Day 3, spelunking

Day 3 was a huge high for me.  I was looking forward to it the most out of the entire trip.  To bad I didn't Google some more details on supplies.  The low was non-preparedness.  Day 3 we woke to you guessed it rain!  That didn't stop us though.  We loaded the van with Doyles and Thames and headed to the Ape C

 

Prior to our trip I had Samantha Google spelunking(cave exploring) and decide if we could get away with saying that was what we were doing.  At first she was skeptical.  The Ape Caves are really lava tubes(cool beans right?), but soon she found other people taking about spelunking in the Ape Caves. When we arrived it was wet!  I had the kids head under some shelter to try and stay dry. Turns out that the chipmunks were more interesting than staying dry.

Once we were all ready we headed to the opening of the caves.  It was at this point I wondered if the kiddos were really going to be able to do this.

Down the stairs they went.

Into the darkness(lack of planning equaled lack of light) and then the fear kicked in.

I will not go down were Kellina's words.  I reassured her I would stay right by her the entire time.  By the time it was over she was no where near me.

Samantha had really been looking forward to this.

When we arrived she was talking about the next time we come back.  When asked her favorite part after she asked if leaving the cave and getting back in the van counted.

She got really wet, but no worries she started talking about going again with our the littles up the harder part of the cave.

 I LOVED the entire experience.  I would also LOVE to go back and do the harder part.

After a cold, wet day in a cave we ended the night with a camp fire.

I got some pretty pictures

and missed some amazing shots of the woods during a walk Merriann and I went on.  I also learned the game chubby bunny.  It involves marshmallows and the ability to stuff ones mouth.  I was awful at it, but it was fun.