Ape caves with the whole fam damily!

How do O&D relax on a day off? We went to the Ape Caves with the whole fam damily.

Sister Hannah took Olive, and our boy Bruce in her vehicle and several other vehicles had assorted other family and friends. It was a long trip to Mt. St. Helens, especially for us Portlanders who don't ever spend much time in a car. The hour drive had us spent before we even got there. Lots of dizzying, winding roads. Hannah was an expert pilot.

Thank you for bringing us out here Hannah Banana!

My boy informed us he was an expert caver, i took it with a grain of salt since he often claims to be an expert at stuff he has no idea about. Boy was I wrong. He was the first in, fastest through and first out. I can't tell if he had been in a cave before of if that terrain was just made for him to romp in. I was impressed.

Lovely Olive

It starts easy enough with steps, light, rails and lots of people walking around. Soon it was pitch black with irregular ground and lots of obstacles. At the end there were hardly anyone around. The family has strong, sane, passionate people. I'm so glad our boy gets to soak it up. We all had to dress warm too because it was 42 degrees and constantly dripping water (not much different than the surface but notably more frigid).

He made me have to go fast. We would charge ahead and wait in the darkess for our party to catch up.

Brotha Liam (O's youngest sib) he rocked out in the rocks. He and his Dad are natural NW sons. They have no problem bounding off into the woods or a cave and I'm even surprised they didn't hunt dinner while down there.

Rockin with Olive's Papa.

The whole family is pretty spectacularly hearty. I love the spirit of the C family. As we went in I saw an injured kid, part way in a very injured lady was getting carried out, we ran into another fellow who asked urgently but politly to be let through due to claustrophobia and then two ladies turned back saying "This cave beat us, we can't continue". Olive's Mom bumped her ankle and I hurt my knee but we both walked out and hiked back overland on our own steam.

I hear there were two routes, the easy stroll and what I can only call Stalingrad.

Felt a strong breeze, thought it was the end but no, it was a hole in the roof!

WE MADE IT!!!