[Texascavers] TCR Friday Night Wine Tasting
There might be a Texas Caver Gathering, Speleo Olympics, Meetings, and an Auction. We can’t know for sure. What we do know is that we’re bringing back the official - unofficial Friday night wine tasting at TCR! 10/14/22 We’ll be up top nearish to the vendors and other groups. Starts around dark 30 or really whatever time we get ourselves together. Look for the group of cavers loitering around a table with more wine bottles than seems reasonable. No official group food but someone usually brings snacks. Be like that person, wine goes better with snacks! If you don’t drink wine, you do you and bring what ya like. We’ll judge but we’ll still “taste” with you! Joe Ranzau 210.289.6839 ___ Texascavers mailing list | http://texascavers.com Texascavers@texascavers.com | Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/texascavers@texascavers.com/ http://lists.texascavers.com/listinfo/texascavers
Re: [Texascavers] Deep Cave claustrophobia video :
Yep, it hit twitter pretty hard Tuesday and Wednesday of this week too. Damn crazy cavers! Joe Ranzau 210.289.6839 > On Feb 5, 2022, at 7:30 AM, Jerry wrote: > > > This video has gone somewhat viral on the internet : Ethan at Deep Cave. > > https://www.tiktok.com/foryou?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1&item_id=7041043980124949765#/@stickfigureboy99/video/7041043980124949765 > > Jerry Atkinson. > ___ > 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 mailing list | http://texascavers.com Texascavers@texascavers.com | Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/texascavers@texascavers.com/ http://lists.texascavers.com/listinfo/texascavers
Re: [Texascavers] Looking for Triston Nguyen
That depends entirely on Triston! No pressure… Joe Ranzau 210.289.6839 > On Oct 31, 2021, at 6:01 PM, Bill Steele wrote: > > How much was raised by the auction in support of the good work of the TCMA? > > Bill Steele > Irving, Texas > >> On Oct 31, 2021, at 2:59 PM, Joe Ranzau wrote: >> >> Hey all - >> >> Triston or someone that knows them, please reach out to me offline at >> i...@tcmacaves.org to settle your TCR auction tab. There was a typo in our >> notes so we can’t do it without email with you. Apologies, we had a >> technology snag at the auction. >> >> Thanks! >> >> Joe Ranzau >> 210.289.6839 >> ___ >> 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 mailing list | http://texascavers.com > Texascavers@texascavers.com | Archives: > http://www.mail-archive.com/texascavers@texascavers.com/ > http://lists.texascavers.com/listinfo/texascavers ___ 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] TCMA Suspending Cave Access
The Texas Cave Management Association will immediately suspend access to our owned and managed caves through Friday, May 1, 2020. Any exception to this policy must be approved by the Executive Committee (Officers) of the Board. We will monitor the situation and adjust as necessary. Please email i...@tcmacaves.org with any questions or concerns. Joe Ranzau President | Texas Cave Management Association www.tcmacaves.org ___ Texascavers mailing list | http://texascavers.com Texascavers@texascavers.com | Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/texascavers@texascavers.com/ http://lists.texascavers.com/listinfo/texascavers
Re: [Texascavers] Please help Honey Creek Cave...
TCMA will be there. Joe Ranzau 210.289.6839 > On Mar 13, 2020, at 7:31 PM, Bill Steele wrote: > > > Thanks, Kurt. I’m planning to do both: submit written comments to TCEQ and > show up on March 19. Even though it’s a 260 > mile drive for me, I love and care about Honey Creek Cave enough be there. > > Good caving, > > Bill Steele > Irving, Texas > speleoste...@aol.com > >> >>> On Mar 13, 2020, at 7:14 PM, Kurt Menking wrote: >>> >> >> As many of you know a development is planned at the top of the Honey Creek >> watershed. They plan to drip / inject up to 360,000 gallons per day of >> treated wastewater into the karst terrain above the nearby Honey Creek Cave. >> Their goal is to build 1800 homes which would also create an enormous amount >> of storm runoff which would carry many contaminants including much of their >> drip wastewater into Honey Creek and ultimately the Guadalupe river. This >> would seriously impact TPWD conservation lands and the Guadalupe State Park. >> >> >> The owner of Honey Creek Cave is mortified by this issue. She is hopefull >> that the cavers who have enjoyed HC Cave in the past, will show up March 19 >> to show and voice there concern over this issue. >> >> If 50 people show up to this meeting, TCEQ will approve the permit and we'll >> all have to live with the consequences. If 300 people show up and or >> comment, TCEQ will spend months dealing with responses, and other red tape. >> That would also prompt the developer to back off his density and negotiate >> with the opposition. >> >> If you can't make the meeting, then please make written comments to TCEQ. >> >> Details on meeting, and TCEQ comments are below: >> >> The TCEQ public meeting for the Texas Land Application (TLAP) Permit for >> Honey Creek Ranch (Proposed Permit Number WQ0015835001) is scheduled for >> March 19th at 7:pm at Rahee Bulverde Elementary School, 1715 East Ammann >> Road, Bulverde, Texas. Our baseline water quality studies of Honey Creek >> indicate that this is probably one of the cleanest natural streams in the >> whole state of Texas. Given that the state has invested substantially in >> the Honey Creek State Natural Area to preserve this treasure, as well as in >> the Guadalupe State Park - the popular water recreational area immediately >> downstream, we feel that the risk of