We went back into Illinois to visit Garden of the Gods. It is an area of rock formations reminiscent of southern Utah in a thick forest. Very surprising to see in Illinois. We walked on the Observation Trail. It is 1/4 mile long with lots of spurs to overlooks and rock formations. Caution should be used because there are high cliffs. We were stuck in a traffic jam on the way there because two people had fallen off one of the cliffs and the emergency personnel were rescuing them. As we were talking to one of the rangers involved in the rescue he was picking ticks off. Another reason to stay in the nice air conditioned car.
There were cool weird textures, streaks and circular bands of raised reddish brown formations in the face of the bluff.
A view of the the wilderness area from the bluff. It was of course Memorial Day weekend and the place was packed. The ranger told us that people fall off the cliffs here all the time. 3 so far this weekend. Watching these people on the rocks we were not surprised. John says gravity works. See the tiny people on top of the bluffs?
Devil's smokestack rising above the trees. There were plenty of cool rocks under the tree canopy too. Very beautiful place.
A tree with crossed legs, caution high cliff ahead, and a wild petunia. This statue of Bigfoot was near the Garden of the Gods Outpost. There were footprints painted from the statue across the street to the outpost- like he came over for ice cream. The outpost sold lots of Bigfoot memorabilia.
We stopped at Pound's Hollow where there is a beach and swimming. It was pretty crowded but we waded in the water. It was nice in the heat. Cave in Rock state park is on the Ohio River. It is a big cave. It has a lot of history. It has been noted on all the explorers maps. Even Lewis and Clark's.
It was known to be an ideal lair for outlaws, bandits and river pirates who preyed on the people traveling along the Ohio River. At one point the cavern was converted into a tavern called Cave-in-Rock. The cave served as a backdrop for a scene in the movie "How the West Was Won". It is a pretty cool, big cave. John inside the cave and illuminated in the beam of light. Looking back out at the river.
Another photo of John in a smaller cave down the beach. This one you could look up and see sky and vegetation through a hole. After Cave in Rock we drove down to Elizabethtown and had fried catfish on the floating E-town River Restaurant on the outdoor deck as the waves rocked the building. Beautiful historic downtown Elizabethtown and the restaurant.
Then back to Cave in Rock to catch the ferry back to Kentucky. Beautiful downtown Cave in Rock and driving onto the ferry. To the right of the Cave in Rock photo is a phone pole by the ferry that was painted in feet for measuring flood levels. It stops at 57 feet. Downtown Cave in Rock is decorated with lots of these painted bicycles. Lewis and Clark also stopped here on their way down the Ohio. Here they are eyeing one of the bikes. On the Kentucky side of the river is Amish country. A horse and buggy caution sign and a horse and buggy going by.
A view of the cool looking clouds over the Ohio River. Sunset from camp.
Another row and more beads added to the basket today.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.