Off to Sonora, Texas today. Razzberry (from the STCC) said there are neat caves around there (The Caverns of Sonora (described below)).The photos are: 1) the Sutton County Courthouse, 2) the Eaton Hill Wildlife Sanctuary, 3) the 1899 Miners Home Museum, 4) the Moon Milk Falls (Sonora Caverns), 5) Halo Lake (Sonora Caverns), 6) the Christmas Tree Room (Sonora Caverns), and 7) the Devil's Pit (Sonora Caverns).
Sonora is a city in and the county seat of Sutton County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,924 at the 2000 census. It is also one of the leading speed trap cities in West Texas, averaging more than 48,000 citations per year (over 10 per year per capita).
The area lies in the western portions of the Texas Hill Country, a region of limestone outcrops and rolling terrain dotted with areas of live oaks (Quercus fusiformis) and Juniper (Juniperus ashei) in the form of a woodland or savanna, alternating with a blend of various grasses and other shrubs and cacti.
Sonora's climate is sub-humid, subtropical, though periods of long drought are not uncommon due to the proximity of deserts and steppes nearby, to the west. The upland location allows some of the periodic Gulf of Mexico moisture to interact with frontal systems and elevated terrain to create more clouds and precipitation than locations in the brush country to the south, or the steppes and deserts to the west and northwest. Thunderstorms with heavy rainfall are most frequent during spring and fall months, though some lighter, steady precipitation and low clouds can occur during the winter, due in large part to frontal systems originating on the plains and prairies to the north.
Summers are long and hot, often with higher humidity, though a good breeze often moderates the heat. Fall through spring months are often pleasant, though winter can experience brief periods of cold or cloudy weather.
The Caverns of Sonora, a National Natural Landmark , is a unique cave located eight miles (13 km) west of the town of Sonora, Texas. It is a world-class cave due to its stunning array of calcite crystal formations, especially helictites. These helictites are found in extreme abundance, often with a rare purity and complexity. One formation is so densely packed with them it has been dubbed the "Snake pit". The founder of the National Speleological Society, Bill Stephenson, said of the cave after his first visit: "This is the most indescribably beautiful cave in the world, its beauty cannot be exaggerated, not even by a Texan."
The cave has been operated commercially by the Mayfield family since July 16, 1960. [2] Today, two miles (3 km) of trail have been developed out of the seven miles (11 km) of explored cave. The development of the trails was done by Jack Burch, starting in 1959 and completing in 1979. Burch revolutionized cavern development world-wide with his "conservation through commercialization" approach to the project.
The cave is formed in 100 million-year-old (Cretaceous) Segovia limestone, of the Edward Limestone Group. The formation of the cave itself probably occurred between 1.5 to 5 million years ago. The cave is formed primarily along a fault. This fault allowed gases to rise up from depths of around 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to then depths of about 300 feet (91 m). At this depth the gases mixed with water in the aquifer. The resulting highly acidic water dissolved out the limestone, forming the cave. Between 1–3 million years ago, the water drained form the cave. The famous mineral formations, known as speleothems, all formed after the water drained from the cave. The cave's most famous formation is the Butterfly. It is the only known formation like it in the world. It is formed by two fish tail helictite growths that share the same attachment point of the cave wall.
On November 21, 2006, the butterfly formation was vandalized by a member of a tour group. Specifically, 60% of the top right tip of the wing was broken off of the formation. There is a $20,000 reward for any information that leads to the recovery of the missing piece. Since the butterfly is active (still growing), the formation can still be repaired if the piece is recovered soon.
Sonora's climate is sub-humid, subtropical, though periods of long drought are not uncommon due to the proximity of deserts and steppes nearby, to the west. The upland location allows some of the periodic Gulf of Mexico moisture to interact with frontal systems and elevated terrain to create more clouds and precipitation than locations in the brush country to the south, or the steppes and deserts to the west and northwest. Thunderstorms with heavy rainfall are most frequent during spring and fall months, though some lighter, steady precipitation and low clouds can occur during the winter, due in large part to frontal systems originating on the plains and prairies to the north.
Summers are long and hot, often with higher humidity, though a good breeze often moderates the heat. Fall through spring months are often pleasant, though winter can experience brief periods of cold or cloudy weather.
