[Texascavers] Robber Baron Open House Report
Yesterday was the 7th Robber Baron Cave Open House held since we started doing them in 2008. Even though there were a few brief showers, it was a record setting event, shattering previous attendance and fundraising records! We had 569 visitors get a chance to explore the cave either through the regular self-guided tour of several passages close to the entrance or on guided off-trail trips to other parts of the cave. The event was very busy all day long and there were other activities for visitors while waiting for their time to go underground including a TCMA sales table with t-shirt, booklets and guano along with photos taken of the visitors while exploring the cave. There were multiple exhibitors/vendors including NSS, BCI, TSS, San Antonio Master Naturalists, and Sticks & Stones Bat Rescue. We even had a food truck on site. More than $5300 were raised for TCMA through donations and sales. The huge thank you goes to the 67 caver volunteers (listed below) who put in nearly 600 hrs yesterday, coming from all over the state including San Antonio, Austin, Houston, the DFW area, to make the event such a success. And also to those who put in uncounted extra hours preparing for it. Thanks so much to everyone who has helped make the Open House such a popular event for the public and fundraiser for TCMA these past 9 years. Joe Mitchell 2017 Open House Volunteers Mike Harris Lori Harris Evelynn Mitchell Kayla Mitchell Ann Scott Garry White Fran Hutchins Emily McGowan Kevin McGowan Don Arburn Christin Miller Allan Cobb Leah Miller Marvin Miller Leia Hill Cyndi McFalls Derek Weicht Kendi Weicht Q. Rodriguez Steve Gutting Jason Rodriguez Roy Wessel Matt Zappitello Jess Kelley Linda Palit Tom Florer Mike Nunley Noble Fisk Matthew Jaurez M. Juarez Jay Jorden Geary Schindel Sue Schindel Jim Kennedy Ray Hertel Amy Morton Tao Fells Greg Mosier Joe Schaertl Gregg Williams David Adamoski Lindsey Adamoski Ross Webb Ross Webb Jr Lex Hatzenbuehler Lyndon Tiu Barbara Tiu Emma Tiu Bennett Lee Ethen Lee Pam Campbell Arron Wertheim Victoria Sommers Alex Aceves Araceli Moreno Rob Bissett M.J. Gibbons Kalina Tostado Joe Ranzau Jake Ranzau Josh Ranzau Catherine Berkley-Jones Michael Cicherski Melissa Cicherski Sonya Mullerin Denise Predergast ___ Texascavers mailing list | http://texascavers.com Texascavers@texascavers.com | Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/texascavers@texascavers.com/ http://lists.texascavers.com/listinfo/texascavers
[Texascavers] Volunteers Needed for TCMA's Robber Baron Open House
Saturday, November 11 is the date of the next Robber Baron Cave Open House and TCMA need many volunteers to help make it a success! This is a major fundraising event for TCMA, especially fundraising from outside the caving community, and is a chance to raise public awareness about TCMA and caves. We typically have more than 400 people go through the cave during the day, so need lots of volunteers both on the surface to run tables and coordinate cave entry and also in the cave to direct people and answer questions. The event runs from 9 am - 3 pm and after its over, you are welcome stay and explore other parts of the cave. There will also be an after-party hosted by the Bissets. If you can come and help out, please contact Evelynn at evel...@satx.rr.com or via Facebook. She is coordinating volunteers and if you would like to do a specific job, let her know what you are interested in doing: Surface Greeter/Support In-Cave Tour Guide for guided tours/Advance sign in table Sinkhole gear table/cave sign in and out Surface sign-in table T-shirt sales table Photo booth/runner If you are only available for part of the day, that’s fine, just let Evelynn know. If you are coming from out of town and need a place to stay, let us know and accommodations can be arranged. Hope to see you there! Thanks, Joe Mitchell ___ Texascavers mailing list | http://texascavers.com Texascavers@texascavers.com | Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/texascavers@texascavers.com/ http://lists.texascavers.com/listinfo/texascavers
[Texascavers] New TSS Officers
The Texas Speleological Survey would like to give a big thank you to outgoing President Ron Ralph who has worked hard to lead the organization over the past few years! We would also like to thank outgoing Editor Kevin Stafford for his work on TSS publications, especially getting the recent high quality "Karst of the Urban Corridor”. Finally we would also like to thank outgoing Director Travis Scott for his service on the Board as well. The new TSS officers are: Secretary: Jim Kennedy Treasurer: Marvin Miller Editor: Jerry Atkinson President: Joe Mitchell For any newer cavers unfamiliar with the TSS, it is an organization dedicated to the collection and management of data and information about Texas caves. The TSS produces many publications on Texas caves which may be purchased at Texas caving events such as the upcoming TSA Spring Convention and at TCR or from TSS Directors who are members of your grotto. The TSS has an a very extensive library and cave file collection at its office at the Pickle Research Center of the University of Texas in Austin. Cavers are welcome to arrange a visit to search the maps and files to conduct your own research. The TSS also solicits data from cavers to expand the cave database which can be submitted online here: http://www.texasspeleologicalsurvey.org/data_submit/submit.php If you would like to help out the TSS, we are always looking for new volunteers - please contact any Officer or Director for details. For more information on the TSS, visit our website at http://www.texasspeleologicalsurvey.org Thanks, Joe Mitchell ___ Texascavers mailing list | http://texascavers.com Texascavers@texascavers.com | Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/texascavers@texascavers.com/ http://lists.texascavers.com/listinfo/texascavers
[Texascavers] Robber Baron Open House - April 9