both waste water and stormwater >> pollution from a high density subdivision is something we should make every >> effort to mitigate. March 19th will be the last day to submit comments on >> this project. You may submit your comments on-line by entering WQ0015835001. >> Or you can mail comments to TCEQ Office of the Chief Clerk, MC-105, PO Box >> 13087, Austin, Texas 78711-3087 - or in person during the comment period >> that follows the Question and Answer session on March 19. For more >> information click here and scroll down to Honey Creek. >> ___ >> 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 mailing list | http://texascavers.com > Texascavers@texascavers.com | Archives: > http://www.mail-archive.com/texascavers@texascavers.com/ > http://lists.texascavers.com/listinfo/texascavers ___ Texascavers mailing list | http://texascavers.com Texascavers@texascavers.com | Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/texascavers@texascavers.com/ http://lists.texascavers.com/listinfo/texascavers
Re: [Texascavers] TCMA Member's Meeting
Cavers and TCMA members, this will be a meeting you don’t want to miss. We have several things to update the membership on such as new preserve managers, our Honey Creek Cave access agreement, our candidates for the board, oh and we’ve gone and done a thing you’ll really want to hear about! Shh, don’t tell... Joe Ranzau 210.289.6839 > On Sep 18, 2019, at 12:20 PM, Lindsey Adamoski > wrote: > > > Hi Everyone, > > TCMA will have our Member's Meeting at Texas Caver's Reunion at noon on > Saturday. That's October 12th. If you're not a member, you can sign up at > TCR. You won't want to miss this meeting! > > Sincerely, > > Lindsey Adamoski > TCMA Secretary > ___ > 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 mailing list | http://texascavers.com Texascavers@texascavers.com | Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/texascavers@texascavers.com/ http://lists.texascavers.com/listinfo/texascavers
[Texascavers] Honey Creek Cave and TCMA
Cavers - We are excited to announce that Texas Cave Management Association (TCMA) and the owners of Honey Creek Springs Ranch (private property) have negotiated a formal access and monitoring agreement for Honey Creek Cave, the longest cave in Texas. Honey Creek Cave is a water cave with more than 21 miles of surveyed passage, often described as an underground river, and the resurgence serves as the headwaters for the flowing section of Honey Creek. This surface stream is known for its superior water quality and unique ecosystem. Honey Creek (surface stream) is surrounded almost in its entirety by Honey Creek State Natural Area, a unit of TPWD. TCMA and our members will have four trips a year for scientific, exploration (survey), and limited recreational access. In return, we will formalize our monitoring efforts on water quality, cave biota and the overall impacts the cave is experiencing. The surrounding area is experiencing an explosion of property development and faces significant risks from water pumping, waste water discharge, aggregate mining, and general impacts from increased human activity. Kurt Menking will serve as our inaugural project manager. Bill Steele will lead the renewed survey efforts. They have a combined experience of nearly 80 years with the cave. Many thanks to the owners of Honey Creek, Kurt Menking, Bill Steele, Andy Gluesenkamp, Greg Mosier, Ellie Thoene, Linda Palit and many others for their hard work maintaining land owner relationships these past many years. We are currently working with key folks to establish our trip schedule, access guidelines, monitoring protocols etc. Stay tuned for more information on how you can help TCMA fulfill our mission and visit Honey Creek Cave. For membership information please visit our website. For questions please contact i...@tcmacaves.org. Joe Ranzau President | Texas Cave Management Association www.tcmacaves.org 210.289.6839 Permission is granted to distribute this announcement. ___ Texascavers mailing list | http://texascavers.com Texascavers@texascavers.com | Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/texascavers@texascavers.com/ http://lists.texascavers.com/listinfo/texascavers
Re: [Texascavers] Volunteer w/ Truck Needed
My experience at these things has been that cattle calls have less than a 50-50 chance of working. You have to engage folks directly, beg, shame em, bribe em. That said, few people in Austin drive big trucks these days and the ones that do are usually already hauling various gear for the caving orgs. You’re welcome to stage it at my place closer to the site and then retrieve it if you don’t find a better option. Cheers! Joe Ranzau 210.289.6839 > On Aug 31, 2018, at 2:02 PM, Trevor McClymont wrote: > > G’day fellow Cavers, > > With TCR just around the corner we need a volunteer to haul out the cook > trailer Thursday night (October 18). Needless to say the trailer is critical > for Saturday night’s feast. I have posted to several Facebook pages with > little luck finding someone willing to tow the trailer out and back. > > The trailer is in Austin at the new caving HQ. It requires a 2-5/16” ball. > > Please let me know if you are willing to haul it out on Thursday and return > it after TCR. Thanks. > > > TCR Head Chef - Trevor McClymont. > > Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone > ___ > 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 mailing list | http://texascavers.com Texascavers@texascavers.com | Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/texascavers@texascavers.com/ http://lists.texascavers.com/listinfo/texascavers
[Texascavers] Wine tasting this Friday 10/13 at TCR!
