In a Cavern, in a Cavern

Around noon on Saturday, we decided to head for Benson, where the spectacular Kartchner Caverns are located.  The Big Room is only open about six months a year, so we timed it well, arriving just five days after most of the wee bats had left their summer digs for warmer climes.  During their sojourn in the caverns, they had had their baby "pinkies", weened them, and had their fill of local insects.

Our Arizona State Park Ranger guide, filled us with details about the discovery of the caverns--- originally guessed to be located under a sink hole by Randy Tufts--- to all the geological history and make-up of the multi-colored stalagmites and stalagtites.

The many formations the guide introduced us to included columns, delicate hanging "soda straws", and "fried egg" formations (actually "forming" before our eyes as drops of water fell from above).  We also learned about cavern drapery and "bacon" formations; several were lit up so nicely they could have been mistaken for a Dale Chuhuly installation.

Other formations looked straight out of a fantasy flic, like distant whitewashed fairyland hilltop villages.  One several ton chunk that had fallen from the ceiling looked like a sideways Escher etching of stairs going up and going down at the same time.