Spelunker

Motivated Mom and I went off on a road trip for the weekend.

One of our stops was Luray Caverns in Virginia.

After our visit I spent a lot of time thinking about the folks who first explored those caves. I can't imagine sliding down down hundreds of feet with nothing but a flickering candle in a lantern.

It was while I was picturing a fearless explorer squirming through tight crevices on knees and elbows that I realized where the name for an investigator of caves might have originated.

Spelunker - what a strange sounding word for a cavern explorer, but probably an apt description for a human skull having an unexpected encounter with the tip of a dangling stalactite.

I can see the accident report: While Dr. Wallace was admiring the spectacular calcium formations he clunked his head.

Combine spectacular with clunk and - Voila - spelunker is born.