Mammoth Caves and Knoxville (Miles to date: 9350)
After the peaceful time of Thanksgiving we needed some exercise to work of the previous days feast. We had booked a cave tour some time ago, expecting it would be popular the day after Thanksgiving and we were right as the tours had sold out.
The tour we had chosen was the longest tour the Ranger service runs, covering 4 ½ miles and lasting for 4 hours. We are taken on a bus to the entrance to the cave and dropped with the other 80 people and our 2 Ranger guides. The initial part of the tour is through some high caverns showing the effects of earlier erosion by the waters that once flowed through the caves. This leads through to a long wide section cut out by an underground river. There are occasional stops for the Rangers to give a talk about the geology and the history of the caves, but apart from that it is a real hike. After about an hour and half we reach and underground eating area where you can sit down and partake of the food packs on offer, soup and coffee. Being intrepid independent explorers we had bought our own lunch.
The Mammoth Cave system is the world’s largest with about 367 miles of known and explored packages (and probably many more undiscovered). They have been carved out by underground rivers over the years which flowed through the limestone rock formations through to the Green River. As the level of the Green River has cut lower into its gorge the under ground rivers have moved to lower levels, therefore the areas of the cave system we are walking through are dry (hence no interesting formations of stalactites and stalagmites).
The first section we had passed through was wide and open the next sections are very much narrower – some no wider than your shoulders. For people like Karen who are claustrophobic these sections are challenging. Other areas open up into vast open caverns with names like “Grand Canyon” and ”Grand Central”. The pathways themselves are well maintained and are free of rocks and other obstacles, but they do undulate significantly. There are some long steep climbs – with some slopes reaching angles of 60 degrees. Certainly got the pulses racing.
The final section of the caves changes are this is section where water has been able to permeate the top of the cave allowing formations to develop, the main feature being the “Frozen Niagara” a hundred foot plus limestone pillar.
After four hours we finally reach the end of tour and a welcome return to sunlight. We are tired from this hike and still have nearly 200 miles to travel this day – it was certainly a wonderful experience.
DAY 77 THURSDAY 22nd NOVEMBER 2007
Thanksgiving Day (Miles to date: 9100)
Today is Thanksgiving. It is a cold, wet and miserable day and we settle in for a quiet day (for a change) – a chance to chill out. Finally mid-morning the rain stops and we go out for walk through the park land. The main attraction of this National Park is underground but there are hundred of acres of land above the surface with trails through it. We go for a walk in the woods that finally takes you down to Green River and to where the River Styx leaves the security of the limestone hills and spills into the Green River.
After this walk our appetite has worked itself into a bit of a frenzy. We had not really planned anything for a Thanksgiving dinner but as it turned out the hotel was running a Thanksgiving buffet. Our expectation was low but as it turned out it was excellent. A lot of people had the same idea and the dinner was very popular (and a lot of people were local which means it must have been good) which gave it a great atmosphere. We had great meal – with all the usual Thanksgiving trimmings.
A nice relaxing day, just what the doctor ordered.
Today is Thanksgiving. It is a cold, wet and miserable day and we settle in for a quiet day (for a change) – a chance to chill out. Finally mid-morning the rain stops and we go out for walk through the park land. The main attraction of this National Park is underground but there are hundred of acres of land above the surface with trails through it. We go for a walk in the woods that finally takes you down to Green River and to where the River Styx leaves the security of the limestone hills and spills into the Green River.
After this walk our appetite has worked itself into a bit of a frenzy. We had not really planned anything for a Thanksgiving dinner but as it turned out the hotel was running a Thanksgiving buffet. Our expectation was low but as it turned out it was excellent. A lot of people had the same idea and the dinner was very popular (and a lot of people were local which means it must have been good) which gave it a great atmosphere. We had great meal – with all the usual Thanksgiving trimmings.
A nice relaxing day, just what the doctor ordered.
DAY 76 WEDNESDAY 21st NOVEMBER 2007
Cave City, Kentucky (Miles to date: 9100)
We rose today to another fine morning. We have been staying in McMinnville in a cottage in the grounds of a late 19th Century mansion called Falcons Rest, owned by George and Charlien McGlothin. The cottage we’re in has two bedrooms in our wing and as there is nobody on the other side of the property we have the run of the building to ourselves. Breakfast is served in the coach house adjacent to the manor which is used for weddings other events held at the mansion. The food is beautifully presented, made by Charlien.