Friday night wine tasting at TCR! Starts at dusk-30 or really whenever folks want. We are normally down by the river just below the lodge. Look for the large group of people with lots of wine. Bring your own chair. Please bring something to share with the group. If you don’t drink wine, bring mead, moonshine, or your favorite microbrew. Try not to bring anything in a box, with a wallaby on the front or from a corporation that also owns theme parks... We’ll still drink it, we’ll just be snooty about it! ___ Texascavers mailing list | http://texascavers.com Texascavers@texascavers.com | Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/texascavers@texascavers.com/ http://lists.texascavers.com/listinfo/texascavers
Re: [Texascavers] Pending rain and flooding in Southeastern Texas
Channeling Captain Obvious here... This would not be the best weekend to explore your favorite central Texas water cave! We have a big barn out near Honey Creek Cave if folks get hard up for someplace dry. Ciao, Joe Ranzau 210.289.6839 > On Aug 24, 2017, at 7:21 PM, Denise P via Texascavers > wrote: > > Ditto, though small house so maybe only 1 family :) > > > Cheers, > Denise > > From: Texascavers on behalf of Geary > Schindel via Texascavers > Sent: Thursday, August 24, 2017 3:06 PM > To: 'texascavers@texascavers.com' > Cc: Geary Schindel > Subject: [Texascavers] Pending rain and flooding in Southeastern Texas > > Folks, > > Looks like the tropical storm in the gulf is intensifying and they are > calling for near record to record rainfall along the coast and inland in the > Houston Area tomorrow through Sunday. > > This is a slow moving storm and may result in a great deal of flooding. > > If you’re thinking of leaving the area and need a place to say, we can open > our house up to a few caving families. > > Be aware that we have two cats. > > Thanks, > > Geary Schindel > gschin...@edwardsaquifer.org > San Antonio, Texas > 210.326.1576 cell > > ___ > 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 mailing list | http://texascavers.com Texascavers@texascavers.com | Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/texascavers@texascavers.com/ http://lists.texascavers.com/listinfo/texascavers
[Texascavers] Article from the 60's about Blair Pittman and Caving in Bustamante
Don't worry, the link goes to the google book search... It was much too long ta post directly. http://tinyurl.com/yanp4lm Ranzau
Re: RE: [Texascavers] Please Become a Digital Online Member
Hey Mark - In addition to being a current TCMA Board Member and Officer I have also been the TSA Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary and served in multiple grotto officer positions. I am not trying to attack or discredit anyone's hard work and certaily not shock and dismay anyone. I appreciate what everyone does and have done much more shocking things than a one word email. I was also sitting right beside Ellie on a couch discussing options for things to do at Spring Convention when I responded to her email. The Items you mentioned are quite good but I can't help but wonder what unique things the TSA provides me besides a great caving magazine? This is the same issue I struggled with when I was an officer. *TCC is bailing out the convention and honestly replicates it at their big winter event with talks and caving. Might not be quite as good but if it were the only one I bet it would grow. *TCR throws one hell of a party without politics or much TSA support (aside from running registration so TSA can gather memberships). I do believe TCR is explicitly prohibited from merging with TSA and has bailed TSA out financially on more than one occasion. *The land fund donation to TCMA came from NSS seed money from hosting the 94 convention. The TSA decided it would make a nice contribution to TCMA because it was not growing much under TSA and was a bit of a hassle. *It was quite nice of TSA to help refurbish the Honey Creek shaft. Our grotto put it in during the 80's and many grottos donate money to keep the tractor working and maintain the ranch. It helps but is not unique. *TSA projects exist nicely on their own. CBSP would continue without TSA, probably in a different form. The new Amistad project is run through the TSS? The Rancho Diana project in SA is just one caver. The Austin group is working a huge cave ranch near spring branch. etc. *TexasCavers.com and CaveTex before it seemed to take pride in not being affiliated with TSA. *The NSS runs the WNS fund and many grottos including several I belong to contributed. I'm not sure what unique benefit the TSA provides me other than a magazine with a membership and fellowship opportunities. This is not necessarily a bad thing and thankfully for everyone is just my two cents. Joe On Dec 14, 2009 7:16am, mark.al...@l-3com.com wrote: Some of the other items the TSA has supported: * A sizeable donation to the NSS for their White Nose Syndrome Rapid Response Effort. * Purchase and refurbishment of quite a lot of survey equipment used around the state for various projects. * A huge donation to the TCMA towards the payoff of the Punkin and Deep cave purchase. Plus, many other smaller projects that are listed in the TSA Meeting minutes. (Joe, I'm rather shocked and dismayed you would ask this. You're a board member of the TCMA and were present when we conducted the votes on all of the above items). 8^(> Mark From: Lyndon Tiu [mailto:l...@alumni.sfu.ca] Sent: Sun 12/13/2009 5:50 PM To: texascavers@texascavers.com Subject: Re: [Texascavers] Please Become a Digital Online Member ellie :) wrote: > The TSA membership fees cover much more than the cost of The Caver Joe Ranzau wrote: > Like? > Sending a few deserving cavers from other countries to the ICS, the TSA paid for their registration. -- Lyndon Tiu - Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com
Re: Re: [Texascavers] Thoughts about the TSA Spring Convention
