Brightest in the Dark

It has been a while…. a long while… since I have posted here. After my trip in 2011 I finished my degree in geology and continued on to grad school. After grad school I found myself in a pretty dark place. We all have our demons to fight, mostly manifested by our own minds. I certainly had my fair share. Between battling depression, losing my Jeep due to mechanical/financial issues, and leaving academia I was lost. I was honestly in some of the darkest days of my life. I had lost the inspiration to do the things that made me happy.

Interestingly enough my brightest days occur in the darkest places on our plant. Places with no light at all. Caves.

I moved back to Missouri in 2017 after being gone for about 5 years. I now work in a cave. I go caving as much as I can. I got a new Jeep and started traveling again. I teach geology at a local community college. Life is good.

Now that I’m back in the darkest place on Earth, I am looking forward to the brightest time of my life. I hope to bring you new updates soon as the inspiration continues to build. 

To all of my friends, family and fellow cavers: Thank You. Without you I would be lost. You know who you are.

The Grand Adventure: Stats

STATS FOR GRAND ADVENTURE Summer 2011

Days on Road: 74

Miles Traveled:17508

States (and Provinces) Covered: 39 states 1 province (MO,AR,TN,MS, LA, AL, FL, GA, SC, NC, VA, MD, PA, NY, MA, NH, ME, VT, ON, WV, OH, IN, KY, IL, IA, WI, MN, SD, WY, MT, ID, WA, OR, CA, NV, AZ, TX, NM, CO, KS )

Why & Where Did I Go On This Trip?

This is the Grand Adventure tour, of which I call “Caves, Waves & Future Paves”. Aptly named, as the goals of this 75 day tour were to: a) visit potential grad schools b)collect data, photos and other information from a broad spectrum of caves throughout the U.S. for my own research and c) to relax among the worlds wonders (including friends, family, mountains, canyons, geologic marvels, coastlines and, of course, caves). It was a life changing and inspiring journey that I want to share with everyone so that you also feel empowered to travel. I have long believed that the most successful education involves hands-on, in-person experiences, and this is it! Starting out in Missouri I did two loops: My Eastern loop, a short 3 day stop at home, and then my Western loop. (See Map Below)

The Grand Adventure approximate path.

Day 57: Of Springs and Concrete

I think my pictures speak for themselves why I prefer to visit the great outdoors than visiting the concrete jungles. The great expanse of the “wild” west makes any person feel insignificant, and appreciative, of the world. Yet here I find myself today in the concrete jungle, visiting my brother and taking time to see one of my favorite California beaches, Santa Monica. I was born very close by and so this is where it all started for me. Surprisingly, where it all started for Santa Monica was a natural beauty.

The popular National Landmark, Santa Monica Pier. July 5, 2011

It all started for Santa Monica with a natural spring that was used by humans dating back before the transition of B.C. to A.D. in year keeping. The area was sacred to natives and, like most of our country’s geography, was taken over by pioneers. Today Santa Monica sits at the western end of one of the most iconic trails of concrete in the U.S.: Route 66.

The western end of Rt 66. July 5, 2011
The Promenade in Santa Monica, CA. July 5, 2011

It is hard to believe there is anything left of nature when walking through the shopping districts of Santa Monica. The Promenade is full of stores selling t-shirts for a couple hundred dollars and expensive couture labels. I spent some time window shopping in the area (certainly not spending any money on the ridiculously overpriced merchandise) and then headed back to the beach. Although surrounded by concrete and people the beach is the one place that is difficult to get away from the beauty that has always been here. Looking down the coast you can’t help but soak in the view of the mountains in the distance with the waves crashing in front of you. The pier, of course, offers my favorite local snack, a churro. Mmmm. Of course if you’ve read any of my previous journeys (like my 2009 visit) you already know my love of churros.