The mansion itself was built in 1896 by Clay Faulkner, a local entrepreneur, who made his fortune in mills where he had a line of trousers called “gorilla pants” (obviously in reference to their strength). He built the 10,000 sq ft mansion for his family. After his death none of the family wished to carry on the estate so it was sold and eventually in the 1940s, Clay Faulkner's mansion was converted into a hospital and nursing home. In 1968 the hospital closed it’s doors for the last time. The owner found it impossible to sell the property decided to try and strip the inside, removing the woodwork and even unsuccessfully tried to remove the brick work. Essentially the house was a wreck when it was purchased by George and Charlien in 1989.Actually the house was purchased by George as a "surprise"for Charlien. He mortgaged their home to bid for it! They had experience in reconstructing old properties, but this was a real project, and took them 4 ½ years to complete doing about 90% of the work themselves. They don’t actually live in the property but use it as business running tours, providing a location for weddings, meetings etc. George who is a bit of a thespian also runs a few shows including a vaudeville show, a murder mystery dinner and “ghost at the mansion”show.
We decided to do the tour. As we were the only ones there is was a personal tour for the four of us. Jack and Emily were particularly interested in the tales of the ghosts haunting the mansion. It is somewhat spooky doing the tour with only a few of you. The house has been fully restored and filled with period furniture collected by the McGlothins from antique shops and fairs. We get told about the Faulkner family and then about how the house was used in the time it was a hospital and rest home. When you see the photos of the property at the time George and Charlien bought it you see the amount of work they had to do during their renovation. It is just as well we’re doing the tour today – a week later they are being invaded by 400 fifth graders (nightmare). After the tour we let Jack and Emily spend a little time in the Victorian gift shop which has some very nice things on sale.
It is now time to head off for our next stop, Mammoth Caves National Park in Kentucky. As we head north a rain storm crosses our path and this is also the day before Thanksgiving – so travelling is not a lot of fun. Finally exhausted we arrived at the Mammoth Caves Hotel – which will be where we spend Thanksgiving this year.
We rose today to another fine morning. We have been staying in McMinnville in a cottage in the grounds of a late 19th Century mansion called Falcons Rest, owned by George and Charlien McGlothin. The cottage we’re in has two bedrooms in our wing and as there is nobody on the other side of the property we have the run of the building to ourselves. Breakfast is served in the coach house adjacent to the manor which is used for weddings other events held at the mansion. The food is beautifully presented, made by Charlien.
The mansion itself was built in 1896 by Clay Faulkner, a local entrepreneur, who made his fortune in mills where he had a line of trousers called “gorilla pants” (obviously in reference to their strength). He built the 10,000 sq ft mansion for his family. After his death none of the family wished to carry on the estate so it was sold and eventually in the 1940s, Clay Faulkner's mansion was converted into a hospital and nursing home. In 1968 the hospital closed it’s doors for the last time. The owner found it impossible to sell the property decided to try and strip the inside, removing the woodwork and even unsuccessfully tried to remove the brick work. Essentially the house was a wreck when it was purchased by George and Charlien in 1989.Actually the house was purchased by George as a "surprise"for Charlien. He mortgaged their home to bid for it! They had experience in reconstructing old properties, but this was a real project, and took them 4 ½ years to complete doing about 90% of the work themselves. They don’t actually live in the property but use it as business running tours, providing a location for weddings, meetings etc. George who is a bit of a thespian also runs a few shows including a vaudeville show, a murder mystery dinner and “ghost at the mansion”show.We decided to do the tour. As we were the only ones there is was a personal tour for the four of us. Jack and Emily were particularly interested in the tales of the ghosts haunting the mansion. It is somewhat spooky doing the tour with only a few of you. The house has been fully restored and filled with period furniture collected by the McGlothins from antique shops and fairs. We get told about the Faulkner family and then about how the house was used in the time it was a hospital and rest home. When you see the photos of the property at the time George and Charlien bought it you see the amount of work they had to do during their renovation. It is just as well we’re doing the tour today – a week later they are being invaded by 400 fifth graders (nightmare). After the tour we let Jack and Emily spend a little time in the Victorian gift shop which has some very nice things on sale.
It is now time to head off for our next stop, Mammoth Caves National Park in Kentucky. As we head north a rain storm crosses our path and this is also the day before Thanksgiving – so travelling is not a lot of fun. Finally exhausted we arrived at the Mammoth Caves Hotel – which will be where we spend Thanksgiving this year.
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