Tour of the Oregon Caves April 21, 2012

Calvin assuming the standard position!

Porter, Emma and Roc outside the caves with the water fall that is fed by the water in the cave.

The sign marking the entrance to the cave, this is where the brave continue on and the others (the too short and non-walker) stay behind with Stacie.

Roc and Emma just inside the cave, Ryan was the only one who had to duck.

These are called straws formed on much of the ceiling, if you break one off you can drink through it, one of Roc's and Emma's favorite sights.

Roc forging ahead of the rest of the group.

The heart of the cave, naturally formed structure.

Volunteers cleaning every aspect of the cave for Earth Day.

Anytime we were near the surface we saw an increse in these familiar creatures.  Again danger appeared around every turn.

Emma in the "Banana Room"

Roc in the "Potato Room"

After two hours Emma and Roc emerge from out of the cave unscathed with the exception that they were wetter.  Notice that their eyes are still adjusting to the bright sunlight.

Porter happy to be reunited with the rest of his family after two hours of worrying.

To prevent Porter from feeling left out he was given the opportunity to venture in the first part of the cave.

Porter and Roc outside of the cave sitting by the stone commemorating Elijah Davidson, the man who discovered the cave while bear hunting (actually his dog discovered it, he just went in after the dog),  It took him 30 minutes to get in too deep and took him over 3 hours to feel his way out.

Today, we had the opportunity to go to the Oregon Caves, one of the few known marble caves in existence.  While we all went to the caves, Emma, Roc, and Ryan were the only ones to forge ahead and explore the "Marble Halls of Oregon”, deep blow the earth’s surface. Meanwhile, outside the caves Stacie faced a task almost as difficult as climbing through the underground maze; she was left to watching Porter and Calvin.