Spot on Mark, thanks! I will arrive to the Fort around noon and registration will start after 4pm. Vendors are welcome to come early to set up but no one better show up before I do.
See yall soon! Ellie On Fri, Mar 25, 2011 at 9:35 AM, <mark.al...@l-3com.com> wrote: > It’s only ONE WEEK until the best spring caving convention in Texas! > > The weather looks great! > *http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/USTX0145*<http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/USTX0145> > > The swimming hole looks excellent, the talks and food will be awesome, the > location is spectacular, and the TCMA auction will be a hoot and hosted by > the best looking game show host since Bob Barker, our own Jim “Crash” > Kennedy, assisted by his bevy of caving beauties! > > Just a few reminders, updates, and detritus from the weekend for y’all: > > > > 1.) * One new item has been added to the agenda for the riveting and > always exciting TSA Spring Business Meeting (immediately after the talks > Saturday at ~4:40:* > > 2011 Spring Business Meeting, Spring Convention at Fort Clark Springs, TX, > Saturday, April 2nd, 2011, Texas Speleological Association > > Agenda > > > > · Welcome and Introductions > > > > · Chairman’s Report > > > > · Vice Chairman’s Report > > > > · Secretary’s Report - Minutes of 2011 Winter Business Meeting held > at the TSS Offices on the UT Campus, Sunday, January 23rd, 2011 > > > > · Treasurers Report > > > > · TSA Projects – Jim Kennedy > > § Gov’t Canyon - Marvin Miller > > § Colorado Bend State Park - Crash > > § Longhorn Cavern Project (On hold – TPWD Approval) – Mark Alman > > § Inner Space Caverns Project (Starting in September) – Gerry > Geletzke & Mark Alman > > § Hill Country State Natural Area & Devils River - Rob Bissett and > Joe Ranzau > > § Future Project Ideas > > > · Standing Committee Reports > > > o TSA Website – Butch Fralia > > o Membership Chair – Ryan Monjaras > > o Conservation Committee – Open and Jim Kennedy (WNS Update) > > o Safety and Techniques – David Ochel > > o Publications – Mark Alman > > § The TEXAS CAVER and status of online access to back issues. > > o TSA Store – Lee Jay Graves > > > > · Old Business > > o The 100th trip of the Government Canyon Karst Survey Celebration, > Saturday, March 5th > > · New Business > > o TSA Brochure > > o Membership Drive > > o Membership Directory Constitution Change (New Item) > > > o The Constitution states: > > *The Treasurer prepares a budget for the fiscal year, maintains the > membership database, and insures the database is available > electronically to > the membership.* > > The key word is “electronically”. And it later states: > > The Membership Committee shall consist of the Database Manager, > the TSA Secretary, > > the TSA Treasurer, a representative of the Publications > Committee, and other appointed members. > > b. The committee will develop data to be made available to TSA > officers, committees, member > > organizations, affiliated organizations, and members for > conducting caving business. > > *The committee insures the membership database is published > annually and is not made available to the general public.* > > These two statements seem conflicting and publishing a Members > Directory is a small expense in the large scheme of things but, > nevertheless, still a waste of money. > > The TSA Board of Officers is recommending that the red line above > be deleted from the Constitution and the Members Directory be made > available > * electronically* in the Members Area of the TSA webpage. > > > > · Announcements? > > > > > > · End of Meeting (Let’s eat!) > > > > > > 2.) * The Kickapoo Caverns trips will be Sunday, April 3**rd**.* > > Please meet at the gate to Kickapoo State Park at 10 AM and, after the > TCMA meeting, at 11 AM. > > Cost is the standard TPWD entry fee of $3 per adult (12 YO and older). Kids > can cave for free. Fee will be waived if you have a Gold Passport. Must > furnish #. > > The main room and Wishing Well areas will be open for visitation. The > Helectite Room and Graffiti Room are off limits, as is Stuart Bat Cave. > > We will be collecting the fee at Registration and you must sign a waiver > form for you and yours there, as well. > > Do not miss this opportunity to visit one of the state’s largest and most > impressive caves (one of my favorites!) and behold the grandest and most > photographed set of columns in the state! > > This is very easily accessible cave and is an excellent one for cavers, > young, old, new, and armchair! > > 3.) * From Ellie:* > > TSA Spring Convention is almost here! You are invited to join the Texas > Speleological Society and fellow Texas cavers for a relaxing weekend in the > unique oasis and National Register Historic District of Fort Clark Springs. > The TSA, founded in 1956, has been bringing Texas cavers together for over > 50 years. Meet fellow cavers and project leaders from around the state. This > is a great chance to get involved with ongoing projects and create future > caving opportunities for all. > > Registration has increased slightly to $15 per person plus $5 per person > per night camping (kids camp free). Family rate is $45. > > > On Saturday, April 2nd, you can fill your day with informative > presentations from cavers about developments in cave sciences, project > updates, national and international exploration, and much more. Roger Moore > and Mallory Mayeux have done an amazing job at lining up presenters that > will delight all audiences. The presentations will be held at the Service > Center which accommodates 300 people and has AC, bathrooms, and a > kitchen. Participate in the Photo & Map Salon by entering your latest and > greatest works for all to enjoy. > > Stay for the evening group meal provided by Stefan and the Caver Cooking > Crew. After the meal, Map and Photo Salon winners and prizes will be > announced and then everyone will have a chance to participate in the TCMA > auction. Shiner will be providing adult beverages. > > And just for the kids…. an Easter Egg Hunt first thing on Sunday morning! > > Spend the weekend lazing with friends in the lush Rendezvous Park > campground right next to the crystal clear, on million gallon spring-fed > pool. The campground is shaded, private, hugs the creek and is just a few > steps from the pool, Service Center, and motels. The pool area has > bathrooms, showers, and potable water Well behaved pets are welcome at the > campground. There is a motel on site. Please make your own reservations at > the Fort Clark Springs website- > *http://99.139.198.182:1069/*<http://99.139.198.182:1069/> > > Hope to see you there! > > Ellie Watson > TSA Vice Chair > *ellie.tho...