Leaving....Alabama
I have to say that this buisness trip has been one of the best that I've been on.
I shopped, saw a natural wonder and visted a very small town--all in 100 degree heat. Lol
I managed to pick up some souviners and snag some of the complementary toiletries for a friend--just like a 50s husband on a buisness trip would. Lol I ordered room service every night, ordering just appetizers one night.
Yesterday I drove out to Cathedral Caverns like a bat out of hell. Class was over at 3pm and I knew this place was at least 40 miles away from downtown Huntsville, but I wanted to give it a try anyway. Lol
I made it there at 3:50 by driving anywhere from 10 to 15 miles over the speed limit. Thanks god for the cops being busy other places.lol
So when I get there, the girl inside the airconditioned booth told me that they couldn't take just 1 person on a tour--and there was no one else near by. Ugh. So then I begged, politely, but it was begging. It consisted of me explaining I was from Seattle and had to catch a plane the next day at 5:55am. She told me to sit and she'd let me know what they were going to do at 4pm.
So I did. During that time, two bikers showed up and headed towards the cave. She had to yell after them to explain you couldn't go in without a guide--and the tour cost $10. They decided it was too rich for their blood and left.
She comes back and tells me that I get to go, but it will be on a 'trash run'. I pay my $10 and we are off in a golf cart inside the cave.
The cave was pretty and interesting. The opening is the largest cave opening in the world. I think you could fit a whole 2 story house in the opening! I told the girl that since it was just us, she didn't have to do the whole shtick unless she wanted to. She agreed and said she'd point out what was interesting to her.
She pointed out a shark's tooth in the ceiling, saying that it was prehistoric and ths shark was as big as a bus!
We saw the frozen waterfall--a lovely formation that looks like a waterfall. There was goliath--a gigantic stlagmite (or is it stalagtite?). The Cathedral room was most impressive. The high ceilings in the cave made it possible for all of the formations.
We did 'total darkness' when they turn out the lights and you are plunged into darkness--just like the cave explorers who charted this thing were!
Then it was a quick drive out the cave and back into my car--the whole thing took about 30 mins while the usual tour takes about 1 hour and 15 mins. Lol
The next stop was the historic Twickenham area of Huntsville. I drove around and took some pictures, all the while trying to be a good tourist and pull over to the side of the road when taking them. Lol I then went to the cemetary in town to take some more pictures. I found some old graves and noticed a lot of people died in 1878. I wonder if there was an epidemic or something...
The previous day, I was supposed to do the downtown thing, but since a disel tanker flipped over in that area, I decided to avoid it and head south instead. I got some super pictures of the sunset that day and once I can get my act together I'll post some of them.
Right now, I'm waiting in the Houston airport, yes the same place I was stuck in for 8 hours last month. Lol of course this morning we have to deal with the left overs of the tropical depression that made landfall early this morning. Ugh. This is why I was on the super early flight--to avoid weather issues like this. Lol
At least the pilot this moring on the little plane was cute. He kept answering the flight attendant with 'yes ma'am'. *sigh* ;) Kinda short, dark hair--just my type. Lol
I shopped, saw a natural wonder and visted a very small town--all in 100 degree heat. Lol
I managed to pick up some souviners and snag some of the complementary toiletries for a friend--just like a 50s husband on a buisness trip would. Lol I ordered room service every night, ordering just appetizers one night.
Yesterday I drove out to Cathedral Caverns like a bat out of hell. Class was over at 3pm and I knew this place was at least 40 miles away from downtown Huntsville, but I wanted to give it a try anyway. Lol
I made it there at 3:50 by driving anywhere from 10 to 15 miles over the speed limit. Thanks god for the cops being busy other places.lol
So when I get there, the girl inside the airconditioned booth told me that they couldn't take just 1 person on a tour--and there was no one else near by. Ugh. So then I begged, politely, but it was begging. It consisted of me explaining I was from Seattle and had to catch a plane the next day at 5:55am. She told me to sit and she'd let me know what they were going to do at 4pm.
So I did. During that time, two bikers showed up and headed towards the cave. She had to yell after them to explain you couldn't go in without a guide--and the tour cost $10. They decided it was too rich for their blood and left.
She comes back and tells me that I get to go, but it will be on a 'trash run'. I pay my $10 and we are off in a golf cart inside the cave.
The cave was pretty and interesting. The opening is the largest cave opening in the world. I think you could fit a whole 2 story house in the opening! I told the girl that since it was just us, she didn't have to do the whole shtick unless she wanted to. She agreed and said she'd point out what was interesting to her.
She pointed out a shark's tooth in the ceiling, saying that it was prehistoric and ths shark was as big as a bus!
We saw the frozen waterfall--a lovely formation that looks like a waterfall. There was goliath--a gigantic stlagmite (or is it stalagtite?). The Cathedral room was most impressive. The high ceilings in the cave made it possible for all of the formations.
We did 'total darkness' when they turn out the lights and you are plunged into darkness--just like the cave explorers who charted this thing were!
Then it was a quick drive out the cave and back into my car--the whole thing took about 30 mins while the usual tour takes about 1 hour and 15 mins. Lol
The next stop was the historic Twickenham area of Huntsville. I drove around and took some pictures, all the while trying to be a good tourist and pull over to the side of the road when taking them. Lol I then went to the cemetary in town to take some more pictures. I found some old graves and noticed a lot of people died in 1878. I wonder if there was an epidemic or something...
The previous day, I was supposed to do the downtown thing, but since a disel tanker flipped over in that area, I decided to avoid it and head south instead. I got some super pictures of the sunset that day and once I can get my act together I'll post some of them.
Right now, I'm waiting in the Houston airport, yes the same place I was stuck in for 8 hours last month. Lol of course this morning we have to deal with the left overs of the tropical depression that made landfall early this morning. Ugh. This is why I was on the super early flight--to avoid weather issues like this. Lol
At least the pilot this moring on the little plane was cute. He kept answering the flight attendant with 'yes ma'am'. *sigh* ;) Kinda short, dark hair--just my type. Lol