A Hard Day's Night

     The scouts of Troop 50 sank to new depths this past weekend as we entered the underground domain of Cumberland Caverns outside McMinnville, Tennessee. This trip marks the third time that our scouts have turned into spelunkers and troglodytes as we walked, crawled, climbed, and slithered through the cave before stretching out across the hard, rocky floor for a well deserved sleep. The group was split almost evenly between veterans who had made the trip in prior years and newbies who were experiencing caving for the first time. Regardless of their status, all of the scouts seemed to relish their time in the underworld.

The troop pauses among the cave formations for a group photo.

     With everyone packed aboard the church bus, we departed Auburn about 9:30 on Saturday morning for the long trip to Tennessee. After an unusual lunch stop and a longer than anticipated search for a working gas station, we arrived at the cave around 3:30 PM. Everyone changed out of their scout uniform into clothing more suitable for the dirt/mud and the 56 degree temperature of the cave. Scouts passed the time before dinner by crawling through a wooden maze, an activity that quickly degenerated into attempts to snatch each other's shoes as they squeezed through the small spaces.

Will manages to escape the maze with someone's shoe. 

Trey attempts (unsuccessfully) to hold onto his shoes. 

     We soon fired up the charcoal chimneys and mixed up a dinner of baked beans, ground beef, and biscuits in our dutch ovens. This fairly simple cooking method allowed everyone to have a hot meal before beginning our overnight adventure. Soon after, we met our cave guide, gathered our gear and began the trek into the depths.

Entering the door to the underworld. 

     Cumberland Caverns is one of many caves that abound in this region of Tennessee and Kentucky. The cave was ostensibly discovered in 1810 by surveyor Aaron Higgenbotham who explored the cave by torchlight before losing the torch and spending three days trapped in complete darkness before he was rescued. It is said that his hair turned completely white during those three days in the cave (something we hoped to avoid). The current cave configuration was originally believed to be two separate caves, which were named Henshaw and Higgenbotham caves. A connection between the caves was discovered in 1953 and it was renamed Cumberland Caverns when it opened to public tours in 1955. Today, over 32 miles of the cave are part of various tours and adventure programs. These activities include daily walking tours for the general public, overnight stays in the cave, spelunking trips through unimproved sections, and music festivals such as their popular Bluegrass Underground venue. They even hold weddings in there. 

     After we dropped off our gear in the 10-acre room where we would spend the night, it was off on the daily walking tour. We visited a moonshine still and a saltpeter mining operation in the original Henshaw part of the cave, passed through the Volcano Room with its crystal chandelier (rescued from a NYC opera house), had our photo taken in the Boneyard, and climbed the 354 stairs across the Hall of the Mountain King. The last stop on the tour was the light show that highlights Aaron Higgenbotham's discovery of the cave and his three days of seclusion.

Checking out the water feature in front of a formation known
as Moby Dick (due to its resemblance to a whale, or so they say).

     Once we were finished with the walking tour it was time for the crawling tour. We geared up with helmets (aka brain buckets) and headlamps before making a test crawl through a 19x33 inch box. This insured that each of us would be able to fit through the tightest portions of the route without getting stuck. It was a tight fit for some but all managed to qualify.

Camp, Rusty, Jacob, and Miles model the latest in protective headwear and illumination.

Boone and Miles calculate their chances of making it through the box. 

Connor negotiates a ladder at the start of the tour. 

     After a short walk to the end of the 10-acre room, we found ourselves beyond the protective glow of electric lighting. From that point forward we were dependent on the narrow beams of light from our helmet mounted flashlights. With a quick warning to avoid getting kicked in the face by the person preceding you, we were off on a two hour slither through the un-improved section of the cave. Some of the route involved climbing ladders while other points found us flat on our bellies squeezing through the afore-referenced 19x33 inch spaces. Some points widened enough for us to stand or to gather as a group. Our guide took these opportunities to tell us about previous explorers who had met with misfortune in the cave. The further we got along the way, the wetter and muddier it became, and the wetter and muddier we became. While dirt and mud has rarely impeded our scout's ability to have fun, they were glad when the tour ended at a set of sinks where they could wash up.   

Jacob follows Rusty through a tight spot
while trying to avoid getting kicked. 

Boone seems happy to take a rest stop in the mud.  

Michael, Joe, and Samuel revel in the chance to wash the mud from their hands. 

