Explorers Club 101

Monday (March 2) we went to Mantle Rock in western Kentucky. Indians camped there for a winter on the Trail of Tears and many died. Trees had fallen on the path to Mantle Rock, so we went a quicker way through the woods. We crossed a small creek and got to Mantle Rock. Merkin took a lot of pictures which annoyed me, but then we hiked around the back and got to the top of it. There was quite a view from the top. You could see far.

We walked around, found a humongous icicle, and Merkin got it down for me. I was following him and tripped and broke the icicle. Then we found a place that looked like miniatures--the moss looked like ground, a different moss looked like trees and a rock in it looked like a quarry. Then there was a creek which was deep in that section. I said maybe we could cross it, and Merkin got a horrible idea that he could throw me across it. He threw me across. My feet landed on the other side but I toppled backwards and thought “oh, oh” as I landed in the water. It was very cold (in the thirties) so we had to go to the nearest town to get me some new clothes. Merkin made me some pants out of his shirt and I wore a sweatshirt jacket that hadn’t gotten wet. I waited in the car while Merkin bought the clothes. Then we went to another arch (Apex Arch). It was completely trashed with graffiti and many empty paint cans at the bottom. It’s a wonder how people got 60 feet up to write the graffiti.
When I was sopping wet in the creek, I thought I would catch a cold, but I haven’t. Funny thing is . . . Merkin did catch a cold! Remember to take extra clothes when you go hiking with Merkin, and don’t let him throw you across a creek.

For Spring Break Merkin and I met up with Angela and Bob at the Red River Gorge. On Sunday, March the 8th Merkin and I went to Gray’s Arch. It is a large arch. There is a small monument for someone who fell off the top of the arch and died.

The next day (3.9.09) Angela and Bob bushwhacked with us to Sandy Arch. I was almost wet several times because of many creek crossings. One time we even crossed on a log. Sandy Arch is located up high. I stayed down below with Angela and Bob while Merkin climbed up. It was too scary for me to climb up.

While Merkin went to another arch, Bob read the newspaper, Angela built a sandcastle, and I built a sand arch on a sand bar on the Red River. We called the creation Malcolmland.

On Tuesday (3.10.09) we saw a small arch named Copperhead. It was pretty small. I could hardly fit through it. Then we all went to Rock Bridge and Merkin took off his shoes and got into the water for a better picture. He said the water was very, very, very cold. In Spanish it would be mucho, mucho, mucho frio. When the area was logged many years ago they tried to dynamite Rock Bridge, but it held firm. Only a small piece was knocked off. Merkin and I climbed on top of the bridge. It was very neat. We left Angela and Bob and went to Natural Bridge. I have been to it before, but Merkin needed a better picture. We went up Fat Man’s Misery to get to the top of the arch. Then we headed home.

On March the 17th Merkin and I went to McCreary County get some pictures for Merkin’s arch presentation. We first went to Double Ledge, which is located off an old roadbed. It is two arches on top of each other. I had some fun, but couldn’t get to the very top because it was too muddy.

Then we went to Yahoo Arch and Yahoo Falls. The arch was big with a smaller arch next to it. I could climb on top of the big arch. I tried to make another sand arch, but it failed. We took a path to the bottom of the waterfall. I could feel the wind on my face coming from the waterfall.

Finally, on Monday the 23rd Merkin and I joined Vic, Scott and Aaron on a trip to see Cow Cave Arch. It is a small arch at the entrance of Cow Cave. We then explored Potato Cave, which is right next to it. It was my first wild cave. We found our way through the many tunnels. At one point we had to do a belly crawl. In the middle of the belly crawl I said I was hungry and that I had to pee . . . Which did not please Merkin one bit. We continued on until we came to a pit. Aaron and Scott went on, while Merkin and I waited. I sculpted Merkin’s head in the mud while waiting for them to return. It was night when we exited the cave.
I got to see Vic and Merkin’s presentation at the library on the Natural Arches of Kentucky and I was in many of the photos!