I was just listening to Hazel Bartons post about the NPR interview and was reminded of an unforgettable experience in Sullivan Cave.
Myself and one other had gotten a little ahead of our group when exiting the cave and stopped for a short break in the "Waterfall Room" just a little shy of the entrance. Sullivan is a fairly large cave and this small room is a bit of a rest stop after a long duck walk and a low, narrow canyon. It was an early summer evening & we found ourselves absolutely enveloped in bats exiting the cave. At one point I raised my arms to shoulder height and they would briefly lite on my underarms, 3-5 at a time, seemingly to just check me out, then fly on about they're way. My buddy (cringing on the floor) was experiencing his second cave trip.
On another occasion, in a tight hands & knees crawl, I felt a "thump on my helmet and looked up just in time to see a Little Brown standing on all fours in front of me. He raised his head, gave it a shake and looked at me like "what the blazes are you doing here" I'll never forget it. An almost cartoonish encounter.
BATS...Gotta Love Em