Crystal Cave of Giants An Exploration Account

Photo Courtesy George Kourounis


The scenery in this cave resemble sets from a low budget Science Fiction movie, and the environment will kill unprotected explorers in minutes. The Temperature in the cave is 122 degrees Fahrenheit with 80 percent humidity, which translates into making the air feel like it is 228 degrees!

The cave was discovered in April 2000 by lead and silver miners. The crystals are crystallized gypsum, a substance known as Selenite, with some of the largest discovered crystals being 36 feet long and weighing 55 tons.

Visit George Kourounis' website to read more about his adventure.

Hat Tip to Space Weather for bringing this to my attention.

I think that this discovery should demonstrate to us how much of our own planet remains unexplored and utterly unknown.

Here is a video from National Geographic about the cave:


For more information, I would suggest the following websites:

The Giant Crystal Project

National Geographic Videos

There are also many websites out there proclaiming the spiritual and healing properties of Selenite Crystals, but I am not going to link to any of that crap.

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Petroglyphs Found in Jackson County

I must have walked by these rock carvings for years, and never noticed them until one day last week while it was raining. I was having some fun, taking photos of familiar locations in darkened conditions when I noticed a rock had what looked like the figure of a man carved in it, as in this photograph below:



And here is a wider shot of the rock:



So, how do I know that I have walking past these petroglyphs for years?

I found a clue on a nearby rock, pictured below:




I know I shouldn't have led you on like this, but I was feeling mischievious and couldn't help myself!

I imagine that the rock is a class project to see how petroglyphs age in the weather, and also involved a trip to a local famous petroglyph, Judaculla Rock.

My favorite blogger West of the Balsams has posted on the Judaculla Rock in the following posts:

Could Entopics Explain Judaculla Rock?

Judaculla Strides Into Town

His Friends Called Him Champ

Seven Wonders of Jackson County

Judaculla's Microscope

Here are some additional sources of information about the Judaculla Rock:

The Serious

UNCA Judaculla Page

Appalachian History

Judaculla Highway Marker

Judaculla Rock on Flickr

UNC lesson plan



The Weird

L.E.M.U.R. Page on Judaculla

WNC Pagan Meetup

UFO Area (you have to pay to see the article)

I expect to visit the rock myself sometime next spring to take numerous pictures and do some pondering myself about this mysterious carved rock sitting in the middle of nowhere.

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2008 Franklin Pumpkinfest and the World Famous Pumpkin Roll

Lots of music and fun in the streets of Franklin, NC for the grown ups, and hysterical fun for the kids (young and old) as pumpkin after pumpkin is rolled down the hill into frogtown to see which one goes the farthest...and who is too slow to get out the way!!!

Also, My Town Franklin has coverage of the event as well as Beautiful Franklin.

And here is a video someone else took...in which (if you know what I look like) you can see me almost get creamed by a pumpkin!

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Cane Creek

Sometimes, even when you are not on the road you are supposed to be on, you can still come away with some photos...

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