Texas Caverns near I-10 December 10, 2004, 09:13:55 am Yahoo Message Number: 47591If you're traveling in West Texas, on I-10, here's a stop & overnight for you. Exit # 392 - follow the signs south to the Caverns of Sonora. It's about 7 miles off the interstate. The AAA Tourbook grades this cavern as a Gem, and I'll agree with this one. They're called unbelievable by cave authorities. There are formations that look impossible. Our guide was a real expert, and added much to the tour, which took over two hours. We stayed the night at their campground - I think it was about $10. E/W - no dump. Picnic tables, shade trees, deer, & peacocks. This is a family owned operation - really lovely people who take pride and lots of care in what they have. They really want to protect the caverns, and the people. The have a little gift shop, make passable hamburgers, and the owner/manager let me use her phone line to get my email, so I guess you'd have to say this is a modem friendly park. For the dog owners - it's dog-friendly, too! They have a couple of dogs that really like to play, and our two wore themselves out playing. We're on our way again - we enjoyed this cave so much, that our next stop will be Carlsbad Caverns, in New Mexico. Another AAA "Gem". Then the next day we'll make it back home to Albuquerque/Placitas. This whole trip has been waaaaay too short.Sarah N 30° 33.293 W 100°48.663 Elev: 2,221
Re: Texas Caverns near I-10 Reply #1 – December 10, 2004, 09:28:08 am Yahoo Message Number: 47592QuoteIf you're traveling in West Texas, on I-10, here's a stop & overnight for you. Exit # 392 - follow the signs south to the Caverns of Sonora. It's about 7 miles off the interstate. My problem with all the great caverns save one is that they are dry - no longer wet. This means that while the forms are fantastic, they are all a dry brown color. Where they might have "wet" places it is usually only a single formation. Louray Caverns in the Shenondoah, on the other hand, are "wet". The dripping is still taking place, the stalactites and stalagmites are still being formed, but the wonder is in the colors - greens, golds, pinks and everything in between. In addition, Louray has someting wondrous seen nowhere else. In the 1890's a musician sounded all the stalactites in the great cavern for their natural tone, and made a stalactite organ by installing a feature which struck them with rubber hammers. The earth itself becomes the sounding board. Wonderful.EnjoyGus Weber
Re: Texas Caverns near I-10 Reply #2 – December 10, 2004, 10:45:28 am Yahoo Message Number: 47598QuoteMy problem with all the great caverns save one is that they are dry - no longer wet. This means that while the forms are fantastic, they are all a dry brown color. Where they might have "wet" places it is usually only a single formation. Louray Caverns in the Shenondoah, on the other hand, are "wet". The dripping is still taking place, the stalactites and stalagmites are still being formed, but the wonder is in the colors - greens, golds, pinks and everything in between. In addition, Louray has someting wondrous seen nowhere else. In the 1890's a musician sounded all the stalactites in the great cavern for their natural tone, and made a stalactite organ by installing a feature which struck them with rubber hammers. The earth itself becomes the sounding board. Wonderful. Hey Gus, have you been to Karchner Caverns south-east of Tucson? These are wet, living, caves that they have tried to keep as pristine as possible and yet allow the general public to visit. We highly recommend them to anyone traveling in that area. Advance reservations strongly recommended.Art
Re: Texas Caverns near I-10 Reply #3 – December 10, 2004, 11:22:40 am Yahoo Message Number: 47605QuoteHey Gus, have you been to Karchner Caverns south-east of Tucson? These are wet, living, caves that they have tried to keep as pristine as possible and yet allow the general public to visit. We highly recommend them to anyone traveling in that area. Advance reservations strongly recommended. Art, I've heard that they hold back a few tickets each day for walkups. Do you know if this is correct?Linda & Earl2004 23.5' Red TK From Quartzsite, AZ
Texas Caverns near I-10 Reply #4 – December 10, 2004, 11:23:13 am Yahoo Message Number: 47606"If you're traveling in West Texas, on I-10, here's a stop & overnight for you. Exit # 392 - follow the signs south to the Caverns of Sonora. It's about 7 miles off the interstate."Sarah Sarah, before Barry gently reminds you, why don't you post this info in the Database for "Parks", etc.Chris
Re: Texas Caverns near I-10 Reply #5 – December 10, 2004, 11:34:18 am Yahoo Message Number: 47608QuoteArt, I've heard that they hold back a few tickets each day for walkups. Do you know if this is correct? I'm sure that is true, but I think they typically go fast. Also, a reservation guarantees the time of your tour, making scheluding your day much easier. http://www.pr.state.az.us/Parks/parkhtml/kartchner.html#anchor_tourinfo Art
Re: [Life With A Lazy Daze RV] Re: Texas Caverns/Now Kartchner Reply #6 – December 10, 2004, 01:10:25 pm Yahoo Message Number: 47612Hey Linda -- I'm not Art, but here's my (and Sarah and Pete's) experience earlier this year. Some tickets are indeed held back, but one has to be at the gate by 7:30 am for the lottery. Sarah can fill in on details if she reads this -- she was the early riser! Also, you might score some no-show tickets by hanging around the info desk -- I'd try that first, but you might not get two for the same tour (there are two tours) or the same time. I second Art's recommendation -- the Kartchner Caverns are wondrous, and the lengths the Park (State of AZ) goes through to keep them alive and pristine is a fascinating story in itself, as is the story of their discovery and the Kartchner family's legacy.Also, there is an Escapees park nearby, Benson I think. A rep from Kartchner gave a presentation one day that was a terrific introduction to the eye-popping innards of the caverns. Well worth a "side trip" from Quartzsite!Lorna in Santa Cruz where the sun is finally charging up the ol' battery bank
