Thanks for sharing the details of another great excursion, Umbral_Seraph.

I enjoyed reading the whole adventure, but I was particularly intrigued by the van in the ravine with the pseudo-satanic license plate (awesome), the vein of pyrite you discovered, and the nest of cave crickets.

Reading this made me think of how simultaneously sad and striking many of these sites are, where long-term human intervention meets wildlife and natural beauty. For a while, I photographed them wherever and whenever I could, and ended up with a series of pictures that seemed to be an attempt to put the sites in one category or another, always extremes--ugly vs. beautiful, etc. No particular category ever won out, as elements of its opposite were always present. I think that's why I liked them.

Thank you again, Umbral_Seraph. I am glad you and your friends had a good time. And thanks for reminding me of those pictures.