Churros on Santa Monica Pier

Despite being surrounded by the concrete jungle if you close your eyes as the sun sets and the beachgoers leave to prepare for their nighttime activities you can focus in on the waves and imagine visiting a few hundred years ago when concrete was a thing of the future. The concrete all came to be because of the beauty of nature that was here before. Some of it is hidden between the walls of commerce and population but it always ends at the beach. As long as you keep looking west you can see what beauty inspired so many people to flock here, even before we colonized America…

Let’s see what I can get into tomorrow…

Nicole

Santa Monica Beach July 5, 2011
The flowers were in bloom on the Promenade in Santa Monica. July 5, 2011

 

Blooms on the Promenade. July 5, 2011

 

 

 

Day 56: Exploration for Independence Day

America was “discovered” during the era of exploration. Western civilization had become fascinated with finding the last frontier. While the Fourth of July is meant to be a holiday to celebrate our independence as a country it seemed fitting to spend my holiday in one of the last frontiers: A cave. There are few places left on Earth that have not been explored yet. The great underground is one of those few. In the spirit of exploration we cavers seek to find places no one else has ever seen. There is nothing like the rush of seeing a place that may have never been seen by a human before. America was already inhabited when we discovered it, but caves often are completely untouched (especially those that are hypogene in nature).

A neat dissolutional stream “chute” in Marble Cave of Sequoia National Park July 4, 2011

The cave I visited today was a commercial cave and not a new discovery for me, but less than 100 years ago it was a new frontier for someone. Crystal cave was discovered by Alex Medley and Cassius Weber in 1918. Today it is located within the boundaries of Sequoia National Park. Formed in a beautiful gray and white marble it has around 2.5 miles of passage. Since the marble bedding has a high dip angle the cave isn’t extensive laterally.

The marble in a stream bed within Crystal Cave Sequoia National Park July 4, 2011

They have been making a lot of efforts to return Crystal cave to a more natural state. The park has been replacing lighting with new ones that will help prevent the growth of algae and other organisms that are not natural to the cave environment. The tour involves a nice hike down a fair amount of stairs that you will need to climb back up so I don’t recommend it for anyone unable to traverse a significant amount of incline.

Crystal Cave Entrance July 4, 2011

The cave gate is pretty interesting, designed to look like a spider web. The tour will vary depending on the guide you get, but all are interesting. A member of my grotto back home, Chouteau Grotto, was actually working the day I visited although I wasn’t assigned to his tour. Such a small world when you are a caver!

While I had spent the last couple days visiting caves and natural wonders of inland California it was time for me to make like the explorers of the 15th century and head West. Time to head back to the area of my birth and visit some family. I need the three S’s: Sun, Sand and Sea.

Until then…

Nicole

Rimstone in Crystal Cave July 4, 2012

 

Crystal cave speleothems July 4, 2011

 

Day 55: Deep into the Earth and Towering High into the Sky

Balance is important in your day to day life. One has to enjoy both the warm sunshine and the starry nights to have a complete day. Life is never about choosing left, right or even straight but rather to chose a mix of the three until you find that perfect place.

Today I headed to the interior of California in anticipation of seeing some of the most spectacular helictities in the country. The caves of the state are known to produce some beautiful, delicate speleothems and helictites are one of my favorites to look at (next to cave pearls, of course!). Black Chasm caverns is one of those such caves that anyone can take the time to visit.

Helictites galore in Black Chasm Caverns. July 3rd, 2011.

The helictites are delicate formations that seem to defy gravity, growing every which way unlike their cousins of the cave (stalactites, stalagmites, draperies, etc). How exactly they form is still debated but it is commonly accepted that capillary forces play a big roll in their whimsical development.

Draperies in Black Chasm Caverns. Volcano, California July 3rd, 2011.

The texture of the draperies here in Black Chasm was quite different than the limestone caves I have been used to. The crystal structure almost looked more like aragonite than calcite. I don’t know why yet, but maybe graduate school will enlighten me. 🙂

A close-up of the crystalline structure of the draperies in Black Chasm. July 3rd, 2011.

Located near Volcano, CA this National Natural Landmark is a pretty inexpensive visit. There are plenty of places to camp near-by, or if you chose to do what I did, is a nice wayside visit on your way to King’s Canyon/Sequoia National Parks. It was time for me to head out to see some of the LARGEST trees in the world.

A sequoia in King’s Canyon N.P. July 3rd, 2011

I was able to see many of the famous Sequoia trees, including the General Grant which is the WIDEST sequoia at 40′ diameter, the 3rd largest tree in the WORLD by volume. and is 1700 years old! A humorous sight to see in this part of King’s Canyon N.P. is the Centennial Stump. It is a tree that was cut in 1875, measuring 24′ in diameter, and shipped to Philadelphia’s Centennial Exhibition. No one believed that it truly was one tree and they proclaimed it to be the “California Hoax”. There is one sequoia that fell many years ago and is now an empty shell that you can actually walk through. That’s how BIG these trees are!