     The exertions of the evening had differing effects on the scouts. Some headed to the cave's snack bar to renew their energy with a good dose of nachos while others wanted little more than to crawl deep into their sleeping bags for the chance to dream about the comforts of home. However, by midnight, all were safely ensconced in the realm of Morpheus (that is, they were asleep).

The troop's designated camping area among the rocks. 

      Dawn (the lights being turned on) came at 7:00 AM and we were soon packed up and ready for breakfast in the Volcano Room. The menu consisted of two pancakes and two strips of bacon sliced so thin as to be almost translucent. However, any form of sustenance was welcome at that point. By 8:00 we were on our way into the sunshine of a beautiful Tennessee mountain morning and by 9:00 the cave was but a fast shrinking spot in the rearview mirror of the bus.

     Monday's PLC meeting gave the troop's youth leadership the chance to reflect upon the positives and negatives of the trip. All agreed that the chance to try something different from our regular campout venues was good. They also praised our cave guide and the adventure tour. The food got high marks, although it was generally agreed that more food at breakfast would have been better. While the trip was multifaceted, the scoutmaster's wife put the best description on it by saying, "You went to a hole in the ground and you had fun. What more can you say than that?"

     Be sure to check out the other photos in the online photo album.

High in the cold, thin air...

     Troop 50 made its annual pilgrimage to the cold heights of the Smokey Mountains for a weekend of fun and fellowship mixed with skiing and tubing at Ober Gatlinburg. This trip marks the third year that the troop has enjoyed these activities during the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend. We departed Auburn on Friday evening and after a dinner stop at our favorite Wendy's restaurant in Cartersville, Georgia, we continued our northward journey into the mountains of Tennessee, arriving in Gatlinburg around 1:00 AM. A few hardy souls still roamed the streets of town, although some of them appeared the worse for wear.

The scouts pose in front of the Ober Gatlinburg sign. A few were
hardy enough to brave the 19 degree cold without warm coats.

     Arising with surprising vigor by 8:00, the scouts were soon out exploring the shops along the parkway. A number of establishments in Gatlinburg seem dedicated to the sale of various knives, swords, and other dangerous weapons. A stop in one of these stores helped to satisfy some of the curiosity and the scouts soon moved on to a spirited round of mini-golf. This was followed by lunch at the Pizza Hut in which a number of pizzas seemed to disappear as soon as they hit the tables.

A few crumbs were all that remained. 

     The afternoon began with a ride on the aerial tram up to the ski area for snow tubing. The troop was joined by several of the parents and other family members who made repeated runs down the slides while perched atop inner tubes. This is always great fun, although several scouts noted that the slides seemed much slower than last year. This surely must be due to the effects of global warming.

Everett and Joe are prepared, as always, for the cold, snowy environment.

And they're off!

Everett seems less than
impressed with the singing
ability of his fellow scouts.

     Following our return to downtown, we were off to dinner at our usual spot at Blaine's restaurant. In fact, we were even assigned the same waitress as last year. After a nice dinner, in which we were able to view the final portion of the Auburn-Kentucky game on TV, we celebrated Everett's birthday with a milkshake and a harmonious(?) rendition of "Happy Birthday" (which is, thankfully, no longer under copyright).

     To cap off the day, the scouts trooped into the arcade next door to the restaurant where they engaged in a number of games of chance/skill with varying degrees of success. One highlight seemed to be the dubious performance skills of an assistant scoutmaster on the Guitar Hero machine. It is doubtful that any of the major hair bands have anything to worry about from his competition.

Moving somewhat less than the speed of light. 

     When we awoke on the following morning, a light dusting of snow upon the vehicles heralded the beginning of a great day for skiing. Although the majority of the snow at Ober Gatlinburg is manufactured, a mixture of natural snow and the cool temperatures gave us near perfect conditions. While the experienced scouts quickly took to the slopes upon receiving their equipment, the new-to-skiing scouts matriculated to ski school under the guidance of a couple of adult leaders. Our ski instructor, Bill, who was also a repeat from previous years, had unfortunately sworn allegiance to the other SEC university in our state and had a number of things to say about our being from Auburn. In teaching the scouts how to stop, he referred to the shape of a plow, with which he said all people from Auburn would be familiar.

Bill teaches the basics of skiing using a few dubious metaphors. 

Miles, Carl, and Creighton prepare for a downhill run. 

