Flying High and Walking Down Under

 

Energetic. It was my first trip to visit Cat near St. Louis, MO, and I had an entire three days to explore the area. One of the many destinations we squeezed into our weekend was a stop at Meramec Caverns, a commercial cave southwest of the city. It was a damp day, with rain showers interspersed with dry periods where nothing really dried out. So, you know, perfect for going underground. Upon arrival neither of us could help but notice the cables strung over the Meramec River and through the forest on either bank; telltale signs of a zipline course. As I recall, there wasn't even a discussion about whether we were going to fly through the trees, and the only question we asked each other was if we were going before or after the cave tour. We decided to zipline before the tour, and in no time at all we had zoomed through the training/safety talk and were climbing the tower to the first line.

Now, I've got no problem with heights, but even I have to admit that as I looked over the edge of the tower and knew that all I had to do was pick my feet up and I'd be dangling over the river below on a thin piece of cable, attached only by a fabric harness and a carabiner, I got butterflies. So, naturally, I went first. And promptly fell in love. Oh! To fly over the little people in the parking lot, cross the rushing river, and head toward the wall of forest, gliding along and feeling almost weightless. For my first time on a zipline course, it was amazing. We glided through the trees and a rain shower, finally crossing our longest line back across the river. I seriously wanted to go again.

With the adrenaline rush of flying through the trees still coursing through us, we descended into the earth for our cave tour. I love caves, and take every opportunity to experience a tour. I get nearly the same information every time I take a tour, the standard stalactite/stalagmite, flowstone, deceivingly deep and clear pools, and, of course, the brief experience with total darkness and the optical tricks of the human brain. That doesn't detract from the awe and wonder I feel every time I see a formation created solely by water and minerals, something that looks like it belongs in a fantasy fairy land.

No cave I've ever entered has been the same, and that keeps me itching to go find yet another wonderland to explore. Cat and I had a fantastic tour, hanging out at the back of the group to allow for more time to take a hundred pictures. We emerged from the cave nearly as damp as when we entered it, and couldn't wait to see what else our weekend had in store for us.