Mammoth Cave, August 22, 2017.

Mammoth Cave National Park was almost on our way home from Madisonville so we decided to stop there. We arrived around 9:30 AM and the parking lots were full. We finally were able to park in the third overflow lot and walked to the visitors center to get tickets for a cave tour. Fortunately we were not choosy. The only tour that was available was the self-guided cave discovery tour, so I waited in line and got tickets for it.

It actually was a good idea--the small kids had never been in a cave before and Alison and her family are planning on camping near here next summer. It was good to get them all in a cave and find out that no one panicked!

After the cave we went to the visitors center where the kids got souvenirs and I took their photos with the caver cutout.

By that time it was pouring rain! Bill and Toby went out to get the vehicles, but the rain stopped soon enough... they found us a picnic shelter and we ate lunch from the cooler and then started the long ride home. It was supposed to be a 6 hour drive from there to home, but it took eleven hours with all the construction and traffic, restroom stops and dinner... We arrived home at midnight!