Sorry, I was emailing while driving (I know...) My point was not so much that Rudy's was the problem, as is catering in general. Crash had the same problem with expensive food at Ft. M. and Jacquie had the same problem at Albert. That being said, unlike the world according to Kunath, a good number of folks like the convenience and experience of the communal meal. Joe On Dec 3, 2009 9:23am, John Brooks wrote: Well Rudys or not.the break even for that convention like many others was a very narrow window.at 105.the convention made money. The late choice of Rudys was made when the other catering arrangements proved more expensive..due to excessive transport charges from Austin. Sent from my iPhone On Dec 3, 2009, at 7:05 AM, Joe Ranzau jran...@gmail.com> wrote: Oh, come now... Bizarre is not one of the many adjetives I would use to describe Ron. (if my memory is correct) I also think it had to do with catering Rudy's BBQ. Not cheap. Stefan et al make damn tastey food at the right caver price. Joe On Dec 3, 2009, at 8:43 AM, John Brooks jpbrook...@sbcglobal.net> wrote: The "bizzare" hat pass was initiated by someone in attendance, not the TSA, when it was noted in the TSA meeting that the convention did not break even. The causes of being over budget were: 1. The Knox Ranch was expensive Sent from my iPhone On Dec 2, 2009, at 5:56 PM, "Carl Kunath" carl.kun...@suddenlink.net> wrote: Some of the recent comments about the TSA spring convention are thought-provoking and a bit amusing. First, let's establish exactly where we stand geographically. Look at this map http://pages.suddenlink.net/carl-kunath/100-250_miles_from_Burnet.jpg to find the point most central to all known Texas caving groups (we need a circle with radius = 250 miles). Since Texas is a big place, and since we don't often have the option of choosing where we want to be and when we want to be there, some TSA members are going to have longer journeys than others. That said, it's not too realistic to have the Convention at the extreme edges of the group territory. In years past, it's been as far west as San Angelo, but mostly it's been within that inner 100 mile circle centered on Burnet. That's really handy for Austin, San Antonio, and others on the I-35 corridor but not so good for Houston, Midland, Wichita Falls, and Lubbock. It's better to gather at a central location rather than in Wichita Falls, Houston, or Midland -- places that would inconvenience 95% of the attendees. David Locklear's emphasis seems poorly placed. He is more interested in the recreational possibilities in the immediate area than in the Convention itself. The Convention was not designed to be a recreational weekend except as opportunity and inclination may allow. Earlier Conventions would usually have one or more field trips available for Sunday but were set so as not to conflict with formal Convention activities. It is, after all, a CAVING Convention and should not be oriented toward bicycling, kayaking, hiking, bird-watching, swimming, or whatever. The TSA Convention was conceived as an annual gathering where information could be shared in a somewhat formal setting with others of like mind. To that end, there are some requirements. There must be a meeting room large enough for the expected group. The room must be made reasonably dark for media presentations. Climate control is almost a must as the spring weather in Texas is unpredictable. The room itself should be somewhat acoustically dead. There must be appropriate space to display the photo and map salons. There should be "crowd control." Lacking crowd control, we find that if camping is just outside the door, people continuously wander in and out of the room while presentations are taking place. It's probably better if camping is at least a few miles away so that people are either at the Convention (isn't that why they are here?) or at the campground -- at least until more considerate behavior is evidenced. Recently, some convention attendees have been rude in the extreme and some tended to gather in the back of the room and carry on as if nothing else was happening. The last Kerrville convention was the worst I have ever seen in this regard. Historically, Conventions were held at scholastic locations and the camping was remote. The evening meal was sourced individually either at a nearby food place or prepared at the campground. The present-day pattern of cavers cooking for the crowd may be more hassle than it's worth. Eliminate the need for kitchen facilities and choice of venues is far simpler. The Convention that Preston Forsythe referenced where a hat was passed to offset a financial shortfall was at the Knox Ranch near Wimberley in 2006. Convention registration was noted as 110 -- about average for recent years. No explanation was of
Re: Re: [Texascavers] 2010 TSA Spring Convention related
Having helped host far too many of these things my advice for Ellie was that she needed to do whatever worked best for her. If it meets her budget, her travel constraints, her whims etc than it is the right place. No matter what, someone will be unhappy. By and far the biggest issue for spring convention has been finding an affordable site that meets all our needs. Colorado Bend typically would love for us to have functions there but the ceiling in the conference room is a bit low for presentations and close camping is problematic. CWAN is in a good location but has no potable water, dry weather only camping and we would have to work around the tours in the cave. Most of us loath the thought of going back to Kerrville after the bout of Irritable Caver Syndrome that hit us this summer. Sonora was fun but it is way the hell out in, well, Sonora! Cascade Caverns was pretty good but it required a ton of prep work and you might get shot. Albert cost us a small fortune. Burnett was fun but the divided camping and talks upset folks. I could go on and on. We will have convention where ever Ellie finally finds a spot that works! If you don't like it run for TSA VP. Joe On Dec 2, 2009 3:26pm, Diana Tomchick wrote: Stefan, Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose...sometimes the people in West Texas have to drive a long ways, sometimes the people in Houston have a long drive. Those of us in North Texas *always* have a long drive. If you're really a dedicated caver and enjoy going to the TSA Convention, you find a way to get there. Diana On Dec 2, 2009, at 2:05 PM, Stefan Creaser wrote: The biggest problem David is that it's over near Houston (I think that's what you said). That's a *long* way from the center of Texas, why would the people from West Texas want to drive all the way to East Texas? Also, you have to consider the cooks (I would say that...) we don't really want to cook under a tarp, some form of kitchen would be a lot nicer for the food we usually provide). Cheers, Stefan -Original Message- From: David [mailto:dlocklea...