Down and Dirty
Our flashlights showed an eerie landscape - sharp-edged boulders scattered haphazardly across the damp, sandy ground. The echo of trickling water told of a stream running somewhere nearby. There was no sky overhead, just a ceiling of ragged rocks.
We were deep underground in a cave in Western Pennsylvania, exploring part of a system of caverns still being mapped. Perhaps only a dozen people had found this spot. Probably only a few hundred ever will.
Topside, mobs of outdoor lovers interface with nature via their designer hiking boots and snowmobiles. Underground, tightly knit groups of cavers strap on well-dented helmets, stuff extra batteries into the pockets of their worn jeans, and lace up scruffy boots as they leave daylight behind and discover the secrets of Mother Earth on a very personal level.
CONTINUES......
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© Fran Severn
