I can give it a try On Wed, Aug 26, 2009 at 7:46 AM, <mark.al...@l-3com.com> wrote: > > Was anyone interested in writing a more lengthy trip report (I'll take all > comers) and sending pix my way for the next TEXAS CAVER? > > > Sounds like a good and "interesting" trip, by all reports! > > > Thanks! > > Mark > > > ________________________________ > From: ellie.tho...@gmail.com [mailto:ellie.tho...@gmail.com] > Sent: Mon 8/24/2009 11:20 AM > To: patriot0...@hotmail.com; blon...@dot.state.tx.us; Alman, Mark @ IRP; > speleoste...@tx.rr.com; George-Paul Richmann; Lyndon Tiu; germa...@aol.com; > julesje...@yahoo.com; Edwin Lehr; Will Harris; Udi Fuchs; Diana Tomchick; > Katy; zachrbrouss...@neo.tamu.edu; David Wendeborn; lacey heath; Renee > Skwara; Joe Datri; Ninja James Brown; Roger Moore; ggelet...@hot.rr.com; > l_colucc...@yahoo.com; wong...@yahoo.com; m...@mpphoto.ws; Nathan Dennis; > Zach S 10; ara...@gmail.com; Ron Rutheford; jwryl...@sbcglobal.net; Heather > Tucek; Sheena McCrary; an...@kinsy.com; amanda.bent...@neo.tamu.edu; > cberg1...@neo.tamu.edu; carr2...@neo.tamu.edu; megan.fi...@gmail.com; > tj_tidw...@neo.tamu.edu; wendeb...@neo.tamu.edu; barnardd...@yahoo.com; > pepabe...@hotmail.com; mossy...@comcast.net; monste...@hotmail.com; > stefan.crea...@arm.com; tr...@sprynet.com; Alan Downey; Travis Scott; > peterspro...@yahoo.com; pe...@oztotl.com; Paul Unger; > back2scool...@hotmail.com; Charles Goldsmith; Amalia Montoya > Subject: August 22nd Longhorn Results > > This Saturday, August 22nd, 2009, 25 cavers went into Longhorn Caverns > to check out the sump and other leads and we all made it out alive > with stories to tell. At a recent grotto meeting, Bill Steele > coordinated with James Brown, legendary cave-diver, to take a team of > cavers back to sump 2 and the trip was on! Many other beginner, new > cavers, and longtime cavers from area grottos (DFW, Bexar, UT, and > GHG) jumped on the opportunity to check out Longhorn Caverns and we > had a solid team of 23 people. > > Most people arrived on Friday night and we sat around planning the > next day. When we woke up Saturday morning, GP was cooking up a yummy > breakfast of egg, bacon, and cheese burritos…enough for everyone!!! > After breakfast we circled up to break the team into “Dive Team” and > “Team 2/novice trip”. > > The “Dive Team” of 7 included f James Brown, Bill Steele, Diana > Tomchick, Charles Goldsmith, Will Harris, Joe Datri, Lacey Heath, and > George Paul Richman. At 9am they set out with their gear towards the > Crownover entrance of Longhorn Caverns. Because of confusion with > parking, they ended up trekking their gear much farther than expected > to the Crownover entrance, which is the furthest entrance from the > tourist entrance. > > “Team 2”, consisting of 16 people: Edwin Lehr, Nathan Dennis, Steve > Webb, Cristina Estrada, Alex, David, Udi Fuchs, Katy Roodenko, Renee > Skwara, Zach Schudrowitz, Gmo, Bonnie Longley, Jeff Wryland, Sheena > McCrary, Andee Kinsy, and Ellie Watson followed the 10am tour into the > cave. Edwin gave a speed-tour of the show part of the cave and then we > set up for the traditional “before shot” at the beginning of the > non-tourist part of the cave. Everyone slid through the water smoothly > and rolled over the rocks and the mud. The team split at the Wigglies > and Edwin led the larger group throught the Wigglies while I led the > rest out on the straight path. All 16 of team 2 met up at the end of > the Wigglies and Edwin too willing participants through the low-air to > the 2nd sump while I led the rest of the group out of the cave. When > we got to the Crownover entrance, Roger Moore greeted us and walked > everyone towards the road back to camp and got GP’s Jeep and parked it > closer to the entrance. > > I went back into the cave and met up with the dive team as they were > coming out. About the sump dive Bill Steele wrote "James Brown didn't > like the sump and didn't go more than a few feet into it. There was > zero visibility and right away there was a block of rock on the floor > he was going to have to take his tanks off and extend them at > arms-length so he could squeeze between it and the ceiling. If he > tries it again, he'll take two 15 cu. ft. pony tanks, which will give > him a penetration time of 10 minutes." > > The rain greeted us when we made it back to camp and everyone was > hosing off the layers of thick mud under a nice shower of rain. Thank > goodness the rain did not hit while we were in the cave. Roger Moore, > on surface support said “The novice trip seemed quite successful, with > lots of smiles on muddy faces after they emerged. Joe Datri loaned > one of the women on the trip a pair of pants, but failed to mention to > her that they were blown out in the rear in a couple of places, which > made for an interesting picture. You know all what I know about the > sump trip (that the sump was too muddy and that the tanks were too > large for the constriction (the latter of which I hadn't heard about). > After hosing down in the rain and a change of clothes, many of us went > to the Blue Bonnet for a great meal and pie. The only downside to the > surface and beer support was that there wasn't enough time to consume > much beer.” > > So, all in all, GREAT trip! Thanks for all who came and thanks to all > the Longhorn Lowdown people who have done so much work in the past to > make it possible for us to enjoy this beautiful cave. >
-- George-Paul Richmann (513) 490-3100 gprichm...@gmail.com
