Deep Down Below

Here's our latest adventure....Howe Cavern. It's a cavern that is 152 feet below ground and is constantly 52 degrees down there year round. It was founded by a man named Lester Howe in the late 1800s and was a naturally made cave by the river that runs through it. Kind of like Lake Powell's Rainbow bridge but underground. I don't think that we were as prepared for the cold down there like the others but the kids did great! There are a few tours that you can take, one lit only by lantern, and another lit only by your headlamp and you go spelunking, and the last one is just a walking tour where you see stalagmites and stalagtites and take a boat ride. We opted for the 3rd one, although Jared was quite tempted by the spelunking one.

Here are the kids before we went down....So happy, so warm....

Here are the kids only 5 minutes into the tour - cold hands, it got them to hold our hands the whole time - and cold noses, but loving it!

They were very specific to the kids not to touch the walls or the rocks would stop growing and they didn't want them to stop growing so they were so good and on their best behavior. However, there were 2 rock formations they could touch - the Christmas Tree and the leaning tower of Pisa. Kate said it looked like a house "The Littles" could live in.
Then, about to the end of the cavern, as far as we could go, there is the Lake of Venus, where you take 1/8 mile boat tour to a waterfall at the end. We kept singing "Yo-Ho, A Pirates life for me," and Cole just kept asking, does that mean we're going to go down a waterfall? He was a little nervous, but there were chains across the fall so no luck there. They also were able to turn off all the lights and show you how dark it really is - you can't even see your hand in front of your face. Not a favorite part of the kids. All of their bodies just tensed up when the lights went out but it was pretty amazing the darkness that surrounded you.
One of the kids favorite formations was what they call Turtle Rock. See if you can see the turtle. Lizzie likes this the best.

Jared & Lizzie in the tunnels

On the way back, there's a path called Winding Way where the cavern is pretty tight and has several low ceilings. The kids thought it was pretty cool. Cole said it reminded him of Indiana Jones Lego Game. It's amazing that the whole winding way was made naturally with rushing water. And, yes, my toes did get cold in flip-flops for the first time. I may have to purchase closed toed shoes this year.

Another stop on the tour was the Bridal Alter. Kate really like the name. It's a calcified stone that someone carved out and place there where there have been several weddings throughout the year. In fact, they had a wedding there just 2 weeks ago. And they say that if you stand on the heart you're to get married within the year or have luck in love, as I told the kids. Cole did not want to stand on the heart....go figure.

Above ground you can buy some sand and mine for gems in their little stream. Cole liked this part the best. Not such a fan of the cold and the dark down below but he loved finding the gems. Kate, loved it as well, and couldn't leave until she found every last gem in her pan.

Jared & Kate mining

Lizzie got tired of standing and just decided to sit and find her gems.

On our way home, there was a miniture golf place that we thought it would be fun to stop and teach the kids how to golf. Jared was a pro in teaching them proper technique and form but by the end, they just ended up hitting the ball until they got it in the hole and then just rolled it up into the 18th hole. Cole liked it and can't wait to go back!

The 3 on the bridge over troubled water
Kate's pink ball & Jared
Lizzie and Cole after their game of golf.
It was an amazing day filled with new adventures with the kids. Kate's favorite part was winding way, as well as Cole's, and Lizzie just loved doing it all! It was fun seeing the kids experience new things and do new things together as a family. This is truly what life is all about!