Many years have past since I first encountered the Ghost Cave. Enough so that I feel I can freely relate my tale as a warning to those who may fall victim to the Ghost Cave legend. If you ever hear of a cave where people have gone, to never return again, believe it. Don't go there. You could suffer the same fate as I.

It began in June of 2002. I had been following the leads, looking for this elusive cave for a few years. At 52 years of age, I should have known better, I was warned of the legends. I had just driven into the town of Cold River. Hungry, and low on gas, I stopped at the local diner and the town's only gas station. Going inside to get something to eat while the Jeep was fueled, I asked about the cave.

An old fellow, wrinkled and weathered, was sitting on a bench outside the diner. Obviously a local who enjoyed just hanging around the diner, he heard my query. In reply he said, "I've never been there, but if you head east out of town, take the first dirt road to the left, and go about 2 miles, you can't miss it. But for your own good, best you stay away from there."

I should have heeded the warning, but instead I took it as a fresh clue to finding the cave. My Jeep gassed up, a refreshing lunch eaten, and I was ready to go. I started east and found the dirt road right where the old man said it would be. Turning onto it, and going the two miles brought me to the base of a high cliff. And there, at the base was the opening to a cave! I had found it!

It is not advisable to cave alone, and I had no intention of doing so. But this opening was large and it looked easy to pass through, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to at least take a little look. Putting on my hardhat and electric light I went inside.

The walk was easy. The passage was wide and level and before I knew it I was beyond the point where I could see the entrance. It was there I first felt the uncanny pull of the cave. I knew I shouldn't go on, but I had to. The cave gave me no choice. Drawing me deeper I went on and on, the pull increasing as I went.

Finally I could see a light ahead. It was as if the cave itself was lit from within. Turning a corner, I entered a large room. The room was lit by many lights. There were carbide helmet lights on the floor. Flashlights lay among them. On the wall several pitch pine torches burned brightly. They looked like something that might have been used a thousand years ago. By contrast, new technology chemical lights were strewn about the floor of this room. Kerosene lanterns and even candles were also burning in the room. It seemed every form of artificial light man had ever used to explore the darkness was represented in this room. And all were working, casting myriad shadows about the room.

It was then I felt the weight on my hardhat. Gently at first, then ever increasing. My own electric light was pulling at my headgear. The pull was soon so strong l I had to remove the light from my head. Suddenly my light was pulled to the floor to join the other lights there. I tried to pick it up, but to no avail. It was literally stuck right there on the floor, among several others just like it.

Now if you have ever been in a cave you know the importance of light. You don't go without it. I was a little worried and though I didn't understand how all these lights were still burning, I figured I would just take one of them and get out of there. I tried to pick up one of the flashlights. But like my electric light, I could not raise it from the floor. I tried other lights with the same results. By now I was getting a bit worried about all this. I reached for a candle, a lantern, another light. I could not move them either. It was as though they had become a part of the cave itself, inseparable from the cavern which held them.

Reaching for one of the pine torches burning on the wall as a last resort, I could take it! Removing it I beat a hasty retreat back to the entrance of the cave. It would be good to get back in my Jeep and get away from this strange Ghost Cave.

Finally, outside light! As I ran for the entrance, something caught my eye. Or rather didn't catch my eye. My Jeep was not outside where I had left it. In fact nothing looked quite right . Going around the base of the cliff I was shocked to see four of what appeared to be teepees. They were made of animal skins stretched over poles. Two women were working on what looked like clothing. Some men were chipping flint, and two fires burned in the camp. I was just about to call out, then thought better of it. Instead I just hid behind a rock and watched what was going on.

These people were speaking in a language I could not understand. I had no idea where they came from, but I knew they weren't there about an hour ago when I drove here. In fact the camp was right on what should have been the road. Watching all this only raised more questions. I didn't want to get involved with these people, so I thought maybe I could sneak back around the cliff and walk out to the main road and get a ride back to town. Surely the local police would be able to help me find who took my Jeep and maybe who these strange people were.

