When I attended the Women Writing the West conference in San Antonio last week, I arrived a day early so I could go exploring, which is often my habit. My search for adventure and history led me into the Texas Hill Country, to see where the road would lead.

About forty years ago, I visited friends on a horse ranch near the town of Boerne, which has evolved into an inviting community full of shops and cafes. After I stopped there, I drove along backroads until I noticed signs for a cave, and I followed them. As the road became narrower, I reached a rocky turnaround with a visitors’ center at the entrance to a place called the “Cave Without A Name”.

A confirmed claustrophobic after too many MRIs, I had no intention of visiting the cave, so I began walking along the hiking path with my camera swinging from my neck. A greeter said, “Watch for armadillos and wild pigs”. She did not tell me to watch OUT for these critters, so I hoped they would trot out to pose for pictures, but no such luck. When I returned, a group of folks gathered at the visitors’ outpost urged me to visit the cave. In spite of my hesitations, they assured me I would love it, and it was arranged. I asked the group to rescue me if they heard screams. They laughed. I just smiled.

Many years ago, some teenagers found the cave while exploring. A contest to name the cave was won by a young person who decided it was “too pretty to have a name”. He was right. Once we descended the stairs, we entered a huge, splendid cavern, sparkling with strategically placed lighting, as stalactites and stalagmites glistened all around. A tiny sleeping bat clung to the dark stone wall. Water dripped and rippled, barely breaking the silence. The air was cool and humid. My anxiety remained dormant.

I have seen stairways in parking garages that were more frightening than the entrance to this cave. However, when we emerged back into daylight, I was happy to feel the sun on my face again. Although I never found the ranch, the Cave Without A Name was a beautiful treasure and a gem of a memory to replace old ones along Texas backroads, or to add to them.

For more information and a great photo gallery, go to:
http://www.cavewithoutaname.com/

Joyce Lohse, 11/1/2008
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