Walking through a fallen giant. A sequoia in King’s Canyon N.P. on July 3rd, 2011.

I stayed the night at the John Muir lodge in Grant Grove, and ate at their wonderful full-service restaurant. It was a bit pricey (think $200+ for the night, although it WAS a holiday weekend) but since the campgrounds were first come first serve and all full I was a bit out of luck. Plus, the lodge ended up being well worth it and the nice dinner was a welcome change to my usual camp food.

It’s a bit ironic that I am a caver because I need sunlight like I need water. In a world full of bright, warm sunlight I love exploring the deepest and darkest depths of the Earth. At the same time I love to spend hours basking in the sun, where I feel happy and content with being at peace. I guess that’s my perfect balance. I need the world as a whole, from the deepest, darkest depths to the greatest, brightest heights. I’m going to spend my life experiencing all that the Earth has to offer.

This Grand Adventure is step one for me, what is your step one?

-Nicole

A beautiful vista of King’s Canyon N.P. July 3rd, 2011.
A giant sequoia of King’s Canyon N.P. July 3rd, 2011.

Day 54: Breaktime

Hey, when your traveling involves this much documenting, learning, experiencing and picture taking you are BOUND to need a little break. It’s time for R&R. The picture above describes most of my day. 🙂 See you all tomorrow!

-Nicole

Day 53: Breathtaking Highway 101

This morning, waking up near Brookings, Oregon in Umpqua Lighthouse State Park I was quite excited. Today I’d be heading South along the famous highway 101 into the state of my birth. The drive itself is so scenic it becomes hard to get more than a few miles without taking pictures.

McCullough Bridge, An Oregon State Historic Landmark. Built in 1936. Driving along the 101 on July 1, 2011

First you cross the famous architectural wonders: The bridges of 101. These bridges have been featured on shows on the travel channel and it’s no mystery why. Each one was uniquely designed by a renowned architect to awe and inspire travelers.

After some amazing bridges, and right before I crossed into California, I cam across some of the most breath-taking views of coastal cliffs, caves and arches. The sedimentary rocks of the pacific coast are eroded by waves and wind, both carrying sediments that slowly carve out caves, and later carve them into bridges, and towers. It’s a beautiful sight to watch the waves crash into these rocks.
Well-knowing that my drive would be slowed due to the gorgeous views of the pacific ocean my plans involved my camping at Golden Bluffs State Park….however I was greeted with a “campground full” sign. Unfortunately many of California’s campsites are first-come first-serve, meaning no reservations. Since my Grand Adventure put me in California the weekend of the 4th of July all of the campgrounds were full. It doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy the view.

Roosevelt Elk at Golden Bluffs State Park, California July 1, 2011

I’ve now been on the road for over 50 days and I can’t imagine how to decide which view is the most inspirational, but this would definitely be right up in the top. The west coast’s geology is ever changing at such a rapid pace. As compared to the landforms of the east (our passive margin) the west coast is constantly being changed.
A lot of us are scared of change. We see it as a hurdle to overcome or a step backwards in our trek. Truth is the changes are inevitable the most formative parts of our lives. They are the reasons we love, hate, hurt, smile, laugh and inspire. The west coast is a perfect example of how change will mold you into a better, more beautiful person. Perfection isn’t holding a true form. The closest to perfection you will ever be is to accept the challenges that crash into you and make changes to be a better person.

An arch in the Pacific on the South Oregon coast. July 1, 2011

Looking at these scenes along the coasts of Oregon and California you can see two different things: destruction and construction. You could say that the waves are crashing into the rocks and destroying them…or you could say they are creating these landforms that we enjoy. Standing here on the coast, watching those waves crash and catching my breath as I realize I am truly experiencing this, I learn something.
Destruction is a method of creation. You can’t have construction without some sort of destruction. When life starts crashing into you it isn’t trying to destroy you, it is trying to build a more resilient you. Don’t fight the waves….brace yourself and revel in the fact you will be a better person for it.
Experience. Is. Life.  All of it.

