Lava Beds National Monument: Journey into darkness

I woke up to the chilliest temperatures so far on my trip...mid-20s! As usual, it really didn't bother me...I just wore a cover shirt. Besides, I would be spending a couple hours driving to my fun destination of the day... Lava Beds National Monument. By the time I reached the park, it had warmed up to the mid-60s. Before exploring the caves...actually the lava tubes...visitors have to check in at the visitor center to insure all clothing and equipment has been disinfected properly. That's to avoid the spread of white-nose syndrome, which can infect bats, including those residing in the caves at the park.

I had three easy caves in my list today, and I started with Paradise Alleys. By easy, I mean no major stooping or crawling, with fairly well defined paths, and pretty short distance wise. I wore a light cave helmet with headlamp and gloves, and carried a small, but bright flashlight.

The Ovis Cave was right next to Paradise Alleys. It was named after discoverers in the 1890s found it contained 36 bighorn skulls. I know, weird.

By now, I had worked up an appetite, so I had my lunch behind the visitor center under a massive juniper tree. I had never seen one so big! I also noticed what appeared to be mistletoe growing on one of the branches.

The final cave I explored was called Blue Grotto, named for the blue-gray color of the rocks within. This cave had a nice sturdy staircase at its entrance...not that it was that easy once inside. This was the largest cave of the three, with lots of side paths to explore. Because it was so dark inside the caves, photography was definitely at a minimal. It was fun walking around the dark, though.

So, tomorrow it begins. I'll be attending the first of THREE Five for Fighting concerts, starting in Redding, CA. The last time I saw John Ondrasik perform with his string quartet, it was January of this year. It seems so long ago! I can't wait to experience the magic again!