Virginia Cave Week

Caving is probably my all-time favorite outdoor recreational activity. There's just nothing like worming your way through narrow holes underground, getting covered in mud head-to-toe, and finding yourself in a truly dark place with no light at all. This week is designated as Virginia Cave Week, a time for educators to incorporate cave-related topics and activities into their teaching. Virginia has more than 4,000 known caves, and maybe some unknown ones within all the karst geology in the Shenandoah Valley, Southwest, and Alleghany Highlands parts of the state. The Virginia Cave Week Web site has lesson plans for cave-oriented activities, more information on the White Nose Syndrome killing our bats, and even some virtual cave tours.