31 Days of a Small Town Gal (Day 22): potatoes in caves?

{Welcome to our October series, "31 Days of a Small Town Gal". You are on Day 22. Missed any previous posts? Click {here} to catch up!}

When Brandon and I first married, then bought our first home, he was super excited that there were several caves nearby. I was super excited that this house had a dishwasher. But the more he prodded and pleaded with me to "go caving" with him, I finally gave in and went a few times. 

It was unbelievable. 

You enter this cool, dark abyss that appears untouched the farther you go. There are tiny crevasses that one could not imagine a human body being able to fit through, but yet you slide right in and continue on, creeping through the dampness of a seemingly secret hideaway. Guided only by the light of your headlamp, you slither and slide through damp and cool, breathing in the freshest air and amazed at the beauty of stalactites and stalagmites. Incredible. 

Yes, there are bats. Yes, there are these radioactive, blind fish. And I cannot remember why he told me this particular cave was named Potato Cave. But I could see his desperate need for me to experience caving in east Tennessee. We went in a cave on our honeymoon in Hawaii and while beautiful, it just did not have the same feeling of peace as our caves. Once you begin the trek to the mouth of the cave, feeling as if you have discovered something never before seen, covered in mud and new memories, you smile when you find that tiny sliver of light, and know you are almost home. 

Photo courtesy Shane Woodson. Pretty sure I was trying out that new dishwasher the day this was taken...