Crystal Cave

Welcome to...

Crystal Cave!!!

These photos were taken at today's awesome field trip to Crystal Cave in Spring Valley, WI. This was my third trip there, and I think it was the best one ever! We had an excellent guide who was super with the kids and his knowledge about this cave. Chris is only 17 years old and is homeschooled. He told me he was so thrilled for the opportunity to have this job, which the adults I spoke with agreed suit him quite well!

Descending down into the cave... .
It's over 70 feet deep, and is the safest place to be during an earthquake, something that has me perplexed... . Anyone know why this is true???

Two little bats hanging outCute little faces!A different species of bat!

Cool shapeStalactites and Stalagmites
A way to remember which is which:
stalactites hang on tight to the ceiling,
and stalagmites might possibly reach the ceiling of the cave
You can also see what's called a bacon formation on the top right side of this picture.Cool, huh???
Soda Straws

Can you see them dripping?

I was told this is one of the most photographed formations in the cave.
A fossil on the cave's floor in one of the roomsThis is actually the underside of an old mud puddle!!!
The Refrigerator
Can you see the hanging carrot (top left center), the soda bottle, and two glasses next to it??? There are also two straws, but they are harder to point out.
Use your imagination, and you can see more!
The Wishing Room
A section of a wishing wall
No, I didn't post any pics of the famous Charlie. You need to see it for yourself, and hear the story that goes along with it! Honestly, if you are ever in Eau Claire or the Twin City area, this cave is worth the trip!
--LKR

Charlie

We lost our super 14 year old "puppy" Charlie two years ago, today. He was such a super dog that just loved the kids. He loved everyone! Charlie and his "sister" Rocky, our shy little kitty, were the best of friends and used to sleep next to each other on the guest bed. Every neighbor we had that had a dog he'd get them to run back and forth the length of the fence separating them. A well-worn path would be created on both sides!

One of his closest puppy friends was a dog named Candy. They were both the same breeds--Golden Retriever, Collie, and German Shepherd and were the same age. Candy was more orange and looked more like a Retriever while Charlie was darker and had Shepherd markings and a white Collie tipped tail. But he was his whole life what the shelter described him as: goofy!

We got him from the Hinsdale Humane Society in Hinsdale, IL. His family had just dropped him off and, unbeknownst to us, was it the "observation before adoption" section. When we went back there, Charlie picked out Don. I was "okay", but the doleful eyes, leaning into the fence, and plea went out to Don. I don't know if he knew that we were from the same pack, but he picked out Alpha!

Hard to believe from these pictures, he had short fur for the first three years of his life! Every year after that, he got fuzzier and fuzzier. Much later in life, he earned the title "Fuzzy One". When my parents would come to visit from NJ, my Dad would take him outside to brush him. They both loved it! They were best buddies from the very beginning.

When we started our family, I would know Charlie had totally accepted his "siblings" when he'd plop down on the floor next to them and chew his bone. With our oldest, he loved to very carefully trip her by purposefully and gently grabbing her leg with his paw. It was so funny to watch! His tail would start wagging as he'd smile and then kiss her. The older the kids got, the more he adored them and the more they loved him. It was really hard for all of us to lose Charlie. --LKR