Caving basics:
Back in the last year of 1960's I got into caving. Clark Santos took me to
a caver party. The cavers were allied with the Rangeroos at the time. A keg
of beer and a band playing cool music was a great way to recruit. The next
thing was a trip to Bustamante. A GI surplus canteen belt and canteen and a
side pack from Academy. A hard hat from a place that sold welding supplies
and a carbide light and baby bottle full of carbide from Jim Strickland. Oh
yes, and some combat boots.
Bustamante didn't need rope so we drove to Nuevo Laredo went bar hopping,
slept on the side of the road and turned right at Sabinas Hidalgo right
before the bridge and then turned right behind the movie house and rolled
to Villadama and down a dirt road to Bustamante. Got lost driving around on
goat trails and finally found the canyon. Got out and carried a case of
Carta Blanca and ourselves up the 57 switch backs or however many there
were. Ran into Ed Alexander, Super Bounce and another group of caver types.
The first cave trip.
On Sat, Aug 13, 2016 at 12:09 PM, Mixon Bill via Texascavers <
texascavers@texascavers.com> wrote:
> "Caving Basics: A Comprehensive Guide for Beginning Cavers," fourth
> edition. Edited by Dean Wiseman and Curt Harler. National Speleological
> Society, 2016. ISBN 978-1-68044-007-7. 8.5 by 11 inches, 271 pages,
> softbound. $25 (NSS members $22.50, life members $20).
>
> This book updates, sometimes not enough, the third edition that was
> published almost twenty-five years ago. The overall design is similar, with
> major sections on equipment, techniques, and cave science. The main
> revolution in equipment over that period, at least for a beginner with no
> need for battery-powered hammer drills, has been LED lighting, and the
> all-new chapter on lights covers those, but mainly relatively expensive
> types that are perhaps overkill for the intended reader. Are there no
> batteries smaller than AA? The chapter on caving clothes is new; most other
> parts of this section are just warmed over. The chapter on packs in pretty
> much unchanged. Have you seen anybody caving with a "pig" lately? Most of
> the material in the techniques section is new or was extensively revised.
> But two chapters about topographic maps were not, and it is still assumed
> you're working with a paper topographic map ordered from the USGS based on
> a state index map. There is no clue that maps can now be downloaded (start
> at nationalmap.gov) and of course no mention at all of Google Earth.
> Chapters on first aid, SRT, and conservation are nicely done, without
> excessive detail. A chapter on leading cave trips, while it seems out of
> place in a beginners' book, is nice; the following chapter on leadership
> skills is less so. Photography and videography were not covered in the
> earlier book. Here they are, with nice chapters by Dave Bunnell and Ben von
> Cramen, professionals in the fields. I do wish the video chapter had not
> punted on editing, something that, to judge by some of the grotto programs
> I've seen, is often sorely lacking. Under science, the geology and biology
> chapters are new, and the archaeology chapter has been updated. A new
> chapter on anthropology seems rather arm-wavy and mostly raises questions.
> There are twenty-seven chapters in all.
>
> The advice in the book is generally sound. But why can't the NSS publish a
> committee-written book that is any good _as a book_? Most of the "On" books
> are terrible, and this new edition of "Caving Basics" sets a new low. Did
> anybody actually read it before it was printed? There are plenty of things
> to entertain anyone bothered by bad style or grammar, but even someone who
> isn't, in these days of tweets, will be annoyed by the chapter in which the
> promised Figure 1 and Table 1 are nowhere to be found or amused by the
> statement that the job of the call-out person is to take action if the
> group does get out on time. I could go on, but it's too sad.--Bill Mixon
>
>
> Always forgive your enemies after they are hanged.
>
> You may "reply" to the address this message
> (unless it's a TexasCavers list post)
> came from, but for long-term use, save:
> Personal: bmi...@alumni.uchicago.edu
> AMCS: a...@mexicancaves.org or sa...@mexicancaves.org
>
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--
Charlie Loving
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