Tidewater Caverns Mm7
Elisabetta Buendia
Whose going this year? I'm finally able to make it!!! Will be just spectating but might take a space there next year if I can. I've seen pics and had first hand reports that it's really a neat pre-war focused event, which is really a welcome addition to the calendar. If you are going, throw in a few old spark plugs for my collection and let me know-
I'll probably be there on Friday...a small meet with a focus on Model T, and some other oddball parts, with the chance to grow into a really nice swap meet....easy to get to, easy to park, and great friendly people.....just be aware it's not very big at this point, but it seems to be growing!
The other plus is it's just down the road from Luray Caverns, the car collection there is worth the trip. You can just sort of sneak into the collection, pretend you're buying some fudge and just wander in, no need to go through caverns (although they're fascinating too!). The car collection has some real prizes, and hasn't been touched for decades, you'll see some early brass there that "is to die for"....
Will try and get there early Friday. I'll be with a friend from our local AACA region. He's been before and has talked me into it. Besides, there is some additional antique hunting to be done in the area once we've seen everything in the swap meet. Might be back in Sat Am too. Send me a PM with your phone # and I'll text you sometime after we get there. Have been to the car museum there, some great things in that very old collection. Enjoyed the episode when American Pickers visited them and got into the back room.
Luray was great. Got there later PM Thursday and caught some vendors setting up, found a few goodies, then waited eagerly for the early Friday adventure to begin. The location is great, the weather was darned near perfect with only a few sprinkles mid morning, but not enough to even cover some of the stuff. The smell of breakfast cooking on the grills at the VFW was enough to wake you up easily. We jumped from one vendor to the next as they came in and opened up. Some sold out of the back of their trucks, others right from the trailer, others put up awnings and set up tables, but the vendors all came to sell, and that they did. The customers were there to buy, and they seemed to be doing that too. I saw boxes and arms full headed out of the field all day long.
This was my first visit - work kept getting in the way, so with that no longer an issue, I wasn't going to miss this. It's a small event. Maybe 25 or 30 vendors coming and going. A couple of new ones for Saturday. There were vendors opening up as late as PM on Friday too. The field is large enough to spread things out nicely. Not a lot of walking is required. It's real laid-back and we felt like there was time to visit with vendors and old friends encountered in the market. I need to say one thing about the vendors - they were all so eager to share their wisdom and experience. You could have come in there a complete novice on Model Ts and left feeling like you could easily put one together. A whole tech session was held while Morris Cameron sorted through a box of transmission pieces explaining how they worked and what look for when inspecting the parts. Yes, he bought the entire box full of stuff. That seemed to happen all day. My good friend Andy Ott bought a whole box full of aftermarket accessory shock absorbers for Model Ts. There were at least six different types in there. We had fun later trying to sort everything out and figure how the operated.
There were brass lamps, parts of all kinds, tools, accessories, and one vendor, had a great selection of new reproduction Model T and A parts available. There were people from Iowa, Michigan, New Jersey, Florida, Tennessee, and I'm sure a lot of other places. It's always fun to find great stuff and I don't think anyone came away disappointed. Yes, I added some fantastic brass stuff to my collection of lamps, and some literature,. a couple of great porcelain license plates, some items for my "museum" and some spare parts for my T. The event was indeed heavy on Model T stuff, but it was a pleasure to see the event keeping true to its theme- pre-war! There were no Taiwan tools, no beanie-babies, no silly toys, no yard-sale junk, no "crafts" and no modern items there at all.
The hospitality was fabulous - the club and the VFW both welcomed everyone and made us feel right at home. I'd love to see this event grow, and I know that I'll be back again next year, and will probably take a few boxes of stuff with me to set up and sell.
A few more pics, more coming later when I download from my phone. First pic is certainly a thorn between two roses - obviously I'm smiling because of the great pair of brass lamps I bought. Oh, that's Natalie and Janice Weaver. Nat is the editor of the Model T Ford Club International magazine. It was great to see the national club so well represented. AACA had a great showing also - past President Chuck Crane was there along with myself, and nearly every one of the vendors was an AACA Hershey regular. I even met one brand new member who had MGs home in the garage!