@gmail.com] Sent: Wednesday, December 02, 2009 1:53 PM To: Cavers Texas Subject: [Texascavers] 2010 TSA Spring Convention related Yesterday, I posted a note about a potential site to hold the 2010 TSA Spring Convention. I would like to make a motion that this camp be on the list of tentative sites proposed for a spring convention. I sent an e-mail to the manager the camp to see if his e-mail was still good and if he was still in charge. He immediately replied, and said he would mention it to the committee that controls this camp. I bet this place would be inexpensive compared to other choices that were mentioned. This place does not have any karst or any of the scenery of the Texas Hill Country. However, it is out in the sticks. Camp Happy Hollow ( CHH ) is more primitive and smaller, than the John Knox Ranch Camp that the event has been held at before. I think there would be no shortage of places to rig a hammock. I am guessing Camp Happy Hollow would cost at least $ 600 for the 3 day weekend. The camp committee may say they are not interested. If that happens, then maybe TSA could offer $ 800 or more, as I imagine they are too cash-strapped for renovation. Portable facilities could be erected if necessary, like the big tarp with the Oztotl logo. I am NOT trying to side step the procedures. I am only trying to see what interest is out there for holding the event at CHH. If the motion fails, I am not going to lose any sleep or get my feelings hurt. David Locklear - Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com -- IMPORTANT NOTICE: The contents of this email and any attachments are confidential and may also be privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately and do not disclose the contents to any other person, use it for any purpose, or store or copy the information in any medium. Thank you. - Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Diana R. Tomchick Associate Professor University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Department of Biochemistry 5323 Harry Hines Blvd. Rm. ND10.214B Dallas, TX 75390-8816, USA Email: diana.tomch...@utsouthwestern.edu 214-645-6383 (phone) 214-645-6353 (fax)
[Texascavers] Ciudad Victoria - Hacienda name needed
A few years ago on a trip to Brinco we stopped at a old Hacienda at the base of the mountain that was being converted into a hotel. Does anyone know its name or if it has a website? Joe
Re: RE: [Texascavers] Big-Brother related
The cell phone tracking is something I had read about but never gave a ton of thought to until I bought the new iphone. On my first generation iphone the tracking feature could put me in a 10 or 20 block area. A little close for comfort but not awful. My new iphone without using gps often shows my precise location to within 10-30 feet. It does this by triangulating my location from the cell towers but then goes a step further using the wifi networks nearby to greatly improve the accuracy. Using the built in accelerometer the phone even knows what direction I am facing... I'm not entirely sure this makes me comfortable but then again I continue to use it. I suppose the moral of the story is that if you need privacy don't buy any portable electronic device. Heck, my cat has her own RFID chip. I used to think that using cash instead of cards also helps but now I am hearing that the strips in new money can be picked up by sensors at customs. I've not yet completely substantiated this one yet... Time to get out my foil hat! Joe On Sep 1, 2009 8:59am, Linda Palit wrote: The local grocery is about to require a fingerprint with check and identification, if you want to use a check. It has been tested in Austin, etc, and seems to have worked out. Babies and children are sometimes fingerprinted to use as comparison in the case of crimes. Anonymity is becoming rare and more difficult, and fingerprinting is associated with things much different than it once was. I put this in a different category than invading my personal laptop or tapping my phone, but in a digital age, perhaps it all runs together. -Original Message- From: Katy Roodenko [mailto:katy...@yahoo.com] Sent: Tuesday, September 01, 2009 8:50 AM To: Cavers Texas Subject: Re: [Texascavers] Big-Brother related Hm, Can we (the foreigners who for whatever reason come to visit USA) encrypt our fingerprints? I have never been to any as humiliating process as this one: being taken my fingerprints at the US border. I guess it is really not the best way to make friends. I know many of my friends in Europe who would not come to USA precisely for this reason. For whatever reasons, very recently, Texas Teachers were ordered to give their fingerprints as well. I expected riots and protests - but they went silently to gave up all their privacy as easily as that! What a KGB country of obedient society who shouts loudly on privacy but really forgot what "privacy" really means! Really, if I had a kid, I would not like it to be educated by these teachers. Katy --- On Tue, 9/1/09, Don Cooper wavyca...@gmail.com> wrote: > From: Don Cooper wavyca...@gmail.com> > Subject: Re: [Texascavers] Big-Brother related > To: "Mixon Bill" bmixon...@austin.rr.com> > Cc: "Cavers Texas" texascavers@texascavers.com> > Date: Tuesday, September 1, 2009, 5:10 AM > I figure if you re-constitute zeros and ones > on my computer with enough permutations, you can make up > just about anything including 9/11 plans and blueprints for > thermonuke devices. > > I am all FOR encryption. If its MY bizness, then it > should STAY my business. As far as probing things I've > thought about and not done - well that is MINE ALONE. Stay > out of my HEAD - FEDS! > > > And as far as tracking my relative position between cell > phone towers - How else can I receive a phone call when > I'm out and about? But yeah - thanks for reminding me, > Bill - I should always remember to always turn it off when > I'm out there committing crimes! > > > -WaV > > On Mon, Aug 31, 2009 at 8:47 PM, > Mixon Bill bmixon...@austin.rr.com> > wrote: > > Surely the authority of the customs people to inspect > vessels or vehicles applies only to those that have been > outside the United States? > > > > Anyway, there was an amusing thing in the news a few months > ago. Some guy came into the US from Canada and somehow the > customs people learned that there was kiddy porn on his > laptop computer and arrested him. However, the files were > encrypted, and even the feds were unable to break the > encryption and prove it. Courts ruled that the defendent > could not be required to give up the key to the code. (I > suspect this might have been a deliberate test case, with > the offending image deliberately out where the customs > inspector would see it.) > > > > > Drive them crazy. Get PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) and encrypt > lots of perfectly innocent stuff on your computer. Don't > use some wimpy encryption facility that comes with your > operating system; it is probably not NSA-proof. (Actually, > of course, unless you deliberately do something to make them > suspicious--not recommended--, it is extremely unlikely that > they'll ever che
[Texascavers] Proposed Dam at Government Canyon SNA
