Cave of the Winds

 To the north of Manitou Springs, Colorado is an interesting cave complex.  They have several different adventure venues in the caves, I choose the easy trip through the older, easier to access caves.

There are also fly through adventures where you can fly through the canyon on a wire (no thank you!), a rope distraction (double no thank you!) and a nice overview.

A visitor's center also has quick food.  I passed on that idea

They take about 20 people through in a group with a guide whom has a rehearsed script about the caverns and their history.

By and large, this tour went through a series of dead caves.  Little water to keep the features growing and far too many hands which can not be kept off of them.  Oils in your hands will stop the flow of water and thus a dead feature.  Add hundreds of thousands, if not millions of visitors through these caverns over 130 years!  And many of the stalactites have been snapped off by previous visitors - sigh ...

The tightest spot in the caverns is this 38" opening on the trail you follow!

Now remember that my inseam is 34" and I am 6'3"!  Yeah, and I have an artificial leg to boot!

So, scrunched down as low as I can go, bent over like Quasimodo, the Hunchback of Notre Dame, I was able to make it through the hole!  I got a standing ovation for those on the other side whom thought the group behind me might have to kick me through the hole!  LOL!

It was a fun adventure.