The Virginia Cave and Karst Trail has more than a dozen stops where visitors can learn about and appreciate outstanding caves and karst features. The goal of the trail is to educate people about these sensitive environments and to promote their protection.
Many stops are in Virginia's scenic Ridge and Valley Province. Each offers visitors a unique experience such as a fee-based tour, an interpretive program or a scenic view. A few stops have trails or self-guided tours.
Caves figure prominently in Virginia's natural and geologic history. More than 4,400 have been documented in the commonwealth, and many harbor delicate natural communities with a diversity of species. More than 160 cave-dwelling organisms are considered rare, and many inhabit just one or two caves. Caves, and protecting the life inside them, are an important focus for scientists and conservationists.
About a dozen caves in Virginia have been developed into show caves. Show caves contribute to local economies and provide visitors amazing views of caves they wouldn't otherwise see. The Virginia Cave and Karst Trail features show caves.
Karst landscapes occur with caves but aren't as noticeable to the public. Karst landscapes are characterized by sinkholes, sinking streams, springs and caves. They've formed in areas where mildly acidic groundwater has dissolved soluble rock, such as limestone, dolostone, marble and gypsum. Virginia is rich in karst resources, and they play an important role in water quality. In fact, thousands of Virginians depend on karst for clean drinking water.
The Virginia Cave and Karst Trail is a collaborative project between the governor-appointed Virginia Cave Board and the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. DCR manages programs for cave and karst protection, and education.
Abrams Creek Wetland Preserve
1643 Meadow Branch Ave., Winchester, Va.
Here, visitors see vegetation derived from karst bedrock and calcareous seeps and springs. Underlying rocks are limestone and dolostone. Surface soils derived from these rocks are unusually high in calcium and magnesium. High groundwater levels saturate many of these soils and form seeps and springs, the largest of which is an artesian called Pennypacker Spring. The combination of rich and saturated soils helps create at least two globally imperiled natural communities known as calcareous muck fen and calcareous wet prairie. The site has 20 plants that are significantly rare plants in Virginia and has exceptional floristic quality. Free.
Augusta Springs
Augusta County, Va.
Augusta Springs is located on the edge of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. Karst features and wetlands can be viewed from a handicap-accessible loop trail, which also is part of the Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail. Look for a variety of bird, butterfly and salamander species. Free.
From Interstate 81, take exit 220 to State Route 262 toward Route 11. Merge onto VA 262 North. Take the Virginia 254/Parkersburg Pike ramp and turn left. Continue on State Route 42 South. Destination is on the left.
Scheduled excavation project weekends carry on in the Steamer Hole and volunteers are always welcome. Supported with generous funding from the Cave Conservancy of the Virginias (CCV) in addition to donations from BCCS members and friends. BCCS, Inc., a Virginia corporation formed in 1968, is a 501(c)(3) nonstock, nonprofit, tax-exempt organization. Donations welcome.
Cowpasture River Karst Trail
This 35-mile scenic driving trail takes motorists through Bath and Highland counties. See springs and sinkholes along the Cowpasture River, a tributary of the James. A series of interpretive signs explains the relationship between these karst features and water quality. Free.
Endless Caverns
1800 Endless Caverns Rd., New Market, Va.
One of Virginia's many wonderful show caves, Endless Caverns is a 6-mile-long cave at the foot of the Massanutten Mountain range. It features seemingly endless tunnels and chambers, many unexplored to this day. $
Falling Spring Falls Overlook
U.S. Route 220, 5 miles north of Covington, Va.
A small parking area enables visitors to stop and view this fantastic waterfall, which is fed by a thermal spring. Free.
Falls Ridge Preserve
Update 6/26/2022: Closed until further notice. Falls Ridge Road, Elliston, Va.
Owned by The Nature Conservancy, Falls Ridge Preserve boasts a spring-fed travertine waterfall approximately 80 feet in height. Large sinkholes on part of the land also indicate the existence of underlying caverns. There are easy hiking trails and an overlook platform, but no public bathrooms. Dogs are not allowed. Free.
Gap Cave
91 Bartlett Park Rd., Middlesboro, Ky.
This cave inside Cumberland Gap National Historical Park awes visitors with massive stalagmites, fern-like crystals, curtain draperies, bacon strips and delicate straw-shaped stalactites. $