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/environment/Watershed_oversight_no_simple_matter.html A dam at Government Canyon is one of the most effective ways to save homes from flooding on the Northwest Side, according to the San Antonio River Authority. It's also one of the fastest ways to upset those who care about and even worked to create the state natural area. The dam project is one of the latest to be considered by SARA, Bexar County, San Antonio and the surrounding suburban cities working to produce the area's first regional watershed management plan, which aims to reduce flood risks, improve water quality and use better technology for flood analysis and warning. “That's really the big thing,” said Nefi Garza, floodplain manager for SARA. “We have been doing all these projects in a reactive mode: We hear of complaints, we go and fix that. Now we are looking at the area as a whole.” Starting Wednesday and continuing through July, the river authority along with city and county representatives will host a series of meetings to explain proposed projects and get feedback. Once the plan is completed, the city will be able to raise fees on developers to finance the dams, culverts and drainage improvements the city and county build to handle the added rainfall runoff their developments cause. “Our goal is to quantify what those costs are and then those costs will be proportioned out to future development,” said Richard Mendoza, assistant director of San Antonio's public works department. “Right now everyone is paying the same, and it's just not enough.” By analyzing at the watersheds, the city and county can build flood control projects where they are best suited rather than focus on jurisdiction — which often means putting dams far upstream from the areas they're designed to protect, Garza said. At Government Canyon, for example. Putting a dam there would help protect homes and businesses near Loop 410. But putting an earthen dam across sensitive wildlife habitat because of poor planning downstream does not make sense to some. “It's a horrible idea,” said Gary Candy, who organizes the volunteer trail patrol at Government Canyon State Natural Area, which opened in 2005 on land bought for that purpose in 1993. “We will lobby very hard against it. We will talk to all the political entities to try and stop this thing.” They won't be alone. “This is the people's park,” said area Superintendent Deirdre Hisler. “The people found the land and they put it together. Maybe this is what the process will vet out.” It would be impossible to build the dam without harming endangered species, Hisler said. Planners say the advantages of a dam there are legion. The streams that cut through the state natural area eventually feed into Leon Creek. If the water in Government Canyon could be held back during a flood, downstream residents would be hit only by water coming off built-up areas in the Leon Creek watershed. Once those floodwaters passed, the water still behind the Government Canyon dam — some of it would have helped recharge the Edwards Aquifer — could be released slowly. SARA does not yet have an exact location or dimensions for the proposed dam, and would leave those decisions to the county engineers in charge of building it. The structure would need to hold back 4,360 acre-feet of water. The city collects about $6 million a year from developers, Mendoza said, and that does not come close to covering the cost of the backlog of projects the city and county would like to build. In San Antonio, developers that choose not to build their own storm water detention structures pay between $2,600 and $3,000 per acre of development, depending on how much impervious cover is built on the property. By comparison, developers in Austin pay on a sliding scale starting at $60,000 for the first acre of impervious surface for a commercial or multihousing development and $35,000 for the first acre of a single-family development. The cost then diminishes per acre of cover, but remains well above what most developers in San Antonio would pay.
Re: Re: [Texascavers] TSA Members Area Update - More TC's Are Now Online!
really, do we all need to have to read your email response to Mark? this is the kind of junk that makes Texas Cavers NOT worth reading. On May 14, 2009 5:47pm, Jules Jenkins wrote: really, do we all need to have to read your email response to Lyndon? this is the kind of junk that makes cave tex NOT worth reading. --- On Thu, 5/14/09, mark gee markageetxca...@yahoo.com> wrote: From: mark gee markageetxca...@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: [Texascavers] TSA Members Area Update - More TC's Are Now Online! To: "Lyndon Tiu" l...@alumni.sfu.ca>, texascavers@texascavers.com Date: Thursday, May 14, 2009, 10:44 PM Yea, give me my paper copy too. Mark Gee NSS #49625 From: Lyndon Tiu l...@alumni.sfu.ca> To: texascavers@texascavers.com Sent: Tuesday, May 12, 2009 10:47:26 PM Subject: Re: [Texascavers] TSA Members Area Update - More TC's Are Now Online! Quoted from a caver: > As I stated before I want both paper and electronic copies, so what > does > that make me? irresponsibly responsible? Or Responsibly irresponsible? Quoted from a caver: > that if a > member does want to receive a hardcopy TxCvr, that they are > environmentally or fiscally irresponsible. You can have either the hard copy and/or electronic or you can have both. You don't have to feel bad about anything. So what if someone calls you names. You keep your chin up and give them the finger. -- Lyndon Tiu - Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com
Re: [Texascavers] Fwd: 15th ICS - Important Wednesday trips status
hmm... There are a surprisingly large number of bats that live along the riverwalk. Several of the building have architectural features that they seem to fine appealing. But I suspect that this isn't the reason. Although, maybe Schlitterbahn is canceled because of the new amphibian disease that is starting to spread... On May 7, 2009 11:30am, Mixon Bill wrote: Forwarded by Mixon. I assume WNS had nothing to do with cancelling the shopping-center trips, but rather lack of interest. Begin forwarded message: From: ICS 2009 eList secret...@ics2009.us> Date: May 6, 2009 9:00:18 PM CDT To: bmi...