Class Dismissed

   Yesterday was our last day of training.  We met in the conference room to discuss the class, answer any questions, evaluate the program, etc.  It was a lively and rewarding discussion.  Many subjects, some about the cave and some totally off base, were asked and answered.  One of the best parts was that several maps of the cavern were there to examine.  Of course they were geological maps so fault lines and soil and rock types were features instead of tunnels and pathways.  But they still gave us an idea of the actual layout of the cavern. 
     Look up the history of the discovery and development of Kartchner Caverns,  It is fascinating.  The secrecy and hard work that went into the making of this state park.  It truly is the crown jewel of  the Arizona state park system.
     Next week the next phase of our volunteer stint begins.  The application of our training.  We have been doing various volunteer duties.  Working at the gatehouse, greeting the cars as they arrive and collecting the daily fee.  Another task is helping at the front desk, with information and tour tickets.  We also have been "trailers", being at the back of the tours, helping the tour guide as needed. 
     Now it gets interesting.  We will be the tour guides.  But we aren't just thrown into the arena like some of our previous parks.  We will have mentors to be with us.  We will gradually work our way into the position.  We will not be on our own until we are ready to solo.  It is not as if we had never been guides before.  Petrified Forest, Boyce Thompson, LBJ ranch, Oregon Pipe Cactus, etc.  Kartchner is a bit different.  This is our first cave so the language is new.  We can learn that, no problem.  The logistics is going to be the tricking part.  Tours of the Rotunda/Throne Room go every 20 minutes.  ( ie. 12:00, 12:20, 12:40) That schedule is exact.  So the tour guide's responsibility, in addition to greeting and handling 20 guests, telling the story, and showing the features of the site, is to keep on schedule.  That involves being at a certain spot at a certain time to push a button to tell the next tour to enter the cave or that you are past a certain point and they can move forward.  That's going to be the challenge here at KC.  It will be interesting.

Here is a photo of the map.  You can click on it to make it larger.  As you can see the cave is not a uniform shape.  It has lots of unique and interesting areas that only the scientists see.