From St. Louis, Missouri, to Mammoth Cave, Kentucky

Today we had another long journey ahead of us: from St. Louis, Missouri, through Indiana to Kentucky. Once again, with the sun in our luggage, we set off to Cave City. This is a small town on the edge of Mammoth Cave National Park. The special thing about this national park: it is the largest cave in the world! Of course, we didn't want to miss out on that, since we were already in this area.

We made the trip to Cave City in about 5 hours without any problems. I was overcome by incredible fatigue, which might have been due to all the sweet treats I had consumed (after having some baby carrots as an alibi). However, Stefan heroically drove our still unwashed junk heap safely to Kentucky. We arrived at the Super 8 Motel at 3:00 p.m. under sunny skies and a blue sky, and we were able to check in right away. The room was spacious, very clean, and well-equipped. After the very simple motel in St. Louis, this increased comfort was quite pleasant. The milder temperatures were also very much to our liking. Finally, not everything froze immediately upon coming into contact with the air, and you could even leave your jacket in the car.

First, we organized ourselves briefly in the room, sent signs of life home, and then set off to the National Park. You can explore the park without paying admission. You only have to pay for the different cave tours. So we drove through the park, took obligatory souvenir photos at the entrance sign, and felt very comfortable in nature. Both of us enjoyed the contrast to the big cities before very much.

When we arrived at the Visitor Center, we first got an overview of the tours offered through the cave. These are divided into 3 difficulty levels. We finally decided on the 'Domes and Dripstones Tour' for the next day at 11:00 a.m. and paid $15 per person. Difficulty level: medium.

At the Visitor Center, we also visited the small museum, where you could get information about the history and exploration of the cave. Even a German engineer, Max Kämper (1908), had a hand in its development. Then we went back to Cave City, as Stefan had spotted a BBQ restaurant he wanted to go to: Bucky Bee's BBQ. On the way there, we stopped here and there so I could indulge my photography addiction. Unfortunately, the Trump support was sometimes hard to overlook.