The Caverns of Sonora, a National Natural Landmark , is a unique cave located eight miles (13 km) west of the town of Sonora, Texas. It is a world-class cave due to its stunning array of calcite crystal formations, especially helictites. These helictites are found in extreme abundance, often with a rare purity and complexity. One formation is so densely packed with them it has been dubbed the "Snake pit". The founder of the National Speleological Society, Bill Stephenson, said of the cave after his first visit: "This is the most indescribably beautiful cave in the world, its beauty cannot be exaggerated, not even by a Texan."
The cave has been operated commercially by the Mayfield family since July 16, 1960. [2] Today, two miles (3 km) of trail have been developed out of the seven miles (11 km) of explored cave. The development of the trails was done by Jack Burch, starting in 1959 and completing in 1979. Burch revolutionized cavern development world-wide with his "conservation through commercialization" approach to the project.
The cave is formed in 100 million-year-old (Cretaceous) Segovia limestone, of the Edward Limestone Group. The formation of the cave itself probably occurred between 1.5 to 5 million years ago. The cave is formed primarily along a fault. This fault allowed gases to rise up from depths of around 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to then depths of about 300 feet (91 m). At this depth the gases mixed with water in the aquifer. The resulting highly acidic water dissolved out the limestone, forming the cave. Between 1–3 million years ago, the water drained form the cave. The famous mineral formations, known as speleothems, all formed after the water drained from the cave. The cave's most famous formation is the Butterfly. It is the only known formation like it in the world. It is formed by two fish tail helictite growths that share the same attachment point of the cave wall.
On November 21, 2006, the butterfly formation was vandalized by a member of a tour group. Specifically, 60% of the top right tip of the wing was broken off of the formation. There is a $20,000 reward for any information that leads to the recovery of the missing piece. Since the butterfly is active (still growing), the formation can still be repaired if the piece is recovered soon.
Today's Jumble (10/09/08):
TUINY = UNITY; SOSBA = BASSO; RECLEY = CELERY; LEMITY = TIMELY
CIRCLED LETTERS = NTASELRTME
The mailman received an advanced degree because he was a ---
"MAN (OF) LETTERS"
Today is Leif Ericson Day and Moldy Cheese Day. The first telephone conversation took place on this day in 1876.
Other things on this day in history:
768 - Carloman I and Charlemagne are crowned Kings of The Franks.
1003 - Leif Erikson lands in L'Anse aux Meadows, Canada, becoming the first European to reach North America.
1238 - James I of Aragon conquers Valencia and founds the Kingdom of Valencia.
1446 - The hangul alphabet is published in Korea.
1514 - Marriage of Louis XII of France and Mary Tudor.
1558 - Mérida is founded in Venezuela.
1582 - Because of the implementation of the Gregorian calendar, this day does not exist in this year in Italy, Poland, Portugal and Spain.
1595 - The Spanish army captures Cambrai.
1604 - Supernova 1604, the most recent supernova to be observed in the Milky Way.
1635 - Founder of Rhode Island Roger Williams is banished from Massachusetts Bay Colony as a religious dissident after he speaks out against punishments for religious offenses and giving away Native American land.
1701 - The Collegiate School of Connecticut (later renamed Yale University) is chartered in Old Saybrook, Connecticut.
1760 - 7 Year's War: Russian forces occupy Berlin.
1771 - The Dutch merchant ship Vrouw Maria sinks near the coast of Finland.
1776 - Father Francisco Palou founds Mission San Francisco de Asis in what is now San Francisco, California.
1799 - Sinking of HMS Lutine, with the loss of 240 men and a cargo worth £1,200,000.
1804 - Hobart, capital of Tasmania, is founded.
1806 - Prussia declares war on France.
1812 - War of 1812: In a naval engagement on Lake Erie, American forces capture two British ships: HMS Detroit and HMS Caledonia.
1820 - Guayaquil declares independence from Spain.
1824 - Slavery is abolished in Costa Rica.
1831 - Capo d'Istria is assassinated.
1835 - The Royal College, Colombo established with the name Hillstreet Academy in Sri Lanka.
1837 - Meeting at the U.S. Naval Academy establishes the U.S. Naval Institute.
1845 - The eminent and controversial Anglican, John Henry Newman, is received into the Roman Catholic Church.
1854 - the siege of Sebastopol begins.
1861 - American Civil War: Battle of Santa Rosa Island - Union troops repel Confederate attempt to capture Fort Pickens.
1864 - American Civil War: Battle of Tom's Brook - Union cavalrymen in the Shenandoah Valley defeat Confederate forces at Tom's Brook, Virginia.