@gmail.com* <ellie.tho...@gmail.com> > > TSA Spring Convention site: * > http://cavetexas.org/events/TSASC/tsasc2010.html*<http://cavetexas.org/events/TSASC/tsasc2010.html> > Fort Clark Springs site: > *http://99.139.198.182:1069/*<http://99.139.198.182:1069/> > For Facebook users: > *www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=118366598218649*<http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=118366598218649> > > Info at: > *http://www.cavetexas.org/events/TSASC/tsasc2011.html*<http://www.cavetexas.org/events/TSASC/tsasc2011.html> > > 4.) * List o’ Speakers* > > Hello Cavers! > > > > The TSA Convention is sneaking up on us quick--two weeks! I can’t wait to > see everyone in Brackettville! > > > > Roger Moore and I have been lining up Saturday’s speakers. We are going for > a mix of entertaining and informative talks, and I think we have some great > presentations in store. We’ve gotten some requests to announce who will be > speaking, so without further ado, here are the speakers for TSA (times AND > order of talks TBA) > > > > David Ochel—O9 Well: Re-survey and exploration efforts > > Jacqui Thomas—Five Mouth Project: More than a Dig > > FoFo Gonzales—Caves of Mineral King, CA > > Peter Drushcke--Discovery, gating and work at Kypet Cavern, Grand Canyon > > Charles Perkins—Bats and Microclimate Monitoring of Gorman Cave, Colorado > Bend SP > > Jean Krejca/Geoffrey Hoese—Caving in the Galapagos Islands > > John Moses—Cave Hunting in West Texas > > Dwight Deal—Wulong Karst World Heritage Site, China > > Ron Ralph—50th Anniversary of the TSS AND Announcement of a new Project > > Bill Steele—Caving non-fiction poetry AND DFW Grotto Project to map Spring > Creek Cave, Kendall Co. > > > > And possibly a last minute surprise. J > > > > Any questions/requests, let us know (we have a light schedule so if there > is something you'd really like to present, let me know--we could accommodate > one more speaker. Otherwise, we will have additional time for questions, > breaks, etc.) > > > > See you all in two weeks! > > > > -Mallory Mayeux & Roger Moore > > 5.) * Gear adjustment and safety workshop * > > > > Howdy all you Texas vertical cavers, > > Becky Jones and David Ochel will be hosting this excellent workshop at > the Spring Convention. > > Saturday, 5 - 7 pm > > This is for everybody who owns vertical gear. > > Do you feel you are lacking efficiency when climbing on rope? Do you > have basic knowledge on how to get up and down a rope, but you never > learned > (or have forgotten) about basic safety protocols and precautions? Do you > have particular questions about aspects of single rope technique or pieces > of your vertical kit? > > This will be a loosely structured workshop, based on participants' > needs and interest. The objective is to review whatever questions you might > have, with the goal of improving the overall safety awareness and > competency > of Texas' vertical caving community. Bring your own gear - we will aim to > have ropes set up for gear adjustment and review of techniques, but this is > *not* an introduction to vertical caving for those who have never been on > rope. (Ask your local Grotto for such training opportunities.) > > > > > 6.) * Vendors and TCMA Auction* > > Cavers, don’t forget that the usual vendors (Texas Speleological Survey, > Texas Speleological Association, and Association for Mexican Cave Studies) > will be set up just outside the Service Center at Fort Clark in a > week-and-a-half for the fabulous TSA Spring Convention! Bring cash or > checks! And as a preview, the TSS will have a***** new edition of the Map > CD ready just for this event!* There are 144 new maps added since the > last edition (released in July 2009 for the ICS in Kerrville), and 1379 > total maps. It’s still***** only $10!!!* Of course, there are lots of > other great publications on Texas caves that will be for sale. To check ‘em > out in advance, and see the prices, go to the TSS website and look at the > list at > *http://www.utexas.edu/tmm/sponsored_sites/tss/PDF/TSSprices.pdf*<http://www.utexas.edu/tmm/sponsored_sites/tss/PDF/TSSprices.pdf> > . > > Jim “Crash” Kennedy > > TSS Office Manager > > P.S. -. There will also be some real surprises and excitement at the > Saturday evening TCMA Auction, so be sure to attend! It’s going to be a > real hoot! > > If you have any last minute items to donate, BRING IT! > > > 7.) * Last and, certainly, not least – FOOD! * > > Stefan and The CCC (Caver Cooking Crew) are presenting this most > excellent offering of the Official State Food of Texas ©: > > BBQ Brisket, BBQ Pork > > Smoked chicken and sausage gumbo (coz Mallory missed it last time) > > Rice & vegetable salad > > Potato salad > > BBQ fixin’s > > Dessert (?). > > I’ll need help beforehand and on the day, can I get some volunteers? > > Also, can anyone give me a ride out there in a more suitable vehicle, the > RX-8 isn’t really up to it. > > Cheers, > > Stefan > > > > > This will be the last announcement from me (About d*** time, Mark!) > and the TSA hopes to see you there in just ONE week! > > See ya then! > > Mark > >