@alumni.uchicago.edu Subject: 15th ICS - Important Wednesday trips status Dear Friends, Last month I sadly announced that White Nose Syndrome, which has recently killed about half million bats in the US, has forced the organizers of the 15th International Congress of Speleology (ICS) to reevaluate its field trips. It is important that we do not accidentally spread this problem farther and into other countries. With this message I will update you on the Wednesday trips. I am happy to report we have not cancelled any Wednesday trips other than reported earlier. The following trips are cancelled: Wednesday trip WD-108: Land and Bat Habitat Restoration Wednesday trip WD-110: Powell's Cave Wednesday trip WD-120: Fredericksburg, Peaches, and History Wednesday trip WD-122: River Walk and Shopping in San Antonio Wednesday trip WD-123: San Marcos Prime Shopping Center Wednesday trip WD-124: Schlitterbahn Waterpark resort Wednesday trip WD-126: YO Ranch The following trips are guaranteed to occur and there is room on most for you to continue to register: WD-101: Bats, Bridges, and Cave Preserves WD-102: Birds, Rivers, and Bats WD-103: Canoeing, Kayaking, and Tubing the Guadalupe River WD-104: Challenges in Urban Cave Management WD-105: Endangered Species/Endangered Caves WD-106: Karst Hydrogeology of the Edwards Aquifer WD-107: Kickapoo Cavern and the Devil's Sinkhole (filled) WD-109: Paleontology of Caves of the Edwards Plateau WD-111: Granitic Pseudokarst of Enchanted Rock State Natural Area WD-112: Recharge and Discharge Features of the Edwards and Trinity Aquifers WD-113: Rock art at Seminole Canyon State Park WD-121: Historic Spanish Missions trail WD-125: Sea World San Antonio I will soon send news on the final status of the pre-ICS and post-ICS trips. We look forward to seeing you soon in Kerrville, George George Veni, Ph.D. Chairman, 15th International Congress of Speleology Adjunct Secretary, International Union of Speleology Executive Director, US National Cave and Karst Research Institute You have received this message because you are subscribed to the 2009 ICS eList. To unsubscribe, please visit: http://ics2009mail.nfshost.com/pommo/user/ - He who renders warfare fatal to all engaged in it will be the greatest benefactor the world has yet known. - Sir Richard Burton -- You may "reply" to the address this message came from, but for long-term use, save: Personal: bmi...@alumni.uchicago.edu AMCS: edi...@amcs-pubs.org or sa...@amcs-pubs.org - Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com
Re: [Texascavers] RE: Honeycreek trip May 8-10
Why are you screaming? Joe On May 1, 2009 10:30am, Fritz Holt wrote: KEEP A LOOKOUT FOR WESTERN DIAMONDBACKS IN THIS AREA. ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO AT TCR I SAW A THREE FOOTER CROSS THE STRAIGHT DIRT ROAD A LITTLE BEFORE IT SLOPED OFF TOWARD THE SPRING. OF COURSE, THEY CAN BE ANYWHERE IN CENTRAL TEXAS. FRITZ From: Kurt L. Menking [mailto:gi...@bcad.org] Sent: Friday, May 01, 2009 7:54 AM To: Texascavers@texascavers.com Subject: [Texascavers] Honeycreek trip May 8-10 For those who haven't heard there is a Honeycreek work weekend scheduled for the weekend of May 8-10. We will be camping at the spring beginning Friday evening. The focus for the weekend will be taking down the cables, and some old fencing near the spring entrance. The owner also would like us to pile up the debris collected along the fences so it can be burned when the burn ban is lifted. If we are able to burn, we'll have one heck of a bon-fire. If there are extra people available I'm sure there are other areas that need brush cutting. I'd say bring gloves, chain saws (if you have one), and loppers. Some extra tow chain would be nice as well since we'll be using multiple tractors to move the cables, and large tree trunks that are against the cables. Since this is primarily a work weekend, I'd say all are welcome (even novices). Most of Saturday will be reserved for the work projects, but we'll shut down by 4pm or earlier, and those who want to go in the cave with appropriate team leaders will be turned loose. There have been several requests for through trips, QA trips, etc. But don't show up late Saturday afternoon so you miss all the work, and expect to go caving. Saturday evening, and Sunday morning will also be available for trip leader training for ICS team leaders. Bill and I, and possibly others will be leading several groups Saturday evening and probably Sunday morning to different areas from the shaft entrance, since all ICS trips will use only the shaft entrance. We need about 25-30 cavers to help lead trips to HC during the ICS convention. ICS trips to HC are scheduled for July 19,22,23,25. This is your chance to meet new cavers, make new friends, and share one of Texas' best and its longest cave with others from all over the nation and world. Contact Bill Steele or Myself if you want to help lead ICS trips to Honeycreek. Kurt
Re: [Texascavers] dinner at TSA
Then I will also remind everyone that the TCMA also asks you to bring your own equipment for the breakfast on Sunday. It is worth noting that our request is not annoying as I do not write in a posh British accent like the other chef. Joe On Apr 22, 2009 10:37am, Mixon Bill wrote: Can't hurt to remind people again that those preparing the TSA dinner Saturday night will, annoyingly, expect people to bring their own plates, cups, and eating utensils. --Mixon - He who renders warfare fatal to all engaged in it will be the greatest benefactor the world has yet known. - Sir Richard Burton -- You may "reply" to the address this message came from, but for long-term use, save: Personal: bmi...@alumni.uchicago.edu AMCS: edi...@amcs-pubs.org or sa...@amcs-pubs.org - Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com
Re: Re: [Texascavers] The alter-Epic at Honey Creek Cave
Made me cold reading it! On Feb 4, 2009 11:07am, Thomas Sitch wrote: An excellent and suspenseful telling, Puppy! I feel like it needs to be bound and placed on the shelf next to "Into Thin Air." 'Glad you made it out in one piece :) Best Regards, ~~Thomas --- On Wed, 2/4/09, wwildch...@aol.com wwildch...@aol.com> wrote: From: wwildch...@aol.com wwildch...@aol.com> Subject: [Texascavers] The alter-Epic at Honey Creek Cave To: Texascavers@texascavers.com Date: Wednesday, February 4, 2009, 10:42 AM Puppy here. I haven't opened my texas cavers mail folder in a long time (1,236 unread messages) since topics tend to vary way off of caving at times but I saw the epic Honey Creek title and couldn't help jumping back in to tell my long winded epic. So delete now if you've already seen the movie. Yes I had a bit more of an adventure than everyone else (well except for that lucky Ninja brown, but his adventure was fun). Diana isn't to blame and neither is Bill (although I won't ever let him forget he forgot me). I pushed myself too far by attempting HC 6 days after running a marathon. My feeble attempt to help Creature carry a tank back out made me realize just how far gone my body was and I should have stuck closer to someone. And by the way Creature is one of the most incredible super human cavers I have ever known. I watched her grab a tank and practically run when I could barely carry my pack and her Tang at a slow crawl. This is a bit long but it was my way to document for myself