1871 - The Great Chicago Fire is brought under control.
1874 - General Postal Union is created as a result of the Treaty of Berne.
1888 - The Washington Monument officially opens to the general public.
1911 - Accidental bomb explosion in Hankou, Wuhan, China leads to the ultimate fall of the Qing Empire
1914 - World War I: Siege of Antwerp - Antwerp, Belgium falls to German troops.
1919 - Black Sox scandal: The Cincinnati Reds "win" the World Series.
1934 - Regicide at Marseille: The assassination of King Alexander I of Yugoslavia and Louis Barthou, Foreign Minister of France.
1936 - Generators at Boulder Dam (later renamed to Hoover Dam) begin to generate electricity from the Colorado River and transmit it 266 miles to Los Angeles, California.
1940 - World War II: Battle of Britain - During a nighttime air raid by the German Luftwaffe, St. Paul's Cathedral in the City of London, England is hit by a bomb.
1941 - A coup in Panama declares Ricardo Adolfo de la Guardia Arango the new president.
1942 - Statute of Westminster 1931 formalises Australian autonomy.
1942 - The last day of the October Matanikau action on Guadalcanal as United States Marine Corps forces withdraw back across the Matanikau River after destroying most of the Imperial Japanese Army's 4th Infantry Regiment.
1945 - Parade in NYC for Fleet Admiral Nimitz and 13 USN/USMC Medal of Honor recipients
1962 - Uganda becomes an independent Commonwealth realm.
1963 - In northeast Italy, over 2,000 people are killed when a large landslide behind the Vajont Dam causes a giant wave of water to overtop it.
1967 - A day after being caught, Che Guevara is executed for attempting to incite a revolution in Bolivia.
1969 - In Chicago, the United States National Guard is called in for crowd control as demonstrations continue in connection with the trial of the "Chicago Eight" (trial started on September 24).
1970 - The Khmer Republic is proclaimed in Cambodia.
1981 - Abolition of capital punishment in France.
1983 - Rangoon bombing: attempted assassination of South Korean President Chun Doo-hwan during an official visit to Rangoon, Burma. Chun survives but the blast kills 17 of his entourage, including four cabinet ministers, and 17 others were injured. Four Burmese officials also die in the blast.
1986 - The musical The Phantom of the Opera has its first performance at Her Majesty's Theatre in London.
1989 - An official news agency in the Soviet Union reports the landing of a UFO in Voronezh.
1989 - In Leipzig, East Germany, 70,000 protesters demand the legalisation of opposition groups and democratic reforms.
1991 - Ecuador becomes a member of the Berne Convention copyright treaty.
1992 - A 13 kilogram (est.) meteorite lands in the driveway of the Knapp residence in Peekskill, New York, destroying the family's 1980 Chevrolet Malibu
1995 - An Amtrak Sunset Limited train is derailed by saboteurs near Palo Verde, Arizona.
1999 - The last flight of the SR-71.
2001 - Second mailing of anthrax letters from Trenton, New Jersey in the 2001 anthrax attack.
2006 - North Korea allegedly tests its first nuclear device.
2007 - The Dow Jones Industrial Average closes at an all-time high.
2007 - The Imagine Peace Tower, in Iceland, a memorial to John Lennon, is lid up for the first time. Yoko Ono and Ringo Starr attend the ceremony.
1003 - Leif Erikson lands in L'Anse aux Meadows, Canada, becoming the first European to reach North America.
1238 - James I of Aragon conquers Valencia and founds the Kingdom of Valencia.
1446 - The hangul alphabet is published in Korea.
1514 - Marriage of Louis XII of France and Mary Tudor.
1558 - Mérida is founded in Venezuela.
1582 - Because of the implementation of the Gregorian calendar, this day does not exist in this year in Italy, Poland, Portugal and Spain.
1595 - The Spanish army captures Cambrai.
1604 - Supernova 1604, the most recent supernova to be observed in the Milky Way.
1635 - Founder of Rhode Island Roger Williams is banished from Massachusetts Bay Colony as a religious dissident after he speaks out against punishments for religious offenses and giving away Native American land.
1701 - The Collegiate School of Connecticut (later renamed Yale University) is chartered in Old Saybrook, Connecticut.
1760 - 7 Year's War: Russian forces occupy Berlin.
1771 - The Dutch merchant ship Vrouw Maria sinks near the coast of Finland.
1776 - Father Francisco Palou founds Mission San Francisco de Asis in what is now San Francisco, California.
