Spelunking at Pisgah - "inside the crater looking down into a vent"

 After several hours of driving our objective finally came into view.

 Our group making the wide crunchy turn toward the volcano.

 Nearing the parking lot we chanced upon a large group of photographers and our caravan of vehicles seemed to have photographic value because just about all of the 20+ shutterbugs turned their cameras toward us.

Soon we were inside the crater looking down into a vent.

 Next we headed into the lava field.

At the first tube, Dave, a long time friend and spelunker, emerged from a cave ready to guide us on our underground adventures.

After exploring a tube called The Glove the crew divided into small groups that crossed the lava field looking for more caves.

 A flight of helicopters passed east of our position.

 Some very cool shadows were happening in the late afternoon.

 This frozen lava flow looked a bit like a trilobite.

 Some members of our group left early.

 While most stayed until the sun began to paint the clouds orange.

 Everyone reported that they had a spectacular time spelunking.

 Susan recorded a message thanking Dave.

 After sunset only four people remained: Dave, Erik, Jan and I. We ate dinner sitting beside the camper and watched the traffic pass by on both I-40 and the BNSF RR. The lights of Las Vegas glowed on the eastern horizon.

 Just before dawn at Pisgah.

 A volcano, a FWC, a F-150 and a Rubicon waiting for the morning sun.

 Sleeping Beauty in the distance to the east.

 A small part of this old piece of boiler has been sticking up out of the gravel on the edge of the parking lot for years. In the last year someone decided to dig it out. It reminded me of the metal object, Bobbi Anderson, stumbled upon outside of Haven, Maine, in Stephen King's novel "The Tommyknockers."

 Sunrise shadows at Pisgah.

 After breakfast Erik photographed his truck with the volcano in the background and then started the long drive back to the South Bay.

 Next Dave departed. He was driving east to Ludlow and then north following the T&T RR toward the Mojave Road and the Desert Megaphone.

 We left the volcano later in the morning after guiding a couple from Victorville and their son to a few lava tubes.

The long pot-holed route back to the interstate.