A day of "Firsts"

Sunday was a day of new experiences.

    I went with Jake a Ranger in the Cave Unit which is responsible for the care and maintenance of the caverns.  He showed me how to "open" the cave.  The cavern is 'turned off "every night.  Rangers or volunteers go in after the last tours of the day to clean the rocks and formations of touches from that day and see that all the lights have been turned off and all the doors are locked.
    In the morning the process is reversed.  So that morning Jake and I picked up the keys and headlamps at the Visitor Center and headed up to the entrance.  We unlocked the gate and the several doors to open the cave for the day.  As we traveled through the cave we tested all the light posts to verify that the lights for that portion are in working condition.  We also plugged in phones at various spots along the route.  These are there for emergency purposes. 
    It is important to maintain the humidity in the cave so a fogger was plugged in and run for 30 minutes in the Rotunda and in the Throne Room.  Two were also run in the Big Room as well.  There are 14 monitor stations throughout the caverns that constantly record temperature and humidity.  Theses foggers are needed to replace the humidity that is removed by our visitors as they walk through the site.  It is one of the costs of making this cave open to the public.
    It was so interesting walking through the darkness with just headlights on.  You have no idea what darkness is until you are in a cave without the lights on.  IT IS DARK.  So dark that you can not see your hand right in front of your face.   
   The other new adventure on Sunday as well.  It was my first tour as the guide.  We finished our guide training two weeks ago.  We have been studying, planning and trailing just biding our time until our names come up on the schedule.  Last week both of us had a tour where we shadowed the guides, seeing the tour from the front instead of the trail position in the rear.  It was a different perspective.   Sunday was different.  I got back to the VC just a few minutes before my 9:20 tour so I didn't have any time to fret or worry about my first.  Instead I put on my tour fanny pack and headed out to meet our new visitors.  It was my best tour so far.  Of course it was my first. Randa did her first Sunday as well.   However, our feet are now wet and we are going forward.
   More stories to come.