texascavers Digest 23 Mar 2010 18:44:12 -0000 Issue 1009
Topics (messages 14198 through 14207):
Re: Truely ugly ideas to attract show cave visitation :
14198 by: Alex Sproul
Deep & Punkin Work Weekend
14199 by: A. Wertheim
Re: Locklear's next Caving Vehicle
14200 by: David
14201 by: Don Cooper
TCMA auction this weekend!!!
14202 by: Jim Kennedy
New TCMA Manager for Punkin/Deep Preserve.
14203 by: William H. Russell
YOUR Articles and Photos Needed For the TC!
14204 by: Mark.Alman.l-3com.com
Re: Robert W. "Bob" Mitchell
14205 by: Mark.Alman.l-3com.com
Re: Symmetry magazine
14206 by: Mark Minton
natural bridge
14207 by: Sam Young
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--- Begin Message ---
Well, I haven't seen the new show, so I can't comment.
But I can say with confidence that Le Grotte de Choranche
(note the
proper spelling) is - geologically speaking -- one of the most spectacular
caves in France, commercial or wild, even among those in the renowned
Vercors region where it is located.
I saw their old show, a couple of decades ago. It takes place in a truly
huge chamber (la grande salle) that dwarfs even a huge crowd of
hundreds. I came away extremely impressed. I'm not extolling the
virtues of trying to improve upon Nature, but in the world of such sound
and light shows, it was both tastefully and masterfully done, slowly
revealing the spectacular speleothems and the sheer size of the hall, with
narration of the genesis of caves and the world.
I'm sure their new production is equally tasteful -- again, as such things
go. The cave is certainly worth seeing, whether you stay for the light
show or not.
Alex
--
Alex Sproul
NSS 8086RL/FE
NSS Webmaster
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--- Begin Message ---
There will be a work-weekend, Friday-Sunday, April 16-18 at the Deep & Punkin
Cave Preserve.
We will be removing the tin roof, purlins, and second-story steel uprights of
the new porch per the TCMA Boards decision.
We will leave the structure as a single-story covered porch and begin assessing
its future usability.
Its also time for some spring-cleaning around the cabin and campsites.
Afterwards both caves will be open for general caving.
Tools needed: Cordless drills/drivers with hex drives for the sheetmetal
screws Acetylene torches or plasma cutters with long hoses Leather
gloves Eyeprotection Cutting protection Chainsaws Loppers
Please bring your own food and beverages as well as 5 gallons of water per
person attending (in case the storage tanks need refilling).
This will be a hard and unfulfilling job but one that is necessary. The more
people that help, the faster we can get through this and go caving/ get
intoxicated. If you would like to come to the Preserve but NOT work on the
porch, Don Arburn will have other short alternative projects for you.
Please rsvp with myself or Don Arburn if you can make it.
Thank you for any help you can lend and your support of the Deep & Punkin Cave
Preserve.
Best regards,
Arron Wertheim, werthei...@hotmail.com
_________________________________________________________________
Hotmail has tools for the New Busy. Search, chat and e-mail from your inbox.
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--- Begin Message ---
I think someone posted that video already about a month ago, or it was
at least passed
around by cavers somewhere.
Realistically, a rock-crawler machine is not in my future.
The closest thing I have ever owned to an off-road vehicle is a 4x4
Toyota truck.
There are some places in karst country that that rock-crawler could get you to
easier. Like maybe closer to the lower entrance of Purificacion ?
However, I think most cavers can get to their favorite caves with just
an ordinary rugged vehicle. And there are a lot of caves you can get to with
a fuel-efficient car.
Here is a short list of a few caves that you can get near with just a
Honda Civic: Grutas de Precipicio, the caves of Slaughter Canyon,
Cueva La Boca, Cueva El Abra ( lower entrance ), Ventana Jabali,
Travis County caves like Airman's, Enchanted Rock Cave, and all the
commercial caves in the U.S. and Mexico, Robber Baron, etc. I am
sure I left off some popular ones.
I think 12 or 13 inches of ground clearance and good tires is more
important that 4 wheel drive. Skid plating is a good idea if you
don't have the ground clearance.