Re: [Life With A Lazy Daze RV] Re: Texas Caverns/Now Kartchner Reply #7 – December 10, 2004, 02:25:59 pm Yahoo Message Number: 47616Also, you Quotemight score some no-show tickets by hanging around the info desk -- I'd try that first, but you might not get two for the same tour (there are two tours) or the same time. Thanks for the information, Lorna. We'd probably try just taking our chances with the tickets as walkups. We're not much for making reservations, and I've heard that reservations are very hard to come by -- they must be made *months* in advance. At least that's the way it was when they first opened up...perhaps things have eased up a little by now.Linda & Earl 2004 23.5' Red TK From Quartzsite, AZ
Re: [Life With A Lazy Daze RV] Re: Texas Caverns/Now Kartchner Reply #8 – December 10, 2004, 02:29:28 pm Yahoo Message Number: 47617QuoteLorna in Santa Cruz where the sun is finally charging up the ol' battery bank Hey, Lorna! Is that Santa Cruz, California or New Mexico? You wouldn't, by any chance, be planning on making it to Q this winter would you? If not, we'll see you at the Escapade (I *think* you said you were going), or I'll see you at the LaDeze GTG in Parker.Linda & Earl 2004 23.5' Red TK From Quartzsite, AZ
[Life With A Lazy Daze RV] Re: Texas Caverns/Now Kartchner Reply #9 – December 10, 2004, 04:55:33 pm Yahoo Message Number: 47621QuoteI second Art's recommendation -- the Kartchner Caverns are wondrous, Quoteand the lengths the Park (State of AZ) goes through to keep them alive and pristine is a fascinating story in itself, as is the story of their discovery and the Kartchner family's legacy.Also, there is an Escapees park nearby, Benson I think. A rep from Kartchner gave a presentation one day that was a terrific introduction to the eye-popping innards of the caverns. Well worth a "side trip" We visited the cavern last January. They have about 8 air locks into and out of the cave, along with hidden sprayers that recirculate some of the natural water to needed areas. All needed to keep it a "living cave" per our guide. They have a campground there also that was very nice. We stayed 3-4 days. Nice hiking trails also.Bob & Ellen Hull 26 MB Sun Prairie, WI
Re: [Life With A Lazy Daze RV] Re: Texas Caverns near I-10 Reply #10 – December 11, 2004, 06:16:44 pm Yahoo Message Number: 47667(re Karchner Caverns & reservations) You can nearly always get a single ticket. That's a problem when a couple wants to go together. And, I got tickets, twice, with 24 hours notice for two. This is a fabulous cavern. Sarah
Re: [Life With A Lazy Daze RV] Texas Caverns near I-10 Reply #11 – December 13, 2004, 08:19:03 am Yahoo Message Number: 47768(snip) . . . before Barry gently reminds you, why don't you post this info in the Database for "Parks". . . Chris - I couldn't find the file. I have to admit that I don't use the web site, so may not know exactly where to look. I clicked on "files" on the left-hand-side, and went to a page that had a lot of folders - prices, check lists, all sorts of good stuff, but couldn't find the "parks" one, or anything that sounded like 'places to park/see/sights/etc.'Can anyone lead me to the right place?Thanks, Sarah the file-challenged.[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: [Life With A Lazy Daze RV] Texas Caverns near I-10 Reply #12 – December 13, 2004, 09:11:42 am Yahoo Message Number: 47771Hi Sarah, Go to that same left column and click on 'Database' and what you are looking for is near the bottom of the list.Marti.....couldn't find the
Barry B - Database Suggestion Below Reply #13 – December 13, 2004, 09:35:57 am Yahoo Message Number: 47773Quote Chris - I couldn't find the file. > Can anyone lead me to the right place?Quote Thanks, Sarah the file-challenged. Sarah, Marti got you to the right file. Like you, I get confused between the Files and the Database reference banks. Barry, may I suggest you add "RV" in front of "Parks" in the "Parks, Roads, Bridges" database. I think it will be easier to find for those who use this helpful database infrequently. ...Or maybe add "Campgrounds" to the title.Chris H
Re: Barry B - Database Suggestion Below Reply #14 – December 13, 2004, 11:48:59 am Yahoo Message Number: 47786Chris (and others)Done. The new name of the data base on the web site is 'Campgrounds, Parks, Roads, Bridges, Sites'. Amazingly enough, Yahoo let me edit the title and furthermore did not even loose the data. I exported the data before I started to be sure, but was glad that I did not have to fight Yahoo to import it back in. I did not like the idea of the name 'RV Parks', because to me the name conjures up sleezy RV parking lots with high prices and the RVs about 4-6 feet apart. I know there are nice RV parks out there, but my experience with the few that I have stayed
Texas Caverns near I-10 Reply #15 – December 10, 2004, 11:19:12 am Yahoo Message Number: 47604We're on our way again - we enjoyed this cave so much, that our next stop will be Carlsbad Caverns, in New Mexico. Another AAA "Gem". Then the next day we'll make it back home to Albuquerque/Placitas. This whole trip has been waaaaay too short. Sarah, thanks for the tip! We'll have to stop there on our next trip to Texas. The Carlsbad Caverns are great! Another interesting cave tour is the Lehman Caves in the Great Basin National Park in Nevada. We love cave tours! One that we haven't been to yet, but do want to visit, are the Kartchner Caverns in southeastern Arizona neat Benson.Linda & Earl 2004 23.5' Red TK From Quartzsite, AZ
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