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We celebrated my birthday (and escaped the 98-degree day) by exploring Laurel Caverns, Pennsylvania’s largest and only low-calcium limestone cave. Unlike caves with high-calcium limestone, Laurel Caverns has long, steep passageways leading into rooms with sandy floors and cathedral-like ceilings. Every Pittsburgh kid spent summer car rides to the Laurel Mountains, and this was one stop in the journey; judging by the groovy red lights (and the amazing vintage postcard book I purchased in the gift shop), not much has changed since my parents took me there in the ’70s. There is graffiti on the walls from the 1890s, I imagine, from picnickers taking a break in their travels, eating sandwiches by candlelight. And the rooms felt cozy with the soft dirt padding our footsteps and the warmly lit rocks, but it’s a cool 49.2 degrees all year round.
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11 Comments so far
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Makes me believe there just might be a Fraggle Rock.
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Comment by motherblue212 July 22, 2012 @ 7:46 AMthere has to be some fraggles in there – sadly, no bears!
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Comment by Lisa July 23, 2012 @ 8:34 PMThis looks so interesting! Can you actually stand up in the cave? It does sound like a great place to escape the heat and the photos are cool. Happy belated birthday!
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Comment by farmhouse stories July 16, 2012 @ 9:02 PMYou can stand in the cave – it has tall, tall ceilings (and some narrow crawl spaces in some too, although we didn’t get that far there!). Love this place.
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Comment by Lisa July 17, 2012 @ 10:09 PMGreat photos and fascinating place. Hope to visit it sometime maybe on the way to Falling Water. Thanks, M
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Comment by Michael Williamson July 11, 2012 @ 9:58 AMthanks, michael! there is a lot ot see in the laurel highlands – fallingwater is worth a trip, as well as a Wright’s cozier vacation home, Kentuck Knob (pretty!).
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Comment by Lisa July 11, 2012 @ 1:31 PMI love the lights! Whitelights is good.
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Comment by Allegheny Eats July 11, 2012 @ 7:44 AMthanks! ‘white lights’ was shot on shutter priority – all the ones that actually turned out. pretty good without a tripod.
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Comment by Lisa July 11, 2012 @ 7:51 AMwe can go back and play mini-golf and do some spelunking.
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Comment by jeff July 11, 2012 @ 7:38 AMMini-golf, yay!
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Comment by Allegheny Eats July 11, 2012 @ 7:44 AMand 49 degrees will feel balmy in the winter.
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Comment by Lisa July 11, 2012 @ 7:50 AM