Carrick Furnace

geocaching post alert

warning:: boring post warning:: boring post

geocaching post alert

When we went geocaching during our Cowan's Gap camping trip, we cached at Carrick Furnace. It is an old furnace that looks similar to limestone kilns in our area but it has some of the old steam powered equipment remaining. According to the Franklin Co. Historical Society, this furnace was built in the 1820's and was last used in 1884. It's on the National Register, and, lo and behold, we would not have seen it or explored it without geocaching. Viewing other kilns like this, I was never able to picture how they worked. Not that I understand it any better now, but at least I have more of a visual. Admittedly, these are among the more boring of historical buildings, but I was there, damnit, so now you get to see it as well. You're welcome.

Are you sure there are no snakes around here?

I am totally serious.

There had better not be any snakes.

Snakes in a Cabin

Ok, I know you've been dying for this post! Snakes in a cabin!

There is only one person who hates snakes more than my husband, and that would be my mother.

What did you say? A what?

My dad found Snake #1 in the bunk room. He tried to tell my mom it was a worm, and my mom was all like, "As if. Let me see that ACK WHAT THE HELL TOM GET IT OUT OF HERE NOOOOOWWWWWWWWWW!"

I was lucky enough to find Snake #2. He was cheerfully sitting on the mantle, for crying out loud, watching us cook supper.

Dude, put lots of onions on my shishkabob.

Why exactly are there snakes on this plane in this cabin?!?

The kids promptly named him Squidgy. They should have called him Squirmy the Escape Artist, because he fell off the butter dish lid about 17 times before we got him outside.

Defcon 4! Dive! Dive! Dive! Away! Chutes open!

Cameron contemplates Squidgy, held by Daddy's thumb.

See my sister in the back? She has a funny look on her face.

Reminds me of the first time I peed on a EPT stick.

I was not sure what to think. And neither is she.

"Everybody listen up!

We have to put a barrier between us and the snakes!"

See me? I'm not screaming. I'm not panicking. I want to get the hell away from that snake,

and I do not want my children to touch it, but I am Calm in the Name of Scientific Discovery.

Father dear, why ever are the womenfolk standing on the tables?

When will our evening repast be ready? Will Mr. Squidgy be joining us at the table?

Squirm away, Squidgy! Be free!!

No. No, he would not be joining us for supper. Despite many loud protests from people under the age of 12, and much to the relief of everyone else, Squidgy was released back into the wild of Cowan's Gap. And we, very luckily indeed, did not see any more snakes in the cabin that week.

The bathhouse . . . that was a different story.

Burnt Cabins Grist Mill

So, we are off camping with much of the whole fam-damily, excepting for my brothers' family and my husband Matt who couldn't get off of work to go with me, the dog, my mom and dad, my sister and brother-in-law, and four kids ranging from 2 years to 11 years. Oh, and a snake.

Yeah. We'll get to that later.

First, another 'geocaching is so great, it takes me places I never would have seen' type post. You're welcome!

This is the Burnt Cabins Grist Mill. There was a multi-cache (a two-stage geocache) here, so we headed out. We were pleasantly surprised to find not only a working grist mill, but a campground and small store selling their own flour and cornmeal, as well as hand dipped ice cream.

Pappy told the kids how members of our family brought one of the first millstones

over the Allegheny Mountains to found the Edwards Feed Mill. God love 'em, is all I have to say, DRIVING Rt 30 over the Allegheny Mountains is bad enough, without having to spur mules carrying a very large and heavy stone over the non-existant roads.

Ethan, at stage two of the geocache.

We wound up getting ice cream and some items to use for making fried zucchini and shish kabobs that we had for supper that night. The pumpkin butter was tres yummy.

The darkening skies should have been a portent of what we were to find in the cabin when we got back from our innocent jaunt amuck around the countryside....

Coming soon: Snakes in a Cabin

Zee Zaniness, We Know Not Where Eet Comes From

Just possibly from the one on the left.

Or perhaps from this culprit:

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