Emily Bacon, of Ashburn, went into Glade Cave near Mount Solon in Augusta County as any Girl Scout should go anywhere - prepared.
She had been thoroughly indoctrinated into the proper way to explore a cave by experienced cavers.
She was wearing all the certified and compulsory equipment.
She was going into a cave that had been mapped and explored by hundreds.
Then Emily slipped, and the excursion became not one of exploration, but one of rescue.
By the time the 13-year-old was extracted from between two boulders 90 minutes later, she had learned that tingling and numbness from an arm and a leg going to sleep becomes pain.
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Emily learned that the cold of a cave, even in August, will penetrate several layers of clothing. The average temperature in Glade Cave is 50 degrees.
Finally, Emily learned that heroes can be found anywhere, even in a tiny town southwest of Harrisonburg.
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