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Category: Oregon Caves NM

10 March 2009

The Bat in the Hat is a Ranger that…

When I worked at Oregon Caves National Monument I wrote this little ditty.

The Bat in the Hat

The Bat in the hat
is a Ranger that
shows you cave habitat
with a flashlight and chitchat.

The Bat in the hat
wears a hat that is flat
and it catches the splat
that water begat.

The Bat in the hat
is an acrobat
who must combat
a cave ceiling not flat.

The Bat in the hat
said “Oh drat,
I bumped my hat
and fell on my prat.”

The Bat in the hat
also baby-sat
and broke up a spat
with a visitor’s brat.

The Bat in the hat
works for a bureaucrat
as a lowly proletariat
while acting as a diplomat.

Push my buttons!

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Oregon Caves NM, Park Ranger poem 9 Comments
22 December 2008

The gypsy life of a seasonal park ranger – Spring/Summer 2002

After too many years barely surviving financially in the buy and sell flea market business of my gypsy life, and really missing being a seasonal Park Ranger, I secured a position with the National Park Service at Oregon Caves National Monument as a cave tour guide.

RV in snow at Oregon Caves National Monument Oregon

Carson in RV space at Oregon Caves National Monument

I arrived on a Thursday in March and parked my RV at an assigned site two miles away from the visitor center and cave entrance. It snowed all weekend and I didn’t see a soul. Monday, and for the next two weeks, I mostly walked to training. Then I bought a cheap car.

Gaelyn in Visitor Center Oregon Caves National Monument Oregon

Me in the visitor center

Sometimes I worked in the visitor center selling cave tour tickets, books and postcards. Every person going on the 90 minute cave tour must be able to walk a paved half-mile at 4,000 feet, climb 527 steps mostly up, twist, turn, stoop to 4 feet in one place, and kids must be 42 inches tall. Plus the cave temperature is 43F degrees.

Cave entrance Oregon Caves National Monument Oregon

Cave entrance

Most of the time, I lead tours of no more than 16 visitors through this maze of marble cave, up to three times a day. I wove together a story about the natural and cultural history of the cave along the way. It’s a very personal cave, narrow, walls close enough to touch, which is the number one thing not to do. If you want to see more of the cave and can’t visit it yourself (closed in winter) click here for a cave tour.

Petrified Gardens Oregon Caves National Monument Oregon

Travertine flowstone in Petrified Gardens

After the tour it’s like a step back in time visiting the historic lodge. Called the Chateau, it was completed in 1934 and you can still sit in the old fashioned soda shop and enjoy one of the best milk shakes ever.

Chateau Oregon Caves National Monument Oregon

Historic Oregon Caves Chateau

Oregon Caves National Monument is located in southwestern Oregon between Crater Lake and Redwoods National Parks just 20 curvy miles off the Redwood Highway. I visited both, however this was the summer of many fires and Crater Lake wasn’t visible for photos.

Redwoods California

Giant Redwoods

The Smoke from the Biscuit Fire actually came into the cave’s upper blasted entrance tunnel but not past the door. I went camping on the coast with another guide and returned driving thru the fire along the Smith River. My body hair stood up as we drove past trees candling next to the narrow shoulder. Unfortunately, no photos.

Panther Creek campground Six Rivers National Forest Oregon

Carson in Panther Creek campground Six Rivers National Forest, Oregon ( and the cheap car)

I really enjoyed being a Park Guide at Oregon Caves.  Such a fulfilling experience to learn and share an intimate experience in our underground world.  But my season only lasted six months so I gave away the car to another guide and continued my gypsy life.

Push my buttons!

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My gypsy life, Oregon, Oregon Caves NM National Park, Oregon Caves National Monument, Redwood National Park 17 Comments

Hi, I’m Gaelyn, the Geogypsy

I retired after 29 summer seasons as a Park Ranger, traveling solo for 40+ years. My passions include travel, connecting to nature, photography, and sharing stories.

I started exploring US National Parks in 1977 and 20 years later became a seasonal Park Ranger.  I’ve lived full-time in a RV for 30 years working summers and playing winters.  I’m still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow old, other than grow up.

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