my experience so I thought i would share it as well. I remember passing the water well and yelling a good "yahoo" knowing the exit was near. plus at this point the water is deeper and much easier to float on my pack and rest my body with minimal effort of just moving with my toes. then came the cold and fog and I thought wow I didn't know there was another air access point (hhmmnn wonder if bill knows about this). so I kept going enjoying my easy float. then the fog cleared and after a few minutes I realized I apparently just had never looked up from following the crowds because this part of the cave is quite nice. rock bottom, nice and clear and quite pretty. I wondered if somehow I had taken a wrong turn so I stopped, listened and heard bill and several others splashing and talking still coming in my direction thus i must be going the right way still. I went on about 10 more minutes (I didn't have a watch) when I came across a very low ceiling and I knew I had never been here before. For the first time in hours my brain actually sparked and said oh shit. suddenly all the pieces: fog, cold, etc clicked.I turned back but I wasn't panicked because I would run into everyone in 10-15 min I was sure. It took about 10min to make my way back to the entrance going at a fast pace only to find three harnesses (two extras and my own) hanging but no cable. Not a problem they are just in the middle of un hooking people so I put my harness on, shined my light up a few times and waited, 5 min later nothing. I shined my brightest pelican light up the shaft and yelled for a minute or two but I knew that was useless if no one was actually looking down. I've been through this exit twice before so I knew it was a mad dash from the shaft to your tent to get dry and warm and shove something in your mouth then pass out. I was getting very cold very fast so I set a timeline of yelling for a few more minutes then I would focus on sheltering in place for the night. The low was around 35 that night and a strong wind comes straight down that shaft but I rationalized I couldn't ri sk moving farther back into the cave for fear someone would come back for the gear. Then my light died and I messed around with an alternate light and switching out another light out of creatures bag to make sure I had plenty of backup. I still had two long sleeve thermal shirts and two pairs of running tights and dry thermal socks that I had in my dry bag for the wait at the end. Creatures bag I just found a skimpy pair of spandex hotpants (sorry creature, but I got the biggest laugh out of that at that moment since there wasn't enough material to keep one nugget warm) The shaft area is all standing water, but through a crack near the floor where I could see a shelf of rock just above water level in the adjoining room. I put the gear bags against the crack to block the wind and went to the other side and moved lots of rock to make a bed. It was equivalent to climbing under a standard 2'x5' coffee table. once i was situated out of the water I attempted to exchange my boots and neoprene socks for a pair of nice dry thermal socks (not easily done with an 18" ceiling) along with the two pairs of tights (over my harness of course). my feet were already light blue and my toes dark blue when I put the socks on. I didn't want to put my wet boots back on
[Texascavers] A video of Grutas Bustamante
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gMzjf460qw It shows the tunnel and new trail system.
Re: RE: [Texascavers] guano question
So is this a new record for TexasCavers? A discussion that contains scatological humor, scientific study of guano fall rates, actual caving stories, new word creation and a reference to George Veni's testicles! Geary and Locklear may need to be punished for this :-) Maybe a roadtrip from Houston to Xilitla together in David's Honda Fit... On Dec 5, 2008 9:46am, mark.al...@l-3com.com wrote: Sounds like we have some good candidates for the "Carbide Corner" in some upcoming TEXAS CAVERs. Any takers want to submit a bio and apropos column? Thanks, (An always looking for material editor) Mark From: vivb...@att.net [mailto:vivb...@att.net] Sent: Fri 12/5/2008 9:32 AM To: Texascavers Mailing List Subject: Re: [Texascavers] guano question David wrote: >I am just curious which cave passages have you experienced your worst encounter with bat guano. The Vampire guano in Japones Cave in Mexico was pretty bad. Really deep red and sticky-slimy gooey. And the vampires were in a complete frenzy filling the passage and stirring up the choking smell. But we only had to walk ankle deep in it. It didn't even top my boots and wet my socks. Then I thought I had experienced the worst the time I plunged one leg into a 2' diameter pothole full of semi-liquid quano in Borneo. Those potholes were everywhere so we really had to watch it. But even then, only one leg was completely saturated with the stuff, and I was able to wash off in the river that night. But the true pinnacle of guano came the time George Veni took us to Sorcerer's cave here in Texas. It was the Boil-Boil-Guano-and-Trouble passage. This is a full on lake of pudding-consistency guano with a frosting of insect casings and dead bats. It's actually a series of these lakes. Apparently some of the original explorers wore hip waders (a rally good idea), but George swore he could cross the lakes without getting his balls wet, and it wouldn't be that bad. But then, no one had been there is some time, and the guano dam on the far side had grown. It was at least waist deep for everyone, that is if you could maintain your perch on invisible ledges deep in the pools. Once on the far side, it was decided to take out the guano dam (something like a rimstone dam, but all pure guano)to lower the lakes to their previous levels. I thought the amonia and methane would kill us all for a minute there, but eventually the air did clear somewhat, and we all made it to our objectives. At the bottom of the cave is a really nice stream passage, so we could get nice and clean down there. But the trouble was you have to exit the cave through the guano lakes. On my way out of the cave, I was the lucky one who actually did fall full on into the over-my-head shit. I managed to barely keep my lips above guano, but my hair was saturated. It was freezing cold outside and we were in a 100% dry camp, so when I stumbled out of the cave in the wee hours, I just washed my hands and face as best I could with a nalgene of water and crawled in my sleeping bag. I was pleased to learn that the climb I did the next day did not require traversing the dreaded cesspool. Poo-falls? Shitslide? guanoflow? - Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com