The next Open House for Robber Baron Cave on scheduled for Saturday, April 9 and volunteers are needed! This is a big fundraiser for TCMA and we need help for taking and selling photographs, registration, selling t-shirts, selling concessions, distributing and collecting gear, and of course, a big crew of volunteers to camp out in the cave and make sure our visitors don't wander off. (Cave volunteers must have their own gear.) If you can participate and there is a particular job you would like to do, please e-mail Evelynn, who is serving as volunteer coordinator, at evel...@satx.rr.com. If you are just interested in helping and don't care what you do, let her know that too. Thanks everyone! Joe Mitchell___ Texascavers mailing list | http://texascavers.com Texascavers@texascavers.com | Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/texascavers@texascavers.com/ http://lists.texascavers.com/listinfo/texascavers
[Texascavers] Deep Cave Survey Report
Saturday, Aug 1 was the latest Deep Cave survey trip. With 19 cavers turning out from around the state, we were able to put 6 survey teams in the cave. Ellie Falgout led a team with Gary Donham and Wade McDaniel to finish off two leads in the Crystal Water and Junction Room areas. Bennett Lee led a team with Pam Campbell and Lindsay Smith to continue their previous survey off of Lillie’s Leisure which eventual led to a new, but difficult connection to the Bear Scratch Hall area. Their team had a nice long day in the cave, coming back to the cabin about 1am. Saj Zappitello led a team with Matt Zappitello, and Tom Rogers to work on one of several leads in the Rust Room. This lead down into a new area below that also connects to the route to Bear Scratch Hall. Marvin Miller led a team with Gerry Geletzke and Jake McLeod to work on the seemly endless maze in the Miller Time area. On this trip they surveyed back under the Forest of Columns Room and made a couple of connections up into it. Their survey continued further and eventually tied into the Lost World survey. Though they left the cave at the same time as most other teams, they did an amazing 124 m of survey finding many new leads. Don Arburn lead a team with Arron Wertheim, Vicki DeLeon and initially Mike Harris, although he elected to work on trail markers in the Forest of Columns area and eventually hooked up with Marvin’s team. Don’s team continued work below the Helictite Room work on some remaining leads and it looks like this extensive maze is starting to be wrapped up. Finally, my team included Galen Falgout and Jill Orr and we started by visiting the MCM Room to get photos, collect a mud sample, and check for remaining leads. After concluded there were none, we proceeded down to an area below the Helictite Room but back under the Forest of Columns to work on several lead there. Two of these connected to another survey while the other two eventually ended, completing this area. All told, the teams had a great day surveying 269.2 total meters. After subtracting for overlapping shots and tie-ins, this brings the new length of the cave to 5518.3 m. A more detailed report on this on other recent survey trips will appear in the next issue of the Texas Caver. Thanks, Joe Mitchell joemitch...@satx.rr.com ___ Texascavers mailing list | http://texascavers.com Texascavers@texascavers.com | Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/texascavers@texascavers.com/ http://lists.texascavers.com/listinfo/texascavers
[Texascavers] Robber Baron Open House on Nov. 1st
The next Robber Baron Open House is coming up on Sat, Nov 1, 2014! This is a great event for the public to visit and learn about a wild cave and also a great fundraising opportunity for TCMA. Many volunteers are needed to make this happen and we would love to have your help either in the cave or on the surface. We request that everyone be at the cave by 8:00 am at the latest since there is a lot to setup. If you can be there earlier, that would be even better. Lunch and water will be provided to all volunteers, however if can bring you own water bottle that would be better, especially if you plan to work in the cave. We will need at least 15-20 people working in the cave and another 15 or more on the surface. If you know of anyone else who would like to help, let them know - we could use the assistance! People who plan to work in the cave will need to bring all of their own gear. Every bit of loaner gear is in use by the public. Kurt and Kitty Menking are planning to host a covered dish party at their place after the RBC open house. (Bring something you want to share.) There will be burgers, venison sausage, and okra on the grill. Please RSVP if you plan to attend the after party so that our hosts can know how many to prepare for. Accommodations can be found for anyone staying overnight from out of town. It is likely that there will be a Government Canyon Survey on the day following the open for those wanting to stay and go caving. Marvin Miller is the contact for that survey, so check in with him if you would like to go to Government Canyon. Let me know if you can come and help with this big TCMA fund-raising event! We have a lot of fun each time we do it, so we hope you can join us to represent TCMA. Please contact Evelynn Mitchell if you can volunteer at evel...@satx.rr.com or 210-288-7872.___ Texascavers mailing list | http://texascavers.com Texascavers@texascavers.com | Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/texascavers@texascavers.com/ http://lists.texascavers.com/listinfo/texascavers
[Texascavers] Deep Cave Survey - Sept 20
There are a few spots open still for next Saturday's Deep Cave survey trip. If you are interested, please let me know as soon as possible. Thanks, Joe Mitchell 210-859-2105 ___ Texascavers mailing list | http://texascavers.com Texascavers@texascavers.com | Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/texascavers@texascavers.com/ http://lists.texascavers.com/listinfo/texascavers
