Our Kentucky Trip -- Day 1

Our main reason for going to Kentucky for our Spring Break trip was for Tim and Anna Kate to get an extreme cache in a cave in Somerset. The four of us hiked about a half mile up a mountain through very rugged terrain (including tons and tons of briars -- I still have scratches) to get to the cave entrance.

Here's the cave. It's about five feet in diameter and about 95 feet deep.

Tim fed the ropes to the bottom.

Then they got all suited up with their harnesses and helmets. Thank goodness for the helmets because Tim accidently knocked a large rock off that hit Anna Kate on the top of the helmet on the way down the cave hole.

Here's our 11-year-old baby right before she repelled 95 feet into a dark cave.

Here they go.

It was a little tricky at first trying to get their footing.

Tim had Anna Kate go down first so he could help guide her. That's when the rock hit her helmet.

Emma and I waited just outsite the cave entrance. I didn't keep track of how long it took them to repell and climb back out, but I was surprised at how quick they did this.

Tim took this picture at the bottom of the cave when Anna Kate found the cache container.

Here's the father/daughter team.

Anna Kate took this picture of her daddy.

Tim said it looked like the cave went a long way.

But they found this small snake, so it was probably best they didn't go exploring.

Here's a picture from the cave bottom looking up 95 feet to the light at the cave opening where Emma and I were waiting.

Time to go back up.

I know that must have been a hard climb pulling yourself back up 95 feet.

They made it.

This was such a huge accomplishment. Very few cachers have dared to attempt this cache. I am so proud of them. By the way, this was Tim's 4,000 cache. He timed it so this cache would be his milestone cache. It's definitely something they both will remember for a long time.

After we lugged all the gear back through the briars and down the mountain, we drove to the hotel where the girls were excited to take a swim in the indoor pool.