The Capitol Dome.
And a final rasher of bacon!
We were feeling pretty warm when we surfaced from the caverns. It had been hot and humid down there with more water dripping from the roof than I remembered from my last visit. We ripped off our jackets and continued with the Main Street of Yesteryear.
I mentioned to Melony that the place rather creeped me out with the
floor boards creaking and the sound of old motors straining to turn over
as they made the old store window displays come alive. Another couple
entered and after hearing the sounds whispered as they read the
'Welcome' sign that it was like a 'Welcome to Hell' I was feeling pretty
disconcerted by now and tried to focus on taking shots of cute furry
animals and magic princesses, rather than over painted clowns and fierce
looking soldiers. Time had not aged some of these models gracefully and
quite a few looked like Stephen King props.
We then made our way
to the American Celebration where I was itching to see Melony's reaction
to the size of these creations. We entered the dimly lit and musky smelling warehouse and looked up. I wasn't disappointed. Melony was quite
taken aback and in awe. There are 27 full size parade floats here and over 100 props. We had the place to ourselves too as a mother and child were finishing their tour.
A cute turtle, made entirely from organic matter, one of the rules of the Rose Parade.
King Neptune is pulled by a sea serpent here, but originally this was St George slaying a dragon, and then the chariot was also used on a Roman Gladiator float.
I loved this huge American flag but on my last visit was unable to convey the enormity of it. today a little girl helped by perching in front. Made of 5000 square yards of crushed silk, crushed entirely, one handed, by a single employee who scrunched for 250 hours.
Throughout the museum the floor is laid with presidential red carpet and apparently some folks have refused to walk upon it in case Bill Clinton's feet had passed across it previously.
Melony commented that this place was creepy too. I'm not sure if it was the dim lighting, the old smell, the silence as we walked beneath these huge objects or the sound of the occasional motor that would start running when a red button was pushed. But she had a point. I uploaded a video so you can all hear one of the floats working. It's strange, but seeing these on TV, you're caught up in the happy atmosphere and only see these humungous creatures for a few minutes, when they seem bright, cheerful and happy, but when you stand in front of them, and can look long and hard, the sombre silence of the warehouse makes them appear garish and ghastly and managed to set me a little on edge.
And just to end the day on a creepy note, this clown in the Yellow Barn caught our eye. I was just glad he wasn't looking directly at us!
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