Nicole

Golden Bluff’s Campground. Cali. July 1, 2011
Highway 101 does dive inland a bit into a portion of the Redwood National Forest. July 1, 2011

Day 52: A Wine Cave and Some Waves

The anticipation of seeing someplace new always, in my mind, overrides the hesitance that accompanies the dangers of traveling alone. Even though I am traveling alone, I never truly feel alone. Everywhere I go I find something familiar, and the new age of technology makes me feel tethered to a thousand different people, and similarly places, all at once. The goal of the day was pretty simple in my agenda: make it to the ocean and find a place to camp on the coast. While I was heading to a place I had never visited it is in no way a strange place. There is something comforting and familiar about everywhere I go, and each place both creates memories, and triggers old ones to emerge back on the surface.
As I made my way to the West I noticed a sign that gained my attention. “Wine Cave, turn left 6 miles” it proclaimed. Who could say no to that? Here I was, in wine country, and there was a place that had both a cave and wine together? This cave geologist has a particular taste for pinot noir and here I was in the middle of the particular grape’s habitat. I turned left and started my short detour from my route to the sea.

Reustle “Prayer Rock” Vineyards June 30, 2011
Barrels of wine in the “wine cave”

Reustle Winery is located in the Oregon countryside, and although it has what they call a wine “cave” it does not actually have a cave on property (to my dissapointment). What it does have is an excellent selection of wine, and when you taste they give you culinary creations designed to compliment each specific wine on the taste list. The entire vineyard is gorgeous. The landscape is done tastefully with roses in bloom and plenty of outdoor places to mingle with friends. I was the only customer there at the time, it being the middle of the week and a bit chilly. There are plenty of areas to explore in the vineyard, each one of them as picturesque as the next.  I will say their pino noir was definitely worth the detour.

Reustle “Prayer Rock” Winery Vines June 30, 2011

Umpque Lighthouse State Park was the campground of choice for the night. Sitting right on the far southern coast of Oregon, the campgrounds are convieniently located a short walk from the beach. The beach itself has dunes where you are allowed to drive 4x4s on (Although I recommend having tires specified for this use to do so, mine were not). I spent the evening on the beach, under the light of the Umpqua lighthouse, as the sun made it’s way down into the western extent of the Pacific.

Umpqua Lighthouse Beach June 30, 2011
The surfer dogs playing in the surf.

I wasn’t alone. A surfer’s dog adopted me as a temporary friend, fending off the giant black birds that kept trying to steal my banana bread. I drank some wine and stayed until the sun was so far down in the sky it could no longer keep me warm, then I drove up to the lighthouse to watch the last few minutes of the sunset. I reminisced about today’s mixof intertwining interests: Pinot Noir, the Pacific coast, off-roading on a beach (for the first time), even the cave that wasn’t a cave. All things I enjoyed. I started wondering if I find contentment in my life because I always find what interests me, or because I can manage to find an interest in so many things.

Umpqua Lighthouse June 30, 2011

So many people have said this, but I think it needs to be taken with more weight than it is:
“Life is what you make of it”
That is exactly it. This Grand Adventure didn’t happen because I dreamt of it, it’s because I pushed myself to find the drive and the ambition to accomplish it. The world around us doesn’t fill our lives with interesting things, we have to find an interest in the things that the world already provides. The rest of life falls into place after you accept that you can’t seek out something to make you happy. The world already exists, you simply have to change your point of view on what makes life worth living.
Happiness comes in a trifecta. It consists what already exists, what we put into it, and how we view both of those things. The first is a given that we can’t change anything about other than using the third. The other two are things one must consciously be aware of. You can’t expect the world to change for you, you have to find a way to enjoy the world and then do your part to make that part better for yourself and others.
I think my grandmother put it best on a note she gave me just days before I left on this journey: “Anyone can be a dreamer, but it takes someone special to make a dream a reality”.
Dreaming is the essence of inspiration, but you have to obey the trifecta if you plan on making anything out of it. The world is your canvas, the paints your input, and the brush your interpretation of them both. Everyone has the ability to accomplish their dreams, you just have to interpret the dream into a plan- and make it happen.
-Nicole

My footprints in the sand at Umpqua Lighthouse Beach in Oregon. June 30, 2011

Off-roading at Umpqua Lighthouse Beach (Oregon) on June 30, 2011