Sunset & Colossal Cave Mountain Park

Thursday 19th, Friday 20th, Saturday 21st & Sunday 22nd

We took it easy on Thursday and gave Bryan's meds a chance to kick in which seemed to work. We got a note from the campground host that the toilet block nearest to us was being closed from next Monday for renovations.  This meant that there could be times when the water has to be turned off and so Bryan put water in the tank so we had a reserve. We were also waiting for our mail to arrive from the mail forwarding service but there was no sign of it.
The plan was to go to the caves on Friday but when I woke up I didn't feel 100%, nothing major but didn't feel like climbing 300+ steps in the caves so we decided to stay home and went food shopping instead, ugh!!!  Wish I had felt 100% but at least it got the shopping out of the way.  The mail still didn't show and I called the post office who said it would be delivered tomorrow.  Unfortunately, the office here is closed at the weekends and so we will have to wait until Monday.
Saturday & Sunday we spent watching movies and sports.  It has been ages since we watched any movies so it was good to just relax.  We both seem to struggle with just relaxing, it seems we always have to be doing something.  After the movies, CoCo decided she wanted the whole couch and so Bryan sat on the floor for a while.  

Guess who is the boss in our house!!!!

There was a great sunset on Saturday and when I took CoCo for her walk I took some pics.

Sun setting behind Lily & Tilly

CoCo enjoying the dog park with the sunset in the rear

The sun was setting on the west of the campground and to the east there was a partial rainbow showing through the rain clouds, although the rain didn't reach us.

Sunday was Christina's (Ryan's girlfriend) birthday and so Happy Birthday to Christina and hope you are feeling better.

Monday 23rd

Our mail arrived this morning and lo and behold NO Rand McNally GPS, or "Bitchin Betty" as Bryan fondly refers to her, was in the package.  This is the second unit we have had to return to Rand McNally for different problems and they have twice sent us a new unit.  The second one was mailed out to our Florida address on September 2nd and so we were expecting it to be part of this shipment to us. Bryan called Rand McNally who confirmed the shipment and gave us the name of the person who signed for it in Florida.  I called the mail forwarding service and they looked for it and found it, apologized for not sending it and told me they would get it in the mail today.  Makes you wonder sometimes, doesn't it!!!!
We had decided to go to Colossal Cave Mountain Park today, which is where we were going to go last Friday until I bailed out.  Caves are definitely my thing, have always been fascinated by them, I'm not sure why.
On the way we saw a baby Black Angus cow on the road, it scurried off to meet it's mother hopefully.  There were signs to tell you to drive carefully because of cattle and deer.
At Colossal Caves, the gardens, gift shop and walkways around and through the caves were constructed in the 1930's by the Civilian Conservation Corp and they were very well done. It was beautiful.

Map of the park

We signed up for a tour of the caves and looked around the gift shop while we waited.  Our time arrived and the guide took us into the caves.

 There was a lady with two children and when we went to go in the caves the youngest one was terrified.  As much as his mother tried to persuade him it was safe he was having none of it and so our tour with 7 people became 4.
The tour was excellent, and the caves are very well maintained.  This is the largest dry cavern in the world.  The pathways that the corp constructed over 80 years ago are still being used and there is a very natural feel to the whole thing.  It does not seem too commercialized like some, and is relatively easy to get through.  Yes, you go down over 300 steps, some narrow and the descent is the equivalent of six and a half stories high. Of course what you go down you then have to come back up, however the return route is different so you are not completely retracing your steps.  I was a little concerned we wouldn't be able to do it with our knees but we made it and I found it relatively easy.  The temperature down there is a constant 70 degrees but it has 90% humidity and you could certainly feel the humidity. One of the many things the guide told us was about the Bandit Legend of Colossal Cave and he showed us how the robbers had escaped through a back exit to the cave. You can read the full story HERE.  There have been movies made here, they have weddings here, and also use the caves for underground rescue teams to train in.  Believe me I have been in numerous caves in the Uk and the USA and these were the best ones so far.

What is thought to be the way out for the bandit robbers in the 1800's

At the top of the steps is The Alter where they occasionally hold weddings

After the tour we drove through the rest of the park.  There's a museum in the old ranch house, butterfly garden and tortoise habitats as well.  The young man in the museum was very nice and asked us if we were from Tucson.  Bryan explained that we lived in our motorhome fulltime and were traveling through the States. This always gets us into interesting conversations and this time was no exception.  He was one of the ones who have said they would like to do that eventually.  Some, understandably, look at us as though we are mad!!!

Stained Glass Door

Butterflies

Desert Tortoise, hiding in the heat

Horse rides, the horses were saddled up and ready, and a very small petting zoo are also there, although we weren't impressed by either of these and it seemed cruel to have these animals standing out in the heat, especially as there weren't many people around.  We were the only two who were there at the time.

We headed back home after an interesting day out.

Tuesday 24th

Well, HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my lovely Mum today.  She is 84 years young and doing very well for her age.  Of course I gave her a call to sing Happy Birthday to her.  I know I am tone deaf, and so the people I sing to are few and far between, as I don't want to make everyone endure that ordeal.  Mum being Mum puts up with it!!!
We went out to the base pharmacy to renew our prescriptions. It will take 3 days to get them transferred from Nellis AFB in Las Vegas and it seems that we will have to keep transferring them every time we head to a new base. It is a bit of a pain but worth it I think to get the free prescriptions every three months.  Every little counts in our budget!!!

Well, that's it for now.  Tomorrow we may head to Tombstone and the Gunfight at the OK Corral for the day.