10:11 a.m.
We stopped in to see the Cave of the Winds. This was, I believe, on of the places my parents brought me back in 1957 on our first family vacation. I don't remember much about that early visit, and now, after this recent visit, I understand why. This is not one of the premier caves in the west. It's very commercial, the guide seemed intent on entertaining us with his wit rather than the sparse features of the cave, and the cave itself does not have much to offer other than being under ground and a few typical stalagtites and stalagmites.

I knew, going in, that there would be an entrance fee, but the $16.00 per person stunned me. I almost backed out of the tour, but we had some time to kill, and everything else we'd visited on this trip was pretty much free, so we went ahead.

The guide (probably at the promting of the cave's owners) indicated that everyone would be required to have their photo taken as they entered the cave for identification purposes, just in case someone didn't make it out. The search and rescue team would have a face to look for. Of course I knew that was B.S. right from the start, and my impression was confirmed when they asked each visitor to stand in a well lit grotto of cave features for their "ID photo." And as expected, as we exited the cave after the short 40 minute tour, we were offered a six by eight copy of our "ID photo" for a reasonable fee of $8.00. I would have passed, but Anne thought that it was a nice shot of the two of us. So we paid up.

Needless to say, that will be our last visit to that cave. I think we'll avoid the commercial caves from now on and visit only those caves regulated by the federal government agencies.

There is a nice observation deck off of the gift shop that overlooks a deep canyon cutting just beneath the cave entrance.