I don't think you will ever need to do the kind of rock-crawling they
are doing in the video
below on a caving trip. But this video below shows the importance of
having some sort of pulling gadget with you and tools, gloves, etc.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xRbGVPdWvM&feature=related
I don't think the young people today will grow up with the same
interest in off-roading vehicles that my generation had. They are
probably going to be more concerned with whether the vehicle has an
iPhone dock, and integrated hands-free calling, and individual DVD
players for each passenger, and shiny chrome wheels. Meaning, the
idea of driving an old rusty beater on a caving trip will seem absurd
to them.
Some may remember when caving gatherings held vehicle competitions,
like slow drive, and tug-of-war, or something like that. I don't
know if that would be considered caving related at
a caving event now. Feel free to correct me on that, as I have
missed quite a few recent caving gatherings.
David Locklear
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--- Begin Message ---
hahahaha.....
If you get THAT thing stuck, the only way to get it out would be by cargo
helicopter!!!
On Sun, Mar 21, 2010 at 2:14 PM, Bill Bentley <ca...@caver.net> wrote:
> http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=w_F7QrR4Ur8
>
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Friends, this may be your last reminder, as I will be out of town most
of this week, and then setting up on Friday for the TSA Spring
Convention in Cedar Park. On Saturday evening, after the scrumptious
feast prepared and served by our fellow caver-caterers (Stefan and Vico
and crew), we'll once again hold the TCMA Charity Auction, where your
contributions and purchases help buy caves for you. We have some
interesting potential purchases in the works, but it is too early to say
anything yet, or the deals might fall through. But we are going to need
money! That's where you come in. Send me a quick email telling me what
you want to donate (must have some caver appeal), and I will put it on
the spreadsheet to give to the auction bookkeepers. Then deliver your
items to Mike Walsh's house in Cedar Park, where the Convention will be
held. Finally, attend the auction (bring a lawn chair) and bid high on
the items we have, even your own if you decide you want it back! We
(the Auction team) promise to entertain you. This year we are going
formal. That's right, I bought a tux for the occasion, and my lovely
assistant Ann Scott will be elegant in an evening gown and pearls. If
any of you would like to pull out your little-used formal wear and don
it for the event, we would love to have you join in. The auction (as
well as the rest of the TSA Spring Convention) will be a really fun
time, so don't miss it!
Jim "Crash" Kennedy
TCMA Auctioneer
Confidentiality Note: This email and any attachment to it are
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via return email and delete it completely from your email system. If you
have printed a copy of the email, please destroy it immediately. Thank
you
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
The TCMA Board is very pleased to announce that a new manager has
been chosen for the Punkin and Deep Preserve: Don Arburn, a
long-time member of the TCMA Board. He will pick up the work at the
preserve that Geary Schindel has done since its purchase, and
continue toward the goal of making the preserve a premiere
destination for Texas caving. Thank you, Don, for taking up the
stewardship of this important property. (And thanks again to Geary
for his years of work.)
-william russell, tcma president
--
William Hart Russell
4806 Red River Street
Austin, TX 78751
H: 512-453-4774 (messages)
CELL: 512-940-8336
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--- Begin Message ---
All,
I'm in the process of throwing together the next issue of The TEXAS CAVER, but,
being a greedy S.O.B., I need more submissions!
I have an excellent article from Lacey Heath, with Bill Steele and Sean Lewis,
and photos by Lacey and Joe Datri on their La Navidad del Panqueque-Christmas
2009 PEP Expedition.
I also have an informative article from Bill Steele on his Thoughts on Knives
and Pliers in Caving.
I will also have a Punkin Cave Survey Report (could use more photos. I have one
from Chris Vreeland), a possible article on Honey Creek Prep 101, and a TSA
Convention wrap up/collage, as well.
But, as I stated, I need YOUR submissions!
Some trips and events that I know that have occurred, but, which have yielded
no submissions are:
· The Cave Rescue Training at CBSP.
· The Honey Creek Dive trips (I did receive some photos from Rick
Corbell, but, being a picky AND greedy SOB, I need hi-res versions).
· A New Deep Cave Area at Múzquiz, Coahuila
· A whole plethora of caving trips to Mexico (UTG folks) and Carlsbad,
New Mexico (Aggies) over Spring Break.