     Throughout the day, most scouts and leaders enjoyed numerous runs along the crowded slopes. Between skiing, ice skating, the scenic chair lift, and the numerous opportunities for food; everyone could find something to enjoy. Although the scoutmaster managed to avoid injury (something he has not been able to do in the past), one of the scouts twisted his knee and had to be hauled off the mountain by the ski patrol. Fortunately, it was not serious and at last report was recovering well. After a filling dinner at the Seasons of Ober restaurant, a few of the scouts and leaders headed back to the hotel, while the majority of the group stayed to enjoy the skiing after dark. The senior patrol leader and assistant SPL even tried their hand (or maybe it's feet) at snowboarding during the evening session.

A hardy breakfast prior to our departure from Gatlinburg. 

Mr. Stanford, Mr. Williams, and Mr Dagg
look like they could use more coffee.

     After a good breakfast at the Flapjack House, we hit the road heading south. Rather than visit the go-cart track in Pigeon Forge as we have done in the past, we took one of the scout suggestions from the annual planning conference and stopped at The Lost Sea in Sweetwater, Tennessee. Craighead Caverns is home to the largest underground lake in the United States. Led by our intrepid guide, Savannah, we descended into the depths of the caverns to view the evidence of Cherokee habitation, the remains of a short-lived nightclub from the 1940s, and a cache of government supplies from a Cold War fallout shelter. After working our way to the lowest level of the cave, we boarded boats for a trip out across the water. The lake has been stocked with mountain trout since the 1960s and they are regularly fed by every tour as they traverse the lake. Following our climb back to the daylight, we were back on the road to Auburn after lunch.

The scouts listen attentively to Savannah
as we pause at the cave entrance.

Ready for the boat trip on the underground lake. 

 
     After a long drive, we all arrived safely back to Auburn by 5:00 PM and another great trip was logged into the history books. As an annual trip for scouts and families, Gatlinburg has been an enjoyable experience for the three years that we have been making the trip. It provides the scouts with an opportunity to challenge themselves on the ski slopes while also engaging in the fellowship of a troop outing. We look forward to more great family trips in the future.

     As always, many more photos are found in the online photo gallery.

An underworld experience

      Troop 50 Scouts experienced a different sort of camping experience this past weekend at Cumberland Caverns in Tennessee. Seventeen of the troop's Scouts and adult leaders spent the night deep underground after a spelunking tour through an undeveloped section of the cave. This trip marks the second time the troop has visited the cave but was a new experience for all but four of the troop members who attended.

The troop contingent pauses for a group photo during the scenic walking tour. 

      After a Dutch oven dinner outside the cave, the Scouts packed up their personal gear for the hike into the cave. Once inside, we were assigned a camping spot on the floor of the cave and just had time to drop off our gear before heading out on the scenic walking tour of the interior.

The waterfall in the cave.

      During the walking tour we were introduced to a moonshine still, the remains of a pre-Civil War saltpeter operation (for making gunpowder), a real crystal chandelier (transferred from a New York Opera House), hundred year old cave graffiti, and a waterfall sprouting from the ceiling of the cave. We were also introduced to some of the cave wildlife such as cave crickets and a bat hanging from the ceiling.

      The walking tour has traditionally concluded with a light show among some of the grand formations of the caverns. The lights were accompanied by a dramatic reading of the first chapter from the book of Genesis and was quite inspiring. This light show has been used for over thirty-five years. However, the light show we saw was about the discoverer of the cave, Aaron Higgenbotham, being stuck in the cave for three days after he dropped his torch. Somehow, the effect wasn't the same. When questioned, our guide revealed that complaints about the religious nature of the program had led the owners of the cave to change the show.

      Following the walking tour, we donned helmets and headlamps to head out on the "wild" tour through an undeveloped part of the cave. First, we were required to crawl through an eleven inch high wooden box to make sure we could fit through the smaller portions of the route. The crawl through the box gave some of the Scouts time to reflect on what they would face in this part of the cave, which caused a little apprehension. Soon, however, we were climbing ladders, squeezing through narrow passages, and crawling through small holes in the rock.

Rusty and Carl climb the ladders at the start of the tour.

Jason squeezes through a tight space. 

      For almost two hours we twisted, turned, crawled, ducked, and (insert your own action verb here). The final stretch of the route traversed an area known as Bubble Gum Alley due to the sticky mud found there. By the time we emerged into the main section of the cave, we were liberally coated with mud. Fortunately, strategically placed wash basins greeted us at the end of the tour and allowed the Scouts to (partially) adhere to the obligation of the eleventh point of the Scout Law (a Scout is clean). Despite the fact that it was around 11:30 PM, most of the Scouts headed to the cave's snack bar to renew their strength. The remainder of the evening passed uneventfully, although our sleeping location near the restrooms meant we heard a number of footsteps through the night as other participants walked back and forth to visit the facilities.

