Cosmos and Crystal Cave...CRAZINESS
This Saturday Jesse and I became local tourists once more. We tried out "Cosmos: The Mystery Area" which is billed as "IT"S CRAZY!" and "SEE IT, FEEL IT!" from huge signs on the road. It is an 'area' where supposedly the laws of physics become meaningless. We are still dubious after going, but it was fairly entertaining. There was a crazy house built on a hill where we entered and found that leaning at crazy angles was the natural way to balance (see photos). Standing straight up would have meant falling over. We both think it is just how the house architecture was designed and the whole experience was pretty nauseating. Roller-coaster puke-feeling with no roller coaster. I guess that's worth something.
(Click on each photo to enlarge for easy and fun viewing...)
(See how we're leaning? IT'S CRAZY!)
We then went to Sitting Bull Crystal Caverns, which has some of the largest Dogs-Tooth Crystal formations...I guess anywhere. Or most places, at least. It was cool right away because in the ticketing/gift shop area we found the rare and elusive Jackalope!
(I am usually really disturbed by taxadermized animals but this Jackalope was pretty rad. He cost $180. No, we didn't buy him though on a strange, intense level...I was tempted.)
We also want to share the CRAZY road sign on the very windy blind-curved road on the way to the caverns. The road was really like the sign:
Here is a photo from inside the cave. It was neat and cold and we had to go down about 150 metal stairs to get to the walking level of the cave. Check out the dog-tooth crystal in the backround:
I am a mineral-noob so I don't really know much about what we saw, but the guide was very helpful and showed us places in the cave that he got to explore ('spelunk') during off-hours. Well, we saw where he went in; very tiny, dark holes. I am not sure I am made to cave, because I like air and not worrying about being crushed with rocks. Jesse thinks it would be neat though.
There are a lot of other caves to tour in the area, and since they are cold when it is hot above ground, we will save going to the other ones for when it is 110 degrees outside.
Also, just because, here is a photo Kayla took while we were photographing the fox kits yesterday. It is me holding one of the two-month old kits (in the rain):
I will miss the foxes if we have to give them away. I think the park will keep a few at least. Foxes are neat.
(Click on each photo to enlarge for easy and fun viewing...)
(See how we're leaning? IT'S CRAZY!)
We then went to Sitting Bull Crystal Caverns, which has some of the largest Dogs-Tooth Crystal formations...I guess anywhere. Or most places, at least. It was cool right away because in the ticketing/gift shop area we found the rare and elusive Jackalope!
(I am usually really disturbed by taxadermized animals but this Jackalope was pretty rad. He cost $180. No, we didn't buy him though on a strange, intense level...I was tempted.)
We also want to share the CRAZY road sign on the very windy blind-curved road on the way to the caverns. The road was really like the sign:
Here is a photo from inside the cave. It was neat and cold and we had to go down about 150 metal stairs to get to the walking level of the cave. Check out the dog-tooth crystal in the backround:
I am a mineral-noob so I don't really know much about what we saw, but the guide was very helpful and showed us places in the cave that he got to explore ('spelunk') during off-hours. Well, we saw where he went in; very tiny, dark holes. I am not sure I am made to cave, because I like air and not worrying about being crushed with rocks. Jesse thinks it would be neat though.
There are a lot of other caves to tour in the area, and since they are cold when it is hot above ground, we will save going to the other ones for when it is 110 degrees outside.
Also, just because, here is a photo Kayla took while we were photographing the fox kits yesterday. It is me holding one of the two-month old kits (in the rain):
I will miss the foxes if we have to give them away. I think the park will keep a few at least. Foxes are neat.