Every year, we always try to find a fun side trip to take one day or place to go. This year, Deanna had looked up one of the bat caves to go to and watch the bats fly out at night. It was so awesome and a full moon, even more ominous! We went to an old abandoned train tunnel where Mexican bats migrate to every year and mate and live while its warm. By the end of August every year, there are 3 million bats that live in the tunnel that come out every night to feed (we went at the beginning of August). A school in Austin does research about bats here and helps protect the area to ensure the bats keep coming back every year. Apparently, tons of people come here throughout the summer to watch the bats leave. It is about 10 minutes long and is an incredible sight to see. The video doesnt do it justice. We even saw a hawk swoop in to catch some dinner for himself. Here are some interesting facts you might not have known about bats:
1. These bats eat millions and millions of insects each night and save farmers over $1.7 million dollars each year.
2. The enormous amount of guano they produce is sold as fertilizer in Texas.
3. You are more likely to get rabies from a dog or squirrel than from a bat. And you are likely to not see a bat flying that is rabid because it is too sick to be flying.
4. The moms leave the cave to give birth and they only have one baby/year. Then they return to the cave after that.
5. The young bats become the scouts. They are the first to leave the cave a few at a time before the whole group emerges.
Well now that you are properly informed...you can now view the video. Its pretty long so you might not watch all of it if you dont want.
They come out a few at a time and then the big swarm comes. Its like an F5 bat tornado, then they fly up into the sky.
This is a zoomed in view of one bat that Matt got a picture of. They move so fast it was hard to get a good picture. 
Behind us is the tunnel they live in, an old abanded train tunnel. We went down the trail after they flew out not during because it is too dangerous. It was the rankest smell I have ever smelled in my life. I could literally not breath with out stuffing my face into my shirt. Needless to say, I didnt stay down there long. 
On the last day, we went to Stonehinge/Easter Island....
Well actually it was a replica. Some guy built a 2/3rds size replica of these statues on his land for some reason and people can go in and check it out at their leasure. I havent been to either place so it was pretty cool. Here are a few pics:
Matt being Sampson
Pretending to kill Matt on the sacrificial stone.
And Matt picking the nose of the Easter Island guy.
Well actually it was a replica. Some guy built a 2/3rds size replica of these statues on his land for some reason and people can go in and check it out at their leasure. I havent been to either place so it was pretty cool. Here are a few pics:
Matt being Sampson
Pretending to kill Matt on the sacrificial stone.
And Matt picking the nose of the Easter Island guy.
The only other exciting/eventful things that happened were:
1. Our car got hit by our cabin neighbor one morning. But she had insurance luckily and it is already fixed.
2. My hair dryer exploded on the last day when I was using it. Flames and smoke and the whole bit.
One more post to come about the crafty/baking stuff I did and I that will be all for this trip.
1. Our car got hit by our cabin neighbor one morning. But she had insurance luckily and it is already fixed.
2. My hair dryer exploded on the last day when I was using it. Flames and smoke and the whole bit.
One more post to come about the crafty/baking stuff I did and I that will be all for this trip.
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