1799 - Sinking of HMS Lutine, with the loss of 240 men and a cargo worth £1,200,000.
1804 - Hobart, capital of Tasmania, is founded.
1806 - Prussia declares war on France.
1812 - War of 1812: In a naval engagement on Lake Erie, American forces capture two British ships: HMS Detroit and HMS Caledonia.
1820 - Guayaquil declares independence from Spain.
1824 - Slavery is abolished in Costa Rica.
1831 - Capo d'Istria is assassinated.
1835 - The Royal College, Colombo established with the name Hillstreet Academy in Sri Lanka.
1837 - Meeting at the U.S. Naval Academy establishes the U.S. Naval Institute.
1845 - The eminent and controversial Anglican, John Henry Newman, is received into the Roman Catholic Church.
1854 - the siege of Sebastopol begins.
1861 - American Civil War: Battle of Santa Rosa Island - Union troops repel Confederate attempt to capture Fort Pickens.
1864 - American Civil War: Battle of Tom's Brook - Union cavalrymen in the Shenandoah Valley defeat Confederate forces at Tom's Brook, Virginia.
1871 - The Great Chicago Fire is brought under control.
1874 - General Postal Union is created as a result of the Treaty of Berne.
1888 - The Washington Monument officially opens to the general public.
1911 - Accidental bomb explosion in Hankou, Wuhan, China leads to the ultimate fall of the Qing Empire
1914 - World War I: Siege of Antwerp - Antwerp, Belgium falls to German troops.
1919 - Black Sox scandal: The Cincinnati Reds "win" the World Series.
1934 - Regicide at Marseille: The assassination of King Alexander I of Yugoslavia and Louis Barthou, Foreign Minister of France.
1936 - Generators at Boulder Dam (later renamed to Hoover Dam) begin to generate electricity from the Colorado River and transmit it 266 miles to Los Angeles, California.
1940 - World War II: Battle of Britain - During a nighttime air raid by the German Luftwaffe, St. Paul's Cathedral in the City of London, England is hit by a bomb.
1941 - A coup in Panama declares Ricardo Adolfo de la Guardia Arango the new president.
1942 - Statute of Westminster 1931 formalises Australian autonomy.
1942 - The last day of the October Matanikau action on Guadalcanal as United States Marine Corps forces withdraw back across the Matanikau River after destroying most of the Imperial Japanese Army's 4th Infantry Regiment.
1945 - Parade in NYC for Fleet Admiral Nimitz and 13 USN/USMC Medal of Honor recipients
1962 - Uganda becomes an independent Commonwealth realm.
1963 - In northeast Italy, over 2,000 people are killed when a large landslide behind the Vajont Dam causes a giant wave of water to overtop it.
1967 - A day after being caught, Che Guevara is executed for attempting to incite a revolution in Bolivia.
1969 - In Chicago, the United States National Guard is called in for crowd control as demonstrations continue in connection with the trial of the "Chicago Eight" (trial started on September 24).
1970 - The Khmer Republic is proclaimed in Cambodia.
1981 - Abolition of capital punishment in France.
1983 - Rangoon bombing: attempted assassination of South Korean President Chun Doo-hwan during an official visit to Rangoon, Burma. Chun survives but the blast kills 17 of his entourage, including four cabinet ministers, and 17 others were injured. Four Burmese officials also die in the blast.
1986 - The musical The Phantom of the Opera has its first performance at Her Majesty's Theatre in London.
1989 - An official news agency in the Soviet Union reports the landing of a UFO in Voronezh.
1989 - In Leipzig, East Germany, 70,000 protesters demand the legalisation of opposition groups and democratic reforms.
1991 - Ecuador becomes a member of the Berne Convention copyright treaty.
1992 - A 13 kilogram (est.) meteorite lands in the driveway of the Knapp residence in Peekskill, New York, destroying the family's 1980 Chevrolet Malibu
1995 - An Amtrak Sunset Limited train is derailed by saboteurs near Palo Verde, Arizona.
1999 - The last flight of the SR-71.
2001 - Second mailing of anthrax letters from Trenton, New Jersey in the 2001 anthrax attack.
2006 - North Korea allegedly tests its first nuclear device.
2007 - The Dow Jones Industrial Average closes at an all-time high.
2007 - The Imagine Peace Tower, in Iceland, a memorial to John Lennon, is lid up for the first time. Yoko Ono and Ringo Starr attend the ceremony.
1 comment:
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