But before I could move, a sudden yell pierced the air. A couple of children had found my hiding place! When the people heard their scream, the women ran into the teepees, and two of the men who had been working the flint tips arose, grabbed spears and began running in my direction.. I could see they were out to do me harm, so I took my pine torch and sprinted for the cave. I hoped that they would not follow me in there since they had no lights.

Success! I soon found myself back in the room again. There was no sound of anyone else in the cave, it looked like I was safe. I put the torch back on the wall and sat down to consider my options. Finally, I decided I would take the torch and try again to get out of the cave. But when I reached for it, the torch could not be removed from the wall.

Now I was frightened. I reached for other lights, but just like before they were frozen to the ground. But just then, I reached for a kerosene lantern. It moved. I picked it up and ran for the entrance. As I got near I crept quietly toward daylight so I would not be seen by the warrior people out there.

But when I got there, all evidence of them was gone. There was a dirt road leading away from the cliff. I remembered that! The trees along a stream, I remembered those too. But no Jeep.

Voices! I hear voices! People talking, in English! I walked out from the cave and followed the sounds to the stream. There I saw them. Two men were fishing along the creek. They had set up a camp there. Apparently they had rode in on horseback, since two horses were tied nearby.

"Hello!" I called.

"Howdy" one of the men replied. "Haven't seen you round these parts before."

I went over and introduced myself and told them about my experiences over the last couple hours. When I mentioned the cave, neither of them knew what I was talking about. But they invited me to have a bite to eat and offered me a place to rest.

It was then I saw the newspaper laying there. What caught my eye was the date, 1904 ! Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. I realized what was going on. It was the lights. Each represented a time in history. A thousand years ago, the pitch pine torch took me to native people in their tribal camp. Now here I was, a kerosene lantern had brought me to these two fishermen in 1904. I realized I had to get back and somehow retrieve my light to get to my own time.

Thanking these fellows for their hospitality, I returned to the cave. Back to the room of lights. I set the kerosene lantern down and found I could no longer move it. So I began trying to lift other lights. I moved a carbide light. But it appeared to be somewhat an older design and I assumed it would take me to a time too early. Later I was able to take a candle, but again I was concerned. about the time frame. My electric light lay there with several others just like it. By now I could not even tell for sure which one was mine. I thought I knew, and when I reached for it, now it was free! I grabbed it and ran for the entrance.

By now, night had fallen. As I went out of the cave, I could hear music nearby. And not just any music, familiar rock music. And vehicle lights! Somebody must have broken into my Jeep and was having a party there, I thought. But I was out of the cave, and as long as they didn't hurt anything I wasn't mad at them. Maybe I would even join them to celebrate my freedom from the Ghost Cave.

But when I approached the source of the music, it wasn't my Jeep. Instead a van was parked along the road. Two men were sitting there, watching the sky. I ran up to one of the guys and asked, "What is today's date?"

"Today?" came the reply. "It's Tuesday. Who are you?"..

"No, No, The year, the year" I said, not even taking time to introduce myself.

"Slow down, it's 1970," he said.

It was after hearing the date that I realized I had taken the wrong electric light. Without saying another thing, I ran back to the cliff and to the cave entrance. But now I could find no cave. I searched in the dark until the electric light began to grow dim. Soon I heard a voice call out to me. It was one of the guys who had been in the van.

"You lookin' for that Ghost Cave?" he asked. "Ain't gonna find it."

"Why not?" I questioned him.

"I have lived in Cold River all my life, ", the man said. "I have been coming out here every chance I get. since my brother disappeared six years ago. He heard about a cave out here and came out to see if he could find it. Last we ever heard from him. I have looked all over for that cave. Never found it. But the legend is that at certain times an opening appears in the wall of the cliff. A portal to other places and times. But once it is gone, it may not open again for years. I keep waiting for an opportunity..." His hopeful voice trailed off.....

1970, I thought to myself. And no way to get in the cave again. There I was, a 52 year old caver, born only 20 years earlier. And today I relate this warning to you, almost 90 years of age, my body nearing its end of life, broken and worn out, yet born a mere 55 years ago. That cave had stolen 35 years from me, years never to be returned. But yet I was fortunate. Some are never heard from again.

So if you ever hear of a cave where people have gone, to vanish forever, believe it. Don't go there.