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Detail of unknown tree
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Location: Woodville and Huntsville
When: early February
Miles traveled: 788.6
Price of gas: $3.24
Interest: Unknown tree type; one ranger says it's Dogwood, another says Beech, a pamphlet about trees says Eastern Redbud.
High point: Microwave!
Low point: Mold
One thing learned: I am a morning person, I'm just in the wrong time zone.
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Top of LMFP's mountain. Landing zone is long grass strip in middle.
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Cathedral Caverns State Park is located in Woodville, Alabama. This campground was the first one I've stayed at that had coin laundry machines on premises and a microwave next to the washers! Very exciting! It was also my first time zone crossing, and I made things difficult by keeping track of both time zones. I did this because I am flying home soon to file taxes, and because I was driving to Georgia and back hoping for good weather. Woodville is 1.5 hours from Lookout Mountain Flight Park in Georgia. LMFP teaches people how to paraglide and hang glide. I signed up to learn how to hang glide, but the weather did not cooperate and my lesson had to be rescheduled. The company's policy allows for rescheduling anytime within the next two years. I'm hoping the weather will be better during the month I visit Tennessee.
Jacob Gurley's (
the landowner) enthusiasm for the cavern and his attempts to share his passion with others. His wife, unhappy that he did not consult with her before buying the cavern, refused to to go into the cave for over two years. Eventually she went in the caverns and liked one of the back rooms. Inspired by the formations she saw there, which looked like a pipe organ, a choir, and a ministers pulpit, she made her husband change the cavern's name from Bat Cave to Cathedral Caverns. The caverns are best viewed with one's imagination. Shapes like a unicorn, Albert Einstein, Easter bunny, Grinch, Indian shaman, and a forest were all pointed out by the guide. Bats, lizards, and cave crickets all live in the cavern. The bats were still hibernating, but we could see a few sleeping on the wall in a small ball shape. A shark tooth can be seen on the ceiling, though it is high above and hard to see. Apparently, scientists have named the shark the tooth came from and the shark's teeth are distinct enough that they have been identified throughout the region! Mystery River, thus named because it's origin is unknown, surfaces in the cavern a few times before traveling underground to the next valley in the south.
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Goliath, a large stalagmite, back view
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"Frozen" waterfall- Frozen in time, the water changes this formation incredible slowly. A photo now and 5+ years later would look the same.
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| A forest |
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Soda straws in the top left corner. Water runs down their hollow centers.
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Mystery River
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Cavern map
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On Thursday, I visited Lowe Mill ARTS and Entertainment, "the largest privately owned arts facility in the United States". It's an interesting mix of personal art studios, gallery space, class rooms, cafe/restaurants, and businesses (tattoo parlor, photography, theater, fancy chocolates+). I walked around the three level building, looking at all the studios and stopped for lunch. I don't remember what food I ordered, but the place offered mana and health potions! (blue raspberry and cherry respectfully) I ordered a mana potion, but afterwards I was unable to cast any spells. Perhaps my mana reserves are still too depleted. :(
An Art-o-mat was on the first level next to a pizza place. It's a antique cigarette vending machine turned into art vendor. Insert a token, pick an artist's theme, pull that knob a couple times, and down drops your art piece!
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My Art-o-mat Guit-art!
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On Sunday I went to church, and played boardgames at a library. Monday, I washed laundry, discovered mold under my mattress on the wood platform and watched lizards sunning themselves on the wood siding of the camp bathhouse. It was a beautiful warm and sunny day! There were too many lizards to count and they waited until the last possible minute to move as I walked around. I was worried I would step on them. One was already dead, flattened and stuck to the pavement. Monday is my work day and the campground had good wifi, so I wrote a blog post while outside in the sunshine. Tuesday is my desginated day for driving to the next state. And from Alabama I drove south to Florida.
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Lemon lavender cake. Good lemon flavor, a hint of lavender, but too much flavorless, non-sugary icing.
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Flowers on unknown tree
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