      Reveille sounded at 7:00 AM, appropriately accompanied by the Beatles singing "A Hard Day's Night." Following breakfast in the Volcano Room of the cave, we packed our gear and headed back above ground. The weather was clear when we emerged into the light, which allowed us to easily change back into uniform and load up the vehicles. The promised rain did fall, quite heavily at times, during the ride back to Auburn but all returned safely to town by 2:30 PM.

      The weekend served as the first troop campout for our five newest Scouts and a new adult leader. All of them performed well and seemed to enjoy themselves. We look forward to many good outings with them. The other Scouts also enjoyed themselves, with "great" being the most often used adjective to describe the trip. One of our adult leaders was unable to make the trip due to a health problem. We wish him well and give our special thanks to Rose Zuk for stepping in at the last moment to drive part of the group to Tennessee. Our adult leaders and parents are key to the success of our troop. Many thanks for all of the help.

      More photos of the adventure are available in the online photo gallery.

Adventures in caving

Troop 50 is spending the weekend underground at Cumberland Caverns near McMinnville, TN. The Scouts have changed into their spelunking clothing and are now cooking dinner. We will eat before we enter the cave. The boys are looking forward to our cave tour and spending the night among the stalactites and stalagmites. More photos and information will be forthcoming once we emerge from the underworld on the morrow. 

Scouting Underground

The intrepid cave explorers of Troop 50

   
    The scouts of Troop 50 returned from the underworld this past weekend. The visit to Cumberland Caverns near McMinnville, TN was a great trip packed with interesting adventures. After a dinner outside the cave, we met our guide, Kevin (or as he preferred to be called, "Cave-in"). Inside the cave we were assigned a spot on the floor of the cave as our sleeping area for the night. In close proximity we found not only restrooms with flush toilets and sinks but also a snack bar with a wide menu. We were not exactly roughing it!

Fully functioning restrooms for cavemen and cavewomen

The underground snack bar

Just past the snack bar was the Volcano Room, which is a large area complete with a stage and multicolored chandelier. The room is used for concerts in the cavern's Bluegrass Underground series. One of these concerts had just ended as we arrived at the cave. The chandelier, which can put on a light show of its own, was rescued from a New York City theater and installed in the cave in 1981.

We next began a scenic walking tour of the cave. This is the regular tour taken by daytime visitors to the cave. Kevin gave us lessons on geology, the history of the cave, and instructions for how to make saltpeter for gunpowder (once an "underground" industry in the cave). He also showed us a reconstructed moonshine still but refrained from offering a recipe for its use. The tour included a walk through the Hall of the Mountain King (a room large enough for six football fields) and an inspiring light show narrated with the first chapter of Genesis.

Next it was time for the "wild" tour of the cave. After being outfitted with helmets and headlamps, we each made a crawl through an eleven inch high test box. This was designed to test our ability to fit through some of the narrower parts of the cave. Most everyone fit easily through and we were off for our crawl through the darkness. Up ladders and through holes we climbed in what seemed like never-ending passageways. Occasionally, we would come to larger spaces where Kevin would hold forth with stories of people being trapped or killed in the cave. The last section of the tour included an area called bubble gum alley, which received its name from the sticky clay and mud that covered the floor. It also covered us once we were done.

Jake survives a crawl through the test box

Vincent makes his way through a narrow space

The tour ended about 11:30 pm with some (mostly leaders) ready for bed and others (mostly scouts) headed for the snack bar to recharge with nachos and soft drinks. Eventually, everyone found their way to their sleeping bag and we all slept like a rock (or at least among the rocks). Morning came quickly and a breakfast at the snack bar was followed by packing up and hiking out of the cave. The consensus among the scouts seemed to be a big thumbs up for caving. It seems likely that another trip to Cumberland Caverns is in our future. Check out the other photos from the trip in our photo gallery.

Ready to go caving!

     After a lunch stop north of Atlanta, Troop 50 has arrived at Cumberland Caverns outside of McMinnville, TN. Our caving adventure will begin at 5:30 this evening and will consist of a scenic walking tour as well as a "wild" tour of undeveloped areas of the cave. We (hopefully) will emerge from the cave in the morning after a night among the rocks and bats. More photos to follow.