Spelunking 101

A word to the wise: When you see a billboard for the "World's Only Organ [as in music, not body parts] Cave", you pull over. Which is how Warren and I found ourselves at the Shenandoah Valley's pride and joy: The Luray Caverns. Friends, this is a cave system so fabulous that Mr. Rogers himself featured the wonder on his hit television show (at 1:43 you can see the man play the stalacpipe organ!)

Anyway, we knew we were in for a treat when we pulled into the parking lot and were greeted by Stone Age versions of ourselves (if we were cartoons):

We entered the gift shop and almost left with a headlamp. Also, inexplicably, unicorns. (Spelunkers beware, spoiler alert: THERE ARE NO UNICORNS LIVING IN LURAY CAVERNS. I hate to be the bearer of bad news...)


Even without the unicorns, the caves are pretty cool. My favorite part was the Lake of Eternity. The water is so calm that the reflections look like stalagmites reaching towards the dripping stalactites. Beautiful.

These guys were called bacon strips:

And here is the glorious organ. Sometime ago a man named Mr. Sprinkles (or something like that) hooked up little mallets to stalactites throughout the cave. Each stalactite plays a different tone so when linked together, it sounds like the cave is singing "Rock of Ages."

Of course, there's no better way to end a trip to the caves than with a gorge-fest at lobster-fest. Red Lobster, your heaving platters of food disgust and delight me. Thank you.

And, if any of you are looking for a wedding venue, your search is OVER. I present to you exhibit A:
If only we knew about this a year ago...