(Bill, if possible, could I get a report from you on your Convention talk,
"Mesas Juarez - the Search for an Upper Entrance to Sistema Purificación"?)
I always could use an article for the Carbide Corner from a chronologically
challenged caver, or any other article or report you'd like to submit.
If I don't use your submission in this issue, rest assured that I WILL use it
in some future newsletter.
As it stands now, this issue will barely be 20 pages, and I know all TSA
members expect and deserve the maximum in high quality content from their TC!
So, get busy and try to get whatever you can to me by mid-April, especially if
you've never sent me an article before!
I'm always looking for new and undiscovered scribblers, scribes, scripters,
word slingers, and wordsmiths!
This is your esteemed Chairman and Editor-at-large, signing out!
Thanks,
Mark
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Does someone have a photo they could send me, as well as anything else
they'd like to add?
Thanks,
Mark
From: Carl Kunath [mailto:carl.kun...@suddenlink.net]
Sent: Friday, March 19, 2010 12:32 AM
To: TexasCavers
Subject: [Texascavers] Robert W. "Bob" Mitchell
As has previously been noted here, we have lost a very important figure
in our caving community, most particularly in the science of
biospeleology. Others will doubtless post memories and comments about
Bob in the days to come. For now, I offer these comments extracted from
pages 289 and 290 of the chapter on The History of Texas Cave Biology in
50 Years of Texas Caving:
Robert W. Mitchell, a graduate student at the University of
Texas in Austin, made a detailed study of the biology and ecology
of the ground beetle Rhadine subterranea (Van Dyke) in
Beck Ranch Cave in the early 1960s. He set up an underground
laboratory in the cave so that he could study the beetles in their
natural climate. His dissertation was completed in 1965 and is
considered a landmark study in cave ecology. He inspired
Reddell to compile a checklist of the cave fauna of Texas,
published in 1965-1967, and collaborated with Reddell in the
description of the blind salamander Eurycea tridentifera from
Honey Creek Cave. After receiving his Ph.D. he joined the faculty
of Texas Technological College (now Texas Tech University)
and became one of the leading cave biologists in the United
States. Although his primary research interest turned to the
amazingly rich cave fauna of Mexico, he conducted a significant
study on the ecology of Fern Cave, Val Verde County.
This study was the first serious examination of the guano community
in a large Mexican freetail bat cave.
The "discovery" by cavers of Mexico in the 1960s and the
increasing time spent exploring, mapping, and biologically
studying the caves of Mexico resulted in a gradual decline in
caving and cave biology in Texas. Reddell left for the University
of Kentucky in 1967 but, finding it too cold and remote
from Mexico, returned to study under Mitchell at Texas Tech
in the fall of 1968. Mitchell's lab at Texas Tech became a center
for cave biology studies, with his graduate students including,
besides Reddell, Glen Campbell studying cave cricket ecology,
William Elliott studying the Texas cave millipedes of the genus
Speodesmus, Virginia Tipton studying the Mexican ricinuleids
(a rare order of Arcahnida), and Suzanne Fowler (now Wiley)
studying cave Rhadine.
Bob was a personal friend and I shall miss him greatly.
We are diminished.
===Carl Kunath
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--- Begin Message ---
John Lyles posted the following to NMCaver. Not about
caving really, but lots of other interesting underground
science. Biologists may be interested in the article on extremophile
microbes living in rock deep below the surface (p. 32).
Mark Minton
The February issue #1, V7) of Symmetry, a joint publication of
Fermilab and SLAC (Stanford Linear Accelerator Center), is focused
on underground science: neutrinos, dark matter, and even geomicrobiology.
www.symmetrymagazine.org
funded by US Department of Energy Office of Science
Please reply to mmin...@caver.net
Permanent email address is mmin...@illinoisalumni.org
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--- Begin Message ---
Today's Austin American Statesman ran an article about the discovery of Natural
Bridge Caverns. The discovery was made by our own Orian Knox 50 years ago.
Read it here:
http://www.statesman.com/news/local/50-years-since-discovery-of-largest-known-caverns-425529.html?srcTrk